Mikeski Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 So how many of you have a backup open blaster? Did you buy one just for a backup or did you upgrade and keep the old one the backup? Last years Limited nationals I was forced to use my Glock 35 for half of the first day when my DVC Limited decided to stop working. It was a nightmare. So this year I am running Open and was just wondering how many of you have a full backup rig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cecil Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I have a back up for my back up.. and a spare.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acsr Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Just one here, wish I had two but not the time to be able to justify buying a second, don't think the wife would approve. I would guess that one starts the open game, then wants a different setup so the original becomes the backup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortBus Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I have one open gun, that is currently with my gunsmith coincidentally lol. IF I had the funds to put towards it I would have two open guns that were mirror images of each other. One for practice, both live and dry, and one for matches. I'd bring the practice gun to every match just in case. This strategy would be a lot easier if I shot a glock lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCTaylor Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Most everyone I know that is "serious" has a back-up gun. Ideally it is a mirror image but sometimes funds just don't allow it. I recently secured a back-up but had to horse trade some stuff & sell off items sitting in the safe to make it happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theWacoKid Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I have 2 backups. None of them are remotely the same except for trigger shape, red dot, dot mount, and thumbrest. I find with those 4 things consistent I can seamlessly switch between all 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikeski Posted February 7, 2017 Author Share Posted February 7, 2017 35 minutes ago, theWacoKid said: I have 2 backups. None of them are remotely the same except for trigger shape, red dot, dot mount, and thumbrest. I find with those 4 things consistent I can seamlessly switch between all 3. Did you start by getting a backup to your main gun, or did you upgrade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maximis228 Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 First open gun was a one off. Second one was similar to the first but still different (steel grip vs plastic). Then I went to a V6 set up. I had two matching guns built. I plan on doing that from now on when I get a new set up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theWacoKid Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 (edited) 24 minutes ago, Mikeski said: Did you start by getting a backup to your main gun, or did you upgrade? Neither, exactly. My first open 2011 turned out to be a bad purchase and a trouble gun. Was forced to buy a new gun with warranty (gun #2) that would run and get me through 2016. Couldn't sell the first gun in good faith and I had too much money sunk in it anyway. Then a good deal on a gun I really really liked popped up and I had gun #3. With 3 guns I was now free to cut up, re-do, and tinker with trouble gun #1. Trouble gun #1 became a 100% runner than shoots better than gun #2. Now working on making gun #3 a 100% runner. So over time I just acquired guns I liked/wanted/needed and depending on how they run determines who is primary and who is back up. At the start I didn't have a back up and thus I was forced to buy one. Edited February 7, 2017 by theWacoKid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xSTONESx Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I have 2 identical guns. My "practice gun" is used for club matches, dry fire and range practice. My "match gun" is only used for level 2 matches. The idea is, keep all the wear and tear on the practice gun, and hopefully the match gun wont break a part when it really counts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMike Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I have a back up and they are very similar but not exactly the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
echotango Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I have 2 identical guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2011BLDR Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 (edited) I have 2 identical guns and a third that I am currently doing some experimentation with. If it works out I will do a twin later this year and have 2 sets of twins. Edited February 7, 2017 by 2011BLDR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoyGlock Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 My Open 2011 main gun is custom made and new when acquired. My 2 back ups are also custom 2011s but used when acquired. Had done minor customizing myself to make them similar to my main gun in terms of gun weight and trigger pull weight and length. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theWacoKid Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 I am also not big on "saving" a gun for important matches. I think it's okay to stash a gun for a while in the interest of wear, but when a gun is primary it gets dry fire, most practice, and all match work. Basically it's the workhorse until it fails, needs work, or something else takes its job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acsr Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 My backup guns are twins, have these and two others kind of just grateful to afford one open gun to play with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeerBaron Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 I currently have a match gun and 3 backups (but am selling one of the backups). Match gun is a CK 2011. backup 1 is a CK 2011 backup 2 is a SVI 2011. Ideally you want the backup to be as close to the main gun. For me that means same grip, same trigger (shape and pull weight), same red dot and ideally same config of comp/springs/barrel. My backup 1 is not identical but very close. One gun has the 'hardcore' type slide and the other is a thunder which is about .3oz lighter. my SV is very different with a slide 2.5oz lighter again and wears a polymer grip (for now). Match gun and backup1 have same grip (CK steel), red dot (RTS2) and same trigger components etc. The only difference is the slightly different slide weight. After I sell backup 3 (a tanfoglio Eric custom) I will spend some coin to update the SV with metal grip, RTS2 to bring it in line with match gun and backup1. I previously went without a backup gun but what I found was by the time you get a decent spares list (scope, mount, safety, screws, pins, springs, trigger parts, ejector, extractor, slide stop, mag catch etc etc etc) that you've probably got at least $1000 in parts and they do nothing but sit around. For not that much more $$ you can have a backup gun which is fully functional and means you no longer need a massive spares kit as when something breaks you switch to the backup gun then just order the part you need. If you can afford it a matching backup is the way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 I have my back up on order, it will be a clone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glock26Toter Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 My advice is definitely have a cloned backup. It's not really a backup if it's any different. That said, it's almost impossible to get them the same. But that's part of the game... trying to get them the same. My two guns are as close as I can get and they still don't shoot exactly the same. One dot is slightly brighter than the other (yes I've been through all the things that may cause that) and one has a tad more rise in trajectory. At any rate, I started out with a used "similar" backup that I later sold and purchased another one from the same gunsmith. Any backup is better than none... but always be working toward cloning them. And spare parts don't cut it. When at Nationals why spend all your prep time in the safety area changing out parts and hoping you have it right? Swap - Shoot. Done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my00wrx1 Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 I don't have the money for a spare gun but I do have gun that is pretty reliable and have plenty of spare parts. The spare parts are primarily cheap springs and pins so not much money tied up in those. Even the more expensive spare parts like slide stops and extractors are wear parts so they will get used at some point. The breakages I have had have all been 5 - 10 minute fixes apart from a cmore that needed to be replaced. If if I had the money and travelled to level 3 matches regularly I would get 1 for sure but for now I just try to be as prepared as I can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziebart Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 I've got old guns I could use in a pinch, but they don't come with me to matches. After flying to 3 gun matches where it's not feasible to bring spare rifles and shotguns I just roll the dice. I wish I had a backup at 2014 Nationals, and 2016 Area 2. 2014 nats was what caused the desire to move away from open Glock. And area 2 I was fighting ejection issues. I never did figure it out and changed mounts to avoid it. I wish I was better at smithing but I don't have the patience and can't send the gun off as I don't have a secondary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikieM Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 I accidentally backed over my backup while backing up, last week, so I guess I'll have to go back up to where I got my backup and get another one. The guy that I got my backup from messed his back up so I may have to wait until he heals up. In any case my backing up over my backup was one big screw-up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultimo-Hombre Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 An open back up gun is nice to have but not that big of a deal. I used to feel like it was a compulsory sort of insurance having a back up for traveling to matches. You know $200 match fee, $100/night for hotel etc, going to a level 3 became a damm near $1k event. The thought of having my blaster crap the bed and paying $50/ hour to paste targets was a no go. But over the years those fears never materialized. Sure it's a nice peace of mind, yes I do bring a back up, but I wouldn't loose sleep over it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted February 19, 2017 Share Posted February 19, 2017 Top gun primary. Bottom is my backup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF38sup Posted February 19, 2017 Share Posted February 19, 2017 Three open guns #1 STI 2011 built by Wayne Berquist in 1995 9x25 Dillon. Lots of parts replaced. I use it weekly for practice. #2 Sti 2011 built in 1996 38 super for my wife. Also still working but now 9x25 and used for practice. Was converted as backup for #1 #3 STI Grandmaster 2015 now at approximately 20k rounds and primary match gun 38 SC with only one gun practice is very limited due to heat. I still love my 9x25 but about 3 times as expensive to reload Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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