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Moving to Open


FFEMT

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Hi everyone, 

So I have been shooting limited for a few yrs now and I like it a lot but I want to start shooting open. SO I know there are many great gun builders out there and every one of them have great products. But Iam an under paid Paramedic and Cant afford some of the bigger name brands. I know i can go with an STI but I still dont have 4-5k  on hand. 

So right now Phoenix Trinity is running a sale ( hopefully I Didnt miss it) On a Slide, frame and evo grip for around 1100. I know I will need everything else I just want to know what you all think if this would be a good base to start from. Iam looking at getting it in 38 super comp.  Any input would be great. 

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That is an outstanding base to start from.  The PT slide is a new offering, so there's not much of a track record yet but I can't imagine they would produce a dud based on all their other products.  Once you get all your parts together, recommend sending it all off to Gans Guns.  He does good work and has a quick turnaround time.

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Honestly, if you are underpaid, just go 9 Major.  No one likes a guy on his hands and knees after every time he shoots picking up brass and not pasting.

 

No way you will just leave the brass until later either.

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Look at used open guns or even something on gunbroker. You can find trubores around 2400 in 38sc. If you run a race holster you should be fine with the same rig for open, but you will have to add mags into that mix as well. Then Ammo. If you want to run 38sc I suggest you reload. You can get major ammo from atlanta arms and universal but they never seem to have it in stock. I was looking to get a used open gun at first, then my lgs had a DVC open and I haven't looked back since. I actually ordered an Atlas Chaos and can't wait to get that in my hands. 

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13 minutes ago, FFEMT said:

Hi Trent Its Ben from Wac!  Yea I keep going back and forth about 9mm vs 38sc. I know 9 is cheaper but the guns tend to be more troublesome.  

They are fine. People make it sound like a much bigger deal than it really is. 

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I seriously do not want to see you picking up brass.  Seriously.......  I also don't want to hear you cry about the price of new brass either.

 

That argument just doesn't hold water though (more troublesome).  Especially with the RTS2 C-Mores, there isn't any reason why a 38 Supercomp will run any better than a 9 major. 

 

Open guns do like newer mag springs, they like to be cleaned (including the extractor) and they like oil. 

 

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, FFEMT said:

 

So right now Phoenix Trinity is running a sale ( hopefully I Didnt miss it) On a Slide, frame and evo grip for around 1100. I know I will need everything else I just want to know what you all think if this would be a good base to start from. Iam looking at getting it in 38 super comp.  Any input would be great. 

 

Top notch base so you will not want to skimp on all the other stuff.

 

Lots of other expensive parts left to buy. Also, will you do the work yourself? Will you need to buy expensive tools?

 

Put it all down on paper and you may not be saving as much as you thought.

 

When I go to local matches, not too many shooting 38SC.  They may have one in the safe for big matches, but they shoot 9 Major the rest of the time.

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FF, since you already have a Limited gun, why not convert that to Open and see how you like it.  You could do it for a song.  I have two 40 Open guns and love them.  A third is on the way.  IMO there is no disadvantage to a 40 Open gun, and many advantages.  If you don't like it, put the old barrel back in and shoot Limited.

 

I'm building a 9mm Open gun now, just because.  I'd have had one sooner, but I could not make up my mind between 38SC and 9mm.  I know lots of shooters shootting 9mm Major safely, so I have no concerns.  I held out because so many told me the 38SC was more flexible to load for.  That may be so.  I will tell you that almost every match I shoot is a lost brass match.  At the two clubs that allow brass picking, it is still lost brass for me because I RO at those matches.

 

Let's look at the matches I shot in the last month for USPSA and SCSA.  140, 130, 270, 200 = 740 rounds fired.  If I had been shooting 38SC just the lost brass would have cost 740 * $.15ea = $111.00.  That is for one month only  I shoot 11 months of the year, so 38SC would have been very expensive.  I buy processed 40sw brass for 3 cents each, and 9mm for 2.5 cents each.  I have zero problem leaving them on the range.

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You can also get a CK Arms open gun from a dealer no wait time and they run right out of the box. 38sc or 9mm with steel grip and RTS2 is right at 4200. I should know I just got one and works good. I thought about 9mm but stayed with 38sc. 

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gun broker had some new PT framed open guns for $2400 that look sweet. 

 

Budget and .38s/sc is a bad idea. 

 

 

I shoot 9major and have had zero issues with loading,shooting,or finding free brass once I figured out what my gun liked (OAL). 

 

Dont so .38. 

 

I also bought ised off here for a killer price and have zero regrets 

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Thanks everyone for their input. Yea Trent, i hate picking up brass even if its 40. I will go for a 9mm just for that reason. Iam going to hold off on the PT special right now any and just save up for a complete gun. Buy once cry once. Flatlander, no i would not being doing the work my self. Dont worry I will do tons of more research before i go out a make purchase. 

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14 hours ago, Gooldylocks said:

That PT framed gun looks pretty nice actually on gunbroker. Check it out.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 

Yea I think its a good deal and a great starting point, I need to save up a bit more. So iam still looking at 2-4 months before i can make a purchase. 

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22 hours ago, FFEMT said:

Hi Trent Its Ben from Wac!  Yea I keep going back and forth about 9mm vs 38sc. I know 9 is cheaper but the guns tend to be more troublesome.  

 

There was a time when this was true but not so much anymore.  The advantage .38 super has is there are a lot more powders you can use to build your load.  The huge disadvantage is the cost of brass.  Our two Millennium Custom 9 major guns have run like sewing machines since day one and Derek is well known for building 9major guns that run.  I would make sure that I bought one built by someone who has a good reputation for building 9major guns.....that leaves out a lot of builders - even some of the very well known guys.  Catch Lauren or I at the WAC sometime and we would be happy to let you try ours out.

Edited by blueeyedme
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