Who Competes With Their Carry Gear?

[mattbeck]

I'm just wondering how many people compete with the gear they carry. I for one don't. This year, I have shot one club match and one course of fire with the guns I routinely carry.

[Brazos SC Shooter]

I do. HK USP Full size .40SW. I also use my carry holster and mag pouch.

Here is my rig. I have thought about using a Kydex rig for competition but I have found that my draw times are that much slower with my leather rig now that it is broken in.

[iainmcphersn]

I do.

I shoot SSP in IPDA and Production in USPSA with my Kytac holster (see avatar). This and a beat up Fobus double mag carrier. I add a BladeTech double carrier when shooting USPSA.

I tuck my shirt in when shooting production as well, but pull it back out to cover after the match.

[dirtypool40]

I shot and won with my actual carry gear at the "Sunshine State Games" in 01 or 02. Leather IWB, short .40 VIP. Damn I am sorry I sold that gun.

I started competing in IDPA right out of the Police Academy and shot my "duty rig" for several months while I waited for "carry" gear.

Since then, I've come to accept IDPA as a game, and I shoot gear that is well within the rules, but not usually my real every day carry gear.

[Steve Moneypenny]

Though i don't compete with my carry guns, my CCW guns are very similar to the guns i compete with pointing the same and having the same type of trigger.

[banjobart]

Once a year at a BUG gun match.

[RifleShooter]

I shoot my Glock 19 carry gun, out of my Ready Tactical IWB holster, with a pair of Ready Tactical IWB mag holders. I don't normally carry using my 5.11 vest, but other than that, yes, I shoot what I carry. At some point I will decide that I am more interested in competing than in practicing with the carry gear, and I will change the holster and mag pouches, but I suspect that for IDPA I will always shoot my carry gun.

[dcloudy777]

I would, but there's really no place for the 10mm since they made CDP for .45ACP only. I could shoot in enhaced, and have a few times, but to compete with the mouseguns would require ammo so light I'd have a tough time making the gun run. Besides, with ammo that much lighter than the real stuff, shooting the "street gun" would be of limited training value anyway. Bummer

[Mayonaise]

I've shot every match this year using carry gear. I've had a lot more fun and to be honest It's nice arriving and leaving only having to change from carry ammo to training ammo and back.

[RickB]

I shot the '05 season, including two sanctioned matches, with my Detonics Combat Master, drawn from IWB, and loaded 7+1. My scores certainly suffered, but it was a good experience, revealing shortcomings in both the gun and me. I've gone back to a 5" gun and 8-round mags for matches, but feel a lot more confident with my carry gear in the real world.

[Wakal]

I can't.

My carry gun has to be downloaded by 8 rounds from its "true ready" configuration and my favorite "every day carry" holster is illegal

IDPA is just a game, not a test of real weapons and equipment

Alex

[tnpyeron3]

I can carry what I shoot in IDPA, but I don't. The warm VA weather makes them kind of hard to conceal effectively.

My carry gun is a Ruger SP101, and shooting that in Revo division would be a real disadvantage.

[revchuck]

I do. 4" K frame and IWB or OWB, depending on which pants I'm wearing (the waists are shrinking). I occasionally switch to a bottomfeeder of some description. Currently a speedloader and a speedstrip for the revolver, two spare mags for 1911s and one for other autos.

[vincent]

Hardly anyone I know shoots their primary carry gun as their primay IDPA gun. Same goes for holster, magazine carriers and concealment garment.

Winning the game quickly becomes more important than practicing with carry gear.

[baa]

I can't compete with my carry gear as my holster is illegal for IDPA competition and my favorite carry gun is too heavy (1911) So, I use my gamer gear which is rules legal... Makes sense, no?

[tightloop]

+1 Vincent

Practice with your real carry gear so you are proficient,but workout with your match gear...the better to kick butt...it IS just a game, so play it with the most efficient game pieces you are allowed....

Remember, the mouse .22 in your pocket is better than the .45 at home in your drawer....

[et45]

I don't,A 642 in a pocket holster just ain't 'Tactikrishna'enough

[Fireant]

Well, I do now. A 5" STI Eagle in .40. Ready Tac holster. I'm even using the same ammo. I just load back up to 17 rounds when I leave.

[Shawn Knight]

I carry one of my 2 XD9 5" guns. I thought about both but it is just a little uncomfy.

[Glock_Master]

I shoot my G22 and 35 typically in IDPA and IPSC matches, however this year I did start using my G27. I found that I could consistantly beat my G22 times by 10 to 20 seconds when I shot my G27 at the same match. (Yikes)

I think it's very important to "test" yourself at a match with the gun you carry. It lets you know where you stand with your carry gun in heart pumping situations like IDPA.

It is also a good place to work out any kinks you have with grip, recoil and sight picture before you end up in a real life situation.

Knowing ahead of time how you and your carry gun will react together is powerfull information.

Glock_Master

[Duane Thomas]

I do. My carry gun is a Glock 34. I shoot IDPA with my everyday carry gear, a Blade-Tech Standard Belt Holster and Blade-Tech double mag pouch. In the near future my carry/IDPA gun will probably change to a full-size 1911, also with a Blade-Tech SBH and double mag pouch.

[Joe D]

When I lived in Atlanta I would on occasion shoot my G23 at an indoor IDPA match.

[sgtis108]

When I started shooting IDPA it was with my glock 23, my carry gun. Then I deceided to be competitive and bought a 17, then a 34.

Funny thing, now the 34 is my carry gun. I should have statred there. I read to many magazine articles, Entitled "The ultimate carry gun" showing a compact or sub compact.

SGT

[Keith]

In the past I have shot the bigger, more competitive guns, in IDPA.

I've only shot 4 IDPA matches so far this year but for three of them I have used one of my summer carry guns which is a Kahr PM9 along with the Blade-Tech IWB holster that I use for carry. The only difference is I use all 8 round mags for competition instead of the 6 round mag that I use for carry.

For the next match I shoot I plan on using the Glock 39, or 38, that I use for cold weather carry. I may use 10 round mags just to stay competitive, though.

[ken hebert]

Well, every once in a while I'll actually shoot my daily carry, a P229 .40 S&W, w/ a Galco concealable. But to be fair and honest, my favorite shooting buddy and I usually agree on what we will shoot for the next match, trying to coordinate our guns so we will be competing as close to each other as possible. We find it is very entertaining for us to keep the gear close so we are really just shooting against each other.

One of these days I will have to get agressive about my wheelgun shooting so Ed and I can bring "Revchuck" in on the action!