What's most important to you when choosing your gun?

[B_RAD]

What's the most important things for you when choosing your gun for USPSA?

I'm still not sure what gun I'm gonna go with for production.  CZ or G34. 

While the CZ is more accurate, so far that's about the only edge I give it over the G34.  I guess the ergos are better too but I don't mind the glocks ergos so that's  not really an issue for me.  The extra weight is nice for recoil but the lighter Glock is easier to draw/transition so that's almost a wash  

 

How do you prioritize what's most important to you?

Reliability, maintenance, ergonomics, accuracy, weight, cost, easy to work on, parts availability, same trigger pull, etc. 

 

My order is

1. Reliability 

2. Ergos 

3. Required maintenance 

4. Accuracy (most are accurate enough)

5. Cost/work to get gun competition ready  

 All the others are equal past these first five. 

Edited October 26, 2016 by B_RAD

[ShortBus]

What ever I THINK will give me the advantage. The mind is a powerful thing. They all have weaknesses. Your already over thinking it. You could win nationals with anything within reason  

 

 

[B_RAD]

12 minutes ago, ShortBus said:

What ever I THINK will give me the advantage. The mind is a powerful thing. They all have weaknesses. Your already over thinking it. You could win nationals with anything within reason  

 

 

I definitely agree with this. However, everyone does have to make a choice. That's why I was asking. 

 

For instance, I like the Glock. Shoot it well. But always wanting to see if there's something better, I bought the CZ. It's more accurate, less felt recoil and is a nice gun!  However, after shooting both I think I could be equally as good with either.  As could everyone else.  But like I was saying something has to be the deciding factor for which a person goes with. 

Edited October 26, 2016 by B_RAD

[Hi-Power Jack]

Whatever YOU think, but I feel that Most guns are NOT accurate enough -

therefore, of the two guns you listed, I'd go with the CZ   -   JMO.    

[GunBugBit]

B_RAD, I agree with your list.

Most guns are accurate enough for action shooting.  What I need is a gun that is easy for me to shoot accurately.  This is why I fuss quite a bit over sights.  Currently I'm in the middle of setting up two more 1911s with differing sight setups.  My main gun is great for daytime but for nighttime club matches I really need a tritium front sight unless I go to open or carry optics.

[B_RAD]

30 minutes ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

Whatever YOU think, but I feel that Most guns are NOT accurate enough -

therefore, of the two guns you listed, I'd go with the CZ   -   JMO.    

My CZ is freaking accurate!  

And really accuracy is probably my most important issue but I just feel that I'm accurate enough with either of those two. 

 

I've shot 2" groups off hand at 20yds with my G34. For me that's good enough for this game but........... ain't nobody gonna have a problem with too much accuracy!

 

This weekend I'm gonna do some more in depth accuracy comparison between the two.  Gonna see what I can do all they way to 50yds with each gun but mostly focussing on 30 yds max  

 

Now saying all that. I wasn't really trying to get a comparison of the two guns I listed. 

 

Just want to know whats the most import features that determines your choice. 

Edited October 26, 2016 by B_RAD

[IronArcher]

For me (of course, assuming the legality of the gun is the obvious first consideration):

1) Ergos.... specifically fit (is it big enough to fit my hands well?). After that maybe control ergos (mag release, slide release, safety)

2) Trigger. More specifically, SA trigger (prefer a hammer over a striker). Gun doesn't need an awesome trigger out of the box, but the ability to get there without too much fuss.

3) accuracy. Not that the gun really needs it, but more so I have zero excuses for poor hits.

4)Reliability/maintenance.
Is it going to fall apart? Can I work on it?

5) Cost. Can I get everything I want for less? I'll take it.

6) weight.
Too much can slow transitions... too little makes every shot seem like a transition... I have trouble finding one that really slows my draw/transitions.

End result:
Tanfo Lim Pro.

Legal for several different games
Fits better than most anything... including CZs, nice big safety and mag release.
With a little bit of effort, the triggers can be very good
VERY accurate
Easy to work on. Easy to upgrade/customize. Has been perfectly reliable save for extracting CCI Blazer brass.

Cost much less than many comparable guns (CZ etc).
Weighs enough to help with recoil and gives me a more steady/smooth swing.

Only gun I am lusting after at the moment is the Australian Stock II. Same length as the Lim pro, but with the cone lockup.

I guess length of gun should have been in there somewhere. I need the front sight as far out as possible (getting old eyes). That and the price difference puts the Lim pro ahead of the (US at least) Stock II



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[B_RAD]

I'd love to try a Lim Pro!

[JAFO]

One other consideration that may or may not matter to you is whether you carry concealed or for work, and whether you want to keep the same manual of arms for your competition gun.

[N3WWN]

If you have them both, why not shoot each of them at least once at a club match and see which you prefer?

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[B_RAD]

25 minutes ago, N3WWN said:

If you have them both, why not shoot each of them at least once at a club match and see which you prefer?

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I have.  I like them both!  

 

I've  probably shoot the G34 better so far but the CZ is awesome.  I'm torn. Like both for different reasons. 

[Strick]

I have used CZ's, then switched to Glocks over 5 years ago, and also have Tanfo's that I used a bit in the spring.  What I have found is for me the grip and and control of the glock is superior to the other platforms, that is for me though.  I also think they are a little more reliable as far as parts breaking (like the CZ slide stops, TRS, etc...) but that is a minor issue with the others

Ask yourself, if both are sitting on a table, when the buzzer goes off which one would you instinctively grab to shoot the stage and be comfortable knowing you can make any shot at speed.  

[jliew08]

I've been shooting a G34 the last two years and thought I wanted a CZ to up my production game. But I can manipulate the trigger very well. It's a tad too long for my finger. But how a gun naturally points for me, reliability, and cost depending on my current budget.

[GARD72977]

I draw and transition the SP-01 faster than a Glock

[B_RAD]

Wasn't tryIng to start a thread comparing a Glock to the CZ. 

 

Wondering what is most important to you when choosing or for the one you chose. 

[inspector1999]

So for me the answer is always Ergos first. Find what fits and works for you. All the guns that any of us will pick, face it we all here are picking quality modern firearms, will be accurate and will have reliability.

The guys who are the best are the ones who put the work in on their platform. The gun that when you shoot, you giggle will be the one that you put the time in with.

I might have looked like an idiot shooting a Sig 229 in .357 Sig for production. But I shot that like a baller and shot at my skill level. I was an A zone hitting idiot. But I had hundreds of thousands of rounds on the platform and the ammo was free. That gun fits me and I love it.

To be more competitive, I had to face it there were better options, I found the gun that made me giggle and fit me. Now I practice with that, so I can be that idiot shooting that gun, like a baller at my skill level.

You like the Glock? Shoot it till it breaks and buy 2 more. That's how you will progress as a shooter. You like the CZ do the same. Spend all of your time making ammo and shooting it to get better.

Oh, and have a ton of fun doing it.


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[wgj3]

Fit is first for me. If I pick it up and have to do a lot to get the sights to line up with where I think I'm aiming/pointing, then I'm out.

So far, my first very well-used 6" STI 2011 has been the best for me. Maybe my grip learned that gun to some degree, but I've tried 4-5 other STI's and even an SV since and none of them match that one. I can go back and pick it up and the sights always come right to where I want them.

[Dr Mitch]

Reliability, reliability, reliability.  Durability falls into this.  A gun that breaks is not reliable.

accuracy.  Most guns don't lack any, except M&Ps.

Maintenance is kind of a bullshit topic.  Guns are guns are guns, but there is a very wide and disturbingly amateurish variety of things people do to "maintain" their guns.  It is pitiful.

trigger job/sights

other stuff.  Important stuff like the finish.  Bluing is trash.  Cerakote is slightly better than bluing.  Hard chrome is wicked awesome.  Melonite/tennifer/Nitriding is spectacular.  Parkerizing is OK.  Stainless is nice.

grips.  Gripping the gun is A number 1.  Grip it and rip it.

 

[MemphisMechanic]

51 minutes ago, Dr Mitch said:

accuracy.  Most guns don't lack any, except M&Ps.

Maintenance is kind of a bullshit topic... Important stuff like the finish...  

On the first, I agree wholeheartedly as an M&P shooter. Mine was one of the worst early ones - 7" groups with 147s at 25yd were common. Sidenote: I loved the lefty ergos, so I gambled on an Apex (hand-fitted) barrel. Now it's a 2" gun with the exact same load.

The night and day difference that made at matches was unbelievable. Especially on swingers and 15yd partials at speed.

Finish is 'important stuff' for you. Interesting. Because none of my guns have any left on the slide (G34, M&P) and I like them like that. They're tools, not showpieces, and I'll drop one on a muddy tabletop for a stage start without a second thought.

I just shifted to a new Production gun for the third time. I jumped from Glock to M&P for full left handed controls without shifting my grip. Now I'm jumping to the Tanfoglio Stock III because it fits my hand like it was made just for me, shoots really softly, and is outrageously accurate. Also because... bandwagon.

It also gives me something to tinker with, cerakote, and to practice with like mad until I actually get better.

Edited October 27, 2016 by MemphisMechanic

[GunBugBit]

The ergo factor is big.  If a gun doesn't feel very ergonomic, it can with certain measures be made to feel better in the hand, but the way the controls are laid out and the basic shape/balance are dictated by the type of pistol it is.  I bonded with the full-size 1911 some time ago.  I feel like it was tailored to me.  If a gun feels good, you're more likely to practice with it and more likely to be enthusiastic about competing with it.

[M1911]

My number one criterion: is it available behind enemy lines here in MA.  I can find Glocks.  CZ's are unicorns.

[PatJones]

Which pistol will make you stoked to practice more? Get that one.

[B_RAD]

22 minutes ago, PatJones said:

Which pistol will make you stoked to practice more? Get that one.

Best answer so far. 

[Maximis228]

A year from now you will have both.

[B_RAD]

16 minutes ago, Maximis228 said:

A year from now you will have both.

Already have both now. 

 

Actually have two of each.