[fgr39]

At what point did you decide to make the investment in an open class pistol? Was there a level in limited that you got to and then epanded into open class or what. I feel that I could be fairly good to start with in open class but can't really get myself to spend the money. any advise on how well I should do in limited before jumping into open?
Thanks.

[BillL223]

I started out in Limited with a Colt Gold Cup because that was the only centerfire pistol I owned. I shot several matches and decided this was fun and thought open class with red-dots and comps looked like more fun. Bought an old George Smith .45 single stack with 2 port comp and added a Gilmore sight, wasn't much of a open race gun but made a great pin gun. Invested in an EGW built STI open gun about 6 years ago, still going strong but its getting a new barrel this winter. I built a new STI limited gun about 4 yrs ago and its what I'm shooting the most now. Its not a question of attaining a particular skill level and switching to open. At this stage, I would not build another open gun as I feel the sport is moving away from Open and Limited guns are just as much fun to shoot. My classification average is now actually higher in Limited then Open. This may be bcause old and slow isn't as much a disadvantage in Limited.

[Hoser]

I started shooting Open after maybe 18 months. I had made A limited and felt comfortable spending another chunk of $$$ on the sport.

I dont shoot Open much anymore. I will start back into it when I cant see the front sight anymore.

[Navy joe]

For me (non-open shooter), the deciding factor has always been money. I could maybe afford an open gun now, I know where a nice used one sits. I don't think it's a question of how proficient you need to be, but get out and shoot the sport with a basic gun enough to learn the game and decide if it is a serious enough pasttime for you to drop the big cash, reload and all of that. If you decide it's just a one weekend a month thing maybe you would be better served with a less expensive operation.

That said, my money is getting itchy and it's either the open gun or a 625 next. It's a toss-up, I don't know how to use a dot, but then again I don't know how to adeptly reload a revolver.

[eerw]

Shot a limited gun for about a year before going to open..was always my intention, but I am a gadget freak, I love the comps, red dot sights and small diameter bullets.

I love shooting for the highest points the fastest..I get a big kick out of doing that and the feeling when it all comes together and I am shooting well.

[Ankeny]

I went to Open when the sights became a fuzzy blob and my vision went in the toilet. In my case, I did it for the advantage of an optic. After I bought the open blaster I discovered Open is the most intense of all of the divisions and it generally has the highest hit factors. Open is a blast.

[mattjoe]

I shot a total of One match with my hk usp 45, and decided, this is a fun sport, and I want to do it right, which in my definition then, was all out open gun, so I bought an open gun the next week.
I haven't shot a single uspsa match in limited since that day about 6 or 7 years ago, and am not even tempted to but for the opportunity to beat down my friends who are shooting in limited.
I rarely shot much handgun before shooting open class, and think that using that gun taught me tons about shooting, which i was able to carry over into using the limited style guns in other types of events.
I think the open gun allows you to learn your limitations faster, and advance at a faster rate.

I also dont think they are a huge investment, both a brand new limited and brand new open will run you nearly the same amount of money.
I think used is certainly the way to go for a new to the sport shooter, that way if you dont like it, you aren't out as much money. I've just now ordered a new gun for myself. It'll be my first new competition pistol, an SVI 38 super. I dont think you can do better than that, and I expect it to be the gun that I make master with.

If you feel you could be fairly good in open right away, then by all means, go shoot open. Nothing is as encouraging as success.

Look online for some used ones if you arent sure you want to make the big purchase right away.

[Wakal]

I started off with a P14, and switched to a www.triangleshootingsports.com "Fat-Free .40" 6-inch STI after I won it. Borrowed a friend's Open gun to play "mess with the class system" at a brother-in-law type match, and ended up buying a used Open gun to play "mess with the class system" at the IPSC Nationals.

Shot both the Limited Nationals and the Open Nationals, and discovered that the Open was more entertaining. Especially since I discovered that while I could hang with the local top Open shooters with my Limited rig, I could thrash them soundly with my own Open rig...heh heh...

My new Open gun is almost done...finally got the comp fit Sunday...so expect to see a slick black Benny Hill Open gun hitting the market, two owners, runs great, last owned by a little old guy from San Angelo who only shot it on Sundays...

:)



Alex

[Ankeny]

Wakal:

You are going to love Benny's open blaster. I bought his personl blaster that he built for the three gun nats a couple of years ago. It runs like a sewing machine and is scary accurate. I also had a fat free six inch and in all the time I shot it I never had it choke and let me down. Benny's guns run like the Energizer bunny.

[stipilot]

I started shooting Open for exactly the same reason as Ankeny. Open guns are just too much fun.

[Wakal]

I know...I have four Benny guns right now. My wife's built-to-order chromed STI Open gun, my purchased secondhand black STI Open guy, my 6" FFF STI, and my built-to-order carry gun (STI Commander in 9 by 23).

My new Open gun is my production, quite a bit more radical than Benny's usual stuff. A great mill and lathe project, though :)

Open is more fun...





Alex