Choice for carry optics

[iukamedic]

I’m not meaning to start a tell me what I want thread.  Just asking for some first hand experience.  I’m old but my skill level is novice.   I had one of the original sig x5 when they came out and shot a couple USPSA events.  That has been a few years ago.  Pcc started up and shot that for a little while.  The last few years I’ve been shooting mainly service rifle but I’m going to shoot some USPSA type shoots this year because there is a club within 15 minutes from me and it has got to where I have to drive a long way to shoot service rifle.  I have an sig 320 axg scorpion and a 320 x compact that I use.   I was looking at the sig 226 x-five and man that thing is nice but that pistol is over 2000 and puts your into limited optics which is still a new class.  Thought about the 320 x5 legion and max.  I’m not wanting something I have replace barrels, etc for accuracy which is an Issue from what I’ve read about the 320 x5’s.  I saw that gray guns has a 320 pro which is a axg with a long slide, with barrel and trigger upgrade for around 1500.   Then there is the cz shadow optics ready.  Don’t find many negative review about these.  Just looking for some first hand experience with these.  I would like to have a platform to learn on that is more suited for the sport than what I have. Thanks ahead of time.  

[rishii]

What I would do

put a magwell and dot on a sig you already own and go shoot some matches

then if you really enjoy it, look to upgrade you equipment 

[open17]

Don't forget that a Carry Optic gun must be on the Production approved list--it removes some long slide guns from the playing field.    

I picked up a used 320 X5.

Shot it with irons in Production

Put the optic plate on it and a TLR1 light and shot Carry Optic

Put the magwell on it and shot Limited Optic

Decided that Carry Optic is where the Sig fit best for me, but of the 3 divisions I like Limited Optic best.

Built a 9 minor/Romeo3 XL top end for one of my 40 Limited gun lowers as a Limited Optic gun.  YMMV

[motosapiens]

2 hours ago, iukamedic said:

Thought about the 320 x5 legion and max.  I’m not wanting something I have replace barrels, etc for accuracy which is an Issue from what I’ve read about the 320 x5’s. 

we have a legion x5 and a shadow2. Personally I prefer the S2, but my wife doesn't like DA trigger, so she shot the sig until she moved to open. We found out that our sig preferred .356 diameter bullets, and accuracy was noticeably worse  with .355 coated bullets.

 

I still think the shadow 2 is the simplest route. all i did to mine was put in an 11 lb main spring and 11-12lb recoil spring. Trigger is awesome and the gun is very accurate and easy to shoot without having to screw with alot of stuff. 

 

On the sig we put in a trigger kit and also extended mag release to make it work.

 

lots of good choices out there however.

Edited December 24, 2023 by motosapiens

[LDRIDER]

I would have to second the CZ S2. I have old eyes and when Limited was too

difficult for me I went with a CZ S2 optic ready. Shot CO for awhile and now

LO with the addition of a magwell. Springs are important and you can start

locked and cocked in LO. No messing with DA if you do not want to. Added 

an extended safety. Makes a huge difference.

[jwhittin]

6 hours ago, rishii said:

What I would do

put a magwell and dot on a sig you already own and go shoot some matches

then if you really enjoy it, look to upgrade you equipment 

 

+1 for this.  Nothing wrong with the SIg AXG Scorpion. That will get you start in Carry Optics.  Shoot some matches with what you have and then you will have a better idea of what upgrade might help.  

 

[kerneldrop]

Are magwells now legal? 

[rishii]

Oops 

I got limited optics on the mind, please disregard 

[kerneldrop]

Beretta has a $300 rebate. The Beretta 92x Performance Carry is certainly sweet. I like it because it’s different. 
 

Sig P320 X5 Legion

CZ Shadow 2

Beretta 92x Performance Carry Optic

Walther PDP steel frame

Canik 
 

pick one of those and never look back. 
 

me personally, I’d go DA/SA…most likely a CGW Shadow 2, or Beretta and go have fun. The gun will out perform you. 

Edited December 25, 2023 by kerneldrop

[RJH]

If I was going to spend money, I would spend it on a 2011 and shooting limited optics.....

[kerneldrop]

15 minutes ago, RJH said:

If I was going to spend money, I would spend it on a 2011 and shooting limited optics.....

does that still have major/minor scoring? 

[RJH]

3 minutes ago, kerneldrop said:

does that still have major/minor scoring? 

 

Nope,minor only

[kerneldrop]

21 minutes ago, RJH said:

 

Nope,minor only

I’ve wondered what folks on Reddit were doing with their 2011 9mm.  That sounds like a nice division for sure. 

Edited December 25, 2023 by kerneldrop

[RJH]

4 minutes ago, kerneldrop said:

I’ve wondered what folks on Reddit were doing with their 2011 9mm.  That sounds like a nice division for sure. 

 

It is. I think it will pass carry ops in a couple of years 

[kerneldrop]

12 minutes ago, RJH said:

 

It is. I think it will pass carry ops in a couple of years 

what’s a few popular guns used in that division? I guess the choices go from the lesser expensive imports up to Atlas and such. 
 

I may have to play in production with my budget. lol 

[llamasabound]

So far I’ve shot using my unaltered CO guns. I have a few slide ride 2011s, but until LO consolidates as the more competitive division I’ll stay with one type of gun for the most part. 

[RJH]

18 minutes ago, kerneldrop said:

what’s a few popular guns used in that division? I guess the choices go from the lesser expensive imports up to Atlas and such. 
 

I may have to play in production with my budget. lol 

 

Pretty much run the gamut. I shoot limited optics for the poors and use a Springfield prodigy. The next step would probably be a bul or a staccato, then on up to Infinity. Could also use something like that sig X5 Sao gun, Beretta's Sao gun, czs Sao gun, etc. Of course you can still use all the guns that are legal in carry-ops and do some more stuff to them, but if you're going to do that probably better off to just stay in carry-ops.

 

So you can kind of use what you want, but I would assume over time a 2011 will end up being the most popular gun. It already is in my area. Just don't accidentally buy a comped or ported one lol

[RJH]

Just now, llamasabound said:

So far I’ve shot using my unaltered CO guns. I have a few slide ride 2011s, but until LO consolidates as the more competitive division I’ll stay with one type of gun for the most part. 

 

 

Gotcha.  I just wouldn't dump money into a carryops gun at this point. Limited optics is already the fourth largest division by activity and it hasn't even been around a year. If I was going to spend money it would be on something geared towards limited optics but, that's just me.

 

If I had something already legal for carry ops that didn't need any money for upgrades, I might just stay with that. Well, probably not since I have a carryops gun and went ahead and got a 2011 LOL

[Dr Mitch]

23 hours ago, iukamedic said:

I’m not meaning to start a tell me what I want thread.  Just asking for some first hand experience.  I’m old but my skill level is novice.   I had one of the original sig x5 when they came out and shot a couple USPSA events.  That has been a few years ago.  Pcc started up and shot that for a little while.  The last few years I’ve been shooting mainly service rifle but I’m going to shoot some USPSA type shoots this year because there is a club within 15 minutes from me and it has got to where I have to drive a long way to shoot service rifle.  I have an sig 320 axg scorpion and a 320 x compact that I use.   I was looking at the sig 226 x-five and man that thing is nice but that pistol is over 2000 and puts your into limited optics which is still a new class.  Thought about the 320 x5 legion and max.  I’m not wanting something I have replace barrels, etc for accuracy which is an Issue from what I’ve read about the 320 x5’s.  I saw that gray guns has a 320 pro which is a axg with a long slide, with barrel and trigger upgrade for around 1500.   Then there is the cz shadow optics ready.  Don’t find many negative review about these.  Just looking for some first hand experience with these.  I would like to have a platform to learn on that is more suited for the sport than what I have. Thanks ahead of time.  

Shadow 2, hands down.  As a novice, your skill level will take off like a rocket dry firing a DA/SA gun.  30,000 dry trigger pulls and you’ll be making DA upper A zone hits at 25 yards at speed, no prob.

[kerneldrop]

3 hours ago, Dr Mitch said:

 30,000 dry trigger pulls and you’ll be making DA upper A zone hits at 25 yards at speed, no prob.

I need to up my dry fire volume 

[motosapiens]

4 hours ago, kerneldrop said:

I need to up my dry fire volume 

lol, so does everyone. 

 

dr Mitch is right tho. I dont have any issue drawing to a 25 yr mini popper in DA. It takes me about an extra tenth of a second if the first shot is a really challenging one, but for anything easier than a 15 yard zebra, it's the same first shot time as my 2011s.

[kerneldrop]

@motosapiens - I overlooked the Limited Optics division when I was reading through the rulebook. I was going to order a CGW Shadow 2 for Carry Optics, but now I need to see if Limited Optics is a better route. Right now I have a G34. I'm unclassified and slow...so I know practice is my answer, but I don't think going to a platform that's easier to shoot better for most people is a wrong answer, even if it's premature. 

Edited December 25, 2023 by kerneldrop

[motosapiens]

4 minutes ago, kerneldrop said:

@motosapiens - I overlooked the Limited Optics division when I was reading through the rulebook. I was going to order a CGW Shadow 2 for Carry Optics, but now I need to see if Limited Optics is a better route. 

 

nothing wrong with LO. Currently CO is more popular, but I predict LO will end up bigger. Pretty much just depends on what gun you want to shoot.

[kerneldrop]

47 minutes ago, motosapiens said:

 

nothing wrong with LO. Currently CO is more popular, but I predict LO will end up bigger. Pretty much just depends on what gun you want to shoot.

 

I just meant I didn't see the LO division in the rulebook when I read it. I probably saw limited and skipped over it because I assumed it would be major scoring. 

 

My inexperience makes me unsure on what gun I want to shoot. 

I liked CO because for ~$1700 or so you're at the ceiling in terms of performance from a gun in that division. 

Production the same...

I don't know what the realizable performance differences are in 2011 within certain price points, but the prices certainly vary getting over $6k. 

I just need more competition experience.  The old sled G34 will work until then. lol 

 

Edited December 25, 2023 by kerneldrop

[iukamedic]

Thanks for all the replies.  I was thinking the difference between carry optics and limited optics was the addition of a magwell and single action use.  Im sure I’m missing something.  But anyway I appreciate the conversation and opinions.