Carry gun, competition gun -- same or different

[GJM]

Discussion for those that carry and compete in a shooting sport (USPSA, IDPA, etc.). Is your game gun the same, or at least the same platform as you carry, or is it a totally different platform?

I have friends that insist on gaming and carrying the same platform, and friends that game one platform and carry another. They are all still my friends. Kidding aside, I think there are excellent reasons to game and carry the same platform, and equally compelling reasons to carry one platform and game another.

Before I say what my current thinking is, I would be interested in hearing from others.

[breakingtime91]

I think time and money would determine this for most people. For me, I only have time and money to get proficient with one platform so that is what I do. I think most shooters would be better off using one type of pistol but for high end shooters, I'm sure it doesn't matter to much what pistol they use.

[Up1911Fan]

Glock's for everything here.

[BehindBlueI's]

I no longer compete, but when I did I carried the exact same gun for everything. Springfield Target Loaded 1911.



I would probably still carry it for everything except for no SAO rule at my department so I moved to Sigs. If I were to shoot competition, it would certainly be with a copy of my duty gun.

[Luke]

The same gun I carry everyday is the exact same gun I use for training and compition. Wish I had a safe full of pistols and had different ones for different things.

[MD7305]

+1, same here.

[ST911]

Same for everything.

[EricM]

Same for me, differing only in barrel length. I value having the same trigger, same grip (index), and same sights. In truth the only reason I even have a 34 is because the shop was out of 17's when I went to pick up a second one and I didn't want to come home empty handed...I'd like to evaluate at some point whether there's actually any measurable difference in my performance between the two.

[YVK]

I think that I can write a small dissertation on the subject. I've started, like most self-defense oriented guys, with my carry gun. I channeled Gabe and shot my first USPSA match with a P30 in the Limited minor from the appendix rig.
Several observations followed. First, I am no Gabe. Second, P30 LEM is no G34. Third, if you shoot competition and don't care to win or place the best, you're wrong (this statement may merit a separate thread if somebody has an issue with it). While I continue to use P30 and P30L for the local IDPA where they are amply sufficient, the USPSA is another story. That's how I ended up with a Beretta Elite and, being true to my train as you fight roots (mild sarcasm), I carried that anchor in AIWB for 8 months or so. Then I got tired. Then I got a CZ P01, hoping to carry it and compete with an SP01. P01 had to go to all major CZ houses to make it both hi-speed and reliable, and I haven't really vetted the last part fully yet. Disillusioned with it, I never got SP01. The compact Beretta kept turning me off on the account of a front sight and Beretta's loose definition of a "compact" term. I did get one eventually and it is somewhere in Pittsburgh now, getting the G-spot worked over.

At the end I said the following: fuck it. I've shot either the LEM guns or B92 nearly exclusively since October '11. I know exactly what price I am paying for switching back and forth. In general, my first shot, from a standpoint of CCW priorities, is faster with LEM; the rest of a mag - with Beretta. I have exactly zero problems with mag buttons differences. So I carry LEM, either 30 or 2000sk. I compete with 30L in IDPA and even occasionally in USPSA, but if I need to go get my best scores, it is an Elite. Also, a Beretta with a standard heavy ass mainspring sees the most of my dry fire. I used to make a point to dry fire both systems during each df session, and that nonsense is over with.
I simply stopped worrying about not having the same carry and game gun, and my timer was instrumental in putting these worries away.

[taadski]

I think one can develop a much higher level skill set by embracing the pure race gun game; learning to shoot (and more importantly visually process) at a higher level will translate directly to one's carry equipment. Akin to learning to drive track/race cars and having that translate back into having a higher level of understanding when driving your Corolla home from work. Is all the capability going to be there? No. But having learned to work at a more advanced level, a good bit of the processing carries over.

[Runs away...]