Too many choices!

[JDBraddy]

I've always been the kind of guy that tried to make due with the cards that where delt him, and tried to do what was expected of him. Nothing stumps me, like asking me what I want. Some of the most frustrating discussions I have with my wife, is over what and where to have dinner. I started several months ago shooting L10/CDP with my old Goldcup. Then I picked up a used Caspian Open gun in .38 Supercomp. Have spent all my money lately, buying club memberships, extra mags, leather, rangebags, timer, electronic earmuffs, reloading stuff etc.... and now have both guns up an running, and am set up to load for each, and figure what I really need, is more practice/trigger time. But I just picked up a certificate for $1000 off a complete SVI gun. Whent on there website, and found myself bewildered by all the choices. Do I build a limited gun, a better open gun, or ....??? Throw in the option to shoot Highpower, or Skeet/Sporting Clays, and I don't have either the time or money to shoot everthing at this point, and don't have a clue how to choose what to concentrate on.

Edited May 30, 2007 by JDBraddy

[zhunter]

Dude, you seem confused with your dilemma, I am concerned at your inability to make a decision, so.......

I'll give ya $50 for the certificate, and give you the peace of mind you obviously are in search of.

:D

Really, there is NO bad decision when it comes to ordering a gun as long as you have a plan for the finished product, just go for it and enjoy the journey!!!

[AikiDale]

To quote a famous Enos Forums Administrator, "Pick one and Practice!"

If you already feel like there are too many choices, don't buy another choice, choose one you already have. I'd suggest the one that is the most fun now.

[Joe4d]

Assuming the Caspian runs sell the certificate and use money to buy ammo or ammo components for the Super you allready have. The miniscule advantage you pick up from a tricked out SVI will be easily surpassed by a few thousand rounds of practice with the Caspian. Also the fact you dont know what you want leads me to advise you to buy nothing but ammo and shoot what you have for at least a year. Ask questions, try a few different grip designs, look at and play with some holsters. You may find out you allready have what you want. I have been playing games and building guns for a long time, For me the perfect gun would be a 38 on a Para or Caspian widebody for open, Para framed .40 for limited.

[Flexmoney]

How is the GC holding up? Do you want to keep pouring rounds through it? SV makes some nice single-stacks. Is that something that interests you?

Do you have problems(desire) with loading 40 if you go with a Limited gun? Going Limited would mean another set of mags...dies...change-over kit for the reloader...maybe belt-holster-mag pouches...brass...powder...bullets...load development. Some folks like buying gear and getting it all together. (that is not my thing, but might be yours?)

If you have a good Caspian Open gun...all geared up...then I'd stick with that. Getting a new Open gun up to speed seems to take most people months. Meanwhile, they are so into the gun that their shooting progress suffers.

...and now have both guns up an running, and am set up to load for each, and figure what I really need, is more practice/trigger time.

As Dale said...pick one and practice.

(I'd replace the GC...give that Colt some well deserved time on the shelf.)

[JDBraddy]

How is the GC holding up? Do you want to keep pouring rounds through it? SV makes some nice single-stacks. Is that something that interests you?

Actually, I can't really think of anything I'd change on the Goldcup. I bought it back around 1988, had Wilson overhaul it in 1998. It got a trigger job, magwell, ambidexterous safety, low mount Bo-mar sights, stainless guide rod, new Wilson match barrel and bushing. It ran like a champ till last fall, I started shooting it a lot more, started doing a lot of dryfire, and wore down the grip safety, to where sometimes it wouldn't work reliably, and was affecting the trigger pull. I just took the grip safety out and filed it down with a bastard file, untill it no longer enguaged the trigger sturrip at all, then put it back in the gun leaving it deactivated. Right after that, I installed a fiberoptic front sight, experimented with some different grip pannels, and different springs, added some grip tape to the frontsrap. Unless something breaks, I don't think I'll change it. If I just wanted to blow some money on it, I'd probably remove the grip tape, add 40 LPI checkering to the frontstrap and underside of the trigger guard, then have the whole thing stripped and hard-chromed. Honestly, I hadn't really thought of retiring it.

Do you have problems(desire) with loading 40 if you go with a Limited gun? Going Limited would mean another set of mags...dies...change-over kit for the reloader...maybe belt-holster-mag pouches...brass...powder...bullets...load development. Some folks like buying gear and getting it all together. (that is not my thing, but might be yours?)

If you have a good Caspian Open gun...all geared up...then I'd stick with that. Getting a new Open gun up to speed seems to take most people months. Meanwhile, they are so into the gun that their shooting progress suffers.

I just went to .38 Supercomp, so I have no problem with going to .40S&W. The brass should be a hell of a lot cheaper. I bought the Caspian Open gun on an impulse, Id wanted to try open for a while, I knew the guy selling it, and knew it was a decent pistol. I figured it was as inexpensive a way to try open, as I'd likely ever find, the gun, C-more, four mags, including two big sticks, holster, mag-pouches, reloading stuff to include Dies, conversion kit, new brass, lead, and powder enough to make 2000rnds, load data, everything was included in the deal for $1400. He even let me shoot before I bought it. I've shot three matches with it now, and I'm the only limiting factor. I figured I'd shoot it at leas six months to a year before I rendered judgment on whether I liked open enough to invest any more in it. So farr, it's ok. I really like the magazine capacity, but the red-dot, high pressures, and extra noise from the comp doesn't turn me on the way it does some people. I'm usually not a real gear hound, but you couldn't tell it looking at my purchases over the past six months. Limited does seem like a reasonable compromise between Single Stack, and Open. It might well be where I'll eventually end up, but just didn't relish the thought of spending more money and time on another unknown this soon.

...and now have both guns up an running, and am set up to load for each, and figure what I really need, is more practice/trigger time.

As Dale said...pick one and practice.

(I'd replace the GC...give that Colt some well deserved time on the shelf.)

[45junkie]

Assuming the Caspian runs sell the certificate and use money to buy ammo or ammo components for the Super you allready have. The miniscule advantage you pick up from a tricked out SVI will be easily surpassed by a few thousand rounds of practice with the Caspian. Also the fact you dont know what you want leads me to advise you to buy nothing but ammo and shoot what you have for at least a year. Ask questions, try a few different grip designs, look at and play with some holsters. You may find out you allready have what you want. I have been playing games and building guns for a long time, For me the perfect gun would be a 38 on a Para or Caspian widebody for open, Para framed .40 for limited.

+1 In my himble opinion Joe4d hit the nail on the head. Sell the certificate and use the funds for ammo or components.

[38superman]

Everyone that has posted has given you great advice..... and I wouldn't follow any of it.

If you bought the Caspian used, there's no telling how many rounds have been through it.

It may be running okay now but open division is hard on guns and you may find that troubles may soon develop.

It's annoying to be trying to perform and all of a sudden your extractor breaks due to metal fatique, or the barrel link breaks in the middle of a match. etc. etc.

I would use the certificate, sell the caspian and buy a new open blaster.

Start fresh with a new gun and wear it out yourself.

But that's just me.

Tls

[Chuck Merriam]

If open doesn't turn you on (you would know quickly) and you like the mag capacity...then you have already decided...Limited! I shot L10 with my 1911 les baer and enjoyed the game. I decided to go to Limited and I had a big jump in my scores and fun factor. Now I have two guns and am in the process of selling what I don't shoot which is almost everything else. You can keep the 45 for CDP...especially if it runs well. Dump the caspian and get a tricked out limited sight tracker gun. Brandon at SVI will help you decide what you may want...don't go half way. The good news is you can look at other peoples guns and shoot the caspian until you feel comfortable with your choice. This forum will give you lots of opinions....but you already know what they say...trust your gut and use this place to steer clear of the traps.