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The thread about a LEO having doublefeed jam at the worst possible time seems relevant to our discussion. I have seen numerous malfunctions at matches that required not just 20s to clear, but minutes-to-never, and multiple people. That sort of thing has definitely directed my choices of defensive weapons. As well, experienced competitors can often clear very challenging malfunctions quite rapidly because they have subconscious mastery of the skills required.
I often think that a backup weapon that’s easily accessible would be as / more useful than a spare magazine.
Well OK !
Randomly, as it comes to me:
- When I tried a 1911 at the range it worked just fine. In competition I found that my thin, boney hands often failed to depress the grip safety. I got out of 1911's for a while until I discovered that there were different size and shape grip safeties available and .... ways to tune them for greater sensitivity. I now like the 1911, at least the one I own.
- Beretta M9, that safety isn't problem when one has time to think and deliberate. But, under stress? I thought I would decock and off safe while load and make ready then holster. But under stress I forgot and a dead trigger was the result. Now I leave it on safe and I learned to off safe on the draw, always works for me.
- Glocks, At the firing line they shoot just fine for me. In competition, while trying to shoot quickly, my shots gradually creep left. DA revolvers don't do that, DA/SA semi's don't do that, at least in my hands. I gave 5 glocks a lot of time and ammo, I like them and respect what they bring, just not for me.
- Blackhawk Serpa, A dangerous holster IMO. Again, OK at the firing line but under a timer an accident waiting to happen. Enough said.
- Cheap clip on soft IWB holsters. In a hurry likely to pull out the holster with the pistol.
- Aimpoint Pro red dot sight. I bought it on reputation and found that the dot while fine for aiming off the bench, with all the time in the world, worked OK. But at distances [out to 300m] with a timer the dot was a blur, splotch, sideways triangle, my eyes didn't like it. For years after with the wisdom gained I tried and read about a bunch of different sights. I got good with irons and figured out my zero preference. Come to find out the Aimpoint Comp M4 shows a nice clear dot that I can use when I want to go fast.
All I can think of now.
I was in a Dave Spaulding class several years back (2014?) . He administered a shooting test at the end that was (IIRC) a Marine Corp pistol qual that was for high risk operator types and was pretty tight on the the par times . Because people were having to draw and shoot MUCH faster than many of them were used to there were an ALARMING number of times that the folks using 1911s or XDs failed to disengage their grip safeties and were feverishly pulling the trigger on guns that refused to go "BANG". That actually COULD get you killed on the street.
Match yesterday - guy tried to be so fast that he dropped mags on the ground, then didn't seat the next one - which fell on the ground. Lucky he had a zillion mags around his waist.
This will get you killed on the 'da street' - forgetting a target that was behind a barrel. Guess who did that? SO - says are you done. Yes. OOPS!
Muttered about it at breakfast. Moron, sez I under my breath. Wife says, So what is only a game. I sez - but I will get killed on da street.
Funny watching the single stack guys trying to do the reload math as it seemed the stages were oriented towards 10 round or fractions thereof reloads. However, on da street - you probably don't plan your reloads.
Still a lot of fun, keep the skills up.
At a class I helping with yesterday: the hammer broke on a guy's nearly new 2011.
I am starting to do matches again and have done same. For the time being I have decided that if a target is set in a manner that I might be prone to forget it I am probably better off shooting it first, before I get busy shooting other targets, even if it might be a little slower. I will probably stick with this approach until I start contending for overall match winner, that will be some time in the very distant future, maybe... :cool:
The really fast guys with the ray gun like set ups were debated thumb on safety, under safety and the utility of some racking accessory.
Me, just stock Glock. The only mod I'm thinking about is optics for my old eyes.
Safeties - I was in a class and there were mostly Glocks. One guy had a Beretta and the safety fell off into the lawn and we had to look for it.
What brand was that 2011? There are a lot of makers of 1911/2011 parts. Some are better than others. What i am saying is it is not a design issue.
BTW, I personally broke 2 firing pins from CGW and one competition hammer from CZ custom. For that reason I would not install any aftermarket parts on my carry gun... I also broke a CZ slide in a half. I broke a barrel after 30k on my CZ as well....