Benji

That's a good idea, at least allows you to finish the season if there was a major failure.

When it goes to standby will it wakeup on movement or do you still have to push a button?

Hnnnng

Does it come back on automatically or do you have to turn it on?

How is the dot clarity and shape? One of the things I don't like about the DPP is that the dot isn't much of a dot like the RMR is. That and I hate the adjustment but the R3 looks like it has the external controls so that could be a huge deal if the dot is nice.

The downside to a backup open gun is that no one wants to buy a 'budget' backup gun lol. I wouldn't buy one just to have to finish a match but I would buy one to finish the season.

That sucks, sounds like the best reason I've heard so far.

THAT is a very good reason. I had not thought about a gun going down for that long.

In recent discussions with friends and other shooters whose opinions I value the topic of the backup gun has comes up. The debate is: Is it necessary or just a luxury item? My take on it is that the cost of a new open gun, let's just use $6k as the value, is roughly 4x greater in cost than a big match that I would have to fly to or about 2.5x the cost of going to Nats. So the cost of the backup gun is really just to cover the cost of my feelings since the loss I would take if my only gun went down mid match would much less than buying a new gun. I guess it comes down to what your pride cost lol.

And here I thought 9.6 AA7 was a lot.... that is crazy!

That doesn't mean it's not trimmed properly. Different guns and different springs don't always play well with each other. I have to trim all my recoil springs for my 2011... if it's not that then cool though!

I would say absolutely 100% the nemesis is better, I was going to go that route but then went open. My buddy just got two nemesis and I think they're the best limited gun on the market. IMO if you subscribe to the 'you need two guns for USPSA' theory then maybe get a nemesis and a titan if money is a concern but at least get the nemesis.

Dang, I get 29 pretty easily in my STI with grams. I only get 28 in my SV's though. I have heard that removing some material in the bottom of the baseplate is helpful but I haven't had to do that in the STI.

That's cool!

Some good tips in here. I just usually use a scraper and a small mallet if needed.

At the moment I don't think it's wise to get into open for less than the cost of a 'top tier gun'. I see so many open guns that don't work resulting in frustrated shooters and poor match experience. I think if money is a concern for the cost of the gun then open isn't your division- it costs WAY more than the gun. as of today, carry optics looks to be the second most fun division is USPSA and the CO guns available are super gucci and you could have two guns, back up optics, two rigs and a bazillion mags for less than the cost of a good open gun. Also the ammo is much more affordable and you can buy it! Food for thought.

Is there any chance that the recoil spring isn't trimmed correctly and that's not allowing the slide to travel back far enough to give the round time/space to move up to be loaded?

That IPSC Alex one is pretty cool, seems to have the most adjustment too.

I prefer custom but only because I have a really good idea of what I want. If you don't know if you want a middy, full length, 38SC, 9mm, safety type, grip type, popple holes/no holes, lightweight or heavy, which optic, etc, etc, etc then custom isn't really going to do much for you except cool factor. The true cost of open isn't just the gun. It's the gun, the mags, the parts, the backup optic (like 90% necessary) the reloading press, the chronograph, the TIME. That being said I would look really hard at the PT Honcho and Atlas Chaos, they flat out run and you can get them pretty quickly.

I would send to a different smith for a second opinion.

My new favorite thing to tell anyone in this sport is that it all depends on everything and this is especially true in open division. I run against a PT Honcho shooter who has no holes and I use a 2 hole Atlas Chaos and I guarantee that it's not the gun that makes one of us win and one of use lose. Having said that I went with Atlas because I think the holes are a benefit (and some customization stuff) and I didn't want to play the game of having a functioning gun and have some other smith touch it. To me the holes are like the caliber, you make a decision and then run with it. I agree 100% that the builder should be involved with this decision though.

I run SV, MBX and STI mags in my atlas 9mm chaos. I like the SV 140's the best- never a single issue. The MBX 170mm is fine with some follower tuning. The SV 170's with TTI followers and springs don't like to hold 29 rounds for me- that last round pins the follower to the bottom of the mag. I haven't worked out yet if its the mag, the follower, the spring... I just know that the new STI 170mm mag is my favorite big stick, especially since it has holes on the back so you can see how many are in the mag.

In dry fire mimic pulling the trigger MUCH harder than need be and make sure those sights don't move. For me personally WHO is about going clean with no make ups no matter how long it takes. It always seems like 5 seconds per shot but it's more like 1-1.5 and that's ok!

I've heard 2 sets of mags is a good rule, my goal is to have enough match mags that I don't have to clean or reload mags for 4 stages.

Have to always make sure that the stage plan involves 180 considerations! I've made the mistake of shooting matches on little sleep before and it's rough. It helps to recognize the risk and prioritize the risk management over the goal outcome though.