glock19gal

Mike, I just started in IDPA last summer....really enjoying it! The shooting diary is a great idea...I keep one myself so that I can see if I'm improving and what I need to work on. Regarding equipment..I have a glock 19 and I first bought a fobus holster and double mag pouch...and they worked o.k. I just recently bought a bladetek holster and double mag pouch. These cost about $50 - $60 for the holster and about $40 for the mag pouch. It is well worth the investment! The main point for me is to practice, carry, and compete with the same equipment. If you practice and compete with something you don't carry....how well are you going to know the equipment, if you unfortunately get into an incident??? You'll be in hot water!!! Anyway...that's my philosophy! Why make it complicated? At my local club and the ones close to home...everyone is wonderful and will help you in anyway that you need! Good Luck and have fun!

Coming from experience....I would say the 9mm. I am a young woman that has to travel for work alone all the time.....gone for 3 or 4 days at a time several times a year to areas I've never been. When I started this job, my husband (already had a ccw) and wanted to introduce me to handguns and protecting myself. I took a wonderful class with an incredible instructor in West Virginia. This man took me from a very intimidated, terrified of handling a gun "child" to being very comfortable and very confident with myself with a glock 19 in 8 hours of instruction! It was incredible! Anyway.....4 years later...I still own my glock 19, carry it everywhere (where it's legal to with my ccw)....and swear by it! I have made very few changes to my glock 19 and still love it as I did the day I bought it! I have taken several classes with this wonderful instructor and trust me.....if you know anyone that is like I was (intimated, etc. with guns) and wants to be comfortable and confident....he/she needs to take a very hands on course with an excellent instructor! I believe if my husband and this instructor had started me with a 45 or something larger than the 9, than I may not have taken to it as well because of the recoil, etc. etc. Let us know what you decide.