Best pistol and/or cal for IPSC

[BC Mike]

I have a great Kimber TC II .45 with magwell. I'm looking at getting my black badge and trying IPSC for fun and not to be seriously competetive. Is my pistol going to serve me well if I use slightly less than full house factory loads for that application? I'm looking at a couple of other guns in 9mm or .40 cal. If I were to do that what would you recommend?
Mike

 

[PeterPan]

Any gun is good as long as the shooter know how to use it.

If you intended to shoot Standard, it is a good gun, but ammo is expensive, .45ACP brass hard to find, so just for that reason I will move to .40S&W, or make it even easier and buy 9mm pistol and shoot production.
Production is probably the cheapest to shoot.

 

[beltfed]

If you're out to have fun and not be at the mercy of a competitive advantage, buy a gun you really like to shoot, and use it in whatever division it is lumped in. It isn't un-natural though, to want to excel, and you may find yourself wanting for another gun, and all the high-speed IPSC specific gear to go along with it. All the divisions are gamey, with Production being the least gamey (in respect to cost of gear and firearm modifications) IMHO.

Competing with your Kimber would put you in Standard. If you like your Kimber, go forth and shoot it.
Popular thought on a .45 is to be aiming for shooting 'major' in Standard. Minimum major Power Factor is 170, and assuming you are using 230gr. ball, you can decrease your velocity to around 740 fps. Depending on your pistol, this may be near on factory loads.
PF= Bullet Weight (grains) x Average Velocity (FPS) divided by 1000.
You could shoot a .40S&W in major, but a 9mm would bump you to minor.
Minor scoring is less adventageous in Standard division. (less score for peripheral hits on paper targets)

All scoring in Production division is scored as minor, regardless of caliber, making 9mm the prefered caliber of choice.

I'd recommend taking the BB, and start shooting with the Kimber you have.
Get a feel for the game, then go out and try a few other pistols once you have an idea of where you want to be in the sport.

 

[pitdogboy]

I started in Prod. Class with a Glock 22. The ammo is downloaded to make it nice a controllable.

Beltfeds advice is sound imho. I did the BB with 1911s(I broke them both) and swore that day that I was born to be a production shooter

Enjoy!

 

[Dragoon]

.....with Production being the least gamey (in respect to cost of gear and firearm modifications) IMHO.

You've got to be kidding.......right now, Production Division is the biggest equipment race in IPSC! (SP01, Tanfolglio, SiG X-Five Allround)

 

[BC Mike]

If you're out to have fun and not be at the mercy of a competitive advantage, buy a gun you really like to shoot, and use it in whatever division it is lumped in. It isn't un-natural though, to want to excel, and you may find yourself wanting for another gun, and all the high-speed IPSC specific gear to go along with it. All the divisions are gamey, with Production being the least gamey (in respect to cost of gear and firearm modifications) IMHO.

Competing with your Kimber would put you in Standard. If you like your Kimber, go forth and shoot it.
Popular thought on a .45 is to be aiming for shooting 'major' in Standard. Minimum major Power Factor is 170, and assuming you are using 230gr. ball, you can decrease your velocity to around 740 fps. Depending on your pistol, this may be near on factory loads.
PF= Bullet Weight (grains) x Average Velocity (FPS) divided by 1000.
You could shoot a .40S&W in major, but a 9mm would bump you to minor.
Minor scoring is less adventageous in Standard division. (less score for peripheral hits on paper targets)

All scoring in Production division is scored as minor, regardless of caliber, making 9mm the prefered caliber of choice.

I'd recommend taking the BB, and start shooting with the Kimber you have.
Get a feel for the game, then go out and try a few other pistols once you have an idea of where you want to be in the sport.

Great info re power factors etc. Thanks,
M

 

[RUPZUK]

Beltfed pretty much nailed it for you .
I'd hold out on buying anything new , way to easy to buy the wrong gun .
And with what you have now , give it a whirl , you may want to keep what you have .

 

[BC Mike]

Beltfed pretty much nailed it for you .
I'd hold out on buying anything new , way to easy to buy the wrong gun .
And with what you have now , give it a whirl , you may want to keep what you have .

Exactly. I've been eyeing up everything from STI to the Tang Limited Custom and the Jarret Para. I'd do better to actually try IPSC first before getting carried away buying a 2 K plus gun. (Can't believe I said that)! So many guns, so little time, LOL

 

[beltfed]

You've got to be kidding.......right now, Production Division is the biggest equipment race in IPSC! (SP01, Tanfolglio, SiG X-Five Allround)

I agree Mass. I was refering to costs.