kneelingatlas

If you're even considering Open, you'll love it! Poor eyesight? Even more reason. Welcome to the dark side

I've found when I have a pistol which can be set up two ways, I find my favorite and never change back, leaving me with a bunch of extra parts.

In Open the minimum caliber for Major scoring is .38, in Limited it's .40 (.357 sig included), most people shoot .40 in Limited for the Major scoring, most people shoot 9/38 in Open for the capacity advantage. While it's tempting to put together a presto-chango, caliber-swapping, one gun fits two divisions pistol, I don't advise it. It's more than just caliber which separates Limited and Open guns, Limited guns used added weight at the muzzle to mitigate muzzle flip whereas Open guns use a compensator, so more weight in the muzzle just slows you down.

I shoot 9mm exclusively at this point, although in the Gold Team I think 38 super performs better than 9 because of all the holes. I've owned a 9mm GT, shot a GT in 38, but I prefer custom Open guns based on a 9mm Limited. There's actually a pretty nice one for sale right here with everything you need to shoot Limited and Open in 9mm:

Welcome Stuey, San Diego here! Where are you shooting?

Try a large charge (8gr+) of a slow powder like 3n38 under a 95gr bullet for maximum fun

If you have a 9mm Limited now, the best way to shoot Open is to buy a 9mm barrel/comp for it. Are you currently looking loading your own ammo? I don't suggest shooting factory ammo in a Gold Team of any caliber, you'd be better off adding a dot to a Limited gun.

So I understand your question Sean, You don't own the pistol at the moment, but you intend to buy a Gold Team in 40, a Stock II barrel in 9 and switch back an forth between shooting 40 in Open and 9 in Limited is that correct?

How long are the rounds in your stockpile?

Your eyes are unique, you should adjust the sights to produce the desired effect in combination with your pistol. I find it very hard to believe there's a fundamental flaw in your technique you could reproduce consistently enough to shoot the group above at 10 yards. If it were true that shots should hit dead center for every individual what would be the use of adjustable sights?

Agreed, black nitride with a titanium nitride barrel would be hot shit!

The most popular CZ in USPSA is the SP01 Shadow

I'm looking to hack an ounce from a hybrid bull barrel, does anyone have some pictures of aggressive cuts in their bull barrels? Here's what I've seen so far: I'm thinking of something a little different though

That's one helluva first post! Welcome to the forums Jeff

You don't save any money with a custom Open project, you're better off selling the gun you don't want and buying the gun you do. Take it from me

Are you planning to install a compensator? The effectiveness of the comp is a big factor in the life of the barrel

Like this right? I'm pretty sure those three hole patterns were a factory item, they predate the tighter four hole pattern. What you have is simply a Witness competition frame, they were sold bare in the early '90's

^ pure gold

Back to the OP: spending money on guns/gear is not the same as spending money on matches/training; the former is an asset, the latter an expense. If you buy a gun for $1,000 you haven't spent $1,000, you've converted $1,000 from cash to gun, the only expense is tax, registration, and any depreciation with use. If you make a good deal you can covert it back into cash again with nothing lost (some guns actually appreciate over time). Training/match fees/ammo, while they may increase your skill level are expenses and belong on the income statement rather than the balance sheet. The difference is critical to a healthy understanding of personal finance.

I hate the idea you have to earn the right to buy a new gun, or change divisions.

We're all adults here, can we just admit there are a hundred reasons to buy a new gun, not the least of which is boredom, peer pressure, or hero worship? Don't pretend you ditched your Glock in favor of a Stock II because it was "holding back" your B card You did it because it's sexy chrome and your buddies "ooh and ahh" over it!

If the gear he has is objectively inferior to something else, why not upgrade now rather than later? I think Bob Vogel shows you can complete at the highest levels with a $500 gun.

This is a common sentiment I don't agree with, Production may be the cheapest division to get into, but it's not the easiest by any stretch of the imagination. With 2-3 reloads per stage, iron sights, no magwell, limited modifications, least racey holsters, I'd call it one of the harder divisions, and very competitive in most areas. Open guns are the easiest to shoot although there are many barriers to entry including the cost, the fact that handloading is almost a requirement, and the cultural perception that new shooters have to cut their teeth shooting 'lesser' divisions before graduating to the 'big leagues'. If you're interested in a race gun I highly recommend trying Open right out of the gate. The dot helps you call your shots.

You say your classification is in the high 50% range, but how do you match scores compare? What percentage of the winner's score do you typically shoot? That will tell you where you can improve. Here's an example: if the match winner has a classification of 95%, and you shot 70% of the winning HF, you shot at a level of 66.5; if you're consistently performing lower than your classification, you need to work on those skills not reflected in classifier stages (movement, stage planning, etc.). On the other hand, if you're consistently outperforming your classification, draws, splits, transitions, accuracy, are likely the weakest part of your game.