Where to compete with the gun I'd actually carry?

[JeffJ]

As a fellow gamer, I couldn't agree more. I think that we tend to forget that much, not all, but much of contemporary pistolcraft has its roots in guys trying to get the edge to win competitions. Thumbs forward grip, ISO, red dots, I think that much of our ideas of sight tracking comes from Enos' work; certainly not everything in competition is good or relevant to self defense, but the leading edge of the tactical world has kept tabs on the competition world for some time now, and you can see that as equipment and technique evolve.

So, yeah, USPSA Open is the place for new, pushing the edge ideas - always has been

[45dotACP]

So is Open cool with a CTC laser? Granted I think I'd get beat with a bar of soap in a sock by the other shooters if I showed up with a J-frame and lasergrips, but for the sake of argument...is that a no go in USPSA?

[orionz06]

Some things have come a long way, some rules haven't...

[PPGMD]

So is Open cool with a CTC laser? Granted I think I'd get beat with a bar of soap in a sock by the other shooters if I showed up with a J-frame and lasergrips, but for the sake of argument...is that a no go in USPSA?

I suppose, I don't see any rules against it.

[ADulay]

45dotACP,

Just take the J-frame and whatever is connected to it down to the local IDPA match and have at it. No need to be in an "outlaw" match or any of that silliness. Just shoot it and see what works.

We've never turned down anybody with a laser or a light. It's kind of interesting what happens to some people when running a laser on their carry gun. Now, I'm not talking a "red dot" scope/rig here, just your basic laser on a handgun thing.

Shoot it and enjoy it. Tell them you're just checking it out and don't worry about the scores.

AD


Sent from my Glock Academy iPad using Tapatalk and a screwdriver

[JMS]

So is Open cool with a CTC laser?

From the USPSA rulebook, Appendix D1 -- Open Division....

12. Restriction on position of holster and other equipment. No
13. Optical/electronic sights permitted. Yes
14. Installed flashlights permitted. Yes

...

21. Authorized modifications. Not applicable
22. Prohibited modifications. Not applicable

Seems fairly straightforward; the laser is an electronic sight, and is permitted. Lights are directly spoken to. #s 21 and 22 are a huge part of what makes Open, "open."

Guys will run duty belts in Open, with similar equipage as described in the OP....if they run into problems, it'll be because they have a dropped-offset holster or other equipment that puts gun/mags more than 2" away from the inner surface of the belt. See #10 of the same Appendix. If you're good on that facet, I'd seriously doubt that anybody at a USPSA match would even blink hard over a gun with light or laser or both.

[45dotACP]

Awesome! Thanks for the info everybody.

[ranger]

I have been shooting USPSA/IPSC for a long time - not as much now due to work. I remember many years ago when USPSA shooters tried using lasers in competition - for COMPETITION use (emphasized) they were seen as slower than iron sights or the early red dots so they did not catch on for COMPETITION use. I have seen people use lasers in a USPSA match back in the day. Not saying you should not use a laser sight but they were not seen as a COMPETITIVE advantage in a daylight USPSA event at that time.

I agree with other poster that USPSA has been a proving ground for techniques and equipment.

[Dr. No]

I can usually outrun a laser, because I don't have to see the sights on the target before I'm pulling the trigger. They do help immensely in small guns and at night, but unless you're using NVG's I don't think they will help competitively in a full size gun. Lasers are also difficult to see clearly in bright daylight, especially at long distances.

[TheTrevor]

Might be fun to revisit the accepted wisdom about lasers with a close-to-bore-axis green laser set to show the dot slightly above the front sight at 7 yd. Some of the new units are seriously bright, and quite visible in full daylight within typical USPSA distances.