Start out with a tuned gun or...

[Aglifter]

Personally, I'd switch the sights, and polish up the trigger right away. I put a hi-viz fiber optic sight on the front of my G17, and blacked out the rear w. a sharpie, and have been pretty happy.

If you don't have a good CCW gunbelt, I'd buy one of those first (I have a wilderness tactical one, and several from thebeltman.net).

As for the rest, change it when you feel its holding you back. I carried a Glock as well when I started shooting production. For comfort, I bought some Fobus mag pouches (had I known better, I would have bought some bladetech ones), and a plastic, snap-on Galco slide style holster - I like the Galco holster, and it was about 27 bucks. A bladetech a better choice, or something which fully covers the gun.

[Paul Burtchell]

I think a shooter at any level will benefit by upgrading some components. Hell, that is why they make them

I have owned several GLOCK 34's and this is the setup for Production that I like:

Dawson Adjustable Rear Sight

Dawson Fiber Optic Front Sight

Vanek Classic Grandmaster Trigger Kit

Jager Guide Rod and 13# ISMI spring

Grip Tape

Blade Tech DOH Holster

CR Speed Mag Pouches

CR Speed Belt

Absolutely nothing to hold you back with this setup. Take it is a far as you can go.

Nothing to hold you back with a stock setup either, but I think the above upgrades make it alot more fun and easier to shoot pistol.

Edited December 21, 2010 by Paul Burtchell

[Seth]

There's another piece of this...

One of the advantages to 'building' a gun is learning how it operates, how the parts interface and how to trouble shoot. We're basically running little individual race teams and learning the car, learning the chassis, the motor, the steering, the brakes, etc... makes a big difference in understanding how to drive it. There will be times that your gun pukes... you need to be able to diagnose the problems, make the appropriate fixes and go back to racing... without bugging your buddies.

[Wild Gene]

You take a jab at two guys with low post counts, then say you "shot SS for years" when you've only been a USPSA member for 2 years and have 19 or so matches on your classification card? That's funny stuff right there!

[twodownzero]

There are zero needed upgrades in production. My production gun has nothing done to it. Zilch. Nada.

it's not a surprise to me that a guy with 12 posts on here is telling someone with 17 posts that he needs to spend $300 on his gun before he even gets to a match.

I shot single stack for years before I even installed a magwell. Just shoot.

You take a jab at two guys with low post counts, then say you "shot SS for years" when you've only been a USPSA member for 2 years and have 19 or so matches on your classification card? That's funny stuff right there!

For the OP, better sights, a smoother trigger and some grip tape will help most folks shoot a little better. No, it probably won't make a significant difference in your match performance, but it may remove some doubt in your mind "could I do better with X"....and if so, it's worth it if only from a mental perspective.

Reality is, you'll probably make some sort of changes eventually, and if you keep them mainstream (what most folks are doing) it's unlikely that you'll wind up with a bad combination, or something that holds you back. R,

Yep, I never joined USPSA until two years ago when I wanted a classification card. I've been shooting competitively (in USPSA) since November of 2004. And if you haven't been paying attention, I've spent the last 4 1/2 years in college and graduate school. I'd day 19 matches that include a classifier score in 2 years considering that fact is pretty respectable, especially considering that the matches covered represent five different states, four of which I have lived in during that time. Since you seem worried about credentials, I'll come clean about IDPA, too. While I started shooting IDPA once in a while in 2005, I have never been an IDPA member, nor ever held a classification there. Furthermore, classifier scores have little real connection to the number of matches shot anyway. Of the three majors I shot this year alone, only one of them even had a classifier, and the club I shot with all summer doesn't ever have a classifier in their monthly match at all. What that means is that I've been shooting single stack longer than it has even been a recognized division in USPSA, if you're paying attention.

At least you admitted that $300 in upgrades will have no bearing on match results.

I've had my production gun for over two years. Sure, I could pull the sear out of it and hit it with a stone, or change to a (different) FO front sight. But I haven't done that, and it shoots just fine. I've shot steel challenge, one major USPSA match with it, plenty of club matches, and IDPA SSP and it seems to be doing just fine.

If there's anything USPSA has a bad reputation for, it's that people think that you need an expensive gun to shoot even a single match. In fact, if there's one thing that was hilarious about that youtube video put up yesterday or so, it's the inside jokes regarding posters who are new and have not shot a match.

I don't think the OP could go wrong with a Vanek (production legal) trigger kit, a set of sights, and some grip tape. But nobody should think that these are necessary to shoot their first match. To enjoy our sport, one's first love needs to be shooting, not customizing a gun.

The personal nature of your comments are totally uncalled-for, by the way. There's nothing wrong with disagreeing with the merits of what I have to say, but to suggest that even if I had shot only 19 matches, that somehow that was insufficient to have a feel for how this game works and how to help out a new shooter with a legitimate question, is intellectually dishonest and you're well aware of that fact.

Edited December 21, 2010 by twodownzero

[Wild Gene]

Sorry OP.

Twodownzero, I believe you are the one that began getting personal. Post count means squat. I know some GMs on this board that are low post count. Bart is a big boy and can take care of himself, but he is also one guy that knows what he is talking about, and has helped countless forum members with phone calls, personal conversations, emails and reference posts.

Sorry Bart, I am too Italian not to say something, I am sure you can relate.

[ima45dv8]

....but to suggest that even if I had shot only 19 matches, that somehow that was insufficient to have a feel for how this game works and how to help out a new shooter with a legitimate question, is intellectually dishonest and you're well aware of that fact.

Riiiight...

And for you to suggest (especially in the BEginners Forum) that someone with only 12 posts doesn't have a valid and relevant opinion to share smacks of an elitist attitude, bordering on repugnant arrogance.

Cool it.

[BhmJeep]

I'm good. Everyone has an opinion and everyone can learn something from all opinions. Told you guys I have VERY thick skin. If everyone always agreed life would be boring.

twodownzero, I agree with you about having a blast at this game with totally stock guns. I just love to tinker. I want to know how things work. The base question I failed to express clearly was, if given the fact that you (me or anyone) would eventually end up with a gun with several legal mods, would it be more benificial to start stock, then add slowly over time or go ahead and and get the gun the way I "think" I want it? No matter what I just can't leave well enough alone. Maybe my alter ego is Tim the Tool Man Taylor...

The club closest to me has shutdown the matches until March and then I will get a few posts up. Until then I just keep buying ammo when I can and practice everything I learn from here and lots of other places. My favorite term for Christmas presents for my son is "Some Assembly Required"...

Mike

Edited December 21, 2010 by BhmJeep

[alpha-charlie]

After competing in this sport for just over 2 1/2 years, I have learned this. MANY shooters show up for a match and say they love this sport. They keep coming back and shooting in local matches. After about 4-6 months they don't see much improvement or don't really LOVE the sport and they're gone. I fell in love with this game from the start and I shot a completely stock pistol for almost the first 2 years. Only because I didn't know the game or what modifications you could make. I showed up, competed, and had a great time. At the end of last season I decided I really wanted to be great. I did the research, found a great gunsmith, learned the rules better, started reloading and got my gear. Sooooooo, and sorry for the cliche, but had I known then what I know now I'd probably be in Master class instead of bordering on breaking into A. My longwinded point being this; if you know that you truly LOVE this game and are in it for the long haul and know what mods you want/eventually are going to get, then go ahead and get them and start dryfiring and drilling the s--t out of that pistol. Ya know, if you're going to get it you might as well get it all done at once and then start concentrating on practicing instead of pieceing it together. If I had a time machine that's what I'D do given the chance. GOOD LUCK DUDE!!

[Paul Burtchell]

Nice post, Matt

[Coach]

If the gun you have is reliable then shoot it for a season and learn the game and build your skill level. While you are doing this you can plan to make changes. I think this is the best way to proceed.

There is a local guy here last season that had never shot a pistol before and ordered a STI Grandmaster as his fisrt pistol. He saw this game on TV and wanted to try it and did not want to mess around with a entry gun. Not the way I would have proceeded but he is very happy and is working on developing a drawstroke and other fundamentals.

[amaziah]

If you are planning on shooting in competitions regularly for a long time to come then you would be wise to set up your pistol as well as you can from the start. We pay big bucks to gunsmiths for the mods that help us get faster and more accurate because it's needed. If this is just something fun and you aren't wanting to be at the top of the class then do the inexpensive mods. The big investment is in time practicing and reloading :-)