How To Be Competetive In Standard With 9mm

[Mr Unnatural]

I'm planning to get started in IPSC this fall

ammo prices are the main expense in my budget. Only 9mm is cheap when reloading or buying factory ammo. reloading .40 is much more expensive. 9mm is about 8 euro cents and .40 about 17 eurocents (the Netherlands).

I prefer 1911 style pistols and sa trigger. Production is not my prefered division.

Question 1

What should I do?

1 starting with a 9mm hi cap. and when I reach my limits buy a .40 top end for matches.

2 start with a .40 hi cap and suffer the financial consequences.

I can be competive but where lies the breaking point? How soon do you get there.

Question 2

How to be competive with a 9mm in standard?

I know the following

When the hit factor is low, the stage is “point heavy” which means you should slow down a little and really go for all A’s. When the hit factor is very high – speed carries more importance. How much is “very high” – depends mostly on your individual shooting level.

Speed is economy of movement

On some stages targets or partly coverd by No-shoots that reduce the a zone considerably.

My accauracy is ok so are other shooting skills.

All feedback is welcome.

greetings Rick

[dirtypool40]

Welcome aboard.

What you're proposing is a slightly uphill battle, but not the end of the world.

First I would look into reloading. I would be very surprised if you couldn't get reloading .40 down close to factory 9mm prices.

Failing that get the "book of five rings" mentality and make the most of what you have and minimize your weak areas.

Shoot alphas and only alphas. The low recoil is going to lure you into wanting sexy fast splits. Don't fall for it.

Get the highest cap mag possible, probably a 20 or 21 rounder in 9mm. Look for times to skip a reload or load in a better spot. Most serious Standard guys in .40 are going to have AT LEAST an 18 rounder, if not a 19. If you can get +2 on them ou pick up a target.

Good luck, give 'em hell!!!!

Edited May 4, 2007 by dirtypool40

[Matt Cheely]

Get a 40!

I reload 40 for $90 per K. 9mm is more like $80 per K.

[al503]

I bought a limited gun in 9mm because the bullets are about $30/K cheaper than .40's. (The difference in cost for brass/powder is negligible.)

If I decide to shoot limited again, I'll shoot the 9mm in practice and for local matches but switch to the .40 for a while before any major matches.

Being scored minor in local matches is not an issue for me since I'm not that competitive with iron sights anyway.

Is there any way you could squad up with someone you know for a larger match and borrow their .40?

Edited May 4, 2007 by al503

[Nemo]

Welcome Copland!

You've alrady stated you don't like it, but I'd definitely suggest you give production a run. In IPSC production you can run with race holsters and hi-cap mags, just like standard-minor! If you play with a Tanfoglio or a CZ gun you only have to battle ONE double action trigger pull, then off to the race in single action.

If you're set on playing standard minor, go for it. I just couldn't recommend you to play with an inherent disadvantage.

My $0.02

[Mr Unnatural]

Thanks for the info

I’m impressed and at the time it takes to get some helpful reply’s.

I used to have a Tanfoglio sold it because my results with my tuned Norinco were always better in speed and accuracy. (At our range we only used single stack friendly stages because everybody shoots 1911 in .45. I was active at my fathers club, they co founded the dutch NPSA, most of them are 60 plus, no offense). This is where my choice for 1911 comes from. I was looking for an STI edge or comparable.

I do see the advantages in shooting production. I was planning not only to shoot ipsc but also some other types of matches under limited time pressure comparable to ppc. But this would force to battle two types of triggerpull.

I will have to try/test production type guns for my self before stating a definite NO to this division.

On reloading the cheapest .40 “bulletheads” are 78 euro K that is about 78*1.33 = 104 dollar.

Maybe some European shooters can help with reloading costs on .40. Since this is the bottleneck in deciding which division and what gun.

Regards,

Rick