Most Trans-Divisional Handgun?

[Wolfactual]

Total noob here and my first post (fair warning: There may be many.). I was looking at the handgun criteria for USPSA divisions and began wondering if there was one gun that would allow me to compete and be at least competitive in more than one division. For example, it would seem a 1911/2011 .40 cal would be valid in Production, Limit 10, and Single Stack. Is this even reasonable?

I have tried searching/googling but came up with nada. I have read all the USPSA rules.

Thanks.

[NateStaskiewicz]

A glock is great for both production and limited. Just make sure you read the rules to see what mods you can and can't do. For limited I basically use a production gun with a mag well and fully loaded mags. For production I just take the mag well off and don't load the mags all the way.

[Steve RA]

A 2011 would not be legal in SS.

[Wolfactual]

A 2011 would not be legal in SS.

Oh yeah. That makes sense.

[Wolfactual]

A glock is great for both production and limited. Just make sure you read the rules to see what mods you can and can't do. For limited I basically use a production gun with a mag well and fully loaded mags. For production I just take the mag well off and don't load the mags all the way.

Thanks, Nate. I am considering a striker-fired pistol like an MP or Glock. I don't have either at the moment. However, I also don't own a 1911 and would love to do so therefore I am wondering if a 1911 would do okay in production or would it be a poor fit from a competitive standpoint.

[UTraab]

A glock is great for both production and limited. Just make sure you read the rules to see what mods you can and can't do. For limited I basically use a production gun with a mag well and fully loaded mags. For production I just take the mag well off and don't load the mags all the way.

Thanks, Nate. I am considering a striker-fired pistol like an MP or Glock. I don't have either at the moment. However, I also don't own a 1911 and would love to do so therefore I am wondering if a 1911 would do okay in production or would it be a poor fit from a competitive standpoint.

There aren't any 1911s on the Production list. It is pretty much all striker fired or DA/SA guns.

The most "trans-divisional" gun is any on the Production list. You can shoot those in Prod, Lim, Lim10, and Open. I guess if there are revolvers on the list they would take the cake as you can shoot them in Rev too.

Edited March 31, 2014 by UTraab

[BeerBaron]

ok, you need to check some stuff.

you cannot shoot a 1911 or a 2011 in production. they are both single action only and not "on the list". plus mods you would have on them for limited (thumb rest, magwell etc) would not be legal.

also, a 1911 and 2011 are two very different guns. of course a 2011 is not eligible for single stack since that is basically a division for 1911s...

it's very hard to make any gun a competitive gun in both production AND some other division. simply because production is basically no mods, and only DA/SA and striker fired guns.

it's much more possible to build a competitive limited gun AND then build an open top end for it. both limited and open have similar mag rules (well can run the big stick in open, and use the 140mm mags in limited and open), you can mod up a 2011 with nice magwell, thumb rest, worked super light single action trigger and then build an open top end. so all you have to do to go from open to limited is whip off the slide and put on the open slide. so your limited slide would be with iron sights and your open slide with ported barrel and/or copensator, red dot sight etc.

you could shoot 40cal major in the open gun and shoot 40 major or minor in limited. that way the frame would be the same so you don't have to get used to 2 different grips.

but beyond that the division requirements are all different the best production gun is nothing like the best limited gun which is not a lot like the best SS gun or the best revo or the best open gun...

'

you are better off buying the tool for the job. later on when funds allow or you want something different then buy a different gun.

[Gooldylocks]

If you get a Glock, M&P, XDm, or some kind of .40 caliber striker gun (or DA/SA if you don't mind a double action pull) then you can shoot .40 major in Limited/Lim 10, and you could have a different top end for open. Assuming you don't run a slide racker or thumbrest on your limited/open gun then all you have to do is pull off your magwell and change magazines and you can shoot production.

Load minor ammo for production, .40 minor is sweet. I had a load that was right around 138 power factor that felt like it was shooting a 22 (and I still have plenty of room to go lighter).

You can't shoot a 1911/2011/any other SA only gun in production, like BeerBaron said. However if you shoot a DA/SA that has a safety on it you could shoot it SA for Limited.

Do you reload?

[Hi-Power Jack]

I'd select The Gun that YOU feel like shooting, and shoot it in any Divisions it's permitted.

Sounds like you want a 1911 - I'd go get one, and shoot it in SS or LTD10.

[Wolfactual]

If you get a Glock, M&P, XDm, or some kind of .40 caliber striker gun (or DA/SA if you don't mind a double action pull) then you can shoot .40 major in Limited/Lim 10, and you could have a different top end for open. Assuming you don't run a slide racker or thumbrest on your limited/open gun then all you have to do is pull off your magwell and change magazines and you can shoot production.

Load minor ammo for production, .40 minor is sweet. I had a load that was right around 138 power factor that felt like it was shooting a 22 (and I still have plenty of room to go lighter).

You can't shoot a 1911/2011/any other SA only gun in production, like BeerBaron said. However if you shoot a DA/SA that has a safety on it you could shoot it SA for Limited.

Do you reload?

Setting up a reload system with a friend who has plenty of experience in that area so it looks like .40 call striker gun will be at least somewhat versatile. Thanks!

[Wolfactual]

Thanks for all the input. You guys are great! Looks like to do what I want to do I will need 2 new guns. One for production + maybe Limited. And a 1911 because I want one and I could use it to shoot whatever division that gun fits after modification (if any). These are good problems to have.

[Trebor Snave]

You can legally shoot every division with only two guns: a revolver and a 1911. You won't be competitive in most of them, but you can do it.

[okorpheus]

Is there a 1911 on the production list?

[okorpheus]

Never mind, just remembered that there are revolvers on the production list.

[Gooldylocks]

While you COULD shoot an 8 shot revo for production I think it would be a very frustrating experience. 3 less rounds at the start, slower reloads, more reloads... For me personally that wouldn't even be fun. An 8 shot minor in revo division though would be cool.

So lets say you shoot an M&P Pro 40. Put a magwell on it and get some mag extensions, boom Limited gun (or Limited 10, though no extensions needed if your magwell works with factory baseplates). Then you buy a CORE top end for an optic, a threaded barrel and comp, boom open gun (though having one big stick would certainly make you more competitive). Put on Pro top end and remove magwell and use standard magazines, along with your .40 minor ammo and you have a production gun.

I am not pushing you towards this plan, just saying it could be done and would be pretty versatile. That would allow you to shoot in Prod, Limited, L-10, and Open. It is what I am doing.

(I shoot a Glock 35 in Limited, all I have to do is remove my magwell and switch mags and ammo to be able to shoot Production, if I bought a different top end I could have an open gun)

[Wolfactual]

While you COULD shoot an 8 shot revo for production I think it would be a very frustrating experience. 3 less rounds at the start, slower reloads, more reloads... For me personally that wouldn't even be fun. An 8 shot minor in revo division though would be cool.

So lets say you shoot an M&P Pro 40. Put a magwell on it and get some mag extensions, boom Limited gun (or Limited 10, though no extensions needed if your magwell works with factory baseplates). Then you buy a CORE top end for an optic, a threaded barrel and comp, boom open gun (though having one big stick would certainly make you more competitive). Put on Pro top end and remove magwell and use standard magazines, along with your .40 minor ammo and you have a production gun.

I am not pushing you towards this plan, just saying it could be done and would be pretty versatile. That would allow you to shoot in Prod, Limited, L-10, and Open. It is what I am doing.

(I shoot a Glock 35 in Limited, all I have to do is remove my magwell and switch mags and ammo to be able to shoot Production, if I bought a different top end I could have an open gun)

That's what I was looking for. Thanks so much. I have been looking at M&P40 Pro L (not sure about the DA) vs Glock 35 Gen4 vs XDm .40 Competition 5.25" (PRP trigger job). I could shoot Prod, Limited, and I guess L-10 with the correct mods (or without them). That should be versatile enough to get my feet really wet. I can pick up a 1911 for SS at some point.

Just so you know, I have wanted to do this since I saw a "combat handgun" competition on TV circa 1990 but I did not know USPSA or IDPA existed until about a year ago. Finally getting to do this. Should be a blast!

Thanks again for all the input.

[MarkCO]

I'd agree that an M&P Pro, XDm, FNS or G35 (all in .40 S&W) would cast the largest net. You can shoot 3Gun, IDPA, Steel Challenge and 4 Divisions of USPSA with one of those. I shoot a M&P9Pro and have shot all of those, and frankly, the minor is only a few percent different at worst, but the .40 will get you more points in USPSA Limited and Open. You might even be able to get a M&P9Pro and a C.O.R.E. top end in .40 (check to see if you can shoot that with the iron sights in Limited) and have an even more optimized.

[Gooldylocks]

Those are the three I was looking at when I was making this same decision about a month ago. I decided on a Glock 35 Gen 4.

Here is what I would say about them:

The XDm 525 had the best sights and trigger out of the box. Most expensive though, and few available accessories.

Glock has by far the most accessories, middle of the three in cost, worst sights, shooting lead is a case to case basis. But the dependability of a Glock, and the wealth of knowledge that will be available to help you when you have questions (that, in addition to the availability of aftermarket parts, is what won me over).

M&P felt good in the hand, had decent sights. Few available accessories. I hear the Apex triggers are good. Also the least amount of money. Buying a CORE is probably the cheapest way to shoot open that is available.

But like everyone will tell you, if at all possible handle and shoot them all before you make any purchase.

[Wolfactual]

Those are the three I was looking at when I was making this same decision about a month ago. I decided on a Glock 35 Gen 4.

Here is what I would say about them:

The XDm 525 had the best sights and trigger out of the box. Most expensive though, and few available accessories.

Glock has by far the most accessories, middle of the three in cost, worst sights, shooting lead is a case to case basis. But the dependability of a Glock, and the wealth of knowledge that will be available to help you when you have questions (that, in addition to the availability of aftermarket parts, is what won me over).

M&P felt good in the hand, had decent sights. Few available accessories. I hear the Apex triggers are good. Also the least amount of money. Buying a CORE is probably the cheapest way to shoot open that is available.

But like everyone will tell you, if at all possible handle and shoot them all before you make any purchase.

That is a definite must. Luckily, I have a couple of indoor ranges within striking distance that will allow me to try all three before I buy. It will probably come down to the Glock vs XDM. The Glock for the reasons you mentioned. The XDM because I have two other SA models (XDS 3.3 9mm and XDm 3.8 9mm Compact) and I like them both. The are enough available aftermarket add-ons for the XDM at this time and I think the PRP trigger betters what is available for the other two guns. I will give all three careful consideration.

Edited April 1, 2014 by Wolfactual

[chirpy]

Isn't the Para LDA on the production list anymore? It's just a DA only 1911 I thought.

Richard

[BeerBaron]

Thanks for all the input. You guys are great! Looks like to do what I want to do I will need 2 new guns. One for production + maybe Limited. And a 1911 because I want one and I could use it to shoot whatever division that gun fits after modification (if any). These are good problems to have.

That's the best solution. buy the suitable tool for each job. no point trying to use a screw driver as a hammer and no point trying to shoot a production gun in limited or single stack. buy the production gun you want, and then buy the 1911 you want. There is no reason why everyone shouldn't own at least one 1911 and one glock/XD/M+P/Whatever.

[Loves2Shoot]

The XDm 525 had the best sights and trigger out of the box. Most expensive though, and few available accessories.

Really, what would you need that is not available?

[Gooldylocks]

The XDm 525 had the best sights and trigger out of the box. Most expensive though, and few available accessories.

Really, what would you need that is not available?

I didn't say that there was anything that you would need that isn't available. But there are fewer options. For example magwells. For a Glock you could get an SJC, Carver, Dawson, Zev, JP, or others. For an XDm you could get a Dawson, pistol gear or canyon creek. At least those are the only ones I know of.

OP: If you get an XDm then send it to Loves2Shoot. Springer Precision triggers are the best you can get for an XD. When i was doing my research people were saying they liked them as much as 1911/2011 triggers.

[Loves2Shoot]

The XDm 525 had the best sights and trigger out of the box. Most expensive though, and few available accessories.

Really, what would you need that is not available?

I didn't say that there was anything that you would need that isn't available. But there are fewer options. For example magwells. For a Glock you could get an SJC, Carver, Dawson, Zev, JP, or others. For an XDm you could get a Dawson, pistol gear or canyon creek. At least those are the only ones I know of.

OP: If you get an XDm then send it to Loves2Shoot. Springer Precision triggers are the best you can get for an XD. When i was doing my research people were saying they liked them as much as 1911/2011 triggers.

Ok, when you said few accessories available, it sounded like you may not be aware that there is most anything you would need. Many of the people in the XDM aftermarket don't duplicate parts because it isn't a huge market and we communicate. The Glock after market has a 20 year head start, so there are a lot more players there

[procovert45]

another vote for the xdm 5.25 it seems to index and shoot waaaaaay more accurately than any handgun ive had. all involved really put some thought into the 5.25 and it shows. the trigger must be replaced i think it prob had to leave the factory that way. any one of the big 3 after market trigger jobs get awesome reviews. i went with the powder river precision ulitmate match. if your smart enough to live a semi adult life you can stone in/fit a trigger. the you tube videos are very good and show you exactly what to do. or just send it in to PRP Springer or Canyon Creek.

i come from a precision rifle background.what i have learned so far is you can get by with a do all. but a specific gun/tool for a specific job let you do it much more efficiently and accurately.

ps im an xdm fanboy.i admit it.i love the gun