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

[DWNZRO]

I'll never forget shooting a custom 2011 for the first time. I cleaned a plate rack faster than I ever had before with my first 6 rounds through the gun. That experience, combined with a first place finish last year prompted me to have my own built.

Do I think the gun will make me instantly better? No. I know there will be a period of adjustment but I strongly believe in what others have said about wanting to practice more because of a renewed interest in the gun / sport. That, I am confident, will make me a better shooter.

The only reservation I have is that my decked out XDm has ran flawlessly for 20,000 rounds. My confidence in it's reliability should not be underestimated. What I've seen with 1911 and 2011's is that they malfunction more than the plastic guns. But I have high hopes in my builder that my 2011 will instill the same confidence as my XDm.

[jcc7x7]

Load ammo and practice till your good

[racnsoonr]

I swtiched from a glock 17 with a heavy brass mag well with reloaded ammo to a custom sti in 40 and have gone from a mid to low C class to bumping the B class recently. I'd vote for the 2011 all day. Minir to Major is a bug factor but I shoot faster with more confidence than before

I've never shot a shelf 2011 so I can't compare but I'd have to believe it makes a huge difference just as it would to shoot a factory glock and a glock with trigger work, recoil spring, heavy mag well, sights and reloaded ammo does

Minor to major scoring makes a decent difference in limited especially on classifier scores. Also did your practice (ore lack there of in my case) rutine change at all when you got your new pistol, even for a couple weeks when you first got it?

No, I just practiced drawing the heavier pistol for a few days and have just shot matches without any time for practice. .same as before. Mag changes are faster and smoother as well

[Racinready300ex]

It's odd that your reload would get faster and smoother from changing guns. That really doesn't make much sense in my mind, the mag still has just as far to go to get in the gun. Unless the new gun just fits your hand better allowing you to reach the mag release and reacquire your grip faster. But, that seems like it would just be a matter of practice.

[Gooldylocks]

I swtiched from a glock 17 with a heavy brass mag well with reloaded ammo to a custom sti in 40 and have gone from a mid to low C class to bumping the B class recently. I'd vote for the 2011 all day. Minir to Major is a bug factor but I shoot faster with more confidence than before

I've never shot a shelf 2011 so I can't compare but I'd have to believe it makes a huge difference just as it would to shoot a factory glock and a glock with trigger work, recoil spring, heavy mag well, sights and reloaded ammo does

Minor to major scoring makes a decent difference in limited especially on classifier scores. Also did your practice (ore lack there of in my case) rutine change at all when you got your new pistol, even for a couple weeks when you first got it?

No, I just practiced drawing the heavier pistol for a few days and have just shot matches without any time for practice. .same as before. Mag changes are faster and smoother as well

I would say that there are a lot of changes happening (maybe too many to be sure?) between a mostly stock 9mm Glock and a 40 STI to come up with any real conclusions. Longer sight radius, heavier, and most importantly, Major PF. That is a pretty huge deal for classifiers (as demonstrated by Biker's math on the production optics thread).

But it is a good example since you didn't really practice with it at all, just picked it up and went for it.

[GunBugBit]

I have started out shooting single stack with a slightly modified (Kensight adjustable rear, Dawson red fiber optic front, oversize slide stop button, lightened trigger) Springfield TRP. No intentions of switching to anything more real or less real.

Edited May 4, 2015 by GunBugBit

[sfinney]

It's odd that your reload would get faster and smoother from changing guns. That really doesn't make much sense in my mind, the mag still has just as far to go to get in the gun. Unless the new gun just fits your hand better allowing you to reach the mag release and reacquire your grip faster. But, that seems like it would just be a matter of practice.

Reloading a glock at speed can be challenging unless you use perfect technique. Reloading an STI with magwell - it's like it just gets sucked up in the mag well. With perfect technique both are quick, but I can reload an STI faster because I feel more confident and know that I can be a little bit sloppy, allowing me to move more agrresivelly, without worrying about messing up my reload. As much.

It's the Indian, not the arrow.... but having a nice bow can really help make things easier.

[Racinready300ex]

That sounds like the mag well improved your reload not the gun. You could get the same result with adding a mag well to your glock.

That said I think I'd trade my glock for a nice STI in a heart beat. lol

[racnsoonr]

It's odd that your reload would get faster and smoother from changing guns. That really doesn't make much sense in my mind, the mag still has just as far to go to get in the gun. Unless the new gun just fits your hand better allowing you to reach the mag release and reacquire your grip faster. But, that seems like it would just be a matter of practice.

Reloading a glock at speed can be challenging unless you use perfect technique. Reloading an STI with magwell - it's like it just gets sucked up in the mag well. With perfect technique both are quick, but I can reload an STI faster because I feel more confident and know that I can be a little bit sloppy, allowing me to move more agrresivelly, without worrying about messing up my reload. As much.

It's the Indian, not the arrow.... but having a nice bow can really help make things easier.

My glock wasn't stock...heavy magwell, reduced recoil spring, 3.5lbs trigger, stippled, Dawson fo sights

To be fair...my mags don't fall as freely from my g17 as I'd like compared to a friends g35 I shot. I haven't worked on or touched the g17 since I got my 2011. I was about as fast using the g35 comoared to tge 2011 so my comparison is not a fair one...my arrow needs some tweaking

[b1gcountry]

Reloads on a glock are much easier than on a stock 1911

[sfinney]

Reloads on a glock are much easier than on a stock 1911

Yes. 1911s without a magwell can be hard to reload. But compared to a 2011 with or without magwell...... I'll take the 2011. I've shot Caspians, Paras, Glocks, and 2011s all with magwells, and 2011s are easier to reload on the clock for me than the others regardless of magwell, because the top of the mag is tapered more.... most other hicaps have a much blocker top part of the mag. It's like trying to jam a 2x4 into a 2.1x4.1 opening.... With 2011s, there is more room for error. It's not just the magwell, it's the design.

I'd also argue that a 1911 with a nice magwell, is easier to reload than a stock Glock, with practice... Just depends on what you are use to.

Not saying the gun the makes all the difference... but some guns were easier to learn, for me, in my past. Never could get the hang of the Glock trigger and grip angle.... 1911s are what I learned on, and the 2011 platform was the perfect gun - for me. (I'm ok as well with CZs due to the great SA trigger ..... Still learning the DA part.)

Edited May 4, 2015 by sfinney

[sfinney]

Back the OPs question... Do you need a "real gun"? No.

Spend your money on ammo and practice, take some classes.

But.... If a shiny new gun makes you excited, gets you dry firing more, shooting more matches, excited about practice, give you confidence... then a new gun CAN improve your scores. Not all by itself, but because you might shoot and practice more.

But we all have so much to learn on how to improve our scores, the gun we bring is usually the last part of the equation. Once you get to the top of your game.... maybe anew gun will give another few percent on your scores....

[greyhounder]

Went from M&P Pro 40 to a 1911 first in 45 then back to 40, the added weight helps bring it back on target so am finding more 2As or A,Cs, less Ds and more confidence in my shooting.

[Gooldylocks]

Back the OPs question... Do you need a "real gun"? No.

Spend your money on ammo and practice, take some classes.

But.... If a shiny new gun makes you excited, gets you dry firing more, shooting more matches, excited about practice, give you confidence... then a new gun CAN improve your scores. Not all by itself, but because you might shoot and practice more.

But we all have so much to learn on how to improve our scores, the gun we bring is usually the last part of the equation. Once you get to the top of your game.... maybe anew gun will give another few percent on your scores....

I know that that I don't need a fancy gun to improve, however, it is extremely frustrating to look at my results over my last several matches, and see myself losing because of misses and no shoots from long range tight shots and things, or when I go to the practice range to try to shoot groups with my G35 and am lucky to keep them in the C zone at 25-30 yards.

I can't help but wonder if the super light, essentially no travel trigger on a SAO gun wouldn't make a difference in these areas. Granted, I wouldn't be truly addressing the trigger control issues I have (that are causing this lack of accuracy I'm sure) but it might act like a golf or bowling handicap, and earn me a few extra hits that I might not deserve.

I absolutely don't believe that I couldn't make M or maybe even GM with my glock, but shooting well at 7-15 yards (classifier distance) has never really posed an issue, nor is it where matches are won and lost (in my experience).

Thoughts?

[sfinney]

We are supposed to be having fun in this game. Shouldn't feel like work. If buying a new gun is fun and makes you happy, go for it.

[Bigsampson]

I switched from a m&p 9mm to a Dawson CRP Edge 9mm about 3 weeks ago. I occasionally forget to take the safety off and am not quite as fast with it yet. But, every weekend I do a little better. I would not say I am as good with it as I am w the M&P yet.

Probably take a few months. But, I have no doubt that it can shoot faster and more accurate once the transition is complete.

[darkvibe]

I will bring this back from the dead.

I was shooting a glock 35 in limited 10. It's got a ton of modifications and over the last 2 years I got it to shoot how I like it. A lot of trial and error with parts. I am a B class shooter with a 65% overall percentage. I recently bought a used Edge with a good trigger job and installed a PT grip. After one function check trip to the range and one 150 round practice session with it I immediately saw an improvement in my match scores and today shot my first A class classifier score. It absolutely improved my performance. My trigger press isn't great and the 2lb trigger in the edge masks it and I know that is part of the reason. The weight of the gun helps a lot too.

[twodownzero]

Maybe it's a crutch but I shoot single action faster and more accurately. I carry a G19 most of the time but when I do practice with my Springfield EMP even, I can shoot it faster and more accurately than I have ever shot my G19. I haven't shot a match with a striker or double action pistol in so long that I honestly can't remember. I've thought about going back to Production just to force myself to learn trigger control, but I figure I'll always love just shooting a single action, so why not just keep doing it? I bought the Glock just to have a high cap carry gun, but I have never really liked shooting it or any of the plastic fantastic, although I admit that it's just a crutch.....with enough dry fire it probably wouldn't make a bit of difference.

[ambluemax]

Indian not the arrow...sure, but good indians are choosy about their arrows. I think all serious shooters who stick with the sport long enough will end up with a 2011 sooner or later unless they are bound by some sort of bias. I don't feel handicapped with my glocks. As the song goes "I'm as good once as I ever was," but I'm definatly more confident and enjoy shooting a 2011 more than any striker fired gun.

[SpaceMan]

Maybe its just in my head but I feel like I have been shooting a lot better since I switched to a 2011 last month, people have noticed though my improvement in just a few matches. I went from my Glock 35/ 17 to a STI also I feel a lot more excited to get out and shoot now with my STI,

[vixty]

I made the switch to a cz because the polymer guns never really fit my small hands. I saw an improvement right away on long shots and also my groups shrink a lot. I think the biggest factor is the beaver tail on the cz allows me to get a tight weld in my webbing which I was never able to do with glock mp or xd. No I own zero plastuck guns and have a family of Cz.

[Neomet]

I don't like plastic guns for competition. Never have. Never will. I like the recoil characteristics, triggers, grip angles and the aesthetics of my 2011 and TS. My performance is better with these platforms.

That being said if your sole goal is to improve your results you will be infinitely better served putting the $2,500 to what, $4,500 or so you will invest in the gear change into ammo and training. Still this is a hobby and new toys in a hobby are always fun. :-)

[tanfoglio1911]

Moved from Glock to 2011 and oh what a difference. I am shooting consistently and really love this gun. The first thing that I noticed in the competition was how tight were my grouping. Grip wise is kinda big for my small hands but that don't really bother to me at all. The trigger...oh man loved it!! I can a CC a Glock all day but competing...I will never go back to plastic.

[Fredlegentil]

Just got and Edge to replace my Glock .... only dry fired yet but man ... I can tell that this will make a difference in my game!!! Can't wait!

[steviesterno]

i went from goofing around with a walther p99 in IDPA to shooting a lot with an M&P pro. That was a big jump, but then switched to a 2011 6" in 40. I don't think it was the gun, though the trigger and slightly smaller groups was a bonus. I really think it was the "now I have $2k tied up in a firearm and I look like I should know what I'm doing so I damn sure better practice and dry fire and reload and shoot matches until I do know what I'm doing" attitude.

now that I'm getting older (!) I'm realizing I like single actions more, I shoot them better, and I hate most plastic fantastic. So I'd rather have fewer guns and better quality. Switching my carry gun over to a small 1911, and hopefully my game guns all from varied whatever to a 2011 again (sold the last one to fund some life stuff).