[Ukraine Train]

I'm looking at getting my first handgun and will CCW it as long as Ohio gets a law. I'd also like to get into competitions but I'm not sure if a short-barrel gun with only a 7 or 8 round magazine is suitable or even tolerable.

[ACP230]

I have fired a Combat Commander, and an Officer's ACP in some IDPA, plate and practical matches.

My Officer's is an accurate pistol but in most cases it would have better if I'd used a larger gun. The magazine capacity wasn't as big a problem as the shorter sight radius IMO.

I had a lot of feeding problems with the Combat Commander, but it must have been a fluke. Before and after that IDPA match the gun has run almost perfectly, even with semiwadcutter loads.

I also used a Colt Cobra in an IDPA match and had problems with the short sight radius.

Some of my problems could have been alleviated with more practice.

[usp_fan]

I'm also waithing on the Ohio law.

I shoot bowling pins in the spring and summer with my usp compact. I shoot against guys with 1911's that are dot sighted and compensated. However, I can hold 11 rnds. If it becomes a missing contest, I usually pick up the pins first due to my 2-3 round advantage. I've also noticed that my pistol cycles faster. The trade off is slightly more muzzel flip. If you learn to use the time to transition to the new target as the time to bring your sight picture back into allignment, you can be very fast. I've found that on a good day, I can be competitive with the race guns.

Shooting with these type of shooters and technology makes me take the time to try to master my pistol so that I can even have a chance. I've gotten much better than I would have due to the competition.

Remember: Target-Front sight-Press

Take care,

--usp_fan

[Navy joe]

Yes. Glock 19, 26, 27, HK P7, Officer 1911s etc are often seen in IDPA. Lowest practical size I've seen in IPSC is a G19.

[Skunkabilly]

IDPA and sometimes steel challenge with a P7M8....

I don't own enough mags for the steel matches and IPSC for it though....

I rather run my carry gun (well, a beater spare of my carry gun) than have a carry gun and a completely different competition gun....like say an STI .40 but you carry a Glock 26.

If you have say a Glock 26 but shoot a G34, that makes sense....

[TonyB]

I used a buddy's glock 26 last week.....shot it almost as good as my g17....I may have to invest in a 26......I've also used my Sp101 a few times...accuracy was good but my times were horrible due to 5 shots and many,many reloads:cool:

[duckfoot]

I shoot a USPC9 for IDPA

[MoNsTeR]

I shoot a stock G19 in USPSA Production. Not too bad, but I'd really appreciate some more sight radius, more grip length, and a lighter trigger. If it were my carry gun I'd just suck it up and deal with it ;)

[another okie]

Glock 26 in IDPA, but I do go to the 17 for IPSC. Get a decent set of sights and the 26 will work fine.

[motorep]

I got my USPSA A Limited card with my daily carry Combat Commander.

[Kor]

I usually shoot a Glock 23 for IDPA, I've shot my Glock 27 in a couple of matches, and I once won an IDPA match outright shooting my Kahr K40 - but that was because most of the really good shooters were at another out-of-town match, and everyone else was having a bad day with penalties and malfunctions.

[armoredman]

I've used a Witness compact 40 in IDPA, and did OK.

[Erik Jensen]

I really want to shoot my Kahr MK40 in IDPA one of these days...

[tommyc]

I've been using a Glock 30 which is also my carry piece for IPSC, steel matches, pin shoots etc. Have always done pretty well, not the best but not the worst.

[10-Ring]

I shot my first IDPA match using my USPc 9 and had the best finish of all the matches I have been in ;)

[Prodigalshooter]

I bought my Sig 239 just to use in IDPA SSP class, works great. Plus, if I ever get the ability to CCW, this pistol will work well.

[Jim Watson]

Just to liven up the Christmas shopping, I set up a Hideout Gun match for my IDPA club today. Guns as described by IDPA Backup Gun, but no 5-shot limit; regular stages only slightly trimmed to give the snubbies a chance. I gave enough notice for folks to find magazines, speedloaders, and holsters.

It brought out Glocks 26, 27, 30, Colt Lt Cmdr (OACP slide on full length butt), assorted .380s, a .32, a Mak, some J-Smiths and a Detective Special. The auto shooters did nearly or fully as well as I would expect with a standard size gun and the guy with a 940 and a hatfull of clips did great. Reloading a short revolver, even with a speedloader, is a considerable hassle, especially if you don't practice it very often. But if you can get the job done in 5 or 6 shots, they can do more than might be thought.

[Carnitas]

I shoot everything, IDPA, USPSA, 3-gun, GSSF, training classes, whatever else, with a Glock 29.

[Archie]

I used a number of the guns I had and carried at the time. I shot my duty gun (in several incarnations) and a couple of hideout guns. Notably a LW Commander and a cut down K-frame revolver.

I did okay. I was usually beat by better shooters shooting their carry guns.

I would suggest this: If you use a handgun that you normally carry (or would carry if you could), and "can't compete" or never place "high enough", there are three possible problems:

1. You are a lousy shooter. (Ain't we all?)

2. The sidearm you selected for carry is woefully inadequate. (A two shot derringer or a NAA mini-revolver is not a carry piece; they are last ditch back ups.)

3. The course of fire is unrealistic, and geared for game guns rather than real guns. (I've been in law enforcement for over twenty years, I've never been in a potentially violent situation that called for more than three "neutralizations".) If you have to fire more than the capacity of your sidearm in a single stage (not counting misses), or have more than one mandatory reload in the whole match, the match is not designed for real guns.

[Lotzinger]

several competitions offer stock gun class or out of the box divisions.

e.g. the bianchi cup needs to load only six rds in a magazine (therefor you will need a lot), for the PPC course you need six rds in a magazine too.

don't be shy and compete !

I do not know about the IDPA as we are not allowed to compete in this field, but IMHO you can do a lot more with a compact gun than with a bigger fully equipped racegun (or what else)

In Germany we do not have a ban on magazine capacity so I am proud owner of a P7 M13 - small & nasty - but unfortunately became delisted within the IPSC-production-division in 2003 :mad: By now I compete in various fields for duty-guns and the stock semi match (PPC course).