Px4 FS

[Art Yeo]

Is the Px4 Full Size worth considering for IDPA?

[1911aow]

I don't shoot IDPA, only IPSC, so my comments and experiences are restricted to that discipline. That being said, shooting fast and accurate is necessary in both.

I carry a 9x19mm PX4 FS as a duty gun and have used it in around 10-12 matches to get more exposure to it and to keep myself proficient with the gun. I really enjoy shooting it and it has been 100% reliable with no mechanical issues in about 8000 rounds so far.I have found it to be soft recoiling and astoundingly accurate for the relatively short sight radius. Manipulations such as reloading and fast pick up and loads have all been smooth and quick when I do my part. No parts breakage or replacements necessary yet.

I do have two small gripes with the gun which prevents me from using it as my primary match gun. The short barrel requires a rather serious velocity loss. This requires you to really ramp up the powder charge to achieve the minimum required factor against similar pistols. With the same ammo that both my CZ 75B's and Beretta 92FS make 130 factor with will only make 120-121 factor out of the PX4. I thought I may just have a "slow" barrel and tried it in two other department pistols with the same result. Your results may differ. My 0.02 cents experience and testing here.

The next is my biggest detractor on the design. Lack of aftermarket sights. The factory front sight on our issue guns is huge. It is nice and visible and gives a good clean sight picture, but it way too wide FOR ME. It covers too much of the available target area and I find it to slow my target aquisition and shot making much more difficult, especially on targets obscured by hard cover or no shoots. The rear sight notch gives a good sight picture in relation to the front sight, but prevents the trimming down of the front sight to more manageable dimensions as this would then make the rear sight notch too wide for my liking. Again this is just MY personal preferences and your experiences might vary. Despite searching around for a suitable replacement set of sights I have yet too find something more to my liking.

All in all I like the gun and think is has merit as a sporting platform. I have no qualms about carrying it on duty.

[Art Yeo]

Thank you, those are valid points and I appreciate it.

[Art Yeo]

If anyone is disillusioned with their current plastic guns in terms of accuracy issues and trigger problems, you should consider the Px4 Storm FS.

The little gun was such a pleasant surprise to me when I shot it the first time today that I had to tell you guys about it. OK, the trigger is not a 1911 trigger but it is significantly better than a stock S&W M&P9 trigger. I can say that without any twitches on my face because I have been using my M&P9 for IDPA matches and was getting really unhappy with its accuracy problems.

Here's what I have shot today at 50ft and I believe it is pretty close to what my Beretta 92A1 performed at this distance ...

[1911aow]

I found that FOR ME the PX4 easily out shot my 92FS. Even with the fat front sight I scored much better on accuracy intensive NPA type events and also shot a much better PPC score, easier with it. No problems with accuracy on all the department guns I tested. Did see a tendency for all of the guns to shoot slightly below POA, but accuracy was stellar.

[Topmaul]

I carry and use my PX4 in every competition I plant to shoot an IDPA match in Florida with it next month.

[hceuterpe]

Really? I own a SC so must be at least close and the 92a1 trigger(though it has some Frankenstein factory parts from other variants stil legal in all IDPA divisions assume one could that gun mdel/caliber).

It could run around in circle yell taunts at it , throw mud at in his face, and SC wouldnt realize he got ridiculed.