Anyone Strugle With....

[Rockclimbg]

Anyone struggle with wanting to shoot your carry gun but also wanting to be as competitive as possible? Let me address this more specifically before anyone chimes in and says, "just practice more with your carry gun and it won't matter." I've committed a great deal of time and effort to getting better with a Glock 19 and I'm shooting it better than I ever have, however, after not picking up my G35 in 5 months, I'm able to out shoot the G19 easily.

The only additions to the G35 at this point are Dawson Fiber optic Front sight,Heinie rear and a metal guide rod. More than anything, the long sight radius and the fiber optic make a big difference for me. The heavier bullets (180's vs 147's), even when shooting minor .40 also seem to knock down steel a lot faster which is handy when steel is obstructing additional steel targets in a match.

So I'm torn between wanting to perform as good as possible in a match and wanting to be more proficient with my carry gear. Is this an issue for anyone else? If so, how did you resolve it?

Thanks for any replies,

Rockclimbg.

P.S.: MODS, sorry if this is posted in the wrong forum, wasn't sure where it would fit.

Edited March 20, 2006 by Rockclimbg

[Bruce]

Have thought about the same topic. The gun I carry most is a 1911 in 10mm. I love to shoot it, but since I don't relaod the 10mm it is not exactly a gamer gun. I plan to shoot it in an upcoming USPSA match though...more because I enjoy the pistol than because it (or I) will be competitive.

Basically, on a thread I started several weeks ago about being competitive, the posters really convinced me to do what I can anyway now, just shoot when possible for fun. I am looking forward to it!

[Chris Keen]

That is always a dilemma in my mind. I just shot my 1st IDPA match today and shot my G19. Didnt do as well as I had thought I would. I normally shoot a 17 in USPSA and kick butt with said Glock. But I came within 4 seconds of making Expert in SSP. I wasnt sure what I could or couldn't use. And I had some ammunition feed issues with the 19.

I think the extra weight of your 35 has allot to do with helping control recoil, and the fiber optic sight is a big advantage too.

Glocks feel so similar to each other, especially from a 35 to a 19 .... that I dont notice much of a difference when I carry my 19. Other than 'reliability proving' you dont need to shoot your 19 on a regular basis to be good with it in a stressful situation. It's just another Glock IMHO. Shoot what you will be competative with, carry something similar, and you should do well with either.

Edited March 20, 2006 by C.Keen

[ima45dv8]

I think Chris covered it pretty well. As long as it's the same manual of arms for your match gun and your carry piece, I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

[uscbigdawg]

I had a similar concern when I started shooting the couple of IDPA matches that I shot, but kind of in reverse. My carry gun, was my first Limited gun. Singlestack 1911 in .45 w/ 8 round mags, Bo-Mar's, etc. Well, I do have a G23, that I like to keep as an ankle gun, but in the end chose the 1911 for my familiarity with it and frankly 'cause you can usually find it on me, or in the console of my truck.

I guess what I'm saying is, and admittedly not knowing the rules to IDPA that well, shoot the occasional match with your G35. Why not? If you need a reason, how about at any given moment, you need to be proficient with ALL your firearms? Just a thought.

SPC Richard A. White, Senior Medic

249th MP Detachment (EACF)

Camp Humphreys, ROK

[jkelly]

Anyone struggle with wanting to shoot your carry gun but also wanting to be as competitive as possible?---Rockclimbg

If you are worried that you haven’t spent enough time with your carry gun then by all means shoot it until you feel you have. But, if you are worried that you are breaking some taboo by not shooting your carry gun in IDPA, well then that’s a dilemma.

To me IDPA is a business/game/competition, nothing more, that lets me shoot guns that I might not take the time to shoot otherwise. There is just something nice about being able to select a gun to compete with based on the desire just to shoot that gun.

Respectfully,

jkelly

[tightloop]

If you are a competitive shooter, you are already probably better than 95 % of the persons in the US, either good guys or bad...so keep shooting competition and then go to the range and shoot enough to keep your hand in with the carry piece..

[Bones]

The "struggle" is self-induced and therefore self-correcting.

Match your equipment and skills to your goals and expectations.

You can make Master and win Division titles with carry guns/equipment.

As I have said before, you cannot gadget your way to Master and the monochromatic levatating torsos do not shoot back.

The rest is up to you.

Best Regards,

Craig

Edited March 20, 2006 by Bones

[freeidaho]

Anyone struggle with wanting to shoot your carry gun but also wanting to be as competitive as possible?

Rockclimbg.

Another option is to change your carry gun to the 35. Do you really want to be less fast and accurate if you your life depends on it? I don't mean to start a "thing" but that is the question I asked myself.

I went the same route back in 2000. Carried an officers model until I started shooting IDPA. Found out how much easier it is to shoot faster and more accurately with a full sized. So I made changes to my wardrobe and holster and started carrying the full sized IWB winter and summer. The officers model has hardly been out of the safe since then, but I'm going to get to use it this month in a BUG match.

Just a thought....

Ken Reed

[R/T Performance]

I have the same problem.I shoot a tactical 5" xd with a 2.5# trigger for uspsa.

Carry a XD sub compact 3" everyday with a 4# trigger.

I shoot both well .controls are alike but I may see if I can start to shoot matchs twice since uspsa doesn't offer bug or concealment options. Like idpa wish I could find a place shooting idpa around here so far the nearest place is 1 1/2 to 2 hours away

[revchuck]

I don't really see it as being an issue. What you might want to try is change your carry gun so it more closely resembles your 35 - replicating the 35's sights on the 19 would be a good idea. (The steel guide rod would move you from SSP to ESP, IIRC.) I don't know which FO sights are more rugged, since I've never used them.

I've gone a similar route to Ken's. I prefer revolvers, and carry four inch versions because they're easier to shoot. I occasionally switch back and forth on calibers and frame sizes and sights, but they all run the same, and the gun and spare ammo are always in the same place.

FWIW, the 35 and the full size 1911 are almost the exact same height and length. Few people fuss about concealing a 5" 1911. You might want to consider switching to the 35 as a carry gun.

[R/T Performance]

If you want fibers for a carry gun Tru-glow tfo's are the way to go.

Tough and very bright

[Rockclimbg]

Another option is to change your carry gun to the 35. Do you really want to be less fast and accurate if you your life depends on it? I don't mean to start a "thing" but that is the question I asked myself.

Ken Reed

That's really the bottom line. I guess the thing to take from IDPA or IPSC is to see what you can do best with under a little "stress" of the clock and tailor your carry gear towards that.

The funny thing is that the difference is really minor. Maybe .05-.15 in the splits depending on the distance of the shot. Although it is a lot more effort to hit longer range targets with the G19, even that difference is probably more of a training issue. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I'm thinking that the biggest problem I've run into is the knocking down of steel. It seems to take forever and day for steel to fall when shooting minor. Again, this is only really an issue if the steel is obstructing other targets, which seemed to be a popular theme last season.

As for "gadgeting" my way to master....that really isn't the question, I can qualify "master" in IDPA and mid to upper B class in IPSC. (note:The fact that I'm shooting B class in IPSC and Master class in IDPA is a sign that IDPA needs to rethink how they classify because I'm certainly not a "Master" but that's another issue.) The real issue is just finding the balance between what is reasonable to carry without being un-competitive.

Thanks for all the great replies.

[Practical Use]

I Carry a Glock (a 23 or a 26), and shoot a 5" 1911 in IDPA matches.

I Carry a 1911 (Colt CCO - Officer frame, Commander top end), and shoot a Glock (34, the 23, and the 26) in IDPA Matches.

I shoot both the Glock 34 and the full size 1911 in IPSC, as well as a wide body 1911 some of the time.

What dilemma?

Have fun with all of them.

That said, there is a little voice that once in a while says, "carry and shoot the same gun all the time."

So, I tried it. Not as much fun. I like fun. What dilemma?

[Ted Murphy]

I try to shoot every couple of matches with my J frame. Other than that, whatever gun I'm playing with in IDPA I'm usually carrying, though I don't carry the N frames as often as my K's.

if I had the money to have say, a Glock 34 that was all tricked out I would not feel bad about carrying a 17 and shooting a 34. I can't stand the extended slide release and mag release on the 34, so would replace them with standard ones anyway.

Then again, my carry 17 has a pretty gamey trigger on it already.

Ted

[vincent]

I think this is a pretty common thing. Another common thing is for folks to show up with their carry gear and after shooting it in a few matches, they realize that their chosen gear doesn't work well. IDPA/USPSA is a great proving grounds for gear and your skill with that gear.

In the end it all comes down to what you are trying to get out of the game. Are you trying to win the match or trying to get some repetitions with your carry gear?

Like Ken said you can always use the knowledge to start carrying what you determine to work for you the best in matches. That's often a good idea (within reason).

Edited March 21, 2006 by vincent

[RickB]

I shot my carry gear throughout '05, and found out just how limiting it can be, in terms of match performance. In '04, I shot ESP with a 5" .38 Super, drawn from kydex, and finished most of the local matches in the top five overall, with attendance in the 40-50 shooter range. I finished second OA in ESP at our state match. In '05, shooting my Detonics with 7-round mags, drawn from IWB leather, in CDP, I usually finished in the middle of Sharpshooter class, and at the two state matches I shot, finished in about the same place. Shooting the little gun was more a desire to prove the gun and my ability to shoot it, since I hadn't really done much of either. Now that I'm satisfied that the gun works, and I can hit some things with it, I'll be going back to a full-size match gun.

[Mayonaise]

This year I'm shooting all carry gear except when I'm playing around in SSR.

[the duck of death]

I've carried a big uncomfortable gun for years (1911, SW 4536, G23, G17) and haven't used it for SD, I'm going to get a G26. I'll still shoot the G17 in competition.

Using the arm for SD is only 1/3 of the equation, you have to carry it and also conceal it.