Looking for IDPA firearms options??

[MoAmmoPlease]

I started with a 9mm Shield expecting people to be shooting the firearm they carried but that wasn't the case. I don't shoot it very well at 15 and 20 yards anyway so I grabbed a 92fs which I shoot better but it's to big for me to call my EDC and I could do without the DA/SA.
So..... living in MA with limited options I'm looking for a single stack 9mm preferably 10+1 that's a reasonable carry size but with a decent sight radius. Could use a couple of suggestions. Someone told me the g34 is the number one IDPA choice but can't seem to find one...WTH.

 

[SSW]

I shoot a SW M&P 9fs. From my experience where I shoot IDPA the Glocks and M&P are the most common. There are some others. For me the M&P is my choice.

I have been shooting IDPA for only 3 seasons. So not sure how it all started, but it is a game. Sure there are practical applications with safety, trigger discipline and others. But IDPA is not a training tool for real life EDC.

So my 2 cents is shoot what you are comfortable with to participate. Many people do shoot their EDC from an IWB holster. But in my experience most use an OWB kydex holster that in many cases is not really an EDC holster for concealed carry.

Get to a match and give it a try. The people I have met are really good people that welcome new people and are there to participate and compete in a sport that we all realize is just that a game. Warning once you start you may not stop!!!!

 

[newportri]

If your carry gun is a Shield, I would recommend that you use a M&P in IDPA/USPSA since they are pretty similar.There is a IDPA BUG (Back Up Gun) match at the Rod and Gun club of New Bedford this weekend where you could bring your shield and have an even playing field.http://rodgun-nb.org/ap/schedules/schedule.htm

 

[FSTC]

I shoot a SW M&P 9fs. From my experience where I shoot IDPA the Glocks and M&P are the most common. There are some others. For me the M&P is my choice.

I have been shooting IDPA for only 3 seasons. So not sure how it all started, but it is a game. Sure there are practical applications with safety, trigger discipline and others. But IDPA is not a training tool for real life EDC.

So my 2 cents is shoot what you are comfortable with to participate. Many people do shoot their EDC from an IWB holster. But in my experience most use an OWB kydex holster that in many cases is not really an EDC holster for concealed carry.

Get to a match and give it a try. The people I have met are really good people that welcome new people and are there to participate and compete in a sport that we all realize is just that a game. Warning once you start you may not stop!!!!

What he said ^^^^^^^^

 

[M1911]

I'm looking for a single stack 9mm preferably 10+1 that's a reasonable carry size but with a decent sight radius.

That doesn't exist.

Someone told me the g34 is the number one IDPA choice but can't seem to find one...WTH.

So, you want a reasonable carry size and you are considering a Glock 34? Make up your mind.

For a full size gun, a Glock 17 is a good choice (easier to find than a 34). Or a S&W M&P.

My suggestion: get a holster for your 92fs and take it to a match. After a few matches you may have a better idea what you want.

 

[SJan]

single stack 9mm preferably 10+1 that's a reasonable carry size but with a decent sight radius

Why single stack?

It sounds like you want a carry gun that can/will also be competitive in a shooting game.
Do you want 9mm?
Striker fired guns ok? they are not technically single action...
Reasonable carry size will vary from me to you.

I would say a Glock 17 or 19, M&P full size, Ruger SR9, or the proper variation of a H&K or Walther will work if they fit your hand better then the others

 

[MoAmmoPlease]

Thanks guys. I've shot a classifier and a couple of matches and did pretty good with the 92 with a score of 170 in the classifier. The 92 works OK I just am not psyched with the DA/SA.
Ideally I could use a gun I can actually carry and I'm not a big guy. The Shield has functioned flawlessly so maybe a M&P 9c might be a good choice. Does anyone actually shoot IDPA with a IWB holster? I think I would like that. At least the price of the M&P won't break the bank.
One more rookie question??? Does changing the sights and having the trigger done on any firearm move me out of SSP? Well I'm not looking to be really competitive but I do want to know my carry gun intimately. Thanks for your help and I may go up to Sig to shoot a classifier. Hopefully see how it's really done. I got the fun part covered!!

 

[Wendell]

...Does anyone actually shoot IDPA with a IWB holster?

Some do. It's safe to say that most don't.

...Does changing the sights and having the trigger done on any firearm move me out of SSP?

Maybe (depending upon the parts you choose). To see what is legal and what is illegal, you'll have to reference the IDPA rulebook pages 31-33.

 

[BigDaddyAl]

Does anyone actually shoot IDPA with a IWB holster?

Yes. However, speaking as an IDPA safety officer, please make sure that it is a quality IWB holster that doesn't "collapse" when you remove the firearm. Reholstering IWB is always a bit trickier than OWB, but definitely doable.

One more rookie question??? Does changing the sights and having the trigger done on any firearm move me out of SSP?

You can have some trigger jobs done and still stay in SSP. I shoot an M&P full size in SSP that has a Dawson red fiber optic front sight and a trigger job from Greg Derr.

Well I'm not looking to be really competitive but I do want to know my carry gun intimately.

I was in your shoes a few years ago. I started with an S&W 3913 (single-stack 9MM, but only 8+1). It was my carry gun and as you said, I wanted to be intimately familiar with it, so that is what I used. After about 6 months I switched to an M&P full size and haven't looked back. My EDC is now an M&P Shield, so I agree with newportri's suggestion to stick with the same platform. The fundamentals are the same whether you are shooting a compact or full-size, and I find that even though I shoot my full-size M&P A LOT more than my Shield, my performance shooting my Shield has improved significantly.

 

[MoAmmoPlease]

Greg Derr has my Shield now and is doing the trigger and putting on fiber optic sights. I thought I wanted the XS Big or standard dot but he convinced me to go with the fiber for a variety of reasons.
I will admit that the IWB holsters I'm using with the Shield is a bit awkward when I reholster and I have to be conscious of sweeping myself. I guess that being able to reholster easily doesn't matter on a everyday carry basis but is critical on the firing line. It certainly makes sense that familiarity with one platform will pay off when carrying. That's another nudge toward an M&P 9c.
Thanks...good advise!

 

[M1911]

Does anyone actually shoot IDPA with a IWB holster? I think I would like that.

Very few. They really slow down the draw and they are an overall pain in the neck during the match -- you have to be very careful not to get your shirt caught as you holster. If you do bring an IWB, make sure that it stays open when you draw so that you can holster one-handed. Cross-breed makes good IWB holsters.

One more rookie question??? Does changing the sights and having the trigger done on any firearm move me out of SSP? Well I'm not looking to be really competitive but I do want to know my carry gun intimately. Thanks for your help and I may go up to Sig to shoot a classifier. Hopefully see how it's really done. I got the fun part covered!!

You can change the sights provided you stay with standard post-and-notch sights (no peep sights). You can get a trigger job, but you can't change an externally visible part. For example, you could have a gunsmith smooth up the trigger pull, but you couldn't replace a serrated trigger with a smooth trigger. These rules are discussed pretty well in the rule book at idpa.com.

BTW, you only have to shoot the classifier once a year. You don't need to shoot the classifier to start competing.

 

[Keepkool]

I started with a 92fs , then switched to a glock 34, I have tried different pistols in practiced and now shoot production with a CZ SP01 and love it. You will have to see what works for you . The M&P is a great start. good luck