Newb gear advice for carry optics?

[Lesliet]

Hi, another noob here with gear questions!  *grin*.  I've been shooting speed steel matches for just over a year, so I have SOME useful kit, like good belt/holster/mag pouches rig from Ben's pro-shop. I looked at the guns I have, and there's nothing that will really be quite right for USPSA.  My thought so far, and plan is to compete in the Carry Optics division, as my vision doesn't work well with iron sights. Thinking about buying a Sig p320 X5 Legion, as being a pretty reasonably priced gun that already has all the stuff I would have had to pay for later to upgrade. I see it's on the 'approved production gun" list, and without the magwell, it weighs 41.7 oz. with an empty mag. This leaves enough room on weight to allow for an adapter plate and and pretty good choice of reflex sights. ( I prefer a circle-dot reticle, or I'd just use the Romeo 1, and no adapter)

   I'm thinking Carry Optics might work for me, because the optics part is pretty much non negotiable, and I don't want to compete dollar for dollar with guys running $4000 pistols. 

  So, my questions are: 

1)  Does this sound like a reasonable plan?  Any pitfalls that you guys see?  

This pistol comes with 3X 17 round mags.  Does anyone know if the 21 round mags meet the length limit for CO without being modified? 

2)  Starting conditions... As best I've been able to tell, this pistol is SA only, with no manual safety. It is striker fired.  Do you start with the pistol holstered in most cases, cocked with a round in the chamber? I'd hate to have to rack the slide after drawing, if other gun designs allow for a different starting condition. 

[BJB]

First off, what guns do you have?  You say they're not the best for USPSA but what are they?  Maybe one can work for a few matches before you go out & buy stuff up front before shooting even your first match.  Do you know anyone who competes that has a gun & rig you can use for a few matches prior to going out & buying stuff?

 

The Sig P320 X5 Legion is a very good gun so if you bought it up front it's not terrible, but don't buy it up front if you can avoid it.  Try one first. 

 

As to starting position, it's a striker gun, not cocking of a hammer or safety.  95% of the time in USPSA the start position will be with the gun loaded & holstered.  On the beep you draw & get after it.  Some stage briefings will stipulate an unloaded start or a table start, either loaded or unloaded.

[Lesliet]

The guns I currently have that are of 9mm or higher are a CZ97b ( .45 acp) and a Springfield Range Officer 1911 clone in 9mm. The CZ is problematic in that 

it is difficult to find a holster for competition in a left hand version, and I've not found an adapter for optics. The Springfield has the issue of limited capacity, and is a big handicap 

unless I shot it in a division limited to 10 rounds, which would also preclude the use of optics; a non-starter, for me. 

  in Speed Steel, I've been campaigning a Kel-Tec CP33 in .22 in the open class, with optics and a compensator. Pretty stellar combo for about ~ $900 including a Holosun 510c optic, a comp, and a nice trigger from TandemKross. Got a 3d in my div in January, and a 2nd this month, so I'm feeling pretty good about competition right about now. 

 

  I don't really mind spending money on a new pistol. I figured if I find something later that I like better, the Sig still lets me move up next year in Speed Steel to centerfire. I've already got a nice DAA belt, and I think the mag carriers ( Ghost) I have for the CZ will fit the Sig mags.  Unfortunately, I don't know anyone who shoots carry optics in USPSA, yet, or I'd try to borrow one. 

 

  Thanks for the feedback!

 

[BJB]

Sounds like you have an additional use for the Sig in Speed Steel & it's not just a new buy for USPSA CO.  Go buy it & enjoy.  It's a good choice for CO with plenty of folks shooting them & after-market support for gear, etc.

[Lesliet]

Went to our LGS after work, yesterday for some steel targets... as a "By the way", I asked if he could order in the Sig I was talking about.  " Oh, I have one of those right here!"  

   For anyone who has ever had a bad case of gun fever, you know how this story ends. 

 

  The mag holders I already have DO fit the Sig mags, ordered a Boss holster from Ben's shop, which should fit on the belt and hanger I already have, as well as one more mag holder for a total of 6. 

 

  Man, this pistol feels like it was made for my hands. Being a lefty, having a slide release on both sides and a mag release that can be moved to either side is just brilliant. 

 

The optic is minorly a bit more work than expected, just because the Romeo 1 I already have is slightly different than the Romeo 1 pro that the slide is cut for. Just means I need to drill the Romeo 1 mounting holes out with a 4mm drill, and get some 4mmX.7X12mm allen bolts on my way home tonight. Ordered an adapter plate from Springer to let me mount the optic I really want, as soon as they become available.  I love the green circle-dot configuration on the Holosun 507, but they are coming out with the 508 in about 6 weeks, which is about an ounce lighter.  Just seems a shame to add any more weight than I have to on the slide after Sig went to so much trouble to keep it light. So I'll just rock the old Romeo until the 508 comes out. 

 

  Stripped all the preservative lube out while I had it apart to pull the iron sight off, and relubed with the usual, so it's ready to try out this weekend on the new steel. 

[chubs3a]

The 21rdrs could work if you get the Springer plates to fill the 140mm gauge.

 

Since you have the 17rdrs, I would just get Henning +6 basepads.  Fast shipping and having 69rds on your belt should be plenty.

[SGT_Schultz]

On 2/28/2020 at 9:59 AM, Lesliet said:

 Stripped all the preservative lube out while I had it apart to pull the iron sight off

 

Why would you remove the sights?  It's not like they interfere with the use of an optical sight.

 

BTW, striker fired pistols start like whatever the WSB says the firearm start condition is.  If the WSB specifies "handgun loaded and holstered" then the start condition of 8.1.2.4 applies to striker fired pistols.

Edited March 3, 2020 by SGT_Schultz

[Lesliet]

5 hours ago, SGT_Schultz said:

Why would you remove the sights?  It's not like they interfere with the use of an optical sight.

 

  On the Sig p320 x5 Legion, the rear sight is part of a plate that covers the mount for optics. So, in order to mount optics, you first remove the plate which incorporates the rear sight. 

Springer makes an adapter plate for RMR base optics that has a rear sight dovetail added to it, so you can co-witness, which is seeming like a better and better idea to me in case the optic goes kerblooey. 

 

  @chubs3a, thanks for the tip, I'll look for those!