OperationHitFactor Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I have been shooting rifles, shooting shotguns, and reloading for many years. A little over a year ago I bought my first pistol which was an M&P Pro in 9mm and about the same time the training center I work at decommissioned some of the old Glock 17 Gen 2 stock. Immediately I began to tinker with the guns and customize them with different options in an effort to find perfection. This quest for parts eventually led me back into a local pro shop down the block called RedDotShooting where in the shop I began talking with the owner Johnathan Bonham and his buddy Dave Pruitt. That day they showed me a bunch of custom pistols, which at the time I thought looked like something I saw on Robocop. Instantly I was facinated by what I now know as a 2011 custom variant built for open class. This was also the first time I was informed about the USPSA, which led me to a local match and I was hooked. This sport was a great discovery for me as I am now in my late 20's and it doesn't require ice packs or ankle wraps. I guess there was golf, but... um... no. I've now shot about four matches and train 2 or 3 times a week in which I put 200-500 rounds down range each session. Problem is I've now shot a bunch of custom pistols and well I just don't like production guns all that much anymore. The Robocop guns are a callin my name. So, I am at a crossroad and don't if I should build a custom 2011 variant for limited or for open? I have gotten a few opinions already, but I'm curious what Benos forum thinks. I'm going to pick one platform and force myself to train in it for a year then eventually shoot and build guns for both classes. I am going to go to open class at some point no matter what. The question is do I stick with limited or just go ahead and jump to open. I have shot open guns and love it. No problem finding the dot it just felt natural to me. I think it's from all the years of shooting Shotguns, AR's, and sadly playing video games. So, Benos forum if you were starting all over again. Would you train in limited for a foundation or just dive into open from the start? Thanks, Mike PS. All of you Area 6 people should know that in the not so distant future. I will be coming for you and I am going to crush you but for now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lcs Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Start with open since you want to shoot open anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gng4life Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 (edited) Purely my opinion but if I was you, given your situation and story, I would go with Open now. I have a classification in every USPSA division and I just stared shooting Open this year. Open is so much more different than the other divisions and no matter what, you will eventually have to train a little different for Open. So, given your story about you knowing you will be going to Open at one point or another, I would say just make the jump and do it now. Open is just fun and that's why I shoot USPSA...for fun. Edited October 27, 2011 by gng4life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jman Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Back when I was shooting, I just shot what I could afford to shoot the most. The sooner you transition away from the "shopping funbuzz" the better. Anything keeping you from matches shooting what you have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OperationHitFactor Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 Back when I was shooting, I just shot what I could afford to shoot the most. The sooner you transition away from the "shopping funbuzz" the better. Anything keeping you from matches shooting what you have? No offense, but I don't follow. What is the "shopping funbuzz"? Also, I am shooting now and shooting a lot. No nothing is keeping me from shooting matches now. Matches and practicing with other shooters is how I discovered I don't care for production all that much personally. I just much preffer shooting the 1911 platform in competition. I shot a match last weekend with a Glock 34 and had fun. I carry a Glock 26 and if I needed to pick up a combat pistol I'd grab a Glock. However, this isn't combat, for me this is for sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OperationHitFactor Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 Purely my opinion but if I was you, given your situation and story, I would go with Open now. I have a classification in every USPSA division and I just stared shooting Open this year. Open is so much more different than the other divisions and no matter what, you will eventually have to train a little different for Open. So, given your story about you knowing you will be going to Open at one point or another, I would say just make the jump and do it now. Open is just fun and that's why I shoot USPSA...for fun. Thanks for your opinion. Opinions are exactly what I am looking for from people with more experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jid2 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I started in open because open guns were what I was most interested in. My first match was with an open gun I built. I do this for fun, and for me the fun is in open for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Smith Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 (edited) Open is more expensive than Limited across the board. The equipment is more expensive and so is the ammo. If you don't reload, then you are stuck with trying to find Open ammo, unless you shoot minor or .40 So, a lot depends on whether or not you already reload and what kind of budget you have to work with. All other issues aside, you would probably be better off starting with Open if you are fairly sure that's where you want to end up. As an alternative, you could probably find a used 2011 for Limited here and spend a year shooting that and working on your fundamentals. During that time, you could work on accumulating the pieces you need to build an Open gun and getting it tuned - that can take quite a bit of time. Edited October 27, 2011 by Graham Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OperationHitFactor Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 Open is more expensive than Limited across the board. The equipment is more expensive and so is the ammo. If you don't reload, then you are stuck with trying to find Open ammo, unless you shoot minor or .40 So, a lot depends on whether or not you already reload and what kind of budget you have to work with. All other issues aside, you would probably be better off starting with Open if you are fairly sure that's where you want to end up. As an alternative, you could probably find a used 2011 for Limited here and spend a year shooting that and working on your fundamentals. During that time, you could work on accumulating the pieces you need to build an Open gun and getting it tuned - that can take quite a bit of time. I reload. You are correct most of the companies from what I've heard are year out builds. Luckily, I've convinced a secret gunsmith to build me a gun depending on what I decide on. He is ready to start cutting on a slide as soon as I give him a frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoBolo Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Open is more expensive than Limited across the board. The equipment is more expensive and so is the ammo. If you don't reload, then you are stuck with trying to find Open ammo, unless you shoot minor or .40 So, a lot depends on whether or not you already reload and what kind of budget you have to work with. All other issues aside, you would probably be better off starting with Open if you are fairly sure that's where you want to end up. As an alternative, you could probably find a used 2011 for Limited here and spend a year shooting that and working on your fundamentals. During that time, you could work on accumulating the pieces you need to build an Open gun and getting it tuned - that can take quite a bit of time. I reload. You are correct most of the companies from what I've heard are year out builds. Luckily, I've convinced a secret gunsmith to build me a gun depending on what I decide on. He is ready to start cutting on a slide as soon as I give him a frame. I've not figured out what I want to be when I grow up either, but I think I'm leaning towards open since I have 4 of them and only one for the other divisions including Revolver. Go Open have fun with it then try something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67 LS1 Camaro Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I say Limited when people ask me the same question. Open seemed like a "no skill" division . But then $5000+ later, got a sweet major9 built. Eventually you"ll have both . LOL ... Open is fun to shoot , it's just that to me it's too much " stuff" on a gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark R Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 If you reload and can afford it....GO OPEN! You can always shoot a production or limited match with your Glock or M&P for practice...but the feel of open will get your blood moving. I've shot Limited and Production for over 15 years...just got an open blaster last year and wish I had got one a long time ago. Go Open...and don't look back. Open is a blast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueOvalBruin Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I say shoot limited for a year then go open. Shooting major PF in limited or single stack will help you learn the importance of a proper grip and to drive the gun. Shooting minor with a production gun or open you can get away with a lazy grip sometimes and you won’t realize what you’re missing. I’m shooting open now after shooting production/SS/Limited the last couple years and am definitely glad I went that route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
latech15 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I started in ss, moved to open, then back to limited, then production, then revo, back to SS, now back to open. I like open the best. Listen to a guy who has done a lot of switching.....pick one and stick with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whoops! Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 (edited) Go open. It's more fun and learning with your ultimate goal is faster than learning with training wheels. Stuff on a gun is fun when it helps shoot stuff faster. Edited October 27, 2011 by Whoops! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xfactor Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 ...Open seemed like a "no skill" division... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dis-1-Shooter Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I am an Open shooter. Try both and find out for yourself which division you like the most. Worst case, you can sell the other gun. You got to find your niche in this sport....Open is not for everyone. Heck, you may try both and end up in another division all together. Whatever you decide; good luck, have fun and be safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OperationHitFactor Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 Excellent. At best it will take 2-4 months to get a full custom from a buddy, hopefully not a year. Maybe if I find a good deal on a limited build to shoot until I can build an open or maybe I'll find a good deal on an open build and be done with it. Just with the prices I've seen. I feel it may be a better deal to do an open build. Used you don't know or should I say I don't know exactly what I am getting. Looks like the used market quality guns are going for 2500-3000+, but I can get new builds for 3000-3800 and get exactly what I want. Thank you all for the advice I think I'm going to put a little cash to the side and browse around the classifieds and see where the cards fall. Thanks PS. Open seems like a very skilled division to me. With people like Shannon Smith or Dave Pruitt showing up at any given match here in Florida. It certainly appears skilled, but maybe they just get lucky. Then again I'm not that smart I am just thirsty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaster113 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 (edited) BTW, Cameron's Custom's wait time is only 3-4 months and they build some nice stuff. Open is fun as hell but harder than it looks. Edited October 27, 2011 by blaster113 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OperationHitFactor Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 BTW, Cameron's Custom's wait time is only 3-4 months and they build some nice stuff. Open is fun as hell but harder than it looks. Thanks for the suggestion. I've looked at Freedom Gun Works, Cameron's Custom, Akai, and I may even bring an old builder out of retirement that shoots at my local club. All seem to do great work and with wait times under 6 months. I spoke to Shay at Akai and he is really friendly and informative. Plus, he is in Florida so I can go pick it up in person. I'm going to cruise the classifieds for a bit first though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67 LS1 Camaro Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 That's why I said " it seemed". At the time , I haven't tried Open. It looked to me like I can't have an excuse for missing , because of a dot. But I love shooting anything with a trigger. So now my Open has the most $$$$ put on one gun. It is different than iron sights. Especially when it comes to stage planning. And the brain has to process quicker ( i guess that's why I'm still in "training wheels"). Some Limited/Production shooters like to look at the " not official " results and see what Open gun he/she beats. I mean ,who doesn't? Or , "damn, that production just beat my open" . I'm shooting my Open this weekend for about 3 months to maybe help my brain speed so I can be faster on my "training wheels" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OperationHitFactor Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 That's why I said " it seemed". At the time , I haven't tried Open. It looked to me like I can't have an excuse for missing , because of a dot. But I love shooting anything with a trigger. So now my Open has the most $$$$ put on one gun. It is different than iron sights. Especially when it comes to stage planning. And the brain has to process quicker ( i guess that's why I'm still in "training wheels"). Some Limited/Production shooters like to look at the " not official " results and see what Open gun he/she beats. I mean ,who doesn't? Or , "damn, that production just beat my open" . I'm shooting my Open this weekend for about 3 months to maybe help my brain speed so I can be faster on my "training wheels" I catch the context now. Foot in mouth, sorry for the sarcasm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxshooter Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 You sure got hooked up with two good guys. Both are very nice people and knowledgable about shooting both open and limited. In my opinion I think you will learn more faster shooting open. It is much eaiser to learn to call shots shooting open. Calling shots is one of the most important steps in improving rapidly. Just my .02 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
392heminut Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I'm a dyed in the wool Limited shooter (I tried Open for a year) and I would agree with the majority here, go open first. If you're looking eventually at doing both divisions you'll have the greater expense of gearing up for Open out of the way and your gear (belt & mag pouches)for the Open gun will work with the Limited gun. It will be less of a hit to the bank account going from Open to Limited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67 LS1 Camaro Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 and I would agree with the majority here, go open first. Hmmm... I'd say if the OP wasn't posted in OPEN , the majority may be different .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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