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Suggestions for 1st Open Class Gun


bigbrowns

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Over the past several month's I've become more interested in shooting a Race/Open Gun. I've been watching the guys shoot the open guns at Tuesday Night Steel at Rio Salado. It looks like a lot of fun. I would really like to get one, but I'm really not sure what to get. I've been told the STI Steelmaster would be a great choice. I would be interested in what your opinion is about this gun or others. Thanks for the info.

Adam

Edited by bigbrowns
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Adam,

Welcome! If you are really interested in shooting Open what I would do is talk to the open shooters at Rio about what it is they like about their guns. I am sure they would let you shoot them to see how they feel, shoot and balance. I am an Open shooter and I shoot Tuesday Night Steel often and I would be more than happy to let you shoot mine. Once you decided that Open is for you I would look for a quality used example to start with. It will save you some money because the gun is just the start of the equipment you will need.

Once you commit to Open there are quite a few top notch gun builders in Phoenix/Tempe/Mesa. Cameron Custom is in Phoenix and builds an amazing gun. Eddie Garcia (GM BadAss) who shoots out at Rio is a Smith at Cameron Custom and he would be more than happy to let you shoot his gun and talk to you about a build.

I would not buy a off the shelf open gun rather I would buy used and then build up my dream racer! But that is just me. Hit me up over PM or look for the Tallest guy at Rio, Me, and we can talk!

-Erick

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Thanks for all the info guys. I looked at Cameron Customs and WOW! Those are some really nice guns, but really expensive! For someone who is only shooting Tuesday night steel and fun shooting is it necessary to buy a custom gun? How often to these guns come up on the used market?

Thanks,

Adam

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Look in the classifed on this site. But a quality built gun will not be that much cheaper than when it was new. I found that basically u just get the gun with no wait versus using a smith and have to wait 4-12 months.... So I choose to wait and go new

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Go to classified section put WTB used open in 38 or 9mm, or what ever you want and they will respond. That's how I got my Cameron's and yes I love it!

If you are that close to that range, I'm sure steel is just the beginning for you! Lol

Edited by a matt
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Seriously, the cost of a decent open gun at 2-3k is not the largest cost factor in shooting open. If you figure the cost of the gun over several years, it is small compared to the cost of primers, powder and brass (not to mention range fees, targets, pasters, etc.) I would invest in the gun you really want to shoot, not the one you can get by on until the next purchase. Constantly upgrading your gun is really expensive compared to just getting the one you want to begin with. You will be better in the end and actually save money.

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I really appreciate everyone's opinion's. I'm learning there is a lot t learn regarding open guns. I'm starting to lean toward a 38, but I still haven't completely decided. I have a lot of decesion's to make. I'm planning on taking my time before I buy so I can make the right decesion. I cant wait to get one.

Adam

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Patience is your friend in this search. I had it happen a little diferently in that I can across a great Open "package" with gun, mags, ammo, holster, belt, pouches, brass and powder for just over $2K. Fantastic deal. Pistol isn't super-duper amazing, but it runs and has all the bells and whistles, so its been a great place for me to start. I figure that if I like it, I can send this pistol off and have some little tweaks and such performed by the aforementioned 'smiths to bring it in line with my prefs.

Caveat noted by this guy: keeping up with that dot is trickier that it appears. After my first few outings, I was looking to see if I could figure out a way to put irons on it...

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I purchased my girlfriend a used SV in 38 super comp. Ended up getting it rebarreled to 9mm major due to the price of brass. We don't pick up brass when we shoot matches, so we go through a lot. If you pick up a lot of your brass, I think the super gives you more options. But to my unrefined dot tracking skills, I couldn't tell a difference. As others have said, the gun is the cheap part. Feeding it is the expensive part. As for builders, I can attest to the work of SVI and Gans Guns both are top notch. I just placed a order with Matt Cheely, but still have 10 months to wait to give you a honest review of his work, but I have high hopes.

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