Jason Goodman Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 I have been to one IPSC practice night and loved it. I want to get into the sport. I am in the process of purchasing everything I need to get started. The first thing I realized beside my shooting skills were sub-par was that my equipment was sub-par as well. I went shopping and here is what I got. I have 2 guns - a Glock 17 and a Kimber Eclipse Target II. I plan on using the Glock most of the time until I scrape up some more $$ to outfit the Kimber. I have 4 magazines for Glock. I ordered some mag bumpers, mag well, 3.5lb trigger connector, and extended mag release for the Glock. The Glock came with an extended slide release so I am all set there. I also have a CR Speed belt, Safari Land holster and mag pouches on the way. I have the Matt Burkett Vol 1-3 DVD's on the way as well. Is there anything else you would recommend? Any thing I missed that is essential? What do I need for the Kimber? What about all of the recoil parts. I have seen a ton of recoil parts on the websites I have been to. The Glock rep at the gun store said it doesn't work well and causes failure. He said to save my money. What is your take on that. Is there anything I could do to my Kimber to improve that gun for IPSC. Thanks for all your input in advance!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoMiE Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 Befor you start to purchase a bunch of equipment, you have to decide what division you want to compete in. With a G17, I would go with production. Having said that, you can't add anything to your mags, so you don't need to buy the mag bumpers. You also can't run a magwell. The 3.5# connector and extended mag release are OK. CR Speed belt is great, but make sure you get a production legal holster (duty holster which doesn't go below the ejection port by 1/4" BladeTech DOH is my recommendation). For your Kimber, you coul shoot Single Stack or L10 division. If you choose to go L10 route, you will need to get 10 round magazines. If you only have 8-rounders, stick with Single Stack. You can't use DOH holsters in SS. The only thing I did to my 1911 is add an extended/oversized mag release. Regarding the recoil springs on a Glock, I have never had a failure running a 13# ISMI recoil spring on my G34/G17s. Good luck, have fun, welcome to IPSC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wide45 Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 Stop obsessing about equipment. Buy bullets, get instruction, practice. You will be in Limited division using the Glock the way you have now. Go shoot some matches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Griffin Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 What they said; Stop! You've got plenty already, the only thing I can think of is to buy two more magazines, five is right for 10-round divisions, with one spare. A good belt, kydex holster, and mag pouches are all the equipment you will need until Master class. Seriously. I've yet to find anything that is helping me more than paying attention to what I'M doing, not what my equipment isn't. As mentioned, you've worked yourself into a corner a bit. The G17, being 9mm, can only be Minor scored. The magwell, being an external modification, can only be run in Limited, Limited-10, and Open class, where you don't want to be right now with a 9mm. Here's my advice. Put the 3.5 connector in, and the extended mag release, if you like it. Keep in mind that you can't change anything external on the gun (like sanding the sharp corners off the mag release) without making it illegal in Production. Forget the mag bumpers, you can't run them. Forget the magwell, you can't run it. Hang on to them for when you decide to shoot Lim/L10, they'll fit on a G35, which is a fine tool for those divisions. Or, for your Kimber, just get magazines (a mix of 8-rounders and 10-rounders will put you in Single Stack and Limited 10 with no disadvantages) a Kydex holster, and some Kydex mag pouches. I've had great luck with the Chip McCormick mags, I think the Wilsons are overpriced and overbuilt. Or should I say, I think the CMC mags work wonderfully, for a third the price. One thing you are missing is a good set of sights. The Glock's are terrible, the Kimber's are probably not too bad, but you'll likely benefit from a fiber optic front. Try some from Dawson, Sevigny, Warren Tactical, whoever. The stock sights are really, really bad however. Don't mess with the recoil products, you don't need them. With a bit of technique, 9mm will start to feel like a .22, I promise. I haven't really found anything for a Glock that noticeably works in .40, anyway, much less a 9. The rest of your money should be spent on ammunition. After a while, the next big step is getting into reloading, because if you get good and hooked, you'll need to save money on ammo, and that's the only way to do it. H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranDoc Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 1 - not seeking solid instruction2 - spending too much money swapping equipment around, and not on ammo and instruction 3 - making excuses for their poor performances, instead of owning it and improving it and Stop obsessing about equipment.Buy bullets, get instruction, practice. You will be in Limited division using the Glock the way you have now. Go shoot some matches. They're right. Decide what division you want to play in - probably Production where 9mm Minor is at least a level playing field - start with the rig you have (no mag well for Production), adjust as you find the NEED to as your shooting evolves. With all due respect to firearms store employees, most who give you advice don't play in USPSA/IPSC. Understand that and process the advice they give you with that in mind. This sport is a very specialized use of firearms. You'll hear lots of things that may work for gear geeks or for folks punchin' holes in paper down at the local range. It may not be 'legal' for competition. Welcome aboard. Have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Goodman Posted September 8, 2007 Author Share Posted September 8, 2007 Houngan, Aren't FO sights illegal in the production class? I think I would like to compete in production with the Glock and limited or limited 10 with the Kimber. Can I put FO sights on the Kimber and still be legal for limited or limited 10. Man, there are a lot of rules to know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranDoc Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 (edited) Man, there are a lot of rules to know! www.uspsa.org You can download the current rule book and look at some of the proposed changes for 2008. Fiber optic front sights OK in production. Edited September 8, 2007 by FranDoc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markcic Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 Houngan,Aren't FO sights illegal in the production class? I think I would like to compete in production with the Glock and limited or limited 10 with the Kimber. Can I put FO sights on the Kimber and still be legal for limited or limited 10. Man, there are a lot of rules to know! Fiber sights are legal in production. The current rule book is here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 Ammo and practice time are all you really need, Jason. The Glock and the Kimber are just fine. Get some shooting buddies that are willing to share their knowledge. Knowledge is free, it's experience that's expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxshooter Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 Get to know a good shooters in your area and shoot with them at the matches. Find out if you can join them during thier practice sessions. You will find that most people are more than willing to help you. Buy lots of bullets and practice. Ask questions and learn to do it right from the beginning so you don't have to unlearn bad habits. Have FUN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 I have been to one IPSC practice night and loved it. I want to get into the sport. I am in the process of purchasing everything I need to get started. The first thing I realized beside my shooting skills were sub-par was that my equipment was sub-par as well. I went shopping and here is what I got. I have 2 guns - a Glock 17 and a Kimber Eclipse Target II. I plan on using the Glock most of the time until I scrape up some more $$ to outfit the Kimber. I have 4 magazines for Glock. I ordered some mag bumpers, mag well, 3.5lb trigger connector, and extended mag release for the Glock. The Glock came with an extended slide release so I am all set there. I also have a CR Speed belt, Safari Land holster and mag pouches on the way. I have the Matt Burkett Vol 1-3 DVD's on the way as well. Is there anything else you would recommend? Any thing I missed that is essential? What do I need for the Kimber? What about all of the recoil parts. I have seen a ton of recoil parts on the websites I have been to. The Glock rep at the gun store said it doesn't work well and causes failure. He said to save my money. What is your take on that. Is there anything I could do to my Kimber to improve that gun for IPSC. Thanks for all your input in advance!! I didn't get to read the other responses, so some of this is probably duplication of effort. First off, you'll want a couple more mags...two or three would be good. Get rid of the extended slide stop lever and don't look back. I'm sure there are some guys/gals using them, but I've seen them cause far more problems than they're worth. With a proper grip many people tend to hit it with the support hand and it either locks the slide back early or won't let it lock back at all. You may consider better sights on it as well...you can do a search in the Glock forum and find what people are using. I like the looks of the Warren/Sevigny sights, but haven't put them on a gun yet. I'd also stay away from the "recoil reducing" gadgets. A tungsten guide rod might be helpful if you like that feel better, but anything more than that is probably a waste of money. More important for recoil control would be grip tape with a sand texture to keep your hand from slipping. I wouldn't do anything at all to the Kimber at this point. Get out there, shoot a bunch of matches, see what other people are using, try their gear and then decide how you want to set up the Kimber. You may decide that you'd rather shoot Limited than Limited-10 or Single Stack and for that you'll need a different gun entirely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulture Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 One more thing you may want to get is Steve Anderson's Book on dry firing. You will read a lot of stuff on dry firing and practice and if you don't really know what you are doing you will be unlearning bad habits. You might as well buy Brian's book Beyond fundamentals too because they both will answer a lot of questions. Use the winter to read up on all the good stuff and dry fire lots, then when spring gets here and you kick your friends backsides their wives will look at you like your Smiling Bob . P.S. get a shot timer also. You can buy the books on this site. Happy Shooting, SV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Abrahams Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 big +1 on going to matches to shoot or just watch. the equipment and rules will make more sense seeing them in action at a match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranDoc Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 (edited) big +1 on going to matches to shoot or just watch. Shoot more than you watch. You can learn a lot by watching, but the learning curve is MUCH steeper when you actually have the gun in your hand. A GM once told me that the best training was competition. When it's 'stand and deliver' time in the A-box, you suddenly realize how much more you have to learn .... And, if Steve Anderson is ever your RO, the correct answer to the seemingly conversational banter before you step into the box is "2 Alpha!" See http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...c=52978&hl= Edited September 8, 2007 by FranDoc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeryBadshot Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 big +1 on going to matches to shoot or just watch. Shoot more than you watch. You can learn a lot by watching, but the learning curve is MUCH steeper when you actually have the gun in your hand. Yeah there is no training like what happens after you hear "nod if your ready" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeryBadshot Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 Opps! And welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j1b Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 Per usual - great advice already. I like the ideas around shooting and dry firing. Competition is why we all do it, but even Tiger doesn't compete these days without swinging the club once or twice before teeing off. Dry fire is good to get the motions. Practice is great to learn the nuances of live fire. Then start shooting more matches and learning that way. Again with the golf analogy, but it's always been said it's hard to fix your swing when you're on the course. Same logic here. Hard to learn how to be accurate, and fast, and shoot on the move, and reload, and shoot prone, and shoot barrels etc. etc. all at once at a match. In terms of equipment I whole heartedly support everyone saying don't run too fast here. You've got a great production gun and a great limited 10/single stack gun pick one and just shoot for a bit. Learn what you want to do in the sport and then start buying the equipment that will get you there. J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadetree Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 I have been to one IPSC practice night and loved it. I want to get into the sport. I am in the process of purchasing everything I need to get started. The first thing I realized beside my shooting skills were sub-par was that my equipment was sub-par as well. I went shopping and here is what I got. I have 2 guns - a Glock 17 and a Kimber Eclipse Target II. I plan on using the Glock most of the time until I scrape up some more $$ to outfit the Kimber. I have 4 magazines for Glock. I ordered some mag bumpers, mag well, 3.5lb trigger connector, and extended mag release for the Glock. The Glock came with an extended slide release so I am all set there. I also have a CR Speed belt, Safari Land holster and mag pouches on the way. I have the Matt Burkett Vol 1-3 DVD's on the way as well. Is there anything else you would recommend? Any thing I missed that is essential? What do I need for the Kimber? What about all of the recoil parts. I have seen a ton of recoil parts on the websites I have been to. The Glock rep at the gun store said it doesn't work well and causes failure. He said to save my money. What is your take on that. Is there anything I could do to my Kimber to improve that gun for IPSC. Thanks for all your input in advance!! Buy a few more mags and a pile of ammo. Then shoot that glock until it disintegrates Maniacle laughing mode off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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