Dragon_Medic Posted May 29, 2021 Share Posted May 29, 2021 Let me preface this with my current situation. I'm not a USPSA shooter yet, though I will probably be getting into it in the near future. Right now I just shoot action pistol at my local club, which is a very light-on-rules, informal practical shooting event. That said, I'm a bit of a gear nut, and a trigger snob. My carry gun, a Springfield xDM OSP 9mm with the PRP trigger kit, is just not quite making me happy deep inside. Thus, I'm considering getting a range toy with a good trigger to use in action pistol at my club, and in the future, probably in USPSA matches. I'm very much on the red dot bandwagon, so I'm going to be in carry optics or open. Between the two, the less restrictive open class appeals more. I'm reasonably certain I'd like to get a 9mm CZ Tactical Sport Orange, and mount a red dot on it. I know the Czechmate is better suited to open, since it includes an optic and a compensator. However, I already have a Trijicon SRO in a drawer that I mean to mount on the gun, so I don't need an additional red dot. Besides that, I don't reload (yet), so I'm not going to be shooting major power factor anytime soon. Thus, no need for the compensator. This leads me to think I can just get the TSO and save myself $1,300 to spend on ammo. So, the question: would I be better served just biting the bullet and getting the Czechmate? Is it a better gun, in addition to having more factory accessories? And, once I start reloading, could I modify the TSO down the line to add a compensator and shoot MPF, or does it need to be designed to do that from the factory? Additionally, is there another open gun I should be considering in lieu of CZ, something with a superlative trigger that I can grab for around $2k? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted May 30, 2021 Share Posted May 30, 2021 We have a guy at our local that has a TSO Orange 9mm, with a CMore. Shooting 9 minor, he is very fast and accurate, and competitive against the full blown open guns...with no comp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dansedgli Posted May 30, 2021 Share Posted May 30, 2021 Buy a 2nd hand 2011 open gun without ports. Shoot minor out of it. Confirm it can shoot minor before you buy it. Some don't function well. Mine used to work until it was ported. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5alpha Posted May 30, 2021 Share Posted May 30, 2021 My vote goes to buy what makes you happy and is more practical for you now. Then after you start reloading if your still interested in doing open buy a decidated open gun. I mean who doesn't want to have excuses to buy more toys. Realistically, buying a gun that your not sure you want, just so you have the option to convert it later IF you start reloading and IF you decide to shoot open seems like a bad idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidSeavey Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 If the czechmate/TSO fit your hand really well and the CM initial purchase isnt a crazy stretch, you could run the optic mount on the frame and the sight block on the barrel shooting factory minor rounds until you've caught the competitive bug and get sick of giving up major scoring points. then you just thread on the comp and open major is ready to rock. fwiw mine with the comp and all factory springs runs pretty much any minor round i throw at it except an occasional 147 handload, but any factory 115 runs it just fine. I redrilled and mounted an SRO on my czechmate cmore mount and love the change from the battery hog cmore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1207 Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 I recently bought an Open gun after researching/figuring out/sorting through what I’d think I like. Based on your criteria, I think you may find the $2000 price to be the limiting factor. The list I came up with was Czechmate at $3200, Bul UR at $3600 (polymer grip), then $5000+ for the rest. 9mm TSO is $1750+ $100 for CZC mount+ your SRO that you already have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muncie21 Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 (edited) If you're pretty firm playing in the open division, my suggestion is to get the Czechmate; if you're wanting to go the CZ route. While it won't be optimal you can run factory 9mm ammo in the CZ and shoot open/minor. Adding a comp to a TSO is more involved than just screwing on a comp, so if you're wanting to shoot open/major the CM is already setup for it. Edited May 31, 2021 by muncie21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogtired Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 Why not shoot carry optics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael303 Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 49 minutes ago, dogtired said: Why not shoot carry optics? Agreed. If it was me, I'd go with the TSO and shoot carry optics. With the current rule set, that's about as good of a gun as it gets in carry optics. If you want to shoot open from there it's another level of commitment and there aren't many competitive guys (or girls) running a $2k open gun. All that being said, if you just want to shoot whatever gun is currently blowing your hair back and open is the only class it fit in then do that. The reality is the gun is only a small factor in how well you perform in USPSA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muncie21 Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 4 minutes ago, Michael303 said: Agreed. If it was me, I'd go with the TSO and shoot carry optics. With the current rule set, that's about as good of a gun as it gets in carry optics. I thought only DA, DA/DA or 'safe action' pistols were allowed in CO division..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael303 Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 (edited) 3 minutes ago, muncie21 said: I thought only DA, DA/DA or 'safe action' pistols were allowed in CO division..... Oops, you're right. I was thinking of the Shadow 2. Edit: I don't think anyone will be surprised to see SA triggers made legal in CO in the near future with the way things are going. Edited May 31, 2021 by Michael303 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzt Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 I would not recommend the TSO for what the OP is describing. While it can be converted to an Open gun, it is a compromise. I did just that and was not happy. Given the price constraints I'd go with something like an S2 milled for the SRO. You can be very competitive with it. Around me there are a couple of Ms and GMs that routinely place higher than the Open shooters. Since you do not reload now, forget about Open. With Open minor you are at such a scoring disadvantage it isn't worth it. No one near me shoots Open minor anymore. They all moved to CO. The only reason they were in Open minor in the first place was the could no longer see their sights. Open was (at the time) the only Division that allowed optics. CO is only scored minor, so no scoring disadvantage in your Div. Buy extended base pads to get you to 20+ in the mag. Then stage plan like Limited and sight like Open. When and if you get tired of CO, buy a good, used 2011 Open gun. While the CM IS a good gun, there is not a lot you can do to it. I've gone to 2011s for Open for just that reason. If you are serious you have to tune the gun and the load together. You have many more options with a 2011. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogtired Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 (edited) SP01 Shadow or Shadow 2 in carry optics will do what you seek. For someone who does not shoot USPSA, doesn’t reload and wants to shoot a red dot, Open is not what I would recommend. Edited May 31, 2021 by dogtired Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1207 Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 16 hours ago, dogtired said: SP01 Shadow or Shadow 2 in carry optics will do what you seek. For someone who does not shoot USPSA, doesn’t reload and wants to shoot a red dot, Open is not what I would recommend. this is probably a great suggestion. The only thing is that when the OP says he "is a bit of a gear nut, and a trigger snob" will the S2 with its DA/SA trigger be good enough for him and will he be satisfied gear-wise with a production pistol with a RDS on the slide? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogtired Posted June 2, 2021 Share Posted June 2, 2021 The S2 trigger is pretty nice. Only one DA pull per stage... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yigal Posted June 2, 2021 Share Posted June 2, 2021 try zev oz9 . it's already CO version. and later u can compete with this gun too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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