One Open Gun?

[Flash]

Is it possible to have just one open gun that would allow someone to be competitive at USPSA, Steel, and Bianchi Cup? What pistol and caliber would you pick?

[G-ManBart]

I think you could pretty easily come up with a gun that you could set up for USPSA and SC that would be equally competitive, but Bianchi is sort of it's own animal. R,

[ExtremeShot]

Yep, 9mm.

[BBoyle]

I only have the one and do steel and USPSA with it. In my opinion 38sc is the caliber I would pick. Much easier to find loads that work without worrying about pressure signs, easier to get mags to work, brass lasts a long time. I usually lose the brass before I have to worry about it.

[Flexmoney]

An Open gun for the actual Bianchi Cup match seems to be the most specialized. It will likely have frame "wings" on it to brace against the barricade, the red-dot mount will likely be a "mover" base, and the red dot itself might be more specific to the Bianchi Cup. Plus, the gun needs a really tight fit and needs to run clean...to shoot extra tight groups at the 50y line.

Now, if you just want to shoot your local Action Pistol (Bianchi) match and do well there...then, that is certainly doable with an Open gun that you shoot USPSA and Steel Challenge with.

My good buddy Steve Anderson...open shooter and Ohio's first Grand Master...he shoot his Caspian Open gun (USPSA) for all three types of matches. He would often shoot his USPSA loads (Major power factor) because he knew the characteristics of that load in his gun so well and it kept his "timing" the same. But, he would also just down load to shoot Minor power factor.

The first rule is bring stuff that works. In my mind, if you find a load that works...shoot a lot of it. Then, with that to fall back on...you can start tweaking on load development (and change springs and such in the gun) to zero in on a setup for a specific game.