Gooldylocks Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 So I have shot two USPSA matches so far, and have fallen in love with the sport. I'm a college kid so money is tight, but was wondering what the wise people of this forum think is a good choice for a gun. I'm currently shooting my Ruger SR9c and getting most all of my hits, but I can't help but think a full size would improve my scores (not to mention my reloads!). I really wanted to get a full size SR9 for competition, but haven't been having much luck finding any information from people that shoot them. I am currently set up to reload 9mm, but from what I have read that will start to limit me because I am shooting minor if I continue to shoot in Limited. So do I move up to a 40 cal or stick with the 9? Basically these are what I have come to: Ruger SR9 full size: As much as I wish they made a long slide version, they do not. I know I shoot them well (I get almost all Alphas with my SR9c) and I already have magazines for one. Cheap, fantastic trigger, and fits my small hands very well. Glock 34/35: I have seen lots and lots of these shot by guys in Limited and L10. I have shot Glocks a decent amount and shoot them okay, but not even close to my SR9c (I think it is the trigger). S&W M&P Pro: Zero experience, but I have seen people shooting them and seeming to enjoy it. Springfield XDm 5.25: I have shot a standard full size one in .45ACP, and couldn't hit anything with it (But then again I only shot it on that one occasion). I have no experience with the long-slide version. Any help at all would be appreciated, be it first hand experience or general advice! Thanks so much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gooldylocks Posted December 18, 2013 Author Share Posted December 18, 2013 Oh and one more thing, I am new to the forum so hello to everyone from Oregon! I shoot at the Albany Rifle and Pistol club local matches so far, but look forward to getting to major matches in the future! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Welcome to the forums! Sounds like you like Rugers but there really are much better choices for this game. You will eventually want to start toying with triggers, springs, sights, etc and you want to go with a gun that all of that stuff is readily available for. I shot a Glock 34 in Production for two years and it is an awesome USPSA platform. I am currently playing around with an XDM 5.25 9mm in Production and I must say it is one hell of a gun. I would probably get a G34 or the 5.25 in 9mm if you are already set up to load 9mm. Bullets will always be cheaper. Yes you will be scored minor but if you shoot well enough you'll be fine in Lim or L10. I would probably shoot Production for a year or two and see how you like it. Then you can sell or trade up to a 40. The whole 9mm/40 thing will be up to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliedelta Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Since you are set up to shoot/reload 9mm, and you are new to the sport, I would consider shooting Production division for a while. You could get a CZ75 SP-01 (non-custom version) for now. MSRP is $660. Shoot it for a while until you save up another $300 or so and then send it off to Matt Mink for the works. At that point you will have (arguably) the best Production division pistol out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunBandit Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Sounds like you and I are riding in the same boat. I am planning on using my XD45 in L10, but I am also on the lookout for a good production gun. Leaning toward the same ones you mentioned. Anyway these guys on here are really helpful so you are in the right place. As for which gun to buy I'd say that what Sarge said is good advice. Get one you can find parts for and can "trick out" relatively easy and you won't be disappointed. Good luck to you and welcome aboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gooldylocks Posted December 18, 2013 Author Share Posted December 18, 2013 Thank you guys so much for the quick responses! Sarge: I am a Ruger fanboy, that is for sure. Like you said though, the availability of aftermarket parts isn't as great as the others. I have seen a couple that have been set up as limited division guns, but after research all those parts were basically preproduction prototypes like this one: http://gunnuts.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/competition-sr9.jpg Lame. charliedelta: I really wanted a CZ75 for a long time just cause I thought they were cool. My buddy bought one not too long ago and after shooting it I must say that I loved the way it shot, super accurate and returned from recoil super well. People have pointed me in two very different directions so far at the matches I have shot. Some have been of the opinion that beginner shooters should shoot limited so you can fully load your magazines, while some of the guys have said production because the playing field is more even. What is the group consensus here? My girlfriend brought up a good point earlier today of maybe I should shoot production with the SR9c I have now for awhile and save my pennies for something nicer once I know what I want. Thanks again everybody, I am loving the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I have to go along with your girlfriend - use the SR9c in Production for now - get some experience, and decide if YOU want to shoot limited or production later. If money's tight, why buy a new gun, when you have a very nice gun that you're familiar with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kneelingatlas Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 ^+1^ I'll add: make some new friends at the next match. If you show up early and help set up, chances are good between the guys you're helping they have all the guns you're considering sitting at home in the safe. I have a half dozen Production guns, two Limited, three Open guns and two belts; if you were near me I'd be happy to let you try anything you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albertl35 Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Stick with Production Division and shoot the 9mm, you can get really good shooting just 1 gun and 1 Division. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankl03 Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I have no experience with CZs and little with M&Ps. I think its hard to go wrong with either a Glock 34/35 or an XDM 5.25. There are lots of aftermarket parts for the Glocks including sights, magwells, triggers etc. I'm sure they make just as much stuff for CZs and M&Ps I just don't have any experience with them! I had a Glock 35 that was very, very accurate and easy to point and shoot. Production never really worked for me I'm more of a limited shooter. I like the stuff you can add to a limited gun and the extra rounds in the mag! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gooldylocks Posted December 18, 2013 Author Share Posted December 18, 2013 All the knowledge here is so amazingly helpful! I think I might just try to stick with the SR9c for now, and try to gain some experience. Next match I think I will try to shoot Production as well. How many magazines do you think is appropriate, I have 3 17 rounders and 1 10 round short magazine, would that be enough for Production? I emailed Eric at Galloway Precision and he said that M&P baseplates work on SR9 magazines as well, which would give me more capacity if I wanted to stick with Limited. Does anyone know if this is true? He also said he had one magwell laying around that never made it to production because of lack of interest he would just give me for free, I just have to get a hole drilled in it for the backstrap pin to hold it on. Thoughts? Thanks so much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 All the knowledge here is so amazingly helpful! I think I might just try to stick with the SR9c for now, and try to gain some experience. Next match I think I will try to shoot Production as well. How many magazines do you think is appropriate, I have 3 17 rounders and 1 10 round short magazine, would that be enough for Production? I emailed Eric at Galloway Precision and he said that M&P baseplates work on SR9 magazines as well, which would give me more capacity if I wanted to stick with Limited. Does anyone know if this is true? He also said he had one magwell laying around that never made it to production because of lack of interest he would just give me for free, I just have to get a hole drilled in it for the backstrap pin to hold it on. Thoughts? Thanks so much! It sounds like you know already but just beware those mods won't work for Production. As for mags. I carry 4 and pocket my start mag in Production. You may need another mag or maybe 2 to really be prepared for anything a stage might throw at you. As for Limited. Aren't your mags kind of small? as in compact mags? If they don't hold at least 15 I would just get a few more and shoot Production. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bwana Six-Gun Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Like others have said, stick with what you have until you decide if you want to dive in to the deep end of the pool. If you decide to stay in Production, get yourself a Glock 34 or a Springfield XDM 5.25. My daughter shoots the Glock 34 and has had very good results with it. When I dabble in Production, I use a XDM 5.25. 9mm is cheap to load and there are a variety of bullet weights and styles that will work well. You can't go wrong with either firearm. If you really want to have some fun, get yourself a good moon-clipped revolver and try it. Beware though, you may never go back to the bottem-feeders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gooldylocks Posted December 18, 2013 Author Share Posted December 18, 2013 Sarge: I have and use the standard/full size SR9 magazines that hold 17 rounds in my compact. They just stick out the bottom a couple inches. It's also annoying that you can only get magazines from Ruger, so they are super expensive (like 40 bucks apiece at my LGS, ouch). Bwana: I shouldn't have sold my Security Six... now all I have in the way of wheel guns is my Blackhawk. I guess maybe I should switch to Cowboy Action Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 You should be good then. Just load them all the way up and shoot as many A's as you can Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gooldylocks Posted December 19, 2013 Author Share Posted December 19, 2013 Thank you to everyone that has contributed to this thread. I really appreciate all the help. At this point I am sticking with my compact, and planning on shooting it until I know what I want to purchase/division I want to shoot in the future. I like the idea of Limited because I think Limited guns are cool, but we will see what I end up doing. It seems like most people are pointing me in the direction of the Glock or the XD, so thanks to all for the help in that regard. Yet again, thank you all for the help, I hopefully will run into some of you at a match in the future! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kneelingatlas Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 It seems like most people are pointing me in the direction of the Glock or the XD All you need is a little Eastern European steel in your hand to turn that around! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliedelta Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 I still think the plan I laid out with for you with the CZ would serve you better in the long run, but if you enjoy shooting plastic fantastic, and shoot it well, then stick with it. Personally, I prefer holding a heavy chunk of steel when shooting, but to each his own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeerBaron Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 I tend to agree I think if you bought the basic (if you can call it that) SP01 Shadow that would be an awesome production gun. comes with 3 18 round mags from memory. It is a great production gun out of the box. and as your skill increases you can mod it up with very little coin. plenty of different sight options for it to get a sight picture that suits you. Plenty of production legal grip options. plus still like short reset disco, steel guiderod, comp hammer etc. They are super reliable and great to shoot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kneelingatlas Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 For what it's worth I had a tricked out Shadow, sold it for $1,500 and bought a new SP01 for $625; my Shadow was awesome, but I just wasn't worth all the extra dough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smitty79 Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 (edited) Have you pulled the magazine disconnect from your Ruger? At unload and show clear hammer down, you are damaging you firing pin. This gun is a great defensive gun but it has to many lawyer friendly features to be a good training or competition gun. I am still very new to USPSA. I've shot Glock and CZ. The only other Production gun I am interested in is an M&P. First match I shot Production. Since then I have shot Limited minor to focus on the shooting. I like not having to focus on the stage planning and reloading so much. After a few more matches, I will go back to Production. Edited December 20, 2013 by Smitty79 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sroe3 Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 I've shot production for 3 years with my old Tupperware, FNP9 and Walther P99. I've decided to buy a dedicated game gun since it's hard to get parts when my guns break. Staying in Production with 9mm. CZ75 SP01 Shadow, $880, parts and upgrades readily available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jman Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 (edited) This discipline begins after the gun. It is only realized during the shooting. Edited December 20, 2013 by Jman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gooldylocks Posted December 23, 2013 Author Share Posted December 23, 2013 Yea I pulled out my magazine disconnect a long time ago. I would love to get a CZ but I just don't have that kind of money. Even just 880 is a ton for me at this point, not counting magazines and a new holster... I think for now, I will make due with my SR9c, at the last match I shot I was finishing in the mid 20's on average out of 56 shooters as my gun is now. And that is Limited minor. We will see what happens just by sticking with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliedelta Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 Only need about $650 for a new SP01: http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/21613 Get on a waiting list now. It will be here before you know it. After a year or so send it to Matt to trick it out. A new Glock 34 or XD 5.25 cost the same or more. Trust me- you will not regret it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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