Did switching to a "real gun" improve your performance?

[dogtired]

I think the striker fired guns can be great teachers of trigger discipline, making the transition to a single action easier.

[lppd4]

I switched to a real gun (STI Edge) from a real gun (1911) because there were no glocks or M&P's when I started shooting USPSA or IPSC matches. My scores improved because I liked shooting my new gun so I went out and practiced.

[Firefight5243]

Went from XDm to 2011... Noticeable change in how I run the match and more confidence at longer shots. Also splits are much faster.

[Austin111]

It all comes down to physics. Recoil management is enhanced with a heavier gun. I love the Glock 23 I modified into an Open Gun. It has a ZEV Trigger (2.25lbs), Zev Firing Pin, Polished ignition, reduced springs, Carver Compensator, heavy magwell, FFIII redot, slide racker, lone wolf fully support chamber. What it doesn't have is ----> weight. So I as a competitive shooter, have to add that dimension into the mix while acquiring a sight picture in real time. For every day target practicing, its nominal. But in competition,the lack of weight is a disadvantage.

So I have a Tanfoglio Witness Elite Gold Team in 38 Super as my primary open. I will still use the Glock-N-Stein because I created it, but I know that "weight" reduces the "wait" for splits and transitions.

Here is the result of a theoretical recoil calculator....My example uses a 40sw (my Glock)1.47lbs unloaded vs a 2.56 lbs Tanfoglio Gold Team 40 sw. using VV 3n37. Theoretical = Practical ??? It sure feels accurate !!!! (Disclosure My Tanfoglio is 38 Super with velocity of 1224 and 6.9gr of 3n37 producing 5.6 ft•lbs).

Edited August 6, 2015 by Austin111

[P.E. Kelley]

I guess I am the odd man out. I have twice (three times?) kicked Glocks to the curb and gone 2011, Tanfo and Para and then back to the plastic fantastic.

[cohland]

Why did you leave the plain old 1911 (not "widebody", not 2011) out of the choices in the poll? I switched from Glocks in Production to a 1911 in Single Stack, and I'll never look back.

Chris

Edited August 7, 2015 by cohland

[Chips0410]

I went from glocks and m&p to a 2011 and noticed a big difference in my scores and how I run stages

[mwc5]

Definitely - without a doubt !!!

[sundevil827]

Practice is what helped me improve.

That said, about the same time I started hitting the practice I switched from polymer to steel, and I can't deny that the switch alone was a contributing factor. With a steel gun, my feeling was that everything was "easier". Better trigger and shorter reset meant less pushing the gun, heavier meant less recoil so I got away with a slightly worse grip for a time. I saw faster improvement, and to me it just meant there was a margin for error I did not have before. With better and more practice I'd like to think I improved my fundamentals quite a bit, and went back for a bit to a polymer for some practice not long ago, and saw that the gap for me between steel and polymer was much closer that it had been.

Was practice the key part? Hell yes, not denying that, but really can't understate that an easier, more stable platform also played a part. Why work harder, work smarter so to speak..

[CrashDodson]

Went from XDm to 2011... Noticeable change in how I run the match and more confidence at longer shots. Also splits are much faster.

Can I ask what 2011 you went with? I am in the same boat, shooting the xdm 5.25 right now. My trouble is I shoot IDPA becuse USPSA matches are far away...so I am having to look at the eagle or something custom thats IDPA legal.

[UFO]

My buddies and I had this exact conversation on the way home from Area 1 Match. My question was, does it really perform $2-3k better. My G35 is not stock, by any means. It is Glock in frame and slide only, everything else has been replaced. So this weekend, I'm shooting my Glock at a match on Saturday, then I hope to shoot my budddies STI on Sunday. I'll reply when I've shot both.

[LegionShooter]

I voted that I have a nice pretty gun. In fairness I haven't had the time with my 2011 that I had with the Glock. I've been shooting Glock for years for work and sport. I'm faster and more accurate with the 2011 but not by as much as I would like. That is simply a function of time and practice on the platform though, because my Limited gun is a far superior game gun than a production Glock 19 was.

[bigbent]

For those of you who made the jump to a "real" gun, how long did you practice/ dry fire before you shot your first match?

I'm picking up my first 2011 soon and was trying to see how much time I should dedicate to training with it before I head to the first match

[Gooldylocks]

For those of you who made the jump to a "real" gun, how long did you practice/ dry fire before you shot your first match?

I'm picking up my first 2011 soon and was trying to see how much time I should dedicate to training with it before I head to the first match

Well, I picked up my Tactical Sports on a Wednesday and shot a major match on that Saturday.... so not a lot [emoji12]

[tarosean]

I went from a modded G35 to a CZ TS in Limited in June. Benched the CZ is far more accurate than any Glock Ive ever owned, or ever will own. However, that didn't automatically turn into all AA's... It is still taking me time to adjust to the much larger gun. which means Ive been going backwards since the switch..

[bigbent]

Thanks for the info, I have about a month and a half before my first major and I was concerned I may not have enough time to get familiar with the new gun