champ198 Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 I have shot USPSA in the past and at that time I was shooting a Sig P320 in 9mm. Like a lot of times ilife got in the way and I had to get out of shooting. Well now I am ready to get back into it but at this point the only handgun I have that I would be able to shoot is a Kimber 1911. This gun for me is more of a sentimental gun and does not get shot a lot at all as it was given to me by a good friend for my birthday. I have looked at a few guns and dont have an issue with getting another to use for matches. But thought I would ask your alls opinion on should I try and get something else or just shoot the Kimber for a while. I would have to get a holster for my gun rig and mag carriers for single stack as well as a couple more magazines also. Where as my gun rig now already has mag carriers for double stack mags like a Glock or XD but would still have to get the gun and mags and a holster for whatever gun I get. And also i know it is more expensive to shoot the 45 vs something like a 9mm. What would you all do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe4d Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 if you are not reloading ammo, yeh 45 will be way more expensive.. Also IMO shooting a single stack at a USPSA match is like being a one legged man at an ass kicking contest. Get a plastic fantastic service sized 9mm... Like an XDM elite, S&W M&P, or 5 " glock,,, preferable one set up for an optic plate... a couple extra mags and some mag pads and shoot it in limited, or put an optic on it and shoot it in Carry optic. In those divisions you really only need a coupel mag pouch as most you should be reloding on a stage is once. I mean I just bought a VGC 5.25" XDM elite for $400 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boomstick303 Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 20 minutes ago, champ198 said: This gun for me is more of a sentimental gun and does not get shot a lot at all as it was given to me by a good friend for my birthday. I agree with @Joe4d here in that competition guns are tools that get rode hard and abused. If you like that Kimber I would not use it in competition. They are not really built for that sort of thing, and is probably the reason you do not see them in the competition world. At least I have never seen one. If Kimbers are running around out there in the competition world they are extremely rare. Save for a Plastic gun and abuse that thing. It will be reliable, and you will not have to drop tons of money into it. Not sure you could say that about the Kimber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
champ198 Posted August 22, 2023 Author Share Posted August 22, 2023 Thanks fellas. That was my thought also. I shoot the kimber well at the range but would hate for something to happen to it The XDM elite 5.25 is the one I am really looking at pretty hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe4d Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 only issue with that one is there isnt a good slide ride optic mount option, they make a 4.5" version that comes with everything you need to mount an optic, other than the optic. Which you will want eventually.. If you get the XDM elite 5.25,,, and stay in USPSA,, u will end up selling it to someone like me for $400 who likes the platform and wants a zombie gun... and buying the 4.5 with optic mount options down the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidSeavey Posted August 23, 2023 Share Posted August 23, 2023 i say shoot what you like to shoot. i'm shooting my springfield 1911 in 45 right now and i'm really enjoying single stack division, though often alone in my division. BUT 45 does cost more, you NEED to have reliable 8 round mags especially for 45 as there's no extra room and you'll need a bunch of them, ideally with class legal slightly extended basepads to seat reliably as you'll be reloading all the time. i have 10 sorted mags and feel like that's barely half what i'd really like to have since 2/3 of them are already on the belt, meaning you need a bunch of new pouches too. but you could always get 10 rounders and shoot Limited 10 with it. i do enjoy the SS game, planning and execution of it. but a modern pistol with a red dot and 23+1 is lots of fun in either CO or LO and it's an easy button in many ways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerTrace Posted August 23, 2023 Share Posted August 23, 2023 Sounds like you already have good experience with a P320. Get one of the racier ones with the heavy TXG frame and be done with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racinready300ex Posted August 23, 2023 Share Posted August 23, 2023 I'd probably avoid using the Kimber, Like others said it's got value to you and it'll get abused as a comp gun. Plus single stack is dead. I'd suggest you just pick a plastic striker fired 9mm and go with it. I'm partial to the plastic rival, 600ish bucks add a couple springs and it's ready to go. Then you need to decide optics or irons. Most people are going optics these days. The rival will come with plates and a magwell so you can pick a optic install it and either shoot CO no magwell or LO with the magwell. You'll need +4 base pads for those divisions. Gun should come with mags and a holster too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motosapiens Posted August 24, 2023 Share Posted August 24, 2023 On 8/22/2023 at 10:18 AM, Boomstick303 said: If Kimbers are running around out there in the competition world they are extremely rare. the rest of your post was sound advice, but i fixed the above sentence for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
champ198 Posted August 24, 2023 Author Share Posted August 24, 2023 On 8/22/2023 at 9:33 PM, DavidSeavey said: i say shoot what you like to shoot. i'm shooting my springfield 1911 in 45 right now and i'm really enjoying single stack division, though often alone in my division. BUT 45 does cost more, you NEED to have reliable 8 round mags especially for 45 as there's no extra room and you'll need a bunch of them, ideally with class legal slightly extended basepads to seat reliably as you'll be reloading all the time. i have 10 sorted mags and feel like that's barely half what i'd really like to have since 2/3 of them are already on the belt, meaning you need a bunch of new pouches too. but you could always get 10 rounders and shoot Limited 10 with it. i do enjoy the SS game, planning and execution of it. but a modern pistol with a red dot and 23+1 is lots of fun in either CO or LO and it's an easy button in many ways Thanks for the tip on the Rival. Looks like a really solid platform Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boomstick303 Posted August 24, 2023 Share Posted August 24, 2023 4 hours ago, motosapiens said: the rest of your post was sound advice, but i fixed the above sentence for you. Bahahaha. I was trying to be nice. Not far from the truth from my observation though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDalton203 Posted September 8, 2023 Share Posted September 8, 2023 If you are trying to keep costs super super low just to get back into things you can always go for an LEO trade-in glock (sometimes you can even find the sig) or something (you probably won't find the optics cut), but then youre only $300ish for the pistola. I bought a tp9sfx when I first started for like $450 from kygunco, for that price that's a hell of an optics cut pistol though not as heavy/nice as the rival-s. I think you can still find them for around there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cautery Posted September 24, 2023 Share Posted September 24, 2023 If you have an emotional attachment to a pistol, don't use it. That said.... it's a Kimber. If it will run reliably in a match, and you can feed it on your budget, then shoot the ever-loving crap out of it and have fun while shooting .45 ACP.... shoot single stack if/when available.... Warning shooting 1911s and 2011s is addictive and WILL get expensive at some point! Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runswithwood1 Posted September 26, 2023 Share Posted September 26, 2023 On 8/22/2023 at 12:00 PM, Joe4d said: if you are not reloading ammo, yeh 45 will be way more expensive.. Also IMO shooting a single stack at a USPSA match is like being a one legged man at an ass kicking contest. Get a plastic fantastic service sized 9mm... Like an XDM elite, S&W M&P, or 5 " glock,,, preferable one set up for an optic plate... a couple extra mags and some mag pads and shoot it in limited, or put an optic on it and shoot it in Carry optic. In those divisions you really only need a coupel mag pouch as most you should be reloding on a stage is once. I mean I just bought a VGC 5.25" XDM elite for $400 One legged man in an ass kicking contest never have true words been spoken regarding SS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duck_Duckalo Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 I think the question is, what's your budget? I'm working towards my 50 posts to put something in Classifieds. But I made the switch from .45 to 9 mm and it makes the shooting sports fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDRIDER Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 I second the above. Buying new .45 ammo can put a real dent in your budget and reloading isnt much better. A good used or referbished Glock might cost less than .45 ammo over time. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
625 Posted December 14, 2023 Share Posted December 14, 2023 A lot of the stages now days are not set up to be single stack friendly. I shoot single stack, just end up doing a lot of reloads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuzzyGreenHat Posted February 19 Share Posted February 19 Just go pick up a cheap Glock 17 / 19 / 19X and shoot with what you have. If you’re still into it after 6 months you can either resell the Glock for almost what you paid or upgrade it into carry optics / open / etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfaith Posted April 5 Share Posted April 5 Nothing wrong with shooting single stack. but your gun will show the wear. I personally like the look of a gun thats been shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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