Carry gun, competition gun -- same or different

[JodyH]

Compete in USPSA with a P2000 9mm V2 LEM Trijicon HD's from concealed AIWB kydex (classified Limited B).
Compete in outlaw CCW matches with a P2000SK 9mm V2 LEM Trijicon HD's from concealed AIWB leather.
Carry either a P2000 or a P2000SK 9mm V2 LEM Trijicon HD's from concealed AIWB leather.

[JTSpidey]

I started my shooting career in Special Forces 28 years ago and learned on the 1911. I didn't think there was any other gun until my second career in law enforcement when I was issued a Sig 229. So I naturally shot my own 229 in USPSA Production and IDPA SSP, made it up to "A" and " SSP Master" shooting .357 Sig. and I knew I would need to upgrade to a 226 in 9mm if I wanted to keep up with the big boys and I made the switch in 2010. In 2011 I jumped to Master Production. I maintained the theory that my 226 and X-5 all-around was double/single just like my duty gun, so I shouldn't switch guns. I tested that theory three months ago, when I made the switch to the SIG 320 striker fire. It only took me a day to get used to there not being a decock lever, but it was nothing to get used to the trigger. I have competed in four matches with it so far and am pleased with it's performance. Qualified last week with no issues. It really depends upon the amount of time you have to train, and what your goals are. If you don't practice, never dry fire and only shoot at matches, then you can't expect to get better.
So I would recommend same if you don't have time to train, and Different if you take the time to train.

[ragnar_d]

I run the same platform in competition and carry. For competition (USPSA Prod/Lim. Minor & 2-Gun/3-Gun) I usually run a Gen 3 Glock 34 or RTF Glock 17. For carry I've got a G19.

I didn't always though. When I first started shooting, I was running an XD-45 Service (which was also my carry gun). Later, I transitioned to an XD-45 Compact for carry and was shooting a G34 . . . in hindsight, not too smart. I sold the XD-45C and went to a G19 for carry and haven't looked back. All of my Glocks are set up identically with a few exceptions. All my Glocks wear Warren Tactical sights (Tritium on the carry/double duty guns, FO on the G34), Minus connector, NY1 spring, factory extended slide lock, extended mag release (factory on dedicated competition gun, Vickers on the carry guns).

It's worked out very well for me and has helped a good bit. The guns and first spare magazine ride in the same area for competition and carry. The only deviation to my setup is when I carry my J-Frame or Shield (should the situation require something much more discreet, though I can make a G19 disappear in a lot of outfits).

[SLG]

SLG,

Do you have thoughts on doing the opposite, practicing with a slower, harder to shoot gun (say a revolver) as preparation for self defense work?

In many other discipline people practice with the older technology to learn good form (practicing typing with a manual typewriter or learning manual transmissions)

I did a lot of my formative handgun shooting with a .22 revolver, so I may be biased. A revolver is an excellent training tool that carries over well to every other trigger I've ever shot. I'm certainly not alone in this.

As far as not training some of the time with your normal gun, I don't know if it would be better to train with the revolver, or more with the normal gun. Probably depends on your ability/goals/training time etc...

That probably didn't help much, but at least I got to type revolver out:-)

re-read your post. For trigger control, revolvers are tops. For dedicated self defense work, I think I would stick with my carry gun.

[eyemahm]

Compete in IDPA SSP with USPf LEM match hybrid (regular 12 lb hammer spring), 3 dot trijicons with amber rear. Holster and mags are in a typical IDPA OWB setup under whatever concealment happens to be available.
Compete in IDPA BUG occasionally with a P2000SK LEM V1, trijicon 3 dots with amber rear. Same IDPA holster/gear as the USP.
Carry USPf LEM match hybrid (regular 12 lb hammer spring), 3 dot trijicons with amber rear or USP Expert with identical trigger, stock black rear, tritium front. Holster/mag carrier are AIWB kydex.

A quirky variation on nycnoob's question:

While dry firing with the LEM, I've often wondered whether I should pre-cock the hammer spring after each shot in order to practice with the live fire trigger pull or whether I shouldn't and practice some/all of the time with the consistent ~12lb uncocked pull in order to develop trigger finger strength and the muscle memory of rolling through the trigger. I'm aware CCT is a big proponent of mastering that DA pull and then moving onto other triggers, but I'm curious among those who run LEMs (JodyH, nyeti, TC, YVK, among many others), whether anyone recommends doing this occasionally or on a regular basis?

I did a lot of my formative handgun shooting with a .22 revolver, so I may be biased. A revolver is an excellent training tool that carries over well to every other trigger I've ever shot. I'm certainly not alone in this.

As far as not training some of the time with your normal gun, I don't know if it would be better to train with the revolver, or more with the normal gun. Probably depends on your ability/goals/training time etc...

That probably didn't help much, but at least I got to type revolver out:-)

re-read your post. For trigger control, revolvers are tops. For dedicated self defense work, I think I would stick with my carry gun.

[Nephrology]

I compete in IDPA SSP & USPSA Production with a Gen 3 Glock 17 RTF, just bought a Gen 4 Glock 35 for USPSA Limited and IDPA ESP (with 9mm conversion barrel). Carry Glock 19, 26 or S&W Shield, weather depending.

[YVK]

Eyemahm, I did that occasionally, both in dry and live fire. If I were to run LEM exclusively I'd probably still be doing that, just to keep my DA shoot skills. Now that I flip between HK and Beretta, I get plenty of a DA practice when I shoot the latter.
I don't think that working out a DA pull is that beneficial for LEM, but that's just my opinion.

[SLG]

Eyemahm, I did that occasionally, both in dry and live fire. If I were to run LEM exclusively I'd probably still be doing that, just to keep my DA shoot skills. Now that I flip between HK and Beretta, I get plenty of a DA practice when I shoot the latter.

I've been jonesing for some good Beretta trigger time lately. Since I don't actually own one, you're not helping.;-)

[GJM]

I've been jonesing for some good Beretta trigger time lately. Since I don't actually own one, you're not helping.;-)

For years, I knew that a Beretta 92 was a large, heavy gun that was incredibly hard to shoot well. While I hadn't shot one, that is what everyone said, so it must have been true.

The main reason I started shooting one to see how bad they really were. Imagine my surprise to learn that they are arguably the best shooting mainstream* DA/SA there is. Of course, hanging out with Bill Wilson and taking a course with Ernest didn't hurt.



*mainstream meaning not a CZ or Tangfo.

[rob_s]

I've gone both ways on this, and have wound up somewhere in the middle.

Early on, when I was drinking all the training/defense/SHTFantasy/ccw koolaid I firmly believed that one should be competing with their exact carry gun, in their exact carry holster, with their exact carry clothes, every single time. I also thought I should creep around stages like a ninja, never take a walkthrough, cry about the gamers winning, claim because:tactical when I lost, etc.

I slowly moved on to drop all the tactical ninja sneaking around and tried to game the stages with my carry gear. Match placements increased dramatically.

Then I moved on further and bought a dedicated gamer gun in the form of a CZ. I bought dedicated gamer support gear, holsters, etc. there is no doubt whatsoever that y performance at matches improved. A lot. I think this is the A-answer for someone that shoots a lot. The CZ, for me, is a no good for carry so my Glocks remain my carry guns in the form of a 19 and a 26 (and soon to add a 42 and 43). When shooting a lot, I saw no problem going back and forth, and just u derstood that I shoot the Glocks a little slower and a little less accurately.

Then I stopped shooting as much.

So now I'm on to a Glock 34 instead of the CZ for no other reason than cost and having money tied up. I can use one mag ouch type, one bunch of spare mags, the carry guns will fit in the gamer holster if I want it to, the gamer gun will fit in the carry holsters if I buy them with open bottoms, etc. saves me having an extra $2k tied up in sole-use gamer gear when I only shoot a couple of matches a year. Gamer gear is also multi-purpose for IDPA, UPSPSA, or 2/3-gun (if I ever get into it again).

For the guy just starting out, my suggestion is to use carry gun/gear/concealment (on,y use concealment in IDPA where required) and not to ninja-around but to go out and try like hell to win. I don't really believe in competition-generated "training scars" or "competition will get you killed on the street" anymore since (a) you're not very likely to ever use your gun on the street and (b) I've never been able to find any documented examples of a competition shooter getting killed on the street solely because of competition "training scars". But there is this
http://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattves...lator-n2031884