I'm looking to get into some form of competitive shooting. Right now I have either a glock 17c or Springfield 1911 target. From what I understand, the Glock would fall into the open category which I'm trying to avoid and the 1911 would be single stack. Should I just use the g17c? Should I get a new gun? Should I build up either of these guns to have a fighting chance?
Want to get into uspsa
- Thread starter kostyanj
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You could shoot the 1911 in Single Stack or in Limited 10 (with 10 round magazines). Might need a magwell. The Glock 17c is kind of a gun without a home. Nothing to stop you from shooting it in Open, but I wouldn't have high expectations.
I've thought about open but I don't want to get disheartened so quickly lol. I guess going single stack would be my best bet right now until I decide to get a new gun.
If you don't mind, I'm just going to ramble on about competition shooting for a bit, and hopefully, there will be a few semi-good ideas that will help you out:
First, congrats on taking the initiative to get out and shoot a match. I feel like (no insult intended) that unless you just got out of the SEALs or were on the SWAT team for the past 20 years, most people aren't going to go out and shoot a perfect score on their first couple matches. I may very well be wrong, and I'm not the best shooter out there by any means, so again, I'm not trying offend anyone, and I'm not suggesting that this is what you're thinking, but I think its a little unrealistic to take someone who may be a fantastic shooter, and then throw them into a competition that involves more than just shot placement, and expecting them to be better than Doc Holiday. The only reason why I'm saying this is that you mentioned getting discouraged shooting in "open class" and I'm thinking that you might be more successful in the long-term if you're main goal on day one was to be safe, and have fun. Just something to think about.
Which gun do you enjoy shooting more? If you're heart skips a beat when you pick up that Glock, then go for open, give it your best shot, and have a blast. If the 1911 makes your heart sing, then single stack or limited 10 might be a great place to start.
What are you trying to get out of the match? I know you specified USPSA, but its not the only game out there. IDPA is a lot of fun, and I feel like its great place to be a 1911 shooter. Some clubs also have their own smaller matches, and your pistols might suit you well in a falling plate or steel challenge type match. Where are you from? There might be someone on the board with some insight into the local matches in your area.
Another thing to consider is what you gear you have or can borrow. Holsters suitable for competition? mag pouches? magazines? My first USPSA match, about half my mags were ones I borrowed from a shooting buddy.
If it was me, I'd just shoot whichever one you think would be more fun, and say to heck with scores. You'll get better. Its one of the things I love about shooting competitively: You get a chance to watch someone who is light-years ahead of you shoot, then ask them questions, and they can see you shoot, and share the tips of the trade.
Let us know how it goes, and don't forget, there are a lot of games out there, and you might like some more than others, so try all of them.
I really hope this helps, and if ya'll will tolerate it, I'd like to remind everyone of the words of one Inspector Sledge Hammer: "A gun is a dangerous weapon, and if used properly, a WONDERFUL source of entertainment."
Seriously though, shoot safe, have fun, and I really do hope that something I wrote here was in some way useful to you.
-Chris "The Kayak-Man" Johnson
First, congrats on taking the initiative to get out and shoot a match. I feel like (no insult intended) that unless you just got out of the SEALs or were on the SWAT team for the past 20 years, most people aren't going to go out and shoot a perfect score on their first couple matches. I may very well be wrong, and I'm not the best shooter out there by any means, so again, I'm not trying offend anyone, and I'm not suggesting that this is what you're thinking, but I think its a little unrealistic to take someone who may be a fantastic shooter, and then throw them into a competition that involves more than just shot placement, and expecting them to be better than Doc Holiday. The only reason why I'm saying this is that you mentioned getting discouraged shooting in "open class" and I'm thinking that you might be more successful in the long-term if you're main goal on day one was to be safe, and have fun. Just something to think about.
Which gun do you enjoy shooting more? If you're heart skips a beat when you pick up that Glock, then go for open, give it your best shot, and have a blast. If the 1911 makes your heart sing, then single stack or limited 10 might be a great place to start.
What are you trying to get out of the match? I know you specified USPSA, but its not the only game out there. IDPA is a lot of fun, and I feel like its great place to be a 1911 shooter. Some clubs also have their own smaller matches, and your pistols might suit you well in a falling plate or steel challenge type match. Where are you from? There might be someone on the board with some insight into the local matches in your area.
Another thing to consider is what you gear you have or can borrow. Holsters suitable for competition? mag pouches? magazines? My first USPSA match, about half my mags were ones I borrowed from a shooting buddy.
If it was me, I'd just shoot whichever one you think would be more fun, and say to heck with scores. You'll get better. Its one of the things I love about shooting competitively: You get a chance to watch someone who is light-years ahead of you shoot, then ask them questions, and they can see you shoot, and share the tips of the trade.
Let us know how it goes, and don't forget, there are a lot of games out there, and you might like some more than others, so try all of them.
I really hope this helps, and if ya'll will tolerate it, I'd like to remind everyone of the words of one Inspector Sledge Hammer: "A gun is a dangerous weapon, and if used properly, a WONDERFUL source of entertainment."
Seriously though, shoot safe, have fun, and I really do hope that something I wrote here was in some way useful to you.
-Chris "The Kayak-Man" Johnson
Remember whatever division you shoot, you are going to need at least 40 rounds on your belt. That means if you are shooting production or limited 10 you are going to need 5 mags and 4 pouches, at least. If you shoot single stack you only have 8 round mags and will need more.
In my area, Production is much more well subscribed than Single Stack, so if I want to compete against the most people, I would shoot production. You can do that just be putting a non-ported barrel in your 17.
You could of course shoot it in Open, but you will be going up against the full race guns in that division, and you may not like your score when compared to them. I would want to compete evenly with someone with similar equipment. The nice thing about Open for you though, is that if you only have 3 or 4 mags, you can load them full and still have enough to shoot all the stages. If you only have 3 or 4 mags it would be pretty hard to shoot a match in a 10 round division and have enough rounds for the bigger stages.
In my area, Production is much more well subscribed than Single Stack, so if I want to compete against the most people, I would shoot production. You can do that just be putting a non-ported barrel in your 17.
You could of course shoot it in Open, but you will be going up against the full race guns in that division, and you may not like your score when compared to them. I would want to compete evenly with someone with similar equipment. The nice thing about Open for you though, is that if you only have 3 or 4 mags, you can load them full and still have enough to shoot all the stages. If you only have 3 or 4 mags it would be pretty hard to shoot a match in a 10 round division and have enough rounds for the bigger stages.
mgmorden
Member
If you get a non-ported barrel you're fine to compete in Production with your 17C. Aftermarket barrels like Lone Wolf are legal in production.
From USPSA's Production rules for Glock:
C models are allowed providing that the barrel is non-ported and the other requirements are met.
If you're comfortable with the 1911 then single-stack can be a fun division (though less populated). Production is fun too and what I shoot. Honestly though the rules are a LITTLE more lax due the variety of 1911 guns out there, to some degree "Single Stack" is Production for 1911's. What you can do with the gun is much more restricted than say, Limited-10 which is where some of the more tricket-out 1911's go.
Thanks for the information. I saw that in their rules but was unsure about whether aftermarket barrels would be allowed.
That will also allow me to shoot lead through the barrel if I so choose.
mgmorden
Member
Yeah - aftermarket barrels, sights, and extractors are all production legal. Just about anything that goes inside of the gun and isn't plainly visible from the exterior is also legal.
If you really end up wanting to tackle Production division seriously you'll probably (eventually) want to change up your sights as well as do some trigger-work.
You also can add the factory extended mag release from the Glock 34 (only the factory part though - no aftermarket allowed on that since its externally visible and not exempted).
Overall I think you'll have a lot of fun. I've been shooting Production division for nearly 2 years now (mostly with an M&P, but I've also shot my Ruger P95 and my Glock 17 in matches) and very much enjoy it. I'd really like to shoot Limited, but funds wont' allow it right now. With Production you can literally have a gun that is on the same level as any that a champion shooter uses for $800 or less. I love that budget aspect
.Dr_B
member
I shoot an M&P 9mm in steel challenge and action pistol matches. Three 17 round magazines have always been enough for any stage. I just picked the gun I shot reliably and had fun with, and went from there. My goal is always just to have fun. I've won some stages, but never an entire match. Just go and have fun.
mgmorden
Member
Problem there is that in Production division of USPSA you can't load the 17-round magazines with 17 rounds - each mag can only have 10 rounds in it at the start signal. Generally a Production shooter will need 5 mags. Some use 6. I generally carry 5 and stick a 6th in my back pocket if a stage has a lot of far away steel, though I've never actually had to grab that 6th mag.
For the barrel, MidwayUSA is a good place to buy. They're out of stock right now but the expected in-stock date is within a week:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/33...7-9mm-luger-1-in-16-twist-449-stainless-steel
Living in NJ, the 17 round mags aren't a cause for concern since I can't legally own them anyways.
I ordered a g17 bbl and should have it by Friday. I think I'd be ok competing with that for now. Later on I can decide what platform to build off of.
mgmorden
Member
Rules are what they are, but by the rules a Glock 17C can compete in Production - even in a Level 2 or 3 match - so long as it has a non-ported barrel in it. He's not even in a grey area there - the rules explicitly allow it.
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