Ever try a sub compact?

[JerryShoots]

I've shot a lot of IDPA but I never actually took the gun I carry daily to a match. Normally I shoot a Glock 34 or 17 in SSP and ESP. A Springfield 1911 in CDP. I carry an M&P9C every day. I started carrying with a Ruger P-85 which I did actually shoot a few matches with. Then a full size 1911 followed by an XD9 Tactical for work both with a Kahr PM9 backup. For a while and still on occasion(usually if I'm wearing shorts and a tee) I carry an LCP.

I've forgotten that IDPA is to hone real life skills (though it doesn't always stick to that) so I think that for laughs this season since I'm concentrating heavily on USPSA and Steel Challenge that I will give my entire IDPA season to my trusty carry gun. I'm going to run the M&P for at least the next match and probably the whole year just to see how I measure up to myself and my peers with it over my Glocks.

Anybody ever try this? I'm looking specifically for those that have run the same gun as I am about to but I would like to hear from anyone who has run any kind of sub compact in SSP. G26/27/28(If you can find one!)/29/30/33/36/39, XD subs, M&P's, etc. Also please advise on the holster you used as I was planning on a new one this summer anyway.

As always I value your insights.

[J-Ho]

I ran a Kahr p40. It was a hoot. It was interesting to say the least. It was just a club match and If I remember I still did pretty well. As far as the holster goes I shot what I carry it in most of the time. A Desatis iwb. I think it is the cozy partner model.

[GmanCdp]

I'll shoot my G26 a couple times a yr with an IWB rig and do ok with it..

In SSP i had to run the G26 the last 2 stages .....and then ran the G26 2nd time due to a broke spring in the G19...

http://www.memphis-ssa.com/idpa_files/idpa11_28_09.pdf

[hankfan79]

I have locally. Its fun but not very competitive in my hands.

[leemoe83]

I usually shoot a G34 in IPSC and IDPA but sometimes run my carry gun a M&P 45 compact in IDPA, it is a challenge, I have to slow down to get good hits, which is hard to do, I get in match mode and tend to shoot the M&P like it my Glock.

[jualdeaux]

I ran a Glock 26 for a few matches a long time ago. In fact, I was shooting it better than my full sized guns for a while. Strange.

[waktasz]

I started with a g26 in an IWB holster under an untucked t-shirt.

[JakeMartens]

I did at a match or two an H&K USP 9mm compact, and shot one with a Springer compact 1911 the officers sized one. It was fun, not much different since I was using longer mags in the compact and H&K held the 10 rounds.

Had a local guy shoot his J frame in a couple of matches.

[RickB]

I've shot an entire season, and two sanctioned matches with my Detonics Combat Master. I like to stay current with my carry gun, so try to shoot at least two or three matches a year, every year, with it. I shot a sanctioned match last August, and another one in September; the guy who beat me by five seconds when we were both shooting full-size 8-rounders, beat me by a minute when I shot the compact.

[Steve Koski]

I used to alternate from G23 to G27 at every local match. I was a hair slower with the G27, due to slightly longer shot-to-shot times. However, it rarely affected my standing in local matches. I did it again this winter a few times. It's awful damn fun to experience the buck and roar of the little gun.

Koski

[JerryShoots]

Now theres an interesting thought. I hadn't considered that the margins would open up between me and the guys I usually run with if I try the compact. Makes me curious if I will actually still shoot on par with the two other club guys in SSP master. I think I might shoot the classifier with this thing at least once this year. I'd like to see if I'm still a Master with it or if I drop down to Expert or even SS. I'm still going to have to declare Master with it for matches but it would be nice to know where I rank with the compact.

I can tell already this is gonna be fun!

[Forrest Halley]

Now theres an interesting thought. I hadn't considered that the margins would open up between me and the guys I usually run with if I try the compact. Makes me curious if I will actually still shoot on par with the two other club guys in SSP master. I think I might shoot the classifier with this thing at least once this year. I'd like to see if I'm still a Master with it or if I drop down to Expert or even SS.

Give it the same chance you do your fullsize guns. Load a 125 load for it, put a thousand rounds down range in practice ahead of the classifier and run an OWB holster. You should not see too much difference in the platform once you become locked in, aclimated, etc. to it. I shoot better with my J frame than some of the big guns, but like Koski said shot to shot can be slower due to increased recoil and less weight. It's harder for me to give the J frame as much practice time since I'm not yet geared up to progressive load .38's. At one point I was loading by leeloader kit for matches...dedication.

[coorsleftfield]

I shot my G26 in IDPA for a while because it was the only gun I had, then picked up a G19 and started using that. Was planning on picking up a G34, guess I've gotten into the "gaming" of it, but ended up buying the 5" M&P pro.

[gohuskers]

I think this would be a good time!

[fastarget]

pm-45, fun to shoot, no problem inside 10 yds, past that shot recovery is verrrrrry long..............after 50-60 rounds the palm of my hand is raw..........but the fun/round is high

[Dan Hefta]

I ran my G27 a couple of times too, did real good with it... reloads were a bit sloppy, I pinched my hand a couple of times slamming those short little mags in... it realy boosted my confidence with that nice little carry gun!

Typo

Edited April 7, 2011 by danscrapbags

[motosapiens]

I've only shot 1 idpa match (going to my second one tomorrow) and I brought my daily carry, an m&p40compact (with 180gr factory ammo). I was slightly surprised to see everyone shooting full-sized guns with owb holsters, but whatever.

For various reasons i'm planning on shooting my cz75 (9mm) tomorrow, but I also carry it from time to time. I think in the future I'll probably alternate between the two. Once I found out about IDPA, the idea for me was to increase my own skills and help focus my training, not to game it up so i can get the best possible score against others. I want to move up the overall with both guns, and it won't bother me if I do better with one than the other. I sort of expect that, and I think it's not a bad idea to be aware of the difference in speed and accuracy that comes along with the convenience of a lighter smaller carry gun.

I personally don't think it would be very fun to shoot my pf9 in an idpa match tho.

[ben b.]

I've run my Kahr PM40 3 times with minor .40 ammo & 7rd mags at local matches. Each time I also ran a CDP or SSP gun. My shooting performance on stages is usually close to the regular guns, except that mag changes are slower with that dinky grip hiding inside my hand, and 2 mag changes hoses me for that stage. If I used the CorBon I carry in the PM40 for a match, shot-to-shot slowing would be more noticeable. The PM40 is surprisingly accurate, and I actually tied for 1st on a "longer-range/prone/small-steel" stage with it.

[M1911]

A fellow in my squad at my last match ran a PM9.

[Samuel Adams]

I shot a Bug at one of our club matches and did pretty well with it. I was carrying a CZ82 at the time. 9mm Mak isn't quite legal but it was fun.

[Jim Watson]

We had a guy today shooting a G30. For a while.

When I asked why he was marked DNF, I was told that he had left the range to trade for a G19 in hopes that he could hit better with it.

[JerryShoots]

It must have some bearing on this that the Glocks and M&P's are the same model to model basically. Shorter slide and grip sure but theres a sort of built in familiarity there. I was carrying PM9 for quite some time and then I shot a friends M&P9C I was shocked by just how well I could shoot it and I bought one within a week of that experience. The oddest part of this is that I actually find it more comfortable to carry than my PM9! Something about the shape I guess but I can wear it all day and not readjust once. The PM9 had to be skooched around every couple hours to stay secure. Same holster model (bigger size Uncle Mike IWB) same carry position.

First opportunity to try this at the IDPA match is this Sunday. I'm shooting SSP with it and then after the match taking my CDP gun to a classifier. This is a great chance for me to test this and really see the difference because this club shoots an AM and PM run. So it's once in the morning with the M&P and once in the afternoon with my CDP gun then the classifier. I'm particularly interested in seeing where I place with this M&P as compared to SSP shooters that aren't in my classification. Won't it be interesting if I shoot on par with the EX shooters but take last in MA? If the round count is low enough and I have the ammo to spare I may even take this thing across the classifier and see if I still make MA with it.

I will never hear the end of it from the guys if I go SS or MM with the "little BUG in an SSP pond "

[motosapiens]

in my fantasy world, there would be some small percentage correction factor applied for small guns, perhaps by a combination of weight and barrel length, to encourage more folks to shoot their actual carry guns. OTOH, perhaps shooting in competition makes more people think about how to routinely carry their grownup guns.

[ben b.]

I don't like shooting my actual carry guns regularly in games. I have game guns so that I don't fark up the carry guns. I test carry guns initially, after that only rarely, and otherwise leave them alone.

[JerryShoots]

Lol if it won't run it's not my carry gun. I better be able to shoot this thing a ton and still have it reliable enough to go boom when I tell it to.