Billmanweh Posted July 4, 2002 Share Posted July 4, 2002 I started shooting by buying my first handgun, a SIG 226, last April. On the advice of a local instructor, soon after I picked up a Glock 17. In between, I rented and shot an HK USP, HK P7, Beretta 92, CZ 75, 1911 .45, and a Walther P99. Out of everything, I liked the Glock the best. But there's this nagging feeling in the back of my mind that there might be something better out there. **I guess I should throw in the fact that I'm a single, 34 year old commitment phobic** How can I settle on the fact that the Glock is for me and get serious about training?? I keep ogling the Wilson and Ed Brown .45's and the custom Hi-Powers, etc. I'm constantly browsing the classifieds of the gun boards looking for that magic gun. Ugh, someone help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted July 4, 2002 Share Posted July 4, 2002 Billmanweh, There may be no help for you. Sounds like you have been infected. A solid arguement could be made for any gun on your list. It comes down to what feels best for you (If, of course, the gun runs 100%). Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billmanweh Posted July 4, 2002 Author Share Posted July 4, 2002 I laugh at the guys who buy the newest, latest, greatest set of golf clubs every spring. I don't know why I can't get past the same phenomenon in shooting. It's the shooter, not the gun. (right?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcoliver Posted July 4, 2002 Share Posted July 4, 2002 Don't worry about the gun, at least you already have one. Pretty soon you'll be worrying about holsters, then sights, then other add-on parts, etc. etc. Enjoy shooting your new gun now. Then buy another one without feeling too guilty It's all part of the process. Most of us who's been bitten by the shooting bug has gone through this (or still probably is going through this. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singlestack Posted July 4, 2002 Share Posted July 4, 2002 If you find a cure, please keep it a secret. If my wife finds out about it, she would find a way to adminster it to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSeevers Posted July 4, 2002 Share Posted July 4, 2002 It is the shooter not the gun. Robbie/Todd/Jerry could pick up any of those guns and win an area, but it would be easier with a tricked out 1911. Its like a Formula 1 car. You probably could drive it at 80% but a pro could take any car and max it out. Shoot what you like. There are plenty Masters that got it with a Glock. If you saw them shoot you might chant" I am not worthy" Won't be me though. I like the 1911 and always shoot one if I can. Good luck and remember "perfect practice makes perfect" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trey Posted July 4, 2002 Share Posted July 4, 2002 IMHO, Glocks are the best deals for the money. The are accurate, reliable, and have accessories galore. Plus the mags work great and are inexpensive. You can shoot any shooting sport with them (GSSF, IPSC, IDPA, steel, etc.) and still be competitive. If a glock fits you well, shoots well for you then I encourage you to try them. I have three and I love shooting them. I do get some good natured ribbing from the guys with pretty guns and race holsters but when I win it makes up for it. (But I do ohh and ahh over their beautiful guns though) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonedaddy Posted July 4, 2002 Share Posted July 4, 2002 Billman, do you really have to "settle" on something? Be a man of the world and sample the pleasures of as many beautiful and exotic weapons as you can! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billmanweh Posted July 4, 2002 Author Share Posted July 4, 2002 Ok, you guys aren't helping here... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfinney Posted July 4, 2002 Share Posted July 4, 2002 Take a gun you already own (the Glock for example) and shoot many rounds through it (thousands) in as many matches as you can. The money you save from not buying another expensive "race" type gun can be spent on ammo. If after a couple years of hard shooting, you'll either feel so comfortable with that gun that you'll never want to switch *or* you'll feel that the gun is holding you back. THEN buy a new gun if you feel you need to. But its still fun looking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Anderson Posted July 4, 2002 Share Posted July 4, 2002 If you really want to know for sure, go to a range that rents handguns and do the exact same same drills with each gun, recording your times and accuracy with each drill. You'll need al least a hundred rounds per gun, and there should be at least ten guns in your test. However, as the others have indicated, you'd be far better served by just shooting the living daylights out of the gun you have now, and spend all that time and money getting good. Really good. Have fun, SA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted July 4, 2002 Share Posted July 4, 2002 I started shooting USPSA matches a year ago with a Glock 34 and a Glock 21. While I've always lusted after STI/SVI/Para raceguns in both limited and open trim, I decided to give it at least a year before buying anything. That gave me the financial ability to expand my reloading set-up, to join a local range so that I could practice in a pit, and to relaod and shoot much more than I could have afforded if I'd spent $2000 on a gun. I've also been able to enter more matches --- and I've learned something from every match and from every practice session. My advice ---- take your Glock and shoot. While you might be most easily competitive in Production, shoot limited minor if you want a larger pool of competitors to measure yourself against. Either way, just shoot and enjoy yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted July 5, 2002 Share Posted July 5, 2002 Well the 9mm P226 is one of my favorite handguns. You definitely started at the top. AAMOF after years of being able to shoot anything I wanted to as a gunwriter, I'd say that if I weren't competing in USPSA where there are Major advantages (pun intended) to shooting a 1911 .45 (I want to carry the same gun I shoot in matches) there's not much doubt in my mind my carry gun would be a P226. The only niggling concern I might have would be the SIG's aluminum alloy frame. True, locking and unlocking stresses when firing the SIG are imposed on the steel locking block in the frame instead of the frame itself, but still your slide to frame fit is going to loosen up eventually. A possible solution, if you wanted to buy yourself a new gun, would be to get one of the new all stainless steel SIG P226s for your match gun in IDPA and USPSA Production division, and save the lighter aluminum framed P226 for your carry gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDean Posted July 5, 2002 Share Posted July 5, 2002 Billmanweh, what is it about the Glock you like more than the other guns you've tried? Like the other guys have said, seeing how your new to the sport, it makes sense to "start" with a Glock cause it just so damn easy to go 100% sooner. By that I mean that Glocks run great outta'the box. The mechanics of the Glock design allow you to digest just about every bullet available, you don't have to worry about 90% of the gizmos that most shooters "need" for their 1911s. All you have to do is concentrate on the mechanics of your shooting. When you have confidence in your equipment, you shoot better. If you do choose a Glock, you'll do well on some stages and crash on others just like the guys with $2000 custom jobs. Very quickly you'll see that average shooters are just average shooters no matter how great the gun is. I feel that after 1.5 years now of shooting my G20 in Limited div, the only times I feel at a disadvantage are when the the local GMs show up with their SVs. These guys are so damn good that they know how to use the 1911's design to their advantage, they have mastered the art of placing accurate holes in targets in a very short amount of time. Starting around upper "A" class, you'll start to see the shooters who have the skills to extract the advantages that the 1911 platform offers. You can make A-class or Master with a Glock. Once you get to that level, you're now competing against shooters whos skill level is at a point where the slight advantage of the 1911's trigger is exploited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted July 5, 2002 Share Posted July 5, 2002 Billmanweh, Before you buy any gear, maybe you should have a clear goal for what you want out of IPSC. Carry gun proficiency? Fun hobby? Or, are you competitive and want to be numero uno? Every reason is valid and a good reason to shoot IPSC. Right now, you have chose a solid learning platform with the Glock. Other than a few accessories, you're ready to go. Or, maybe a high quality reloader to feed your current Sig might be a better purchase. I don't see a substantial disadvantage to shooting Production with the Sig over the Glock other than the fact the Sig will wear out sooner than the Glock. (Sorry, just a simple truth - that aluminum frame will crack or wear out sooner or later.) The only real reason I moved to an STI from my Glock was the 1911 platform indexes better for me, so it is less work and more fun. That's it. I still have the Glock, plan to shoot Production with it, and am pretty much ecstatically happy with how well it has performed for me. E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhgtyre Posted July 5, 2002 Share Posted July 5, 2002 I ditched my Glock 34 because it didn't work as well as my SA Loaded 1911 (which I have only added a Wilson magwell and a full length guide rod to). The Glock wouldn't eat reloads with consistancy, it was very picky about what reloaded brass it liked. And I had to shoot jacketed bullets or buy a new barrel, or so I was told. I also had zero luck finding mags that would drop free. I am not saying that Glocks are bad, or that they are a bad choice for everyone, but that is the experience I had. -jhgtyre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted July 15, 2002 Share Posted July 15, 2002 Billmanweh, Trust that what you feel/think is the best for you actually is, and just shoot the crap out of it. Doubt is good, but too much can be a disease. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billmanweh Posted July 17, 2002 Author Share Posted July 17, 2002 I really appreciate all of the responses, guys. I decided to sell my HK and SIG and stick to my Glock 17 and my SA 1911 .45. These are the two guns that I seem to shoot the best and I feel the best about. Again, thanks for the suggestions everyone. Oh, and Brian, I picked up a copy of your book so hopefully I'm headed in the right direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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