To 34 or to 35..that is the question

[SARC_Mike]

I am starting to get into USPSA stuff and am having a lot of fun with it. I have yet to get last place so I am doing pretty good in my mind. I am using a couple of my 9mm that really have no place in the competition. They are slow, and small and otherwise blah.
I have decided that I want to get a glock 34. Now I am wondering if I should go 35. Knowing my nature to be a "tinkerer" I know I will start attaching things like triggers, mag catches and other things that will knock me out of production class and into limited. I probably have no business in limited but whatever...Im not going to fool myself into thinking that I will stay stock. But if I do end up in limited I will be in minor scoring with the 9mm...and that will kill my already crappy scores. I love the cost of 9mm rounds and I am a firm believer in "you think my caliber is too weak...then stand in front of it and prove it" but this particular gun will not be for HD or carry....so what does it matter? I also figure I can get a 9mm conversion barrel for the 35 and shoot/practice with 9mm and shoot .40 for competition and qualify for major scoring.
Any reason I should pick one over the other?

[SuperSet]

I've had both and still prefer the G34 by a small margin, even though the G35 has advantages (conversion barrel, thicker slide). I also used the 40->9 conversion barrel and it ended up finicky unless I swapped out the extractor and ejector. Or, you could reload .40 to shoot very softly. However, from a competitive standpoint, you're going up against $3K STIs/SVIs and think you'll be at a major disadvantage. I'm not really into USPSA so a more knowledgeable source can chime in here.

[sargenv]

I wouldn't say major disadvantage.. other than using the money that you would be spending for the S_I guns and purchasing $2000 worth of ammo to practice with.. I know several people who started with a 35 and did quite well with them all the way up to Master class...

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

If you think you're going to wind up shooting Limited, get the 35. You may not want to listen to me, though... I'm shooting Limited this year with a G22.

[SARC_Mike]

So lets say I am going to end up doing that...if I found a 24 on the cheap should I just say screw it and start shooing limited now and deal with the crappy scores while I fiddle?

[SuperSet]

Why not shoot the G34 in Production?

[SARC_Mike]

That was my original thought but I know me and I spend a lot of time looking at "additions" like extended mag catches, triggers and all that stuff would make it impossible to shoot production. And I want a gun that I can fool with without making it harder on me.

[SuperSet]

Gotcha. Pretty sure extended mag release, trigger work and most other stuff is legal in USPSA Production. Only one that I know of that's not is the magwell and heavy recoil spring.

[SARC_Mike]

My understanding is production class is fairly bone stock. No external or internal modifications except polishing and such. Adding components takes it out of production. If I'm wrong please chime in.

[SuperSet]

This would get more responses and visibility in either the Handgun forum or the Competition forum.

[SARC_Mike]

D'oh...rookie mistake. Mods can this be moved?

[joelogic]

Glocks are cheap, Join GSSF and buy them all.

[SARC_Mike]

Glocks are cheap, Join GSSF and buy them all.

One day I will (I get blue label) but that will take a while with the 1 in 30 garbage.