BigH Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 This could be my last chance to buy something special. Thanks to Uncle Sammy I have some found money that the wife will let me spend and I want either an STI or similar quality pistol. I currently have a Ruger MK III with a red dot site, a CZ 75 SP-01 in 9MM, and a new XD tactical in .40. I have been shooting static and knock down steel and a couple of USPSA style practice matches. A couple of the other shooters have let me try their STI's (Edges and Tru Bores) after the matches and they are just AWESOME feeling pistols. I am trying to decide if I go the Limited route and get the STI Edge in .40 or go all out and get a race gun which would be .38 Super not .9mm Major. (Regardless of which pistol I go with i will never be able to spend this kind of money again unless I am divorced) I know the race gun would put me into the open class where I will be shooting against seasoned shooters but these guys are all pretty cool and love to help novices. The Edge with an additional 3 mags would run me about $2140 The Tru Bore with 3 mags would be $2835 (This is going to cost me a lot of shoes and handbags for the wife to keep her happy) I will tell you 3 other guns I have been researching. Dan Wesson SS in .40, SIg X-5, and the CZ 75 Champion (by buddy has this and it is a great gun but very rare around here) My question is-If you were in the same position what would you get? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uscbigdawg Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 As for shooting with experienced shooters in Open, you have experienced shooters in EVERY division. That's why we have classifications and different divisions. On to a dream gun? Frankly, I think I'd sell the XD, buy an open gun and then a ton of reloading components to practice. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Gonsalves Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Easy choice for me, a Fat Free 6" Limited Gun from Benny Hill! www.triangleshootingsports.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al503 Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 If you'd consider used keep an eye out in the classifieds. There have been some really good deals. Look for a low round count pistol from a well respected smith and it's hard to go wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
openshooter Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 I would get a new limcat open gun for sure http://www.limcat.com/Site/Welcome.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbbean Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 If money were absolutely no object, I'd go the full custom route through a good smith. For that matter, even if money is an object, a good gun built to spec by a good smith is a good investmenmt. You can also watch the classified ads here. There are some great deals on custom guns. That's where my first custom gun came from! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigH Posted August 3, 2009 Author Share Posted August 3, 2009 I do in fact reload so caliber will not be an issue. I want to mention that one of the guys in my club is an STI dealer. This is a big advantage as he has what I am looking for in stock and takes care of any issue. I would not sell the XD as I love the gun. As a matter of fact I used it yesterday in a steel match and saw plenty of jams with other brands but not the XD. The thing eats any type of ammo and never hurts my hand even after 250 rounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigH Posted August 3, 2009 Author Share Posted August 3, 2009 First-I need to change 'Money is no object' to about $3000. I do not think I can go the custom gun smith route as I live in NJ and permits are an absolute pain in the rear. Plus, many of these guys have a huge wait list. For now lets concentrate on factory built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 If money were no object, I'd buy an MP5SD, but... Really, what you need to do is decide which division you want to shoot, and go after that. I'm a race gun fanatic, so I'm a little biased. The TruBor is a solid option for a starter Open gun. Be aware that it may need some finish tuning - if you don't buy it through a dealer that performs that service, you might need to tweak things yourself, or find someone to do it (usually simple stuff - extractor/ejector adjustment, etc). If I were hunting for an Open gun, I'd buy the Brazos Pro Series 5" gun I'm shooting now*. Which Sig X-Five were you looking at? The SA X-Fives don't really have a good home in our game - they can play in L10, but that's about it. They seem like nice shooters, though. The DW .40 you can shoot in SS or in L10 (just use different mags for L10). Realize that, whatever you get, you may also need to purchase a rig to go with it - and you'll need more than 3 mags. In Open, you're going to want a 170, and at least 4 shorter mags. For Limited, you'll want at least 4 mags. For the SS or L10 type guns, you want at least 6 mags. * - fair disclosure, I'm sponsored by Brazos Custom... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BayouSlide Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Without a doubt, an STI Executive in .40 S&W tweaked by Dave Dawson...shot a buddy's last week and it was true love if I had the cash and wanted to jump to Limited. The sweetest, best handling pistol I've ever had the pleasure to shoot. Good luck with your choice Curtis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Smith Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 This is a very difficult question and it depends a lot on what you already have. If you do not currently reload, then you will find the long term cost of practice a limiting factor no matter which route you go. In that case, I would seriously consider going the limited route and spending some money on a decent reloading press. If you really want to go whole hog, then a custom open gun is going to be difficult to better. But seriously, there have been some really fine lightly used limited guns for sale here as well as a press or two. For the price of a custom open gun, you could get most everything you need (except ammo) to start shooting Limited immediately by shopping the classifieds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolex Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 CUSTOM BUILD - many gun smiths around, do a search! .9mm open STI or SV products. .40S&W limited also STI or SV products. Can't go wrog with either of these! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-Ho Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 First-I need to change 'Money is no object' to about $3000. I do not think I can go the custom gun smith route as I live in NJ and permits are an absolute pain in the rear. Plus, many of these guys have a huge wait list. For now lets concentrate on factory built. hmm I don't think $3000 would fund a move but that would be my first priority. You could get a really nice Tanfoglio limited and have Henning trick it out and still have some dinero left over. STI or SVI would be nice. Doesn't NJ have mag capacity limits? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bagdrag Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 For the parameters you specified, get a used custom open gun. If you really plan on using the STI benefit then one of their ready made open guns might not be a bad idea. As you can tell from the replies, most of the preference here is for a custom race gun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoBolo Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 If money is no object I will just get one of each. I started Limited with a CZ75 TS started Open with a Tanfo Gold Team, but I am on the STI/SV band wagon. I would get a custom Brazos Limited Gun in 40 and a custom Brazos Open gun in 38 Super Comp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezco Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Since you essentially have a Limited gun in the XD I would go with an Open gun from Dan Bedell. It will cost you just a hair over $3K, but it is worth it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 This could be my last chance to buy something special. Thanks to Uncle Sammy I have some found money that the wife will let me spend and I want either an STI or similar quality pistol. I currently have a Ruger MK III with a red dot site, a CZ 75 SP-01 in 9MM, and a new XD tactical in .40. I have been shooting static and knock down steel and a couple of USPSA style practice matches. A couple of the other shooters have let me try their STI's (Edges and Tru Bores) after the matches and they are just AWESOME feeling pistols. I am trying to decide if I go the Limited route and get the STI Edge in .40 or go all out and get a race gun which would be .38 Super not .9mm Major. (Regardless of which pistol I go with i will never be able to spend this kind of money again unless I am divorced) I know the race gun would put me into the open class where I will be shooting against seasoned shooters but these guys are all pretty cool and love to help novices. The Edge with an additional 3 mags would run me about $2140 The Tru Bore with 3 mags would be $2835 (This is going to cost me a lot of shoes and handbags for the wife to keep her happy) I will tell you 3 other guns I have been researching. Dan Wesson SS in .40, SIg X-5, and the CZ 75 Champion (by buddy has this and it is a great gun but very rare around here) My question is-If you were in the same position what would you get? Note that there are more than a few shooters running open guns that are not seasoned shooters. Some just buy one right out of the box and never look back. Someday you will look at a shooter and tell yourself that guy has no business owning such a nice gun. Trust me, you will. my point being, If you want to shoot open go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 First-I need to change 'Money is no object' to about $3000. With $3,000, I'd recommend staying away from OPEN for a while. You can get some great STI Limited guns, or great guns being sold right now, used, and keep a portion of the $3,000 for mags, ammo, etc etc - The other expenses add up, so don't drop it all on a gun - you won't have enough left over for everything else. Sounds like a fun project, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoBolo Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 I'm going to differ on this one. I have bought two used Edge's cheapest one was $1500. I have also bought and sold 5 open guns in the last year most expensive was $1650. Today on USPSA I saw a good starter open gun with mags for $1250. I'm a compulsive gun shopper and have watched the market everyday for the last year. Where is the expense, well in 38 SC its the brass, I solved that problem being an RO, got lots of it, just cost a lot of blood sweat and tears if you follow. 9 mm jacketed bullets are as cheap as 40 moly bullets. You use a little more powder but I use Accurate 7 about the same cost as WST just use 10gr instead of 4.7gr. Accurate 7 happens to work with older open guns that were built when the PF was 175 and those guns will shoot plenty fast for anything less than a Master. My cheapest open is a Briley El Presidente and it is modern with light weight slide, std barrel and EGW cone comp, lets just say it cost less than the good deal I saw today on USPSA. When you first pickup an open gun you will love how it lets you make hits, but once you start trying to go fast you will quickly learn it isn't that easy. Then you go to a match and people start asking you questions like you know something because your packing an open gun, too funny. If you can get a Limited gun I think they are just more fun to shoot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirpy Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 I agree with Brian...a 6" FF or maybe a 5" FF. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jman Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Not being a wise a$$. But if (like you) I had the CZ and/or the XD. I SERIOUSLY would take that 2-3K and buy me A PILE of ammo and the best instructor I can find. If I had to do this all over again, he!!s bells, no question. That investment will pay you back huge. And you can build on it forever. A new pistola is very cool...for a few weeks. You wont be shooting it any better than your CZ/XD, but it will be cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UW Mitch Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 For $3k I would find a good deal on a nicely used STI, a bunch of reloading components and a class or two. I have guns for every division, but I'm not a very good shooter. I enjoy my "shooter ADD" and being able to swap around all the time, but I know I "should" be spending my money on training. ~Mitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuskySig Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Which Sig X-Five were you looking at? The SA X-Fives don't really have a good home in our game - they can play in L10, but that's about it. They seem like nice shooters, though. X-Fives do shoot really well, but they can be quite a headache if the extractor isn't tuned exactly right. Too much tension, failure to feed. Too little tension, failure to extract. Perfect tension is a razor's edge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxshooter Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 If you are going to stick with the factory built gun I would also buy an STI Executive in .40 and have it tweaked by a good smith. The gun is hard chromed, has a good trigger out of the box. You can buy it and 4 mags plus a nice rig for what you have budgeted. Buy reloading components with the change and shoot the he@@ out of the gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z40acp Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 I think you need to decide what division you want to shoot in. Look at the clubs in your area, how many shooters are in the two divisions? I know we are supposed to be shooting against ourselves but competing with a bunch of friends makes it a lot more fun. How old are you or more importantly how are your eyes? If you are getting the 40 somethings and can't see the sights, Open might be the way to go. Open is more expensive. Not only initially but even for reloading. If you decide to go Limited, you could probably afford a entry level custom gun. Go with a 6". Shooters Connection has a 6" Bedell gun advertised for $2600. If you really want a factory STI get the 6" Eagle. You could use the extra money to stipple the grip and get a trigger job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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