GOF Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 You mentioned having an M&P .22, if you like it and it fits you well, going to an M&P 9 fullsize or Pro. You would have a very competitive gun for Production with a little trigger work. It has the interchangable backstraps to help with fit. If you later wanted to try Limited, you could add a magwell and some mag extensions and shoot minor with a few extra rounds. I dont believe that the major/minor scoring strrts to matter much until you get up to the higher classes. And, you would still have your mp22 for cheap practice. Downside to 9mm 1911 is that they can be a bit finicky with ammo and feeding reliability. Not always, but can be. Having your gear run is about 50% of having a good match. Jensey... IMHO this is excellent advice. The M&P 9mm is a serious Production gun and very popular in IDPA (something else you might want to try and there are some good IDPA clubs in your area). The practice time you spend with the M&P .22 will translate directly to the M&P 9mm in gun handling and shooting skills... and .22LR is a lot cheaper than 9mm. If you like the M&P 22 I think you'll be very happy with the 9mm version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jensey Posted February 10, 2013 Author Share Posted February 10, 2013 (edited) You mentioned having an M&P .22, if you like it and it fits you well, going to an M&P 9 fullsize or Pro. You would have a very competitive gun for Production with a little trigger work. It has the interchangable backstraps to help with fit. If you later wanted to try Limited, you could add a magwell and some mag extensions and shoot minor with a few extra rounds. I dont believe that the major/minor scoring strrts to matter much until you get up to the higher classes. And, you would still have your mp22 for cheap practice. Downside to 9mm 1911 is that they can be a bit finicky with ammo and feeding reliability. Not always, but can be. Having your gear run is about 50% of having a good match. Jensey... IMHO this is excellent advice. The M&P 9mm is a serious Production gun and very popular in IDPA (something else you might want to try and there are some good IDPA clubs in your area). The practice time you spend with the M&P .22 will translate directly to the M&P 9mm in gun handling and shooting skills... and .22LR is a lot cheaper than 9mm. If you like the M&P 22 I think you'll be very happy with the 9mm version. I have really been thinking about a M&P 9 pro. No matter what I decide to get the problem will be finding it. Right now it seems hard to find what you want. Edited February 10, 2013 by Jensey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jensey Posted February 10, 2013 Author Share Posted February 10, 2013 Thanks for all the awesome advice and websites guys. Tons of helpful info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shovel919 Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 I shoot USPSA regularly at Pinetucky, so I assume you are attending the class this weekend there. I started shooting last year and its been fun, the guys that run USPSA here are great, I've learned a lot from them, as well as this forum, which I've only recently started visiting (wish I started sooner!). My couple cents would be starting with a 9mm that fits you well just because the cost of ammo and less recoil to learn how to manage. You'll love the class, it will be informative and I'm sure you'll be able to get to handle different guns, hope to see you at the matches! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jensey Posted February 11, 2013 Author Share Posted February 11, 2013 Shovel919--awesome!! Nice to hear from someone local! I am just hoping to not look like a complete idiot at the matches! I'm excited about the class but I have no idea when I would be ready for a match?? I shoot at shooters about once a week, but competition shooting is a whole different ball game. Are you a member at Pinetucky? If so, will you message me the info about how much Pinetucky is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aviatrix Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 You mentioned having an M&P .22, if you like it and it fits you well, going to an M&P 9 fullsize or Pro. You would have a very competitive gun for Production with a little trigger work. It has the interchangable backstraps to help with fit. If you later wanted to try Limited, you could add a magwell and some mag extensions and shoot minor with a few extra rounds. I dont believe that the major/minor scoring strrts to matter much until you get up to the higher classes. And, you would still have your mp22 for cheap practice. Downside to 9mm 1911 is that they can be a bit finicky with ammo and feeding reliability. Not always, but can be. Having your gear run is about 50% of having a good match. Jensey... IMHO this is excellent advice. The M&P 9mm is a serious Production gun and very popular in IDPA (something else you might want to try and there are some good IDPA clubs in your area). The practice time you spend with the M&P .22 will translate directly to the M&P 9mm in gun handling and shooting skills... and .22LR is a lot cheaper than 9mm. If you like the M&P 22 I think you'll be very happy with the 9mm version. I have really been thinking about a M&P 9 pro. No matter what I decide to get the problem will be finding it. Right now it seems hard to find what you want. I've got several M&P's from 22 to 45 and have run about 10,000 rounds in the past year thru my M&P 9 Pro with a 5" barrel mostly in IDPA and some USPSA and I love that gun, never a problem no matter what I feed it, it runs. In fact all my Smith's will eat whatever I feed them, I can't say that for my HK. I'm 5'1" and sure I've got small hands. That said, its all about what works for you, not someone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jensey Posted February 11, 2013 Author Share Posted February 11, 2013 You mentioned having an M&P .22, if you like it and it fits you well, going to an M&P 9 fullsize or Pro. You would have a very competitive gun for Production with a little trigger work. It has the interchangable backstraps to help with fit. If you later wanted to try Limited, you could add a magwell and some mag extensions and shoot minor with a few extra rounds. I dont believe that the major/minor scoring strrts to matter much until you get up to the higher classes. And, you would still have your mp22 for cheap practice. Downside to 9mm 1911 is that they can be a bit finicky with ammo and feeding reliability. Not always, but can be. Having your gear run is about 50% of having a good match. Jensey... IMHO this is excellent advice. The M&P 9mm is a serious Production gun and very popular in IDPA (something else you might want to try and there are some good IDPA clubs in your area). The practice time you spend with the M&P .22 will translate directly to the M&P 9mm in gun handling and shooting skills... and .22LR is a lot cheaper than 9mm. If you like the M&P 22 I think you'll be very happy with the 9mm version. I have really been thinking about a M&P 9 pro. No matter what I decide to get the problem will be finding it. Right now it seems hard to find what you want. I've got several M&P's from 22 to 45 and have run about 10,000 rounds in the past year thru my M&P 9 Pro with a 5" barrel mostly in IDPA and some USPSA and I love that gun, never a problem no matter what I feed it, it runs. In fact all my Smith's will eat whatever I feed them, I can't say that for my HK. I'm 5'1" and sure I've got small hands. That said, its all about what works for you, not someone else. Aviatrix--yay!! A female shooter! I know there are lots but I don't know any and my girlfriends all think I'm nuts for wanting to buy guns instead of jewelry! Just nice to actually talk to another female that enjoys shooting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryLively Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Hi Jensey, I am a female, and new to this forum too...in fact haven't made my intro yet...but anyhoooo.... I've shot about 3 local USPSA events, and found everyone to be fun and very helpful. These guys love to help ! So my advice is to pick their brains on what they are shooting, and why they like it. I am shooting Limited Minor with my Spirngfield XDm 9mm 5.25 competition. I've been shooting on and off for 30 years...have shot everything from S & W revolvers to a Colt 1911 Gold Cup. I love my XDm because I have small hands and it is very comfortable, and great for competition straight out of the box. . So take a look at one when you have a chance, and make sure you try the different back straps on it. I also belong to a women's shooting club, and a lot of the girls are shooting the XD/XDm... Because I am new to USPSA, I just take my time, make sure I'm safe, and have fun. Like everyone has said, the speed, etc. will come with experience. Good luck with your class ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jammer1911 Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Welcome aboard Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSeevers Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 (edited) My co instructor shoots a STI heavy full frame in 40 major and doesn't have issues with recoil because of training and technique. She probably only out weighs the gun by 100 lbs and is a fairly new shooter. Ask people to shoot their gun, most will let you. Pick one, find a trainer and practice. Get good and have fun. Check out our FB page, Steel and Lace Edited February 15, 2013 by BSeevers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huntergirl05 Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Hi Jensey I too am a female shooter; welcome to the shooting sports. My husband got me into USPSA about a year ago. We started out shooting our 1911's, and after much deliberation, we bought a couple of 9mm Springfield XDm's. Although the 1911 was fun to shoot, believe it or not, I far prefer shooting the 9mm. I would definitely start with the 9mm, it's easier to handle and more comfortable for beginner shooters. Also, before I went to my first shoot; my husband bought me a class in the "Babes with Bullets". I would highly recommend this for any female shooter. The class i took was for women only. just google Babes with Bullets and you will find the information for classes , etc. At least one of the instructors was a world champion shooter. All the instructors were very nice and willing to share their knowledge with all the ladies in the class. I would totally take the class again, and my husband and I are signed up for their 3-gun course later this year. Shooting becomes very addictive. After all that; I have to agree with all that TerryLively had to say. Most of all be patient and "Have Fun"! Everyone at the shoots will be very helpful. Go shoot some targets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jensey Posted February 16, 2013 Author Share Posted February 16, 2013 Well I took the competition class today, and I loved it!! So much fun, and I got to shoot someone's M&P 9 pro. I loved it! And shot it pretty accurately. I was a little slow but pretty accurate and did not do anything that would have caused a DQ. So I am going to try to get the M&P 9 pro! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuildSF4 Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 (edited) Hi Jensey, welcome to the forums. As for guns it is most definitely about what fits you, if the M&P is it go for it. Shoot safe and have fun. Edited February 16, 2013 by GuildSF4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 The easiest for you would probably be Open - but that's a heck of a jump. . I hear this every now and then but never found it to be true. It's like taking your driver training in a Formula racecar. Light triggers and red dots are not easy to start off with, the red dot makes it seem easy to hit the target but without time spent building your index it can be very frustrating to find. Not to mention the blast and violent cycling. I have seen a few male IPSC shooters who shoot Production or Standard start their wives/girlfriends with Open guns and they rarely find it easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steel1212 Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 I've put several ladies into CZs. The heavy frame coupled with 9mm seems to work pretty well. I have them shoot limited minor until they get used to lowering the hammer b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadowrider Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Well I took the competition class today, and I loved it!! So much fun, and I got to shoot someone's M&P 9 pro. I loved it! And shot it pretty accurately. I was a little slow but pretty accurate and did not do anything that would have caused a DQ. So I am going to try to get the M&P 9 pro! M&P 9 or 9 Pro would be a great choice in a gun. If you want to you can add some Taylor Freelance magazine extensions to get you 23 +1 rounds in the gun. You could shoot limited with that setup and you will only have to reload once on most stages. This will let you concentrate on your shooting and not gaming the stages. Yes you are shooting in minor but it's good for a few matches to get used to things. Another thing about the M&Ps (and Glocks) is that they will eat just about any reloaded ammo without special dies to get rid of the "Glock bulge", at least mine does. If you shoot a lot you will be reloading at some point. I would also say that I'm looking at the CZs for my daughter. If recoil control is a problem for you an all steel gun will be better to start off with. Recoil control will come but it takes time for some. Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toothguy Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Thanks guys. This forum is great, I'm glad I found it. When my friend mentioned competition shooting to me I laughed. But then I thought it sounded fun. I was worried I would not be welcomed into the community since I am sure to start out slowly! But everyone seems so welcoming and understanding of newbies and all our questions! It is great. I am an ER nurse and my coworkers and husband think I am nuts for wanting to shoot so much, but I love it. Of course my kids think I'm the coolest mom around for wanting to shoot USPSA! ;-) I am going to borrow my friend's 1911 (since he has the holster and magazines) for the class and maybe I will get to try out some others while I'm there! The more women we can get into the shooting sports the better. Currently due to shortages this will be a challenging time to start shooting. Lots of help here if you need it, stick with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lumpygravy Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 First, welcome Jensey! Second, I'm really digging the great responses you've received so far and the enthusiasm of this particular thread. Having the safety class under your belt is a great start and getting your first gun/rig setup assembled is exciting! You're off to a great start. Though it sounds like you may have settled on a gun, I'd echo the "try before you buy" and "get what fits" thinking that have been previously mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jensey Posted February 19, 2013 Author Share Posted February 19, 2013 Ok, I am now the proud owner of a Springfield XDm 9mm!!!!! For weeks I have researched, compared, listened to advice, handled, and shot many different firearms, and I had it narrowed down to the M&P pro 9mm or the xdm. I managed to find the xdm and purchased it tonight. I am going to go try it out tomorrow and then let the dry fire drills begin!! Thank you all for your input! I love that so many people welcomed me and shared advice and opinions. I will let you guys know how it goes!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuildSF4 Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Cool, good gun. IIRC a small piece of plastic placed between the barrel and the slide (like a doubled piece of a shot shell) holds the slide slightly out of battery and allows you to fully stroke the trigger for dry fire. (I know it works on a Glock and I think I tired it on an XD before also.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadowrider Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 (edited) Ok, I am now the proud owner of a Springfield XDm 9mm!!!!! For weeks I have researched, compared, listened to advice, handled, and shot many different firearms, and I had it narrowed down to the M&P pro 9mm or the xdm. I managed to find the xdm and purchased it tonight. I am going to go try it out tomorrow and then let the dry fire drills begin!! Thank you all for your input! I love that so many people welcomed me and shared advice and opinions. I will let you guys know how it goes!!! Congrats on getting your gun. As for the bolded part you just need to get used to that. I've shot others $4000 open guns, borrowed shotguns, mags, holsters and all manner of gear. I'm a lowly C class shooter and I've squadded with the likes of Phil Strader, Mike Seeklander and Jerry & Kay Miculek, some on multiple occasions. It doesn't matter if you are master class or D class the people are by and large the best you'll find anywhere, they will help and coach you along, give advice and give you good natured ribbing at the same time. This is what makes this sport so addictive. And then there's always the fact that it involves guns. Edited February 19, 2013 by Shadowrider Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STImoore Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 I started with a g17. But I sure do love my 2011. The weight of it helped recoil. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lumpygravy Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Ok, I am now the proud owner of a Springfield XDm 9mm!!!!! For weeks I have researched, compared, listened to advice, handled, and shot many different firearms, and I had it narrowed down to the M&P pro 9mm or the xdm. I managed to find the xdm and purchased it tonight. I am going to go try it out tomorrow and then let the dry fire drills begin!! Thank you all for your input! I love that so many people welcomed me and shared advice and opinions. I will let you guys know how it goes!!! Congrats! There's nothing quite like that new gun smell If you haven't already, you might consider starting a personal range diary in the Range Diary sub-fo. It's a handy space that you can use to track your progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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