Switching Platforms.

[simonsay]

Just wanted to get some thoughts from some of you guys about switching guns. Lets say the goal for an individual is to get to a certain level with a glock and 1911. IPSC or IDPA, master, expert/A-B, I don't care. I'll not muddy the water by throwing in the revolver or other pistols in the mix but feel free. Choices are to shoot one, then the other, or mix it up because you'll get there at some point anyway with enough work. Some people claimed to get stuck and a different gun helped open their eyes and get over a hump. Others have suggested that switching caused setbacks. Comments?

[shred]

If you want to get really good with one gun, you really have to know that one gun. If it takes looking at a different gun for a bit to have something to base off, so be it, but you've still got to concentrate on that one gun.

But.. 90% of the way to Master class has nothing to do with the gun.

[dbglock35]

I shot a glock for 2 years. and got somewhat good with it. Then got a 1911. Swithing was tuff for a while. going from a light gun with a relitive long and heavy trigger pull to a heavier gun with a light and very short trigger pull was difficult when you are used to a certain way. I can say for me, that going back and forth would probably hurt me in the the long run.

Just my .02

[Steve Moneypenny]

i have seen people shoot a glock and a revolver both effectively, however switching the grip angle, unless you can run a few thousand rounds through each will be very hard to switch... not to mention that you will never be as comfortable with one as you are the other... pick one and shoot it, it's not as much fun, but if you want to win that's an almost absolute. ..... i know guys drink my own koolaid... i am and it's a beretta !

[TDean]

I switch guns often, too often probably. It's more fun I think to rattle the senses by shooting a different gun a few times a season. Does it hurt my performance? I think it does. I've shot enough rds through Glocks and 1911's that I'd still hang at a local level match if I were to switch guns that morning, but I wouldn't be 100%. It seems to take me several matches to get intune with the gun type.

Where I really see the problem from switching guns is trigger freeze on hoser stages and my index (NPA) being off.

[JFD]

I would think switching guns would be a terrible idea. Way too much difference between the guns mentioned.

Now I occasionally pull out my 686 for practice. I find that when I can hit well with a double action wheel gun, then my trigger control on my Limited gun is better.

Sort of a way to tune up one of those fundamentals that can get sloppy while I'm concentrating on shooting WAY faster than I can see

[spook]

I remember Eric Grauffel saying: "2 months before a big match, don't touch any other gun than the one you'll compete with". And he is a damn fine Standard AND Open shooter.

[mcoliver]

I, too, am a gun switcher once in a while. Before I only used to switch between a glock and a 1911 regularly. But now that I have more friends with various guns...

IMO, it all depends on how adaptive you are. Actually, you just have to figure out that, short of an open gun, most of them have a front and rear thingy you need to align. Then just go from there.

But I have to agree with what the others have said above. Small club matches, wouldn't really matter. But for higher level matches, it would really help if you stick to one gun prior to shooting it.

[konkapot]

Switching could mean you shot your Beretta yesterday, you shoot your Glock today, your limited gun tomorrow, and your revolver the day after..........that's going to get you nowhere.

Shooting your Glock or whatever during the off season.....and applying what you learned from that to your primary gun........that can help quite a bit.

1. It's a change of pace....a break

2. In my case, results in fewer rounds going through my more expensive limited guns

An overly simple analogy is that of baseball players who take practice swings with weights on their bat. There is some sort of Theory of Relativity with guns....to a degree.

FY42385

[Kevin Kline]

I agree with TDean, once you get to a certain level (GM, M), you can show up with whatever at a local match and probably win or be near the top, but you wont be 100%.

I shot STI, 1911's for 9 years and made GM in Limited and now since starting again, I switched to Glock in PRoduction. I really was going to stick with Glock in Production, but have since decided if I were to switch to Lim or Lim10, I would stick it out with the Glock. The grip angle was a biggie for me as it really screwed with my point of aim. I now would stick with the Glock just for simplicity in the same gun for all divisions.

[GuildSF4]

It can be helpful at times depending on what you are doing. Switching to open for a while "can" definitly improve your limited performance. I know for me it did. I ran open for months, then switched to limited for one local match (in 95) and came in top limited.

[Jasonub]

it wont be a problem if you practice with both regularly

[Merlin Orr]

I have more of a problem going from 1911 based guns to Glock than from Limited to Open while staying with the 1911 style guns. The Glock points high (for me) and takes a while to get grooved in. Going from Glock to 1911 takes about 3 shots...

[Flexmoney]

Anybody here drive an manual transmission? Ever get into an automatic...and stab at teh floorboard with your left foot....where the clutch should be?

Pick one and practice.

[Nik Habicht]

Anybody here drive an manual transmission?  Ever get into an automatic...and stab at teh floorboard with your left foot....where the clutch should be?

Pick one and practice.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Everytime I let Carol drive the truck ---- and she always wants to use my coffee cup to shift gears too.......

[Kevin Kline]

Nik, that's why my wife isnt allowed to drive my truck, but oh wait, my truck is an automatic anyway, oh well, she still doesnt drive it.

[Nik Habicht]

Nik, that's why my wife isnt allowed to drive my truck, but oh wait, my truck is an automatic anyway, oh well, she still doesnt drive it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And then I have to listen to a rash of shit about not having enough pedals on the floor. For some reason when I point out that I have the same number of pedals (Gas, Brake, Emergency Brake) in the Tahoe, as she does (Gas, Brake, Clutch) in the tiny, little bimmer she calls a car, that doesn't go over well........

She drives well though......

[Jasonub]

Anybody here drive an manual transmission?  Ever get into an automatic...and stab at teh floorboard with your left foot....where the clutch should be?

Pick one and practice.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

flex is right. especially if your not used to both. I used to step on the floor when i started to use an automatic transmission.

When i worked for Audi here in the phils we had matics and manual transmissions on vehicles that had to be road tested. I had the above problem for about a week.

after that i can switch to any without me stepping on the mat on a matic or not forgetting to shift gears orletting the engine die on a manual if i have to stop.

all i did was practice on both on a daily basis and when i get in a matic or a manual i just take note. then my subconcious takes over the driving without problems.

Then again, people are different. One easy thing for a person does not mean its easy with another.

Best way is try it out

[Ron Ankeny]

Switching could mean you shot your Beretta yesterday, you shoot your Glock today, your limited gun tomorrow, and your revolver the day after..........that's going to get you nowhere.

Hey, I resemble that remark.

[Rush]

I shoot open and limited/standard divisions... sometimes on the same day In order to not make things too difficult in the transition between the two divisions, both guns are have the same setups/parts (i.e. STI Frames, Triggers), 1 holster for both guns etc.. etc...

But I make little mistakes all the same as you're not focused on one division.... that slows me down in open at times... Most of the time, its mental...

From my point of view... i do it for the fun. Kinda boring to fire only 100+ rds in one division then go home... so I fire 200+ rds in 2 divisions and go home besides.. its the only exercise i get...

but if you really want to be competitive, stick to one division, one gun... Flex has good advise for those who want to be really competitive in their class/div.

Rgds,

[Ron Ankeny]

Lets say the goal for an individual is to get to a certain level with a glock and 1911.

I didn't read the original question as closely as I thought. Shooting one gun certainly will not enable you to reach that goal. If you want to get an M card in multiple divisions I would suggest shooting one platform until you are deep into A class or maybe even Master. Then switch to the other platform and catch up with the second gun. I still switch around all over the place, but I usually limit myself to a couple of guns for the entire season and I always stick to one gun for at least 3 weeks prior to a match I really care about. This summer I have shot single stacks exclusively, a .38 Super on steel and a .45 in IPSC. I have to admit, shooting the same platform is a lot easier than trying to stay sharp with several at the same time.

[MarkCO]

I think it makes a huge difference. I started with 1911s and then went to Glocks because it cost me too much time and money to keep 1911s running. Then after many years with Glocks, I went back to 1911s. I shot the GSSF Glock match recently, 4 prior times I had been in the top 20 in Amatuer Civilian. This most recent match my time was more than twice my previous worst time. 2 years shooting 1911s and I looked like a newbie dropping shots low and left. I checked my sights and they were perfectly on. Full power ammo may have had a slight affect, but not enough to double my times and toss "mike" around like a red-headed stepchild. When I shoot 1911s, shooting Glocks at speed becomes more difficult. On the other hand, shooting Glocks and picking up a 1911 for a match does not seem to be a big deal. I do have short fingers and the longer pull is part. No matter if I have been shooting Glocks or 1911s, the revolver seems to be about the same, but I have all of 6 or 7 mathces shooting the 610 so I would not consider myself accomplished with that platform at speed. I also find that once hunting season starts, my pistol shooting speed tends to slow down.

[Ken Kwiat]

Ditto what Shred, Spook, Flex, Ron, and others have said...stick with one to refine all the other skills required to progressively achieve -- minimize the variables...

It's certainly a personal issue and depends heavily on your practice time (dry and live) with the guns in question. If you keep the differences minor between the gun in terms of grip (width, angle) etc. then I believe it's much easier as Merlin and others mention.

Between Open and Limited, I keep the set up as much the same (frame, grip material, angle, mag button, thumb guard, mag funnel, holster, pouch location) as possible so then I'm only left with the sighting (focal length adjustment) difference. And, it's inherently easier to switch from Limited to Open as I believe others have posted before.

Switching often between other platforms with significant differences in the set up would be very difficult for me to do. I see the top shooters able to do this better but that probably relates to total practice time devotion over me, i.e., a 5-10% drop in their performance still results in good match showings.

Prior to Back-to-Back format Nationals, I routinely practice with both Limited and Open in the same practice sessions in the order that I will be switching at the Nationals. That way, I'm practicing the adjustment required.

2cents.