Unclassified shooter needs help

[arizonachef]

I am a unclassified USPSA shooter with a small dilema. I really enjoy shooting the USPSA matches have shot quite a few even some big matches. I am not able to shoot has much as I want cause of work and other stuff. I inherited some nice guns when my father passed I need some opinions on what to shoot. I do reload I have a sqaure deal. I got a sti edge in .40, a glock 24 that I have not shot yet, a STI open gun in 38 super. I have shot most of my matches with a glock 22 and 35. I have enough rounds for a year of shooting for every gun. My real qustion is I guess is should I concentrate with one gun? I am not real experienced at reloading and am a little imtimidated reloading the super. My dad always said it was finicky. I would love some advice from some people here. Thank you for your time.

[Tim K]

If it were I, I'd probably stick to one gun. If you are a CCW type, I'd consider the one most similar to what you carry. If not, shoot the one you shoot best.

[arizonachef]

Yeah I got to get out and try them see which one works for me.

[Hoser]

Shoot the gun you enjoy shooting the most.

[CHA-LEE]

arizonachef> Also keep in mind that the local USPSA shooters are a wealth of virtually endless good information and help. If you are leery about reloading for the Open gun talk to some of the Open shooters that are using the same caliber. They will be able to give you all the information needed to start with a safe Open gun load that you can test out and built up if needed.

I agree with what the others have said though. Take some time to go out and shoot each gun and then decide which one works for you the best and you enjoy shooting the most. Then stick to that gun when competing. Its easier to get better at shooting when you are working with the same gun all of the time.

[motorep]

Most shooters would like to have your problem... Those are easy cartridges to reload. You said that you already have ammo loaded, so part of the equation- overall length - is already solved. The Super isn't any different from reloading than the .40, really, you just can't get load data from your usual sources. As Charlie said, just ask at the next shooter's meeting, you'll have more advice than you can handle.

[arizonachef]

sweet thanks for advice I should be out at next Aurora match I hope.

[SA Friday]

Lot of good advise so far, but ill add a little myself. I started years back in production division. If I could do it over, I would have started in limited division and stayed in it exclusively for a couple of years. It was cheaper to shoot production initially. The advantage of shooting in limited or open is you get to concentrate on the shooting more. The limited round mag divisions have more technicality in the stage breakdowns and really focuses on shooting sequence and reloads. The high mag divisions get away from that more and allows a shooter to focus more on the actual shooting skills.

I would recommend the edge or the open gun. The single action trigger is easier to learn IMO, and I'm a glock/STI guy.

[DocMedic]

I'm also with SA Friday on this one, I also started in Production division (still shooting it) But if I were to start over and had the gun right off the bat, I pick the .40 EDGE and shooting limited.

For me limited is a little more fun, as it does focus more on actual shooting were in production it's more mechanic and harder to go outside the normal routine if you want to be truely competitive.

Also I find limited having the wider range of of shooters with varous skill levels vs open and production, so you really can gauge yourself vs other people if you really wanted to. Earlier this year I started shooting my STI 9mm in Limited to break it in for 3gun, and I got to say it has been the most fun I've had shooting in USPSA matches I ever had. although going double points down makes it hard to be competitive [Tooth]. But with that said, I've never shot OPEN, and I'll be venturing there sometime next year.

[d_striker]

I started shooting USPSA, last fall, in Limited with an XDM 40 with a few modifications like a magwell and oversized mag release....Like everyone else has mentioned, not having to worry about quite as many mag changes allowed me to focus on things like safety and the shooting itself.

Shooting in Limited, I was finding that I was shooting much faster than I was capable of because in the back of my mind I knew that I had 20+ rounds in my mag.

I just shot my first match in L-10 using my exact same Limited setup. Same gun, belt, ammo, etc.... Now that I'm more comfortable running a gun through stages with safety as the primary concern, I want to focus on accuracy and faster mag changes. I had a lot of fun and I think I'm going to focus on shooting in L-10 for the next six months or so.

If I were in your situation, I would first shoot the Edge in Limited. Then I would play around in L-10 to get a taste of what shooting a stage in Production would be like, stage-planning-wise, without having to invest in another belt, mag pouches, etc. Throw in a match shooting with your Open gun somewhere in between there then figure out what you have the most fun shooting.

I'm not saying that's the definitive way to do it, it's just how I would do it. Good luck and get ready for an addiction. You definitely have a lot of fun toys to fuel it.


ETA-What division/s have you shot in already?

[arizonachef]

Yeah I know I guess its not a bad problem to have huh. I have only shot limited. All with glock 22 and 35 and a match with The STI. So it looks like my focus will be the Edge, open cause I will never be able to get an open gun again cause I would'nt want to spend the money and I have a great one in my hands. So I guess I will be unloading the Glock 22 and 24 soon enough. Hope to be able to talk with someone about the open gun stuff and some reloading soon.

[SA Friday]

Yeah I know I guess its not a bad problem to have huh. I have only shot limited. All with glock 22 and 35 and a match with The STI. So it looks like my focus will be the Edge, open cause I will never be able to get an open gun again cause I would'nt want to spend the money and I have a great one in my hands. So I guess I will be unloading the Glock 22 and 24 soon enough. Hope to be able to talk with someone about the open gun stuff and some reloading soon.

Don't be in too much of a hurry to unload the Glocks just yet. Find your path, then find your way. More than one shooter out there at prefers the glock over the 2011s.

[arizonachef]

i think i"m gonna hold on to the G 24 for now. I have never shot it and my father set it up nice and said it shot great and he was not a glock guy. Just need to find a holster for it any reconmendations.

[arizonachef]

Here is what I will be shooting soon



http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z469/arizonachef/guns/shooting002.jpg

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z469/arizonachef/guns/shooting005.jpg

[SA Friday]

i think i"m gonna hold on to the G 24 for now. I have never shot it and my father set it up nice and said it shot great and he was not a glock guy. Just need to find a holster for it any reconmendations.

CR WSM II or a Blade-Tech DOH, depending on which one suits you.

[arizonachef]

Alrighty shot all 3 guns today at the range. Not in USPSA conditionns. I shot the open gun 1st WOW that gun is cool loud, powerful and accurate loved it. I than shot the STI limited gun. Very nice very little recoil. Than the Glock 24 I like it a lot as well I shot factory ammo in the Glock so it had some punch. Overall all guns are great to shoot. I think I will do my next match with open gun. I wanna see how I shoot it in the light outside and finding the dot.

[Hannu]

If ya wanna get fast in to the sport, shoot the opengun for 1-2 years.
It will teach you alot of things you will never learn with other guns.
I would use good double hearing protection from the beginning, to keep you comfortable with muzzle blast.

Edge .40 is kinda easy to shoot, but... I see too many shooters using .40 Limited guns who do not have reasonable kind of trigger control, even they have been shooting for years... They try to fight the recoil hard, especially when they "try to go fast" - which is one of the worst mistakes ever ;)

Open gun looks like somebody built/tuned it with love [Love1]
Lots of slide lightening cuts, Infinity trigger, DK light hammer, undercut/stippled grip, ICE magwell etc.
Personally I do not like pinned grip safety and sidemount, but that is just me :) Extended mag button I would remove anyway and immediately ;)

[arizonachef]

Yeah it is built nice for sure. It was my father who passed away in September. He took no short cuts building it. I think he wanted to try side mount for his second open gun. I never shot one before so I have no comparison. It shot well. Hope to make a match soon. Maybe tomorrow.