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Glock 35 Or Sti Edge


azron

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Good day all.

I have a dilema and would like some input from those who have more experience. First a little on my background. I have been shooting Bullseye for the last 4 years and am advancing in that decently. I discovered IPSC/USPSA last year and shot in 3 or 4 local matches with my box stock springfield 45.

Now for my question.

I have been trying to decide if I should buy a glock 35 and make a few modifications like trigger pull, magwell, etc or if I should just suck it up and by the STI Edge from Dawson Precision and 5 mags to go with it.

I see advantages to both. With the Glock it is cheaper and a lot of shooters seem to do well with this pistol. The STI would almost assureadly be the only pistol purchased for limited.

I am asking for opinions, keping in mind that I would be shooting limited.

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If money is not an object, get a Dawson tuned Edge. You won't be sorry.

I have both, actually......and their is an obvious difference between the two in many ways. If you are used to shooting a 1911 anyway, the 2011 is a no brainer.... of course, this is just my opinion, I could be wrong. :)

-Mike

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If money is not an object, get a Dawson tuned Edge. You won't be sorry.

I have both, actually......and their is an obvious difference between the two in many ways. If you are used to shooting a 1911 anyway, the 2011 is a no brainer.... of course, this is just my opinion, I could be wrong. :)

-Mike

That sums it up pretty well... How deep are your pockets? Keep in mind that it's not just the gun but the cost of extra magazines as well. You can get extra Glock mags for $15-20 + another $35 for Dawson or Arredondo 140mm mag extender. Total cost = $50-55 per 20 rd mag. (And you will want a few of those things)

Or you could simply buy a handful of 10rounders, invest in ammo and shoot in L-10 with your Springfield.

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As already mentioned it is up to your budget. The Glock will take you to Grand Master if you do your part. The Edge will likely get you there sooner, if you do your part. A couple of weeks ago a fellow I shoot steel with regularly shot a Glock on Smoke and Hope in a local Glock only match. He was about a third slower than shooting his 1911. Having had the opportunity to see the same Master Class shooter shoot the same stage with both platforms was most instructive.

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Hi azron. Interesting first question from a long time lurker!

Lots of times when a person asks a question like this they have already decided which blaster they want to buy and are just looking for justifcation/encouragement from the crowd. The two guns you are considering are very different. I think there are a few questions you have to ask yourself before any advise you may get here matters at all.

Like several have wondered. Is money an issue?

Will this be used solely for limited class?

Are you jumping head first in to practical shooting or just checking it out to see if you like it?

There are tons more questions you can and probably should ask yourself, but this will get you going. If money isn't an issue than the STI will be the nicer of the two. But if price doesn't matter there are lots of gunsmith build guns that are better. If you are only ever going to shoot limited than the 1911 based gun might be the choice. You'll easily notice that the top dogs in limited use basically the same format. Lastly if you are charging full steam ahead toward practical shooting the intial cost of the blaster won't be as important as getting the equipment to play. Starting slow and building up always, always cost more money. If you want to shoot and later decide if you want to lay out the big bucks the fact is you could set up the glock for about half of what you can set up the STI. Both guns you are considering are high quality so seriously consider buying used. Even a very active competitor would have to work hard to wear out one over many years. Save money where you can cause if you start doing a lot of live fire practice it gets expensive quick!

A main theme you'll read all over this forum is to find a gun that works and stop. Its a well proven fact that a box stock G35 will not hold you back in any way. It's also a well known fact that almost every modifcation you do to that G35 will magnify the possibility of a match day failure. Will it slow you down. No. Will a box stock G35 let you shoot cheap and focus entirely on technique instead of the blaster. Yes. Will you look as cool as the other guys shooting limited. No. At least not till you start flying past them on the match results!!!

Truthfully the hardest thing to accept in this game is that your equipment is not the problem. Get the one you want, make it run 100% then stop thinking about it...

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After I sold everything and took a little break from shooting I was basically in the same position as you azron. Although I have been active in practical shooting for around 6 years, I was at the same crossroad so to speak. I chose to go with the Edge. I am having it tweaked and tuned by Dawson Precision. I shot a Glock 35 for 2 years, which took me to Master. Now I am looking to shoot a gun that will anhance what I have learned. I thought, why not go all the way and get an STI. Basically the trigger was the only thing that I think was kinda holding me back. Although some people have no problem with it. I just wanted to get back to a single action style trigger. Plus money isn't the option that it once was for me. Good luck in which ever you choose and I am sure you will enjoy either platform you decide. :)

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If money is not an object, get a Dawson tuned Edge. You won't be sorry.

I have both, actually......and their is an obvious difference between the two in many ways. If you are used to shooting a 1911 anyway, the 2011 is a no brainer.... of course, this is just my opinion, I could be wrong. :)

-Mike

That sums it up pretty well... How deep are your pockets? Keep in mind that it's not just the gun but the cost of extra magazines as well. You can get extra Glock mags for $15-20 + another $35 for Dawson or Arredondo 140mm mag extender. Total cost = $50-55 per 20 rd mag. (And you will want a few of those things)

Or you could simply buy a handful of 10rounders, invest in ammo and shoot in L-10 with your Springfield.

I have no problem paying the 2500 - 3000 for the STI and mags. I already have 5 10 round mags for the springfield and have been shooting in L-10. The STI from Dawson was the way I was going to go until some of the Glock shooters suggested the G35. Aside from the STI being the same format that I am already used to, it also has a much better resale value if I for some reason decide not to shoot this game latter.

I guess the other question is .40 or .45. From watching other shooters it appears the .40 is the better option, although I have been having a blast with the 45. My observation goes something like this:

1. The shooters doing the best (winning) are using 38 super.

2. Next in line are the .40 S&W or 9mm shooters. These guys win more often and

will almost always win when the 38 supers are not present.

3. Next are those like me using the 45

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Lots of times when a person asks a question like this they have already decided which blaster they want to buy and are just looking for justifcation/encouragement from the crowd. The two guns you are considering are very different. I think there are a few questions you have to ask yourself before any advise you may get here matters at all.

Like several have wondered. Is money an issue?

Will this be used solely for limited class?

Are you jumping head first in to practical shooting or just checking it out to see if you like it?

I have truly not decided on which one of the two to purchase, but from reading the replies I am getting the idea that both are equally capable.

Money is not an issue.

Yes I believe that this will only be used for limited, ... but open does look fun :).

I used my 45 to jump in and find out if I liked practical shooting, and I do. With shooting Bullseye I have discovered that you need to buy the best equipment you can afford so that the thought that problems are do to the equipment are negated. I bought a Rock River Arms Bullseye Wadcutter for that sport to alleviate the issue there and I am looking to do kinda the same thing here.

A main theme you'll read all over this forum is to find a gun that works and stop. Its a well proven fact that a box stock G35 will not hold you back in any way. It's also a well known fact that almost every modifcation you do to that G35 will magnify the possibility of a match day failure. Will it slow you down. No. Will a box stock G35 let you shoot cheap and focus entirely on technique instead of the blaster. Yes. Will you look as cool as the other guys shooting limited. No. At least not till you start flying past them on the match results!!!

Truthfully the hardest thing to accept in this game is that your equipment is not the problem. Get the one you want, make it run 100% then stop thinking about it...

This is an initial thought that crossed my mind as well. I used the same approach in Bullseye, which is why I have 3 45's currently. So I was kinda hoping to not go that route again, but it does make a lot of sense to buy the Glock and spend the rest of the money to buy reloading supplies for the .40. I am really not worried about looking cool, I am more concerned with shooting well.

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If money is not an object, get a Dawson tuned Edge. You won't be sorry.

I have both, actually......and their is an obvious difference between the two in many ways. If you are used to shooting a 1911 anyway, the 2011 is a no brainer.... of course, this is just my opinion, I could be wrong. :)

-Mike

That sums it up pretty well... How deep are your pockets? Keep in mind that it's not just the gun but the cost of extra magazines as well. You can get extra Glock mags for $15-20 + another $35 for Dawson or Arredondo 140mm mag extender. Total cost = $50-55 per 20 rd mag. (And you will want a few of those things)

Or you could simply buy a handful of 10rounders, invest in ammo and shoot in L-10 with your Springfield.

I have no problem paying the 2500 - 3000 for the STI and mags. I already have 5 10 round mags for the springfield and have been shooting in L-10. The STI from Dawson was the way I was going to go until some of the Glock shooters suggested the G35. Aside from the STI being the same format that I am already used to, it also has a much better resale value if I for some reason decide not to shoot this game latter.

I guess the other question is .40 or .45. From watching other shooters it appears the .40 is the better option, although I have been having a blast with the 45. My observation goes something like this:

1. The shooters doing the best (winning) are using 38 super.

2. Next in line are the .40 S&W or 9mm shooters. These guys win more often and

will almost always win when the 38 supers are not present.

3. Next are those like me using the 45

Ah, that's a much easier question.

Open class - .38 super

Lim - .40

Lim10 - .40 or .45, your choice

Single Stack .40 or .45, your choice

Production - 9mm

In Open and Limited, magazine capacity will be the determining factor; .45 can't really be competitive due to magazine restrictions. In Limited, you can't shoot under .40 and still have major, so .40 is the best compromise between capacity and major scoring.

In Limited 10 or Single Stack, since the magazine capacity is limited by the rules, it's your choice.

In Production there is no major scoring, so there's no point in having the extra recoil of a major load. Many folks still shoot downloaded .40, but for factory ammo, 9mm is the way to go.

Finally, as far as winning goes, the .38 super guys aren't actually competing against anyone but themselves. Sure, they have the best scores of the match, but that's because they have 28 round magazines, dot sights, and compensators. Your .45 will be competitive in Lim10 and Single Stack, and you will win amongst the same class. You will, however, never beat the equivalent Open guns, simply because that isn't how it works. The fastest NASCAR driver can't beat a similar Formula driver, but the platforms aren't meant to compete.

H.

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I'd go with the STI for sure. I really like my G35 Limited gun, but it's a pain getting reliable mags that hold 20 rounds (19 is easy), and everything you do to tweak the gun reduces its reliability (I have to use federal primers). The gun is also very light, which takes away some stability that I personally like compared to my heavy Para.

IMHO the G35 is a solid option that's less expensive, but you will be giving up some "shootability" if you go that route.

I'm sure M/GM shooters might not have these problems, but I think you'd be happier with the STI.

My wife shoots my G35 with minor loads and loves the gun. However if I offered her my Para...she'd take it.

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After I sold everything and took a little break from shooting I was basically in the same position as you azron. Although I have been active in practical shooting for around 6 years, I was at the same crossroad so to speak. I chose to go with the Edge. I am having it tweaked and tuned by Dawson Precision. I shot a Glock 35 for 2 years, which took me to Master. Now I am looking to shoot a gun that will anhance what I have learned. I thought, why not go all the way and get an STI. Basically the trigger was the only thing that I think was kinda holding me back. Although some people have no problem with it. I just wanted to get back to a single action style trigger. Plus money isn't the option that it once was for me. Good luck in which ever you choose and I am sure you will enjoy either platform you decide. :)

You gotta hate it when the Glock is holdin ya back... all the way to Master... :lol:

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I'd go with the STI for sure. I really like my G35 Limited gun, but it's a pain getting reliable mags that hold 20 rounds (19 is easy), and everything you do to tweak the gun reduces its reliability (I have to use federal primers). The gun is also very light, which takes away some stability that I personally like compared to my heavy Para.

The mods I would be thinking of are 3.5 lb disconnector and replace the trigger and guide rod. Do these mods make the gun less reliable? I would also replace the sights. Now a mag 19 rounds would be fine with me as it would still mean less reloads than the 10 rounders for the 45.

IMHO the G35 is a solid option that's less expensive, but you will be giving up some "shootability" if you go that route

I think I understand what you mean here. Basically it sounds like you are saying that the STI can do more in shooting than the Glock can. In other words the Glock will work but its limits are reached sooner or easier.

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Go to the local club... try to try them both out?

Maybe one will just fell right for you, and you'll know which one you'll want to go with.

I am going to get as close as I can to that. The nearest range that rents is 45 minutes away, they have the Glock but of course no STI.

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I'd go with the STI for sure. I really like my G35 Limited gun, but it's a pain getting reliable mags that hold 20 rounds (19 is easy), and everything you do to tweak the gun reduces its reliability (I have to use federal primers). The gun is also very light, which takes away some stability that I personally like compared to my heavy Para.

The mods I would be thinking of are 3.5 lb disconnector and replace the trigger and guide rod. Do these mods make the gun less reliable? I would also replace the sights. Now a mag 19 rounds would be fine with me as it would still mean less reloads than the 10 rounders for the 45.

IMHO the G35 is a solid option that's less expensive, but you will be giving up some "shootability" if you go that route

I think I understand what you mean here. Basically it sounds like you are saying that the STI can do more in shooting than the Glock can. In other words the Glock will work but its limits are reached sooner or easier.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here, at the risk of annoying those with more knowledge and experience. I disagree with the last two sentences. Following is my opinion (/putting on body armor) based upon some personal observations at my club matches...

The STI doesn't "do more in shooting than the Glock can"... the STI has some superior handling characteristics (that great uber-trigger, more weight in the frame to absorb recoil, etc.) that allow users to achieve competence with less time and effort. However, a dedicated and committed Glock operator can still achieve high competence through rigorous practice (e.g Sevigny, Flex, et al). To say the Glock reaches its limits sooner or easier is the opposite of how I perceive things... the Glock reaches its limits later and with more effort and time.

In other words, the trade-off comes down to economics... money versus time... The STI will cost more in capital outlay, but may save you time and practice to get to the desired accuracy & speed you want. If you get the Glock, your initial capital outlay will be much lower... but you will need more time and practice to achieve the same performance.

If you can comfortably afford it, the S_I is a great way to go.

Edited by big_kahuna
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This discussion has been great and is helping me in making the decision a great deal. I would like to thank you all for that.

Let me add this into the mix. The ranges around here do not allow drawing from a holster and movement when shooting unless it is during a match, so the only time I get to do the full action is when I shoot the local club matches. In my area of Wisconsin that amounts to 8 - 16 matches available per year within an hour and a half drive. On a weekly basis I get to the range once or twice for live fire and the rest of the time is dry fire. In your opinion would the STI be advisable with this amount of training/practice.

I know you have to practice as much as possible and I do, but I am also split between 2 shooting disciplines and have to practice for both, thus the practice time is cut in half.

After I go and shoot a Glock next Friday I will know if that platform even works for me, so I guess until then it really doesn't pay to make up my mind.

Thanks y'all for the help clearing my muddled head.

Bob.

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Let me add this into the mix. The ranges around here do not allow drawing from a holster and movement when shooting unless it is during a match, so the only time I get to do the full action is when I shoot the local club matches. In my area of Wisconsin that amounts to 8 - 16 matches available per year within an hour and a half drive. On a weekly basis I get to the range once or twice for live fire and the rest of the time is dry fire. In your opinion would the STI be advisable with this amount of training/practice.

I know you have to practice as much as possible and I do, but I am also split between 2 shooting disciplines and have to practice for both, thus the practice time is cut in half.

Bob.

Hmmm... two issues here...

LIMITED ACCESS TO LIVEFIRE: IMHO your limited access to livefire/movement practice is not nearly as big a deal as it seems. Dryfire is where you get most of your practice mileage, rangeday/gameday is when you relax and "let it happen". If you can practice movement/dryfiring/reloading/malfunction-drills at home or on your property, you should be fine with either gun.

SPLITTING TOTAL TRAINING TIME BETWEEN TWO DISCIPLINES: Make sure to set realistic expectations. Practice as much as your schedule allows, and accept the performance level that comes out. At my club, some folks don't practice at all... while others are dry-practicing 1-2 hours per night and livefiring 300-500+ rounds per week. Everyone's quantity/quality of practice will show itself on gameday (and the cheatin' practicers usually place higher than the rest :lol: ). Be kind to yourself and enjoy the journey (keep it fun). And, to answer your question, the STI will probably be better for this kind of time constraint.

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Hmmm... two issues here...

LIMITED ACCESS TO LIVEFIRE: IMHO your limited access to livefire/movement practice is not nearly as big a deal as it seems. Dryfire is where you get most of your practice mileage, rangeday/gameday is when you relax and "let it happen". If you can practice movement/dryfiring/reloading/malfunction-drills at home or on your property, you should be fine with either gun.

SPLITTING TOTAL TRAINING TIME BETWEEN TWO DISCIPLINES: Make sure to set realistic expectations. Practice as much as your schedule allows, and accept the performance level that comes out. At my club, some folks don't practice at all... while others are dry-practicing 1-2 hours per night and livefiring 300-500+ rounds per week. Everyone's quantity/quality of practice will show itself on gameday (and the cheatin' practicers usually place higher than the rest :lol: ). Be kind to yourself and enjoy the journey (keep it fun). And, to answer your question, the STI will probably be better for this kind of time constraint.

I appreciate the input and that is what I was hoping to hear that dry fire is more important.

I have decided to hold off on the purchase of a pistol till after the end of next season. My thinking is this.

1. Get some work done on the Springfield 45 - Trigger job, adjustable sights.

2. Practice all winter long

3. Shoot the 45 next season and try to become more comfortable with the game.

Then next year at this time by an STI if needed.

Does that make any sense?

All this way just to come to stick with what you have. :blink:

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Holding off is always a wise choice. I shot a .45 Les baer in Lim 10 for a year or two. But I passed up a great buy on a custom STI, thinking it wasn't time to make the jump. I could have saved a ton of money! When I did get my first Edge...my shooting took off. Before you turn the .45 into a gun you will never get your money out of, (trust me) save the cash and wait for a deal to come your way.

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