Difference between race pistol and regular pistol

[Lead Waster]

Bottom line....

If you can afford to buy a "race gun"... Go for it! Shoot is as much so you can to justify the $$$ you spent on it. Every week (minimum of 200-300 rounds per match). You don't want to buy a race car and just let it sit in your garage and feel good about it just to have one (they are meant to be tracked and abused, main purpose).

If you can't afford a race gun, stick with the production division and have a ton of fun too without spending a lot of $$$. Like a reliable civic or corolla which will get you also from point A to point B.

There are PLENTY of guys who shoot and win with almost stock Glocks. Maybe a sight upgrade and some trigger work and that's it.

It's not the gun, it's the shooter who wins.

[fullrearview]

I see thin thread has gone down the real world v. competition road... While NOTHING can truly simulate the real world, except real world, competition is a pretty good alternative to it. Almost as good as simunitions (which are expensive). Many of the current tactics taught with the rifle originated from the competition arena.

Both require the same thing... Get your rounds on target as fast and accurately as possible.

[HighLander51]

USPSA vs Tactical training...

My point is that USPDA is a GAME, it's not meant to train you for anything other than getting better


And what do you think is more reliable, the glock that's been to the range a total of 8 times in 10 years, or the gun with 15,000 rounds through it per year?

Yes, USPSA, not USPDA, is a game designed to get you to shoot faster and more accurately. Just like Steel Challenge, and IDPA, it's neither Tactical nor training, it only leads to one thing, being faster and more accurate. And you don't think that applies to a real life gunfight? At the end of the day, to survive, and to win the game, you only need to be faster and more accurate.

I run about 20,000 rounds a year in competition with my Glocks....

How about you? shoot much

[Excelsior]

Race guns are fed custom loaded light loads and not hi power max loads to keep recoil at min thus thats why light recoil springs are used. Highlander got it backwards.

Bingo. I was wondering about that. That's precisely why a .22LR "racegun" times in SC are faster than their centerfire brethren.

Low recoil is such an (obvious) advantage that shooters often have to demonstrate a minimum power factor.

[Excelsior]

I have yet to see a street or highway situation that resembles the situations I come across on a race track.

I know that they are two different things.

Why would you expect a competition stage to mimick "real life" as you put it? Competition shooting is just that, a sport. It is its own discipline.

I dunno, some folks (not necessarily you) seem to have a hard time understanding that an object can in fact be utilized differently than its intended purpose. Take the basic car for example. Used for transportation. Take a formula 1 car. Used to push the envelope in racing/performance.

Do these same people scoff at F1 cars and say "Oh brother, that thing is retarded. You would never use that to go to the grocery store!" NO ****, Sherlock!

IDPA takes a great deal of pride in endeavoring to do just that. That's why there is often friction between IDPA and USPSA, SC and other shooters.

[Excelsior]

Shoot Production or Singlestack in USPSA or try IDPA.

Production has some very talented shooters. You do not need a race gun to win a competition.

Yeah, like Rob Leatham. I'm fairly sure Rob would beat the very best "open" shooters at our monthly match using a completely stock pistol with no optics.

[hkdad]

There are PLENTY of guys who shoot and win with almost stock Glocks. Maybe a sight upgrade and some trigger work and that's it.

It's not the gun, it's the shooter who wins.

Did I ever say it's the gun??? You compete against the same gun in uspsa. If you shoot a stock glock (except G17L or G24) with little mods like trigger upgrade sights (production) you compete in production division. If you shoot open then you shoot against race guns with optics. I never said it's the gun! It's all about what division you want to compete in. And of course skills!

[CalTeacher]

Bingo. I was wondering about that. That's precisely why a .22LR "racegun" times in SC are faster than their centerfire brethren.

Low recoil is such an (obvious) advantage that shooters often have to demonstrate a minimum power factor.

Either you are really sarcastic or you've never shot limited or open.

[Sheperd80]

No, I'd simply note that I presently have no experience or observations with such guns, and pretty much shut up at that point. I'd be curious about which modifications and refinements would be useful for self-defense though. No doubt some would and some would not. No harm in that certainly?

Well low recoil and high accuracy is definitely desirable for any situation. But imho alot of racegun features are a little iffy for defense and even more so for survival. Not saying they SUCK for defense, just iffy, so you people with raceguns under your pillow dont strangle me here...

Optics are always advantageous from a shooting standpoint but require special holster, not very concealable, require batteries, more fragile than iron sights, not totally necessary in your average close range defense situation.

Super Light triggers are great to shoot but can be dangerous. Shouldnt be a problem with someone experienced with their gun. But also not totally necesary.

A gun finely tuned to work best with a very specific load... Sure you get great performance but its also a limitation in SOME guns.

A gun that is designed specifically to meet required specifications for a sport (size, weight, caliber or power factor) is most likely sacrificing something else (besides just money).

Sure you could kill bad guys with em, but there are better choices for defense. I would love to build a nice limited or open uspsa gun one day. But ill always have a basic eat anything work everytime simple pistol under my bed.

[JaeOne3345]

IDPA takes a great deal of pride in endeavoring to do just that. That's why there is often friction between IDPA and USPSA, SC and other shooters.

Yea, because there are points, static targets, and rules in real life. LOL.

IDPA is a game. It's just a different game.

If there is a timer, and points, it is a game. Period.

After all, the real world is "open."

[JaeOne3345]

Race guns are fed custom loaded light loads and not hi power max loads to keep recoil at min thus thats why light recoil springs are used. Highlander got it backwards.

Bingo. I was wondering about that. That's precisely why a .22LR "racegun" times in SC are faster than their centerfire brethren.

Low recoil is such an (obvious) advantage that shooters often have to demonstrate a minimum power factor.

Steel challenge is just one aspect of competition shooting.

You are telling me a USPSA 9 major open gun shoots light loads? Absolute rubbish.

9 major is loaded to levels wayyy beyond SAAMI spec.

If the loads are too light on a gun built for 9 major, there will not be enough gas for the comp to work, and the slide won't even cycle.

Have you guys ever RO'd a 9 major Open shooter? The concussive blast is unreal depending on the compensator/load used.

Using a light recoil spring is not just about getting light load to cycle. I am sorry. I can shoot recoil springs in my STI between 10-16 pounds. I choose 12.5 because of the way the sights track and fall back into place on consecutive shots. There is more to springing a gun than just loads.

[JaeOne3345]

Race guns are fed custom loaded light loads and not hi power max loads to keep recoil at min thus thats why light recoil springs are used. Highlander got it backwards.

Either you are really sarcastic or you've never shot limited or open.

Preach.

[modls7]

Raceguns are the pinnacle of handgun performance, maximizing reliability, accuracy, speed, ergonomics, and aesthetics. You won't find all of these attributes in a factory gun as you will with a custom racegun. I think of a custom limited gun like a SLR McLaren. Beauty, performance, innovation...that's a big part of what makes a racegun appealing.

Most limited guns can and do run a variety of ammo without hiccups as my two of my three limited guns do regularly. In fact the gun in my avatar went almost 4k maintenance free rounds and only stopped because I was dropping my mags in clay out in some BLM land which fed into my chamber. I think its been 4 years since my backup STI had a malfunction too, which is pretty impressive considering the 2k rounds a month I was putting through it.

The one pistol I have that has special ammo needs is a glock 35 with stock internals, this is the only pistol I have that requires "special loads" or else I get FTFs. Pretty surprising to me considering I bought it because I thought I would never live to see the thing malfunction, I was really rooting for this pistol to become the frontrunner in my stable too due to its "acceptable combat accuracy" and "uncompromising reliability". This pistol also kicks quite a bit harder compared to my STIs with the same ammo. I suspect because there is no mainspring to help slow down slide velocity.

I actually don't know what would make my limited pistol unsuitable for self defense. It's demonstrated unwaivering reliability in wet and dusty conditions, superb accuracy, fast follow up shots with hot ammo, and it is almost impossible for me to miss a reload.

[RugerNo1]

...

I actually don't know what would make my limited pistol unsuitable for self defense. It's demonstrated unwaivering reliability in wet and dusty conditions, superb accuracy, fast follow up shots with hot ammo, and it is almost impossible for me to miss a reload.

Dude, you will not be able to conceal that big *** limited gun under your camo wife-beater while you are driving to the grocery store in your 5.11 pants hoping to walk into a ambush where you will have to fight for your life from multiple angles!

Everyone knows that the only reason to own a gun is so you can take tactical classes, right?

Gentlemen, it is a game. Why did we start talking about "real life" and tactical defensive tactics?...tactical ( I felt like this post needed one more)

[JTROKS]

This one is more suited for carry.

http://www.stiguns.com/the-sti-tactical-4-0/