Settling on a division... how did YOU decide?

[Fatso]

Greetings fellow ninjas.

I'd like to hear YOUR stories, and how you've managed (or haven't) to settle on a specific division in USPSA, at least long enough to rise to your proficiency goals.

For my story, I grew up in Indiana, and my uncle owned a large gun shop in Wabash (some of you Hoosiers may remember Lengel's guns), so firearms and hunting are absolutely not new to me.  Naturally, I've always been a collector and more-than-casual marksman.  About five years ago, I was introduced to the sport by a couple ubiquitous border patrol homies of mine, and I started by shooting what I had, which was a Glock 35.  I stuck with it and managed to classify B in limited division.  Since I was starting to get serious, I elected to start acquiring more sport-specific firearms.  I shot single-stack for about a year and the military career and twin 5 year old girls at home have slowed down my match participation, but it has not slowed down my collecting habit.  Since I started down single-stack, I've collected a couple of STI Trojans (one from the forum right here a couple of weeks ago--I just can't stop myself).  I also found a great deal on a Trubor in 9mm Major locally, and a well-adorned Edge .40 (also off the forum).  I've shot the Trubor at a few steel matches, and shot the Limited gun in practice a few times, along with a few practice sessions with the SS guns, and the occasional match with any of the above.  

I guess what I'm getting at is that I don't know if it's about the game or the guns or both?  If it were solely about the gun that was the most fun to shoot, I'd probably have to go with Open.  For the challenge of the game, SS is certainly challenging.  Limited seems to be a sweet spot between the Open and SS.  SS minor is a blast, but Cs/Ds crush your soul.  Bottom line is that I really enjoy shooting all three divisions.  They all seem to have different strategies and challenges, and the fun factor varies by stage design, my proficiency that day, and naturally--the group of folks I'm shooting with.

My worry is that since I'm having this identity crisis, I may not rise to the level I once was when I was hot and heavy with ONE GUN, nonetheless, make A (this year's goal).

How did y'all overcome this?  What made YOU pick the division you stuck with / stayed with the most?  Is it okay to just shoot whatever I feel like shooting that day (for fun) and stop worrying about classification?

I want to hear your story.

Thanks!

FATSO 

[Youngeyes]

Here's some help for you in deciding your division. Posted on another Forum...

In USPSA, there are 6 official recognized divisions, and each one of them has a dedicated following. Each division has a unique flavor and personality, and each USPSA division says something different about the dedicated shooters in that division. For fun, we’re going to take a look at what shooters think their USPSA division of choice says about them, and then what other shooters think it says.

Open
What you think it says: I am on the cutting edge of handgun technology and am sporting the shooting equivalent of a Ferrari F1 car. I’m so awesome.
What other people are thinking: That open guy is too lazy to freakin’ reload and just hoses everything. Of course he’s fast, look at all that gay crap on his gun.

Limited
What you think it says: This is where real skills are tested – the combination of technology and iron sights makes Limited the flagship division of USPSA.
What other people are thinking: Why doesn’t that guy just give in to his gamer and shoot open instead of half-assing in Limited? Maybe then he’d get a gun that didn’t break all the damn time. Or maybe not.

Limited-10
What you think it says: We have all the technology of Limited, but choose to shoot a lower capacity to stretch our skills and focus on stage strategy.
What other people are thinking: Why doesn’t that guy just shoot Limited or Production? Seriously, L10 it the lamest division ever.

Production
What you think it says: I choose to compete in the deepest field in USPSA, to test my skills against the top Production shooters in the world.
What other people are thinking: If that guy thinks he’s going to beat Dave and Bob with a 30 dollar Uncle Mike’s holster and those flappy nylon mag pouches he’s out of his mind. I guess he’s too cheap for Limited.

Single Stack
What you think it says: I am honoring the classic design given to John Moses Browning by God Almighty and shooting a proper 1911 with minimal customization. Truly, I am upholding the line of great pistoleros such as Jeff Cooper.
What other people are thinking: Ugh, there goes that 1911 guy. I’m so tired of hearing about John Moses Browning from him. I bet he carries a freakin’ Glock.

Revolver
What you think it says: I am a Jedi Knight of shooting. I navigate 30+ round courses with a mere six rounds.
What other people are thinking: Why? Just…why would you do that to yourself? Glocks are cheap! Shoot Production, man! We can save you.

And finally, here’s what dedicated IDPA shooters are thinking about all of us: “Look at those freaking gamers with their gamer-ness and their games.”

[Fatso]

What other people are thinking: Ugh, there goes that 1911 guy. I’m so tired of hearing about John Moses Browning from him. I bet he carries a freakin’ Glock.

Actually... I do indeed carry a Glock!

[RJH]

Pick one gun you have now and practice and shoot it for a year.  Don't buy any more guns and use that money for ammo and practice.  After a year you will have improved, and since it is only for a year you can reconsider after 365 days if you want.  Or just shoot whatever you want and have fun, either way it work out

[SCTaylor]

Simple, I'm cheap and want something that works without putzing with it.  

 

Tried limited... cleaning mags when they hit the ground? Pass.

Open? Sounds fun, but did I mention I'm cheap?

 

Production is stupid cheap, I've got two fully functional guns for the cost of 1 new STI Edge. Suck it Trebek!

Edited January 25, 2017 by SCTaylor

[Fatso]

3 minutes ago, SCTaylor said:

Simple, I'm cheap and want something that works without putzing with it.  

 

Tried limited... cleaning mags when they hit the ground? Pass.

Open? Sounds fun, but did I mention I'm cheap?

 

Production is stupid cheap, I've got two fully functional guns for the cost of 1 new STI Edge. Suck it Trebek!

Herein lies the problem.... I already own the guns and gear to shoot Open, Limited and SS!

 

[SCTaylor]

Then do you want to be good or just have fun?

Again for me, every time a 2011 magazine hits the ground or I touch it w/ dirty or silty hands, it needs to be torn down and cleaned. There is ejector tuning, extractor tuning, leaf spring tuning, etc. etc. with 2011's. I understand they don't always require fiddling but I don't want to screw with it. At all.  I want something that work flat out work. Period.

 

I want to be good, damn good.  Goal is to be a competitive Master in production by next February. The only way I can achieve that goal is hard work and dedication to one gun.

 

Why are you asking us if it is okay to have fun and shoot different divisions? I can't answer that, no one can but you. Whats in  your heart? Are you a fiery soul eater that longs to crush cods of the competition? Or do you want to be "good" while spending a nice day in the sun with buddies enjoying your hobby? Go ahead, really ask yourself.

Edited January 25, 2017 by SCTaylor

[js1130146]

I'm primarily a single stack shooter. I love shooting my skinny gun. I think the reloads add a fun strategic aspect to the game. I'll never stop shooting SS.

BUT....

Some days I just want to be loud and obnoxious. Some days I just want to see how fast (literally) I can pull the trigger and still hit the target. Some days I don't want to bother reloading, just burn stages down without worrying about it. Some days I just don't want to pick a single piece of brass. For THOSE days I have an open gun in 9 major.

Sometimes you just need to do something totally different to keep from getting burnt out.

 

[Fatso]

1 hour ago, SCTaylor said:

Why are you asking us if it is okay to have fun and shoot different divisions? .

I'm not really asking if it's okay... I just wanted to hear stories from others in the community.  Everyone has their reasons, and currently, my family situation (free time available) prevents me from investing the time to get to very high levels.  I do believe A is attainable without driving myself to divorce court.. (haha?) 

I'm certainly not looking for validation for what I may or may not want to do, just curious about others' journeys.

Oh... and I eat souls at my day job!

FATSO

[Sarge]

  I started like many, in Production. After two years I found it was getting harder to see the sights. I had to choose between a couple of hundred bucks for glasses or a $5k Open gun. I made the logical choice and went Open. LOL

  The few times I tried going back to Production I was falling asleep between stages. NOTHING is as exciting and fun for me as Open division.

  

 

[Hi-Power Jack]

At 72 years old, there is ....  OPEN ....   and there is   ........    where's the front sight?

 

[Gooldylocks]

SCTaylor is right. You have to just decide what your goals are. If you want to just have fun and shoot different guns and have fun, then do that. I know people that shoot a different gun and division almost every match, but their goals are basically to just have fun and enjoy matches, not to reach a certain level of performance or get a class bump  or anything. 

You have the guns for whatever division you want to shoot, so I would say if you want to try to make A and that is a real goal for you, just decide that is your goal, set a timeline, and choose a gun. I would tell you to shoot Open, since it is the coolest, but it doesn't really matter. Just choose the one that has the most heat in your local area and shoot that and get gooder. The skills all translate into the other divisions.

 

As far as my personal story... I haven't done the constantly switching divisions thing. When I first got into the sport I just shot the gun that I owned and it only really fit into Limited minor, and then once I decided to get serious I bought myself a Glock 35 and shot that up to A in limited. I was getting frustrated with Limited and my gun being unreliable, so I bought a CZ Tactical Sports and decided once I made master I would switch to Open. So I made master, set down the limited gun and started shooting open, with my current goal to be a competitive GM. Once I am happy with my performance in Open I will probably mess around with a little SS or something, but that is a long ways down the road for me. 

[MikeBurgess]

I may be one of the guys Gooldylocks was talking about, I have shot just about every division and jump around match to match based on whim and what ammo is loaded or the press is set up for. Up to now I have enjoyed the chalange of changing everything sometimes one day to the next, heck I would love a division where you have to shoot a different divisions gear for each stage. But right now I am having trouble deciding if I want to concentrate on one gun for a while to advance my classification closer to what I feel I am capable of.



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[fastluck13]

6 hours ago, Youngeyes said:

Here's some help for you in deciding your division. Posted on another Forum...

In USPSA, there are 6 official recognized divisions, and each one of them has a dedicated following. Each division has a unique flavor and personality, and each USPSA division says something different about the dedicated shooters in that division. For fun, we’re going to take a look at what shooters think their USPSA division of choice says about them, and then what other shooters think it says.

Open
What you think it says: I am on the cutting edge of handgun technology and am sporting the shooting equivalent of a Ferrari F1 car. I’m so awesome.
What other people are thinking: That open guy is too lazy to freakin’ reload and just hoses everything. Of course he’s fast, look at all that gay crap on his gun.

Limited
What you think it says: This is where real skills are tested – the combination of technology and iron sights makes Limited the flagship division of USPSA.
What other people are thinking: Why doesn’t that guy just give in to his gamer and shoot open instead of half-assing in Limited? Maybe then he’d get a gun that didn’t break all the damn time. Or maybe not.

Limited-10
What you think it says: We have all the technology of Limited, but choose to shoot a lower capacity to stretch our skills and focus on stage strategy.
What other people are thinking: Why doesn’t that guy just shoot Limited or Production? Seriously, L10 it the lamest division ever.

Production
What you think it says: I choose to compete in the deepest field in USPSA, to test my skills against the top Production shooters in the world.
What other people are thinking: If that guy thinks he’s going to beat Dave and Bob with a 30 dollar Uncle Mike’s holster and those flappy nylon mag pouches he’s out of his mind. I guess he’s too cheap for Limited.

Single Stack
What you think it says: I am honoring the classic design given to John Moses Browning by God Almighty and shooting a proper 1911 with minimal customization. Truly, I am upholding the line of great pistoleros such as Jeff Cooper.
What other people are thinking: Ugh, there goes that 1911 guy. I’m so tired of hearing about John Moses Browning from him. I bet he carries a freakin’ Glock.

Revolver
What you think it says: I am a Jedi Knight of shooting. I navigate 30+ round courses with a mere six rounds.
What other people are thinking: Why? Just…why would you do that to yourself? Glocks are cheap! Shoot Production, man! We can save you.

And finally, here’s what dedicated IDPA shooters are thinking about all of us: “Look at those freaking gamers with their gamer-ness and their games.”

Nobody thinks bad of the Single Stack shooters. Everyone has at least one 1911. They just go back to their normal division after suffering through the one SS match they shoot in per year. Shooting SS is too much like work for them.

 

And Revo, well, those guys have issues

[Fatso]

This is really great stuff guys!

[Hi-Power Jack]

5 hours ago, Fatso said:

This is really great stuff guys!

So, whatja think, now?

[SCTaylor]

13 hours ago, Fatso said:

Is it okay to just shoot whatever I feel like shooting that day (for fun) and stop worrying about classification?

13 hours ago, Fatso said:

I'm not really asking if it's okay...

You kinda did...

[Mikeski]

Production
This is where I started. I was simple and I could shoot what I had. I liked the idea of getting into it with little cost and just learning the basics, but reloading sucked. So I moved to…

Limited
Started with a Glock 35 that I did some changes and work to run 20 round magazines. Well I amped it up with the purchase of a 2011 and race rig. After a year it was time to move to…

Open
Yeah a race gun and time to run with the big boys. Fewer reloads and a dot.

Limited-10
Just one word Why?

Single Stack
It’s fun for a couple special events a year but not something I’d do all the time

Revolver
ROFL!!!!!!

I may try PCC but I do enjoy running with a pistol over a rifle.

[Thaunk]

I started in production and enjoyed it.  But I didn't like having to plan to reload because apparently I can't count.  I moved to Limited with a 2011 and have been really happy ever since.  I've got a ways to go, but it'll be a fun journey.  The only other division I shoot is PCC because it's a blast.  I have a 40 round mag for my MPX and it's hilariously fun.

Edited January 26, 2017 by Thaunk

[Fatso]

17 hours ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

At 72 years old, there is ....  OPEN ....   and there is   ........    where's the front sight?

 

HA!

[Fatso]

7 hours ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

So, whatja think, now?

I think everyone has their reasons, and all circumstances vary.  Regardless, I enjoy hearing everyone's stories.  The people are one of the best aspects of the sport.

I think personally, with work & family commitments, attempting to class up might be elusive this year, so I might as well just have fun...  So I'll shoot whatever blows my skirt up that day when I actually get the time to shoot a match.

Once things settle down a bit at home, I'll settle on shooting one gun.  When I settle, I'll probably settle on open, since the guns are just fun to shoot.  I'm just sick I missed out on the 40 open gun advertised a couple days ago.  I have a metric ton of 155 Major loads that are seriously unpleasant to shoot in SS or Ltd.  (Not my first choice of load... I horse traded locally for a Dillon 550 and a buttload of supplies and loaded ammo, which included upwards of 7500 rounds of 155 Major).  So instead of pulling them, I figured I'd grab an Open 40 and unload the brass the fun way.  I'm sure I'll get one soon enough!

First world problems, eh?

 

 

[obsessiveshooter]

Let the guns you like and the style of shooting that most impresses you be a big factor. And if you are very competitive, you'll want to be in a division that is popular locally.

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[DukeEB]

I decided I wanted a nice double stack 1911, so I bought an edge in 45.  Then I realized I could use it for uspsa, so naturally I went into limited.

I still have that edge, but now have two 2011's in 40 that I use instead.  I have always liked single stack 1911's, and one of my friends is doing single stack now, so I will try that division out too.

[rowdyb]

I was told to start in Prod because the guns on average were cheaper to initially purchase, mags were cheaper and 9mm ammo was cheaper. Spending comparatively less on that stuff allowed me to shoot more matches, get some training and buy more ammo.

 

I've never owned a 1911. Open guns make my head and sinuses hurt. Limited could be fun but then I'd have to switch my 1050 over to load it versus 9. Yuck to L10 since I dont live in CA anymore. Revolver seems like a total waste. PCC when it's cold out so I can keep my jacket on.

 

So I stay in Production. Always challenging, often the largest division at matches and I'm familiar with it. Won't leave it until I make GM or someone pays me to shoot a different division.

[BenBreeg]

Got into the sport in production because that was realistic cost-wise.  Still in production and I am staying.  I love stage planning and reloading and shooting open sights.  I have been thinking about SS as a second division, but given my time constraints I would continue to train almost exclusively with my production gear.