Competition Pistol Selection

[IPSC_DRL]

Thanks, this was great feedback. I've mentally got it down to a couple of pistols. I think I am going to go to the range this weekend and try those few out and try and go to a match on Sunday to observe.

Please don't do that! I hate when people show up at a match to "just watch". I want them to participate. Let us know what match you are planning to attend and I'll bet someone here will offer you equipment and coaching so you can try it out. Just go slow and don't scare anyone and you will be welcomed back!

 

[gmm50]

Hellooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

What about a Revolver. You might not be old enough to shoot one. But if you are it's great fun and a really great group.
The ICORE rule book is about 10 pages including safety and scoring.
You can shoot a revolver in ICORE, USPSA, IDPA and Steel and plates and pins and on and on.

There is an ICORE match this Saturday (3Sept) an Munson MA. Stop by someone will set you up with a rig and you will be hooked.

I'm not able to make it or else I would bring a setup for you.

USPSA Area 7 is another week away at Harvard. I'm shooting Revolver on Sunday.

See you at a match.

 

[gmm50]

Hellooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

What about a Revolver. You might not be old enough to shoot one. But if you are it's great fun and a really great group.
The ICORE rule book is about 10 pages including safety and scoring.
You can shoot a revolver in ICORE, USPSA, IDPA and Steel and plates and pins and on and on.

There is an ICORE match this Saturday (3Sept) an Munson MA. Stop by someone will set you up with a rig and you will be hooked.

I'm not able to make it or else I would bring a setup for you.

USPSA Area 7 is another week away at Harvard. I'm shooting Revolver on Sunday.

See you at a match.

George

 

[HiNoon]

HiNoon - I can offer to have you shoot my 1911PD 45, Springfield XD45, and Glock 17 if you want to try your hands at those let me know. PM if you want to try Saturday or Monday @ Harvard or Haverhill.

I started shooting USPSA with my 1911 then I moved to my Springfield then I finally broke down and went with the Glock ...lol
What I can tell you is the gun does not matter as much as your skill and you can compete with just about anything your comfortable with.

Thanks, you guys are awesome. The only reason I mentioned a 1911 was that I was trying to include Bullseye shooting so that I would stay busy. However, from what everyone is saying, between IDPA, USPSA, and Action Pistol, I should be plenty busy. So, that said, I think I'm going to separate myself from the Bullseye end of things and chose a production pistol that is better designed for the action sports. I just think that if I drop bullseye for the time being, I can bring down the cost of things a little and spend more money on ammo instead of equipment. I have no real allegence to a 1911 style pistols. I used to shoot competitively when I was in the Marine Corps and that was of course my service pistol at that time.

 

[HiNoon]

Hellooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

What about a Revolver. You might not be old enough to shoot one. But if you are it's great fun and a really great group.
The ICORE rule book is about 10 pages including safety and scoring.
You can shoot a revolver in ICORE, USPSA, IDPA and Steel and plates and pins and on and on.

There is an ICORE match this Saturday (3Sept) an Munson MA. Stop by someone will set you up with a rig and you will be hooked.

I'm not able to make it or else I would bring a setup for you.

USPSA Area 7 is another week away at Harvard. I'm shooting Revolver on Sunday.

See you at a match.

Before my Ex made me sell my collection, I had a SW 686 that I loved. However, I am way to much of a techy to use a revolver. You can't beat a revolver for reliability but I love the auto's. If I was going to go with a revolver, I think I would be more attracted to SASS action sports. Now that looks cool but I'm not sure that I could get used to all the dress up. Kinda like Halloween with guns.

 

[marvelshooter]

Darn. I thought we were going to be getting another bullseye shooter.

 

[HiNoon]

Please don't do that! I hate when people show up at a match to "just watch". I want them to participate. Let us know what match you are planning to attend and I'll bet someone here will offer you equipment and coaching so you can try it out. Just go slow and don't scare anyone and you will be welcomed back!

Thanks, I might just do that. When I figure out where I am going, I'll let you guys know. Quick question for the audience here and maybe this isn't the thread for this but it seems like this particular sport eats a lot of ammo. How many of you reload? And if you do, is it any kind of real savings? I've never reloaded before but given how much shooting I may be doing, if it saves any kind of real money I may be interested.

 

[HiNoon]

Darn. I thought we were going to be getting another bullseye shooter.

Sorry, I'm really not putting down the sport at all. It does require a lot of talent but it's expensive. A three gun match is going to cost me more than a few bucks and the pistols are very different from the action sports. I'd still like to compete in bullseye in the future but until I build up a working collection of pistols, this seems like a cheaper entry to the shooting sports.

 

[MAShooter]

Lots of USPSA and IDPA shooters reload (though not all). It's funny, people get into reloading to save money, but then end up spending just as much money. But you get twice the ammo for the same $, so you get to shoot more

 

[JimB]

if you shoot a lot of action sports reloading will save money and will

also stretch your shooting budget. that said i would also separate

the bullseye from the action sports, get an adequate gun for action

sports and get started, later on find a bullseye gun.

 

[Lugnut]

Lots of USPSA and IDPA shooters reload (though not all). It's funny, people get into reloading to save money, but then end up spending just as much money. But you get twice the ammo for the same $, so you get to shoot more

Yeah... I'd rather not add it all up!

 

[jar]

I can count on one hand the action pistol shooters who are good at it that don't reload. Factory ammo is perfect to get started, but if you get hooked, you're going to want a progressive reloader.

IMHO, the best place to start is Production. Try to shoot a Glock 34, M&P 9 Pro, and the new XD(m) 5.25 competition. Pick the one you shoot the best. Buy a wilderness instructor belt, a holster and 4 mag pouches from Ready Tactical(cpwsa.com), a total of 6 mags, and a few hundred rounds of factory 9mm. This should total about $1000, and will be as competitive as anything in Production. You can shoot the same gear plus a concealment vest in IDPA (SSP for Glock or M&P, ESP for the XD) If you want to save a few $$, without much of a performance hit, buy a well used Glock 17.

If you like the 1911, single stack can also be a good place to start.

 

[TY43215]

I can count on one hand the action pistol shooters who are good at it that don't reload. Factory ammo is perfect to get started, t.

Yeah, let's see, Rob Letham, Todd Jarret, Dave Sevigny, Jerry Miculek, who else

 

[jar]

Yeah, let's see, Rob Letham, Todd Jarret, Dave Sevigny, Jerry Miculek, who else

Jerry reloads, I've seen him do it in his RCBS commercial

I was thinking more locally. I'm sure those guys reloaded on their way up though. How about 'I can count on one hand the number of good action shooters who buy their own factory ammo'?

Anyway, reloading cuts the per round cost for the common calibers (9/40/45) roughly in half. You save even more on anything further outside the mainstream. If budget is at all a concern, the breakeven point for a basic progressive setup comes pretty damn fast.

 

[M1911]

If budget is at all a concern, the breakeven point for a basic progressive setup comes pretty damn fast.

I figure my Dillon 550 paid for itself in the first year, and that includes quick-change assemblies for three different calibers.

 

[Lugnut]

I figure my Dillon 550 paid for itself in the first year, and that includes quick-change assemblies for three different calibers.

1 year??? Crap- I saw the break even after a month.

 

[TY43215]

Jerry reloads, I've seen him do it in his RCBS commercial

Not since he got an ammo sponsor I believe he shoots MagTech now. And yes, I am sure they all reloaded and still do but look at all the once fired 9mm brass at most matches. Many people still do not reload and do just fine. It comes down to space, time, and how much money you have to spend on ammo. I reload out of habit. Been doing it too long to stop now. It is the one activity that silences the voices.

 

[vellnueve]

For me it's more trying to figure out how to get the friggin' 550 to work.