open

[wingnut]

Carry optic or open. Getting older and eyes need help.

[aandabooks]

The decision will be made based on if you want to invest $1000ish or $3000+.  

[RJH]

A couple of us around here were just making this same decision, not for eyes, but just for another division to shoot, and we both went Carry ops.  Cost and ease of reliability were big factors.  In my area CO is still has very light competition, but we are thinking that will change.  I feel carry ops will end up being a very competitive division over time, especially since HQ relaxed the restrictions on the division.  I don't know it you shoot 3 gun, but Carry ops guns can make very good open 3 gun pistols as well.  Either as  they are or with a drop in barrel and comp and this weighed in its favor for us as well.   I bet you will have a good time with either division though, good luck

[fatjoe123111]

Well I first started shooting CO I called is poor mans open. Now don’t take that as a bad thing! It was a ton of fun! I will never get rid of my carry optics rig. However for me personally I am making the switch to open because I want to go as fast as possible. No doubt the red dot will make you faster and more accurate. But also the lack of people in my area shooting CO means I have no one to shoot against l. It also comes down to how much you want to spend as stated by one of the other members above. As well as if you want to go though the trouble of gettting an open gun to run right, dealing with mag problems, so on and so forth. CO is going to be a lot less hassle.  So you have to take a lot of thing into account. 

[Hi-Power Jack]

1 hour ago, wingnut said:

Carry optic or open?

 

What have you been shooting ?

[ChuckS]

1 hour ago, wingnut said:

Carry optic or open. Getting older and eyes need help.

PCC

[Steelix]

Go spend the money for open and don't look back. 

[fatjoe123111]

1 hour ago, Steelix said:

Go spend the money for open and don't look back. 

He’s got a point here.

[lmc]

open is way more fun imho

[wingnut]

Shooting production now. Spo1 and Shadow 2 And also bought TSO 40 though about limited also. 

[mont1120]

I have found myself in the same situation, the ol eyes are just not working as well as they used to. I decided to try an Open gun on a few stages last year, and I enjoyed the gun (.38 Super), but the first real noticeable result was the amount of recoil. It is not overly harsh by any means, but it is fairly stout. So one consideration I had was what is the wear and tear on the joints in my hands as my age progresses. I already have a bone spur in my shooting hand that is going to require surgery someday, and we all know Father Time loves to drop a few arthritic joints in the Christmas stocking as a reminder of age creeping up on us.

 

So, I bought a plate that goes into the rear sight slot on my XDm .40 backup gun just to try CO. I threw a Burris III on the plate (Springer Precision) and gave it a whirl. Took it to the range, sighted in a few minor .40 handloads, and gave the gun quite a workout.

 

The results are I am definitely hooked on CO. I then ran into a great deal on a Glock 34 MOS, (after swearing a Gluck would never grace me mitts), added a Vortex Viper, and got going late last year to work my way into the division. I found out rather quickly what Glock knuckle is, and was not real happy with the platform at that point. However, since last year the rule changes allowed me to remove the offending material from the Glock undercut, and now it is quite comfortable. Add the fact the magazine limits were opened up to 140mm length and capacity, I have found my new division. I don't think cost is that much of a factor, all of us gun nutz find creative ways to spend our money on the sport we love, and I do not think it played much of a part in deciding between Open and CO.

 

I will more then likely move to the CZ platform this summer, and still ponder using .40 over 9MM. Yeah, I am aware I lose 2-3 rounds of capacity, but we all know we have a mag change on stages, and I am used to heavier rounds and its recoil. One thing is certain, lots of dry fire is required. It is totally different from iron sights in the way you acquire the dot. Whichever one you choose, the dot is a huge plus for optical impaired age accumulated dinosaurs.

[191138sc]

10 hours ago, Steelix said:

Go spend the money for open and don't look back.

+1 Made the choice to go open and have had a blast. Options on gun set up are endless and you can tailor gun and load to fit your style. Its a decision you won't regret. Good luck.

 

 

[zzt]

I went to Open because of eyesight issues.  There was no Carry Optics then.  If I were making the decision now, it might well be CO.  You have the dot, run stages like in Limited, shoot minor ammo, and don't have to put up with finicky open guns.  Plus, store bought ammo runs fine.

[Bdh821]

Just switched from Open to CO and I prefer open. 

[wingnut]

Reason why you prefer open?

[Sarge]

3 minutes ago, wingnut said:

Reason why you prefer open?

Not bdh821 but I know a few guys who are Open shooters who tried CO. They too prefer Open. CO guns move around much more than an Open gun. Therefore dots jump quite a bit.

[fatjoe123111]

1 minute ago, Sarge said:

Not bdh821 but I know a few guys who are Open shooters who tried CO. They too prefer Open. CO guns move around much more than an Open gun. Therefore dots jump quite a bit.

That is true the dots do more a lot more. It takes a little time to get used to but once you can track that dot through the recoil you are golden.

[Steelix]

But the two big draw backs to CO is shooting minor and the gun is no where as flat as a open gun. Plus open you get to use 170mm mags. If I shot CO I would still load 9mm to get the gun as soft as I could and still be minor, I would not use box ammo. Like I said before spend the money and don't look back. Open is a lot of fun. 

[cody6477]

On ‎12‎/‎21‎/‎2017 at 8:06 PM, aandabooks said:

The decision will be made based on if you want to invest $1000ish or $3000+.  

Obviously my CO set-up was way less expensive than going Open, but with CO I could also use the same powder and pretty much the same loads I used for Production.  Getting into Open meant spending money on different powder, might mean different (and more expensive) brass if you go .38 Super or Supercomp, and investing time in working up loads and all that.  Not bad things, mind you, and I'm enjoying it, but more to consider.  But yeah, CO is still minor, the gun is not as flat, and the dot moves around more.  Like all the other divisions, CO and Open are different games.  Each will have its fans.

[SWprotected]

Open is a lot of fun, never shot CO but I went to open from Limited all last year and had a lot of fun with it. If you watch the classifieds here you can pick up a good used open gun at a reasonable price. Open is not cheap, but can be done for a reasonable cost.

[Broncman]

Just finished my first year in CO. Also have an open pistol that I am going to shoot in some matches this year.

 

Just in my limited experience, my Open pistol is easier to go fast with... With a match available every weekend, I plan on shooting both CO and Open  this year.

[lacivilian]

On 12/21/2017 at 8:28 PM, Steelix said:

Go spend the money for open and don't look back. 

here you go. I made this mistake and tried carry optics for a while as it only pushed my want for an open gun even more. 

[abb1]

I have both and they are both good options. Here is my take:

 

Carry Optics (USPSA) / Production Optics (IPSC)

PROS

-Faster transitioning as compared to open sights

-Reliability is a plus compared to open

-Cheaper to reload as you are using 3.8 gr of powder compared to 7.2 gr. 9mm brass also lasts longer

-Cheaper startup costs $1200 vs $3500+ for gun alone

CONS

-Holster limitations

-Mag pouches must be placed behind the hip (IPSC), whereas open you can place them closer to your reach.

-10 rd mag limitation 

 

OPEN (USPSA/IPSC)

PROS

- Fun factor although this is debatable, but shooting both, open is more fun in my books

-Anything goes, so with modifications, the sky is the limit

CONS

-Expensive!

-Reloading costs are much higher, even with 9mm, you are using almost twice as much powder

-Reliability

-Parts are more prone to breakage due to the pressures

 

Here are my babies:

 

Edited December 30, 2017 by abb1

[RJH]

1 hour ago, abb1 said:

I have both and they are both good options. Here is my take:

 

Carry Optics (USPSA) / Production Optics (IPSC)

PROS

-Faster transitioning as compared to open sights

-Reliability is a plus compared to open

-Cheaper to reload as you are using 3.8 gr of powder compared to 7.2 gr. 9mm brass also lasts longer

-Cheaper startup costs $1200 vs $3500+ for gun alone

CONS

-Holster limitations

-Mag pouches must be placed behind the hip (IPSC), whereas open you can place them closer to your reach.

-10 rd mag limitation 

 

 

 

In USPSA carry ops you can use 140mm mags loaded up.  I have no idea in IPSC

[abb1]

1 hour ago, RJH said:

 

In USPSA carry ops you can use 140mm mags loaded up.  I have no idea in IPSC

Very true, but they can ONLY hold 10 rds, and not loaded up. The difference is that the 140mm mags wont fit in the box and that has no relevance for carry optics. Unless I am reading something wrong, but it is stated in USPS rule book:

 

'For all Carry Optics pistols the maximum weight is 45-ounces with red dot sight and empty magazine. The magazine capacity remains at the Production Division 10-rounds, but the same 140mm magazines allowed in Limited and Open Divisions are allowed for Carry Optics.Dec 5, 2016'

Edited December 30, 2017 by abb1