I'd like to get into IPSC!
- Thread starter Martin
- Start date
JohnC
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
have you had the black badge course yet? The instructor would be in a position to advise you . It depends on which division you want to start in. - for a cheap but good starter gun you can always start with a Norinco clone 1911A1 at around $400 then sell it if & when you decide to change. .45 ACP Ammo is more expensive than other calibers tho...)
If you have medium sized hands, you might want to consider a Springfield XD9....it would be an excellent Production Division pistol, and is good for Standard Division as well. They retail for anything between $700 and $799, depending upon where you shop.
martin
Boy, I would look at the CZ lineup for a starter gun.
I'm not really a Glock basher, but the Glock triggers are tricky and hard to learn to shoot well and the stock sights are frankly pretty crappy.
The CZ97 is a .45 and I can tell you from experience that .45 brass and bullets are pricey and makes shooting a little more expensive for you when compared to a .40 for no gain in power factor or recoil.
A CZ in 9mm is an accurate, RELIABLE, ergonomically pleasing and reasonably priced machine. Some of the top production shooters in NA shoot them.
You should probably come out and try some guns at the club and see what you like.
Good shooting,
V7
Boy, I would look at the CZ lineup for a starter gun.
I'm not really a Glock basher, but the Glock triggers are tricky and hard to learn to shoot well and the stock sights are frankly pretty crappy.
The CZ97 is a .45 and I can tell you from experience that .45 brass and bullets are pricey and makes shooting a little more expensive for you when compared to a .40 for no gain in power factor or recoil.
A CZ in 9mm is an accurate, RELIABLE, ergonomically pleasing and reasonably priced machine. Some of the top production shooters in NA shoot them.
You should probably come out and try some guns at the club and see what you like.
Good shooting,
V7
Martin
It is not an easy question to answer. There are many options and choices. Before I get into them I would suggest that you get hold of the Section coordinator for IPSC NS, Sean Hansen at schansen@hfx.eastlink.ca.
First off you have to decide what division you want to shot in. Most people start off in either production or Standard division. Production division was made for double action first shot like a Glock. Standard is gear for single action guns like the colt 45 ACP. As well in standard division you can modify the gun in a number of ways.
What I would suggest is that you go out to a few IPSC nights and try a whole pile of guns. Once you know what you are looking for ask the guys what is available. I can guarantee they will all have an opinion!
By doing the above you can find a gun that you like and buy gear that is appropriate for IPSC. Good luck and hope to see you a match one day.
It is not an easy question to answer. There are many options and choices. Before I get into them I would suggest that you get hold of the Section coordinator for IPSC NS, Sean Hansen at schansen@hfx.eastlink.ca.
First off you have to decide what division you want to shot in. Most people start off in either production or Standard division. Production division was made for double action first shot like a Glock. Standard is gear for single action guns like the colt 45 ACP. As well in standard division you can modify the gun in a number of ways.
What I would suggest is that you go out to a few IPSC nights and try a whole pile of guns. Once you know what you are looking for ask the guys what is available. I can guarantee they will all have an opinion!
By doing the above you can find a gun that you like and buy gear that is appropriate for IPSC. Good luck and hope to see you a match one day.
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I wouldn't get a 45acp for a IPSC starter gun, cost way too much, I would look for a used glock 17, xd9 or a cz75 in 9mm.
Viper7, I started off shooting IPSC with a Glock 17 and I did very well with it. Glocks are the easiest guns to learn IPSC with.
Viper7, I started off shooting IPSC with a Glock 17 and I did very well with it. Glocks are the easiest guns to learn IPSC with.
I like the size of the CZ75-B it fits well into my hand but I have to stretch my finger out so far to pull the trigger.
Is this adjustable and could I have the trigger pull weight changed (lightened) and be legal for IDPA?
I really like the pistol looks and feel just the trigger is a turn off. I held a HK Usp .40 in my hand it felt like a glove - smooth trigger pull on da (a requirement for production I believe).
Any other pistols that kind of fit that mold I should look at? I have a big hand but short fingers lol. Want a pistol that would handle IDPA first but may want to go IPSC later so I'm thinking a .40 cal would fit me nice.
D_
Is this adjustable and could I have the trigger pull weight changed (lightened) and be legal for IDPA?
I really like the pistol looks and feel just the trigger is a turn off. I held a HK Usp .40 in my hand it felt like a glove - smooth trigger pull on da (a requirement for production I believe).
Any other pistols that kind of fit that mold I should look at? I have a big hand but short fingers lol. Want a pistol that would handle IDPA first but may want to go IPSC later so I'm thinking a .40 cal would fit me nice.
D_
IDPACONVERT
CGN frequent flyer
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viper7 said:
That's great advice, very practical, and cost effective. This way all you spend is $10 - $15 for the ammo, and and coffee or 3
Martin,
As has already been stated, this really isn't an easy question to answer. I think contacting Sean H would be a good idea, he is here on the board somewhere but I can't remember his nickname). He is very helpful, knowledgeable and a great advocate of the sport.
As for a gun... you might want to shy away from .45... brass is getting hard to come by and it's expensive. 9mm is cheap in factory loadings and can be reloaded to be very soft and accurate. .40 is great and components are really easy to get if you reload. You may not be recoil sensitive but recoil does make a difference and you will probably eventually wish to reload too so that you can get a load/gun combo that is accurate and does not recoil heavily!
CZ's are a great gun (IPSC1, the Canadian Prod champ this year, shoots one) and they are well priced. Springfield XD is a good gun, well priced but spare parts are a problem to get and if you shoot alot you'll eventually break something or want to replace springs on the gun.... no matter who makes it. IPSC can and does beat up a gun!
Don't be afraid to shoot the Glock..the trigger stuff that was mentioned above is more of a personal perception I think... many new shooters shoot them, many top shooters shoot them and they work... all the time! Sig is good, Beretta is good, heck, one of the top guys in Production shoots a Norinco NP22 (sig 226 clone) and he shoots it very well.
So, as the other guys already said, this is all about what "feels" right to you and fits your price range. Why don't you go to one of the larger matches or surf the net a bit and see who is shooting what and what seems to be working and fits within your budget. Then find the gun and handle it or shoot it to see if it works for you. For Production, I've gone form Para LDA, to Glock, to Sig to Beretta... they all shoot about the same. For Standard, I have a Para P16-40 Limited and an STI Edge. All of my guns shoot well and they are all different.
Oh, and once you start shooting don't be discouraged the first couple of times. I know people that have bought guns, belt rigs, reloaders etc and then came out and shot two matches then wouldn't return due to some of the people who were there (read attitude) or due to the fact that they didn't do well initially. Sometimes you have to have a thick skin around some of the other shooters (people say and do dumb things sometimes). If you shoot well, then keep practicing, if you don't then keep practicing and take other shooting courses or find someone who does shoot well and learn from them.
I've been shooting IPSC since 1995, I've had ups and downs and right now I'm kind of at a plateau... just can't seem to make GM in Production (I've narrowed it down to my mental game). I will admit that there have been times when I've wanted to just give it up but, like all addicts, I couldn't and I enjoy being with alot of the shooters. I have friends all over Canada and the US due to IPSC. I have met people I didn't like but I have found they were VERY few and far between. Mostly, I've just had fun.... except for that time I was kicked out a bar at the Nationals in Fredericton and tied up in the back of a truck.... but that is another story!
As has already been stated, this really isn't an easy question to answer. I think contacting Sean H would be a good idea, he is here on the board somewhere but I can't remember his nickname). He is very helpful, knowledgeable and a great advocate of the sport.
As for a gun... you might want to shy away from .45... brass is getting hard to come by and it's expensive. 9mm is cheap in factory loadings and can be reloaded to be very soft and accurate. .40 is great and components are really easy to get if you reload. You may not be recoil sensitive but recoil does make a difference and you will probably eventually wish to reload too so that you can get a load/gun combo that is accurate and does not recoil heavily!
CZ's are a great gun (IPSC1, the Canadian Prod champ this year, shoots one) and they are well priced. Springfield XD is a good gun, well priced but spare parts are a problem to get and if you shoot alot you'll eventually break something or want to replace springs on the gun.... no matter who makes it. IPSC can and does beat up a gun!
Don't be afraid to shoot the Glock..the trigger stuff that was mentioned above is more of a personal perception I think... many new shooters shoot them, many top shooters shoot them and they work... all the time! Sig is good, Beretta is good, heck, one of the top guys in Production shoots a Norinco NP22 (sig 226 clone) and he shoots it very well.
So, as the other guys already said, this is all about what "feels" right to you and fits your price range. Why don't you go to one of the larger matches or surf the net a bit and see who is shooting what and what seems to be working and fits within your budget. Then find the gun and handle it or shoot it to see if it works for you. For Production, I've gone form Para LDA, to Glock, to Sig to Beretta... they all shoot about the same. For Standard, I have a Para P16-40 Limited and an STI Edge. All of my guns shoot well and they are all different.
Oh, and once you start shooting don't be discouraged the first couple of times. I know people that have bought guns, belt rigs, reloaders etc and then came out and shot two matches then wouldn't return due to some of the people who were there (read attitude) or due to the fact that they didn't do well initially. Sometimes you have to have a thick skin around some of the other shooters (people say and do dumb things sometimes). If you shoot well, then keep practicing, if you don't then keep practicing and take other shooting courses or find someone who does shoot well and learn from them.
I've been shooting IPSC since 1995, I've had ups and downs and right now I'm kind of at a plateau... just can't seem to make GM in Production (I've narrowed it down to my mental game). I will admit that there have been times when I've wanted to just give it up but, like all addicts, I couldn't and I enjoy being with alot of the shooters. I have friends all over Canada and the US due to IPSC. I have met people I didn't like but I have found they were VERY few and far between. Mostly, I've just had fun.... except for that time I was kicked out a bar at the Nationals in Fredericton and tied up in the back of a truck.... but that is another story!
Tritium, I've narrowed your Master plateau problem to all the sitting at home eating corn chips you do, instead of coming to the range with us to train!
You better be coming out to EOHC at least 3 times a week this coming season, or I'll hire 4 guys to beat you up!
Oh, and Martin: Get a Glock, or contact Sean H at www.freedomventures.ca about one of Tanfoglio's line of production guns. I'm going to try to get a peek at those this week
The only reliable Production gun that is cheaper than the Glock 17 is the family of CZ knock-offs, CZ included. CZ has been having some reliability issues, so I'd go Tanfoglio, just for the support you'd get from freedomventures.
Cheers,
Dan
ps: Trit, you're a weener for not coming to the RA center xmas party. You would have OWNED at the shoot-off.
You better be coming out to EOHC at least 3 times a week this coming season, or I'll hire 4 guys to beat you up!
Oh, and Martin: Get a Glock, or contact Sean H at www.freedomventures.ca about one of Tanfoglio's line of production guns. I'm going to try to get a peek at those this week
The only reliable Production gun that is cheaper than the Glock 17 is the family of CZ knock-offs, CZ included. CZ has been having some reliability issues, so I'd go Tanfoglio, just for the support you'd get from freedomventures.
Cheers,
Dan
ps: Trit, you're a weener for not coming to the RA center xmas party. You would have OWNED at the shoot-off.
take everything that you've read here and go out and try the guns people offer you. Then pick the one you like best.
as for Tritium reaching a plateau? I find that hard to believe, his short little legs can hardly make it up stairs, let alone up a mountain...........
as for Tritium reaching a plateau? I find that hard to believe, his short little legs can hardly make it up stairs, let alone up a mountain...........
Try one of the Norinco 9mms at a price point of $350 or so it is a good cheap way of getting in and if you don't like it you can sell it and not take a huge loss. I have a Norinco double stack 9mm that has had a quick trigger job and it is one of the best 9mms I have ever had.
An XD is a great little gun but it puts you into the $700 range and then you have to start adding mags.
The Glock is also a great gun but again it puts you into the $700 ish price range for a used one depending on the condition.
Having said that the best bet is to go out to a range and talk to the guys there and maybe they'll let you handle or shoot their guns.
At the very least go to a gun shop and handle what they have in stock, you will very quickly find out out what feels good in your hand.
EARLYTB
An XD is a great little gun but it puts you into the $700 range and then you have to start adding mags.
The Glock is also a great gun but again it puts you into the $700 ish price range for a used one depending on the condition.
Having said that the best bet is to go out to a range and talk to the guys there and maybe they'll let you handle or shoot their guns.
At the very least go to a gun shop and handle what they have in stock, you will very quickly find out out what feels good in your hand.
EARLYTB
When I first came out and shot IPSC, my scores were poor. In the 30% range. That was okay, because I looked for names that were shooting around the same scores that I was, and I'd see if I was "winning" the race amongst people that were consistently the same level of ability as I was.
I shot in the 30-50% range for a couple of years before I started practicing a bit more often and shooting a few more matches. Then, wouldn't you know it, my benchmarks started changing. Shooter A used to be consistently about 10% ahead of me. Could I start closing that gap? I was a C class shooter comparing myself with other C class shooters now.
I was now able to pick different people to "compete" against, and I was also able to identify matches that favoured target shooting vs run and gun. As a run and gun shooter, I would try to beat my target shooter benchmarks at a target shooting match (I hope that makes sense).
I was starting to shoot A class scores, 80-85%. I was challenging some of the guys that I always thought would be out of reach. I wasn't winning matches, but I was doing well, winning the odd stage and finishing top 15 at Level II's.
Then I took a five year break. I came back with no idea how much people had improved. I was shooting 60-70% against people that I had been neck and neck with when I quit. A bit discouraging, but I persevered. I had some new goals set. I started practicing again. I traveled more, and shot more matches - not just in BC, but in Canada and the US.
Am I winning yet? No. I've won the odd level II, but never a level III or Nationals. My benchmarks have changed, though. I know who the shooters of my ability are in Canada (although less so, lately, since nobody will let me look at the Ontario stats. ) and I know who I'm competing against at most of the big matches in the US.
I'll admit that shooting with me may not be the most rewarding experience - I no longer expect people to pick up my brass at matches, and in return I don't pick up other people's brass. There also usually isn't enough time to explain why I'm telling people to do the things they should be doing during a Course of Fire, so I may be a bit bossy in telling people what their "plan" should be.
Still, I try to have fun, and not cop too much of an attitude. I hate RO'ing, preferring to work in the warm environment of the stats shack, although I do miss matching names with faces (I can recognize most of the names/people in IPSC BC). I hate the politics involved with competition shooting, but most of that doesn't rear its ugly head at the range, anyways. I hate the fact that I have to drive an hour (or more in bad traffic) to get to my range.
It's been over 10 years since I fired my first shot at an IPSC match. Since then, there's been lots of reasons to quit. I'm still here. Sure, it has cost me a lot of money in equipment, travel, ammunition and time, but I love this sport. I'm glad I took up IPSC, and I'm not going to quit...ever.
I shot in the 30-50% range for a couple of years before I started practicing a bit more often and shooting a few more matches. Then, wouldn't you know it, my benchmarks started changing. Shooter A used to be consistently about 10% ahead of me. Could I start closing that gap? I was a C class shooter comparing myself with other C class shooters now.
I was now able to pick different people to "compete" against, and I was also able to identify matches that favoured target shooting vs run and gun. As a run and gun shooter, I would try to beat my target shooter benchmarks at a target shooting match (I hope that makes sense).
I was starting to shoot A class scores, 80-85%. I was challenging some of the guys that I always thought would be out of reach. I wasn't winning matches, but I was doing well, winning the odd stage and finishing top 15 at Level II's.
Then I took a five year break. I came back with no idea how much people had improved. I was shooting 60-70% against people that I had been neck and neck with when I quit. A bit discouraging, but I persevered. I had some new goals set. I started practicing again. I traveled more, and shot more matches - not just in BC, but in Canada and the US.
Am I winning yet? No. I've won the odd level II, but never a level III or Nationals. My benchmarks have changed, though. I know who the shooters of my ability are in Canada (although less so, lately, since nobody will let me look at the Ontario stats.
) and I know who I'm competing against at most of the big matches in the US.I'll admit that shooting with me may not be the most rewarding experience - I no longer expect people to pick up my brass at matches, and in return I don't pick up other people's brass. There also usually isn't enough time to explain why I'm telling people to do the things they should be doing during a Course of Fire, so I may be a bit bossy in telling people what their "plan" should be.
Still, I try to have fun, and not cop too much of an attitude. I hate RO'ing, preferring to work in the warm environment of the stats shack, although I do miss matching names with faces (I can recognize most of the names/people in IPSC BC). I hate the politics involved with competition shooting, but most of that doesn't rear its ugly head at the range, anyways. I hate the fact that I have to drive an hour (or more in bad traffic) to get to my range.
It's been over 10 years since I fired my first shot at an IPSC match. Since then, there's been lots of reasons to quit. I'm still here. Sure, it has cost me a lot of money in equipment, travel, ammunition and time, but I love this sport. I'm glad I took up IPSC, and I'm not going to quit...ever.
Thank you very much for your messages! Thanks for your time!. I appreciate that!
Getting more and more excited!
I'm a bit puzzled by the different divisions. Standard, Major, Production...
I know it has something to do with the type of gun (DA, SA, caliber etc.)
But if I have no gun yet, where should I go?
What are the (dis) advantages of the divisions?
Thanks
Martin
Getting more and more excited!
I'm a bit puzzled by the different divisions. Standard, Major, Production...
I know it has something to do with the type of gun (DA, SA, caliber etc.)
But if I have no gun yet, where should I go?
What are the (dis) advantages of the divisions?
Thanks
Martin
Start in production , Shoot 9 or 40 . 9 if your going to buy ammo and 40 if your going to roll your own. I started last year and only shot 5 matches so far but have a trophy in 4 of them. It is the most fun I have had in the shooting sports in the last 35 years
Martin, our first match of the new year will be Jan 15. PM me and I'll make sure I bring an assortment of pistols for you to fondle, from all the divisions. This place is great, but hands on is better. and if you are in my neck of the woods you could join me on a practice night.
