One gun for Limited/Limited 10/Carry Optics

[jrpascucci]

I recently read a quote from another poster: "I want my uspsa card to look like my high school grades: all Ds" and realized that's what I want to do with my life for the moment.

I was poking around the rules, and it seemed to me that one gun could be used to compete (at my low goals) in all three of Carry Optics, Limited 10, and (with the usual difficulty of finding mags in MA) Limited.

Has anybody done this, or anybody have recommendations?
I shoot production (poorly) with p320 now.
I own a H&K vp40 that I have set up for home defense, but it's not on the production list for whatever reason.
I think I'd like to have a different gun to change it up.
I was thinking of a Glock or a CZ, but am open to other ideas.

I'm comfortable doing a lot of mechanical work on it myself, aftermarket parts &c, or taking it to my (awesome) gunsmith for that handful of stuff that requires precision and/or milling.

As I had decided to half-ass gear on SS and PCC, and I'm considering going more whole-ass on a space gun someday, I want to spend somewhere in the middle on this project: under $1600 for everything required that would be fine, less is better, and I'm profoundly okay with starting with a used gun and lots of parts.

(Oh, plus an optic - suggestions desired.)

Setting this up and getting used to the optic will be my project over the winter, probably.

 

[eisenhow]

Glock 22. You can get pre-ban square notch drop free mags for $55-60. Add dawson extensions for Limited and CO. You give up a few rounds to the 9mm for CO but you can reload 40 minor. I built my wife a G22 carry optics gun for cheap since I already had 13 pre-ban mags. Bought a police trade in G22 from Aim Surplus, added a vortex venom 6 MOA dot, $125 of machine work.

 

[earthshine402]

if you want to half-ass everything and get a D in every division (not sure why you would want to do this), your existing gear could be shot in most divisions.

one gun can be used for production, L10, Limited, open (i don't recommend whole-ass spending on an open gun if your plan is to just get a D classification).

 

[jrpascucci]

if you want to half-ass everything and get a D in every division (not sure why you would want to do this), your existing gear could be shot in most divisions. One gun can be used for production, L10, Limited, open (i don't recommend whole-ass spending on an open gun if your plan is to just get a D classification).

Oh, it's not like I want to be a D rating in everything for ever, it's just a goal to go wide before going deep (like I do with y.m.)

I do want to try it all in a fairly legit fashion, but the differences between the CO, L10, limited seem like they could be elided the most readily without losing a great deal. Maybe I don't appreciate how much better a legit Limited gun is than a carry optic?

 

[Supermoto]

As recommended, a glock 22 is the easiest way to be a failure in every division

 

[earthshine402]

i shot a glock 35 for a season in Limited, but then moved over to 2011's. Its up to you what you shoot.

 

[nstassel]

Get an X5 and do it all. Plus you already have mags.

 

[scooter]

I guess I’ll don’t understand the question . Could in layman’s term explain why he wants to be a D in all classes?

 

[jrpascucci]

I guess I’ll don’t understand the question . Could in layman’s term explain why he wants to be a D in all classes?

First, it was humor. Secondly, I did, indeed, answer above, but to reiterate, it means that, right now, I'm interested in multiple classes and experiencing the differences, rather than focusing on one.

So, in this thread, I'm weighing the pros and cons of what can be reasonably done. I don't, for instance, see a great deal of difference between the equipment needed for Limited/L10 and prod or CO (with the obvious exception), but maybe I don't appreciate how specialized a custom limited gun is.

 

[dgrafton]

I shoot a Walther Q5. I actually have two, one set up for limited and one set up for IDPA ssp. I can switch slides depending on whether I want to shoot IDPA esp, ssp or co or USPSA production, ltd or co.

 

[CTjer]

Get a used Glock 17. You can add base pads and a dovetail mount for CO, just the pads for Limited Shoot it as L10 and Production too.

The G22 would work too obviously. Just load minor for CO.

 

[TrashcanDan]

Shoot revolver and be forever stuck in C class!

 

[dgrafton]

I don't get the attraction of .40 for limited. What I lose in points for minor power factor, I make up for in time.
You only lose points for non A zone hits
And I have one gun/ammo combo for whichever game I'm playing whether IDPA, USPSA, 3gun Nation, etc.

 

[Supermoto]

If minor was better for limited, that is what everyone would shoot...but it's not, so no one does

 

[SJan]

What I lose in points for minor power factor, I make up for in time.

Except when in major the need to hit the A zone is less important.
Having less regard for shooting the A zone 90%, most shooters can push speed and improve hit factors.

I proved this recently in a practice session consisting of a short stage with considerable movement and all partials. Shooting for all alphas ( and getting them) I averaged a 6 hf. Aiming for "center of brown" time improved by 1 to 2 second, and accepting 20 or 30% C hits I averaged 6.5 hf.

This is only one example, and results will vary. Much more often than not, shooting major results in better scores.

 

[Dan S]

I don't get the attraction of .40 for limited. What I lose in points for minor power factor, I make up for in time.
You only lose points for non A zone hits
And I have one gun/ammo combo for whichever game I'm playing whether IDPA, USPSA, 3gun Nation, etc.

How do you know you're making it up in time? Do you have two similar guns in both major or minor? A good friend that is a GM was practicing Single Stack with both a .45ACP and the other in 38 Super loaded to minor. His times were almost the same with both guns, same drills. He felt that he would need to be 20% faster with minor for it to be an advantage, he couldn't get close to it.

 

[Happy feet]

Single stack isn,t really a good example because if you shooting minor you get 10 rounds per mag vs 8 for major which can make a big difference in stage planing

 

[Supermoto]

I think SS is the prefect example of how much time you have to over come by shooting minor. You get two extra rounds, easier stage planning, but that still doesn't over come the benefit of shooting major.

 

[SJan]

Single stack isn,t really a good example because if you shooting minor you get 10 rounds per mag vs 8 for major which can make a big difference in stage planing

Single stack major / minor is an interesting division. I think a successful argument can be made for shooting minor for intermediate and lower level shooters. For them the two extra rounds will be a benefit.
At even a level 1 USPSA match there should never be a stage REQUIRING more than 8 rounds from a single position or View, for that reason a more advanced shooter will use the major scoring to an advantage.

A Lot of people say they can shoot minor faster.
The point I'm trying to make is this:. The act of controlling recoil and hitting the A Zone repeatedly on the same target may feel "easier" or "faster" with minor to a low to mid-level Shooter. With a more advanced shooter their fundamentals like grip and stance Etc are better and pounding the A Zone in major or minor is no difference in time. For the advanced shooter shooting major becomes faster because there is less need to hit the a Zone with every shot. A percentage of C hits are acceptable

 

[wmassregulators]

I tried to do the limited minor thing, and it ate my lunch.
the major/minor scoring is a lot bigger of an obstacle to overcome then it seems.