Competition pistol shooting?

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Ok so one of my advanced MP instructors also does competition shooting and I'm wanting to get into it. I don't know what 4 letter governing body yet, I want to do it with a glock 9mm. There seems to be a few match in the MO area. My question to you guys should I get a glock and build it myself for competition or should I buy one already built. Should I go 17 or 34?

Thanks
 
First you need to figure out which competitions you are going to be shooting. The rules can be pretty specific about what guns and modifications are legal. It can also put you in a different class depending on what gun you shoot.

9mm can also be a bad choice depending on which competitions you will be doing.
 
My question to you guys should I get a glock and build it myself for competition or should I buy one already built. Should I go 17 or 34?
As already stated, you first need to find out what governing body, and what class within that governing body you want to start shooting in.

I don't know what your finances are, but if they are typical (what's "typical" these days anyway?), you probably want to start in a limited or stock class. What guns are allowed, with what mods if any? Another thing to consider is who are you? Are you doing this for fun, for structured training or because you have a competitive streak that needs to be satisfied... or all three?

Personally, as an engineer and machinist (retired) I like to build guns... a big part of the fun for me. So I tend to look at base guns that have the most potential for DIY modification.

Cheers,
C
 
Most of the competition you'll commonly have the opportunity to participate in these days will be USPSA and IDPA. A Glock 17 or 34 will be very competitive in either.

Don't worry too much about modifications. You're new to the scene and will have plenty of room for development and improvement as you learn the sport and work on your gun-handling, before you need to concern yourself over what modifications might shave the last few tenths and hundredths off your time.

As 56Hawk said, there are several different divisions in each version of the "Practical/Action" shooting sports and a 9mm Glock fits into several of them, depending on what mods you eventually decide to do. With a basic un- (or "lightly-") modified gun you'll shoot in "Stock Service Pistol" in IDPA and in "Production" in USPSA.

I'd hold off making changes until you've got at least 10,000 rds. downrange in competition. By then you'll have a much more developed skill set, and you'll be familiar enough with the tweaks people use to decide for yourself what might make things easier and faster for you.
 
USPSA, IDPA and there is some steel shooting, it all local stuff I won't be traveling around. I want to do this this for all 3 reasons, I love to shoot, I'd like to get better, and I enjoy competition. As for budget I'd like to stay below $1500. Thank you
 
Most of the competition you'll commonly have the opportunity to participate in these days will be USPSA and IDPA. A Glock 17 or 34 will be very competitive in either.

Don't worry too much about modifications. You're new to the scene and will have plenty of room for development and improvement as you learn the sport and work on your gun-handling, before you need to concern yourself over what modifications might shave the last few tenths and hundredths off your time.

As 56Hawk said, there are several different divisions in each version of the "Practical/Action" shooting sports and a 9mm Glock fits into several of them, depending on what mods you eventually decide to do. With a basic un- (or "lightly-") modified gun you'll shoot in "Stock Service Pistol" in IDPA and in "Production" in USPSA.

I'd hold off making changes until you've got at least 10,000 rds. downrange in competition. By then you'll have a much more developed skill set, and you'll be familiar enough with the tweaks people use to decide for yourself what might make things easier and faster for you.
thanks
 
In USPSA you basically have three choices; production, limited and open.

Production is the most restrictive on equipment but the cheapest to start out with. Basically there is an approved list of guns and you can't make any modifications. You are also limited to loading only ten rounds in the magazine. This is all setup to make it easy for a new shooter to be competitive.

Limited class is more open to modifications and allows you to use better holsters and bigger magazines. 40 caliber and up can score higher, so 9mm is at a disadvantage.

Open class is very unrestricted. Guns can have red dot sights, barrel porting and compensators. This class gets pretty expensive though and most guns are custom built. 9mm works here but needs to be loaded really hot to be competitive.
 
Get a 34, 4-6 mags a comp-tac speed paddle and mag pouches. You'll be in your budget and good for USPSA and other gun games including IDPA, once you get a fishing vest.
 
For IDPA SSP (Stock Service Pistol) and USPSA Production, the G34 will be hard to beat.
You don't actually need anything done to it, although a trigger job and fibre optic front/black rear sights are popular modifications.
One or another Kydex holster and mag carriers (two for IDPA, five for USPSA) are pretty well standard. Include a good belt to carry the load and you are done.

If you are a proficient handloader, a G35 would work well. Light loaded .40 is good for SSP and Production but you can also go to full power for Major Power Factor and get in USPSA Limited for no added cost.
 
If I could only have one gun it would be a Glock 35.

I actually don't own any 9mm anymore because I like my 35 so much. I use it for IDPA and USPSA production using minor ammo. I shoot my 24 with major in USPSA Limited division and my 35 is my backup for that. For mods to my 35 I have a connector, a polish job and a 4lb trigger spring. My trigger is 34oz. That's all you need and it cost maybe $30 for everything needed to get there.
 
In USPSA <snip> Production is the most restrictive on equipment but the cheapest to start out with. Basically there is an approved list of guns and you can't make any modifications.

Maybe you were just keeping it simple for the guy - but you could not be more wrong...
 
Ok then, if he's completely wrong don't leave the OP in a cloud of confusion...so tell us what mods are allowed in USPSA Production Div.
 
Ok then, if he's completely wrong don't leave the OP in a cloud of confusion...so tell us what mods are allowed in USPSA Production Div.

Geez I gave the poster I quoted the benfit of the doubt - I gave him the out on 'keeping it simple for the new guy'... Are you really gonna push me on this??

To keep it simple for you, I'll give you these two bullet points.

* If the firearm appears stock externally when the firearm is sitting on a table, IN BATTERY, you are G2G.

* Beyond that - as defined in USPSA Handgun Rules, June 2010 Edition in Appendix D4

My FULLY PRODUCTION LEGAL XDm 5.25 certainly is no where near 'stock' and it's 100% legal at any USPSA sanctioned level 2 match.
 
a push not a shove

There you go, now the OP and I have a reference to look up.
Good job.
 
Open rigs are like cheating! : ) j/k

Plus I sooo enjoy fumbling around with reloads every few seconds. (not)

I'm newb sauce and I'm staying in production until I get a B rank or so. Still a U.
 
In USPSA you basically have three choices; production, limited and open.

Production is the most restrictive on equipment but the cheapest to start out with. Basically there is an approved list of guns and you can't make any modifications. You are also limited to loading only ten rounds in the magazine. This is all setup to make it easy for a new shooter to be competitive.

You may make some modifications to production division guns. The rule book spells them out in detail. Trigger work is OK. Changing sights is OK. Most modifications that change the appearance of the firearm are prohibited.
 
You may make some modifications to production division guns. The rule book spells them out in detail. Trigger work is OK. Changing sights is OK. Most modifications that change the appearance of the firearm are prohibited.

Even that isn't really true. A gripping aid (ie texturing and a change in surface) is a no-go outside of the approved afreas, but you can apply any external finish you like.

Aside from that you're also good to go to replace any internal part with an aftermarket version and external parts on approval (barrels and sights mostly).

So if you wanted you could take a Glock, have a camo duracoat applied, chrome the slide, replace the barrel and sights, replace all the action parts (except for the trigger itself), and add a grip-sleeve, and you're STILL production legal.

In reality, it's more the ban on single-action guns (keeps 1911's out) and the universal minor scoring (makes 9mm the optimal round) that keeps Production as the budget division.

You really can get away with a LOT of tweaking in Production. Can't say that's a bad thing either. I like it, as do most other shooters. If they made it a "stock-only" division all you'd end up doing is driving people to more expensive guns that come in a better stock config. Having the option to be competitive with with a $500 Glock + $250 in upgrades is better than making everything "full stock" where all the top shooters are shooting "stock" $1200 CZ-75 Shadows.
 
Thats a much better answer than I gave. I was trying to keep it simple, there were other responses given that were not correct. I'm a former MD and current CRO/multigun and deputy section coordinator, so i try to keep it simple for a new competitor. They usually have enough on their minds the first couple of matches building the up a gun for a division usually comes later, after talking to shooters they meet at matches.
 
Read the rules pretty close when you make changes (I would suggest none at first). Watched a guy at area 4 get moved into open division because he had grip tape on the slide, he didn't win his class.
 
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