There’s more to a match than just shooting. You need to have, manage and tote a lot of gear. Sometimes there’s a lot of “toting.” I have shot matches that required almost a three-quarter mile stroll between the parking area, registration and then negotiating the bays. That’s a lot of walking with a heavy gun bag slung over one shoulder, a compact cooler in one hand and a folding chair in the other. It didn’t take me long to abandon the .45 ACP and develop a fondness for 9 mm Luger. That .45 ammo weighs a ton.
Playing “beast of burden” for all that gear can deplete the energy needed to compete and an increasing number of shooters have realized that. Many competitors now carry their gear in some kind of cart. I’ve seen a bunch of different types ranging from a toy store Little Red Wagon to collapsible models that have some level of storage. None had appealed to me, but at a recent match I saw one that actually impressed me.
The S3 Range Cart 3.0 ($395) is built on a sturdy metal frame that surrounds a nylon bag and provides three separate storage compartments. A collapsible handle slides down for storage and up for travel. A padded fold-down seat sits over the top compartment and serves as a comfortable perch for those ranges that lack such amenities. Two cup holders fit onto the back and are perfectly sized to hold a 28-ounce sports drink bottle. Additionally, a pair of 11½-inch wheels with a pronounced tread pattern make negotiating unimproved surfaces (or front porch steps) easy. The wheels are solid foam, so there’s no worry about air pressure.
With the handle fully collapsed, the S3 Range Cart 3.0 measures 22½ inches high, 21½ inches wide (including the wheels) and 11½ inches front to back. The empty weight is 15.6 pounds. It looks for all the world like a miniature chest of drawers on wheels and might be a tight fit for the trunk of a compact car. But it slips easily through the rear hatch of my Nissan Rogue or Jeep Patriot SUVs.
Storage compartments consist of a top loading compartment that, according to my measurements, is 10½ inches deep, 13½ inches wide and 10 inches from front to back. Two small zipper mesh holders at the rear provide a handy place to store lens cleaning gear, batteries and other small items. Six round holders line the sides for other small items. All three compartments secure with nylon zippers, but one doesn’t have to constantly zip and unzip the top compartment. It opens upward and the fold-down seat sits snugly on top of it. The bottom of the seat has a Velcro patch that mates with one on the compartment top. The seat secures the flap, and flipping up the seat opens it.
A middle compartment features eight magazine holders and measures about 12 inches wide, eight inches high and a couple of inches deep, but the flap allows it to expand a bit. It’s a perfect place to store ammunition and magazines. The bottom compartment is 10½ inches front to back, 15 inches wide and 6½ inches top to bottom. It will easily hold a pair of the ubiquitous plastic foam-lined pistol cases or other items like a rolled up jacket or soft foam cooler.
There are a number of accessory items that attach easily to the S3 Range Cart 3.0. A pair of fenders ($49) will keep mud from spattering all over the bag. An umbrella holder ($43) clamps onto the handle and allows your umbrella to attach. Plus, there is a mount for your phone ($38). One accessory I simply couldn’t pass up was the table ($30). It clamps onto the handle with a rather ingenious connection that holds its place on the rail solidly, but allows it to swivel 360 degrees. Combined with the padded seat, this gives me a very comfortable and convenient place to reload magazines or speedloaders. It’s a major improvement over trying to juggle all that stuff in my lap while sunk into a skimpy folding chair.
As the cart comes from the shipping box there is some assembly required. The wheels and axle need to be installed, but it’s a simple operation. The instructions are very clear, and it only requires one Allen wrench (included) to set the wheel and axle lock nuts. In addition, screwing on the two cup holders requires nothing more than a Phillips head screwdriver. It took me less than five minutes to get the cart match ready.
The first match I used the cart was Steel Challenge with a rimfire rifle and optic in Rimfire Rifle Open division, which was the conclusion of my test report on C-More’s new RTS3 sight. I first thought I’d have to sling the soft case over my shoulder, but an inspiration struck. The two cup holders didn’t look that much different than the pickup truck window rifle rack common in my neck of the woods. I tried the rifle case and—sure enough—it fit nicely. The next match was IDPA Carry Optics, and for both matches I actually had more cargo space than I needed. The guns, ammo, lens cleaning gear, oil, spare magazines, emergency tools and even a soft foam cooler fit easily with room to spare.
The big wheels let the cart pull with little effort, pivot on a dime and carry everything I could possibly need. It handles like a sports car but carries gear like a cargo van. My shoulders thanked me. I might even start shooting my .45 again.
You can learn more about the S3 Range Cart 3.0 at s3rangecarts.com.
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