Open Glock

[Garrett]

I'm toying with the idea of building an Open Glock.  This would primairly be for GSSF matches, but I might use it in USPSA once in a while just for funs.  

For GSSF, there is no power factor, and you are limited to 10 rounds in the mag, so capacity isn't an issue.  I am trying to decide which would work better, a light load that doesn't have much recoil, or a heavier load that would work the comp better.  Some of this would determine which gun to build.  I currently have a G17-9mm, G35-.40, G22-.40, and a G20-10mm.  

I would think the 10mm would run the comp most efficiently.  But I could build a 9mm with a soft load, or possibly look at loads approaching major PF.

Any thoughts on this?

[ErikW]

9x19

You don't need to go all out on GSSF guns. Honestly, I think a dot sight on a stock 17 is competitive. OK, maybe with trigger work for most people. Hell, I took a third in Unlimited Master recently with an out-of-the-box 17.

But you need to decide if you want to build a GSSF gun to shoot USPSA occassionally, or a USPSA gun to shoot GSSF occassionally.

A heavy comp on an Open gun is not going to be the hot ticket with lighter loads in GSSF.

[Flexmoney]

But you need to decide if you want to build a GSSF gun to shoot USPSA occassionally, or a USPSA gun to shoot GSSF occassionally.

I am with Erik.  

If you build for GSSF, it won't be very competitive in USPSA (against the tuned 1911's).  A USPSA Open gun ought to have/do a few things:

1.  Capacity  

2.  Major Power Factor

3.  Shoot flat  (comp and porting that do the trick)

If you can make an Open Glock that will be competitive in USPSA, then it ought to serve well enough in GSSF.

(I have an Open Glock in the works...)

[38supPat]

I haven't seen an Open Glock in years...probably since '91-'92 (back then the scopes were only just starting to get popular) 19 round / 9x21 with 3 chamber comp and BoMars  was just the ticket...I was going to build one then but built a P-9 instead.

It should work very well, but I don't find that Glocks like light loads. So a stiff 124/125 or 130/135 gr load (a bit less than IPSC loads) should work well.

(Edited by Pat Harrison at 1:41 pm on Dec. 2, 2002)

[Carlos]

Pat is right about glocks and light loads - you could lighten the spring but flirt w/ disaster (see Dale Rhea's articles on Glock triggers - may be over on http://www.glocktalk.com). However, if you can get it to work, I think a 90 grain bullet might be just the ticket in GSSF - you could not use it in USPSA  (115grn limit) or IPSC (120 something limit) but GSSF appears open to gaming.  Of course, its a series designed for causual competitors so extreme gaming may not be in "the spirit".  Then again, if open class is not about modification and "gaming", what class is??