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Thread: My First Competition as a newbie.

  1. #1
    Member
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    Oct 2015
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    N. Texas

    My First Competition as a newbie.

    So I did my first completion this week which was a mix of steel and paper. Not USPCA or IDPA but a bit of a combo. 5 different stages shooting steel and paper in outdoor bays. Incorporated movement on all as well as one handed shooting. No par times, just accuracy/timed runs for each stage.

    It was a blast. I finished the in 30 out of 50 participants, but was very disappointed that I only had 1 clean run. (It was actually my first stage) otherwise I would have finished in the top 20. I think I got way overconfident running the first stage and thought I could blaze my way to victory, lol. I was really surprised how much the “stress” of competition affected by accuracy, I get in now. If I would have slowed down a bit and took my time I would have done much much better but I’m fighting my aggressiveness to go fast through the course.

    Pretty amazed at how quickly my fundamentals started to fall apart at speed. Really had to focus on not slamming the trigger going fast. I run a lot of the drillst using a timer as advocated on this site but clearly different in a live competitive situation. My mind went “blank” a few times trying to go fast.

    As a golfer, the analogy I would use is that I am an awesome ball striker on the driving range but it is very different on the course. It was exactly the same here. I am chomping at the bit to do it again. I ran the course using my 19x

    My goal in the next one is to just shoot clean no matter how slow I go which will be hard to resist going fast.

    Anyway, this has got me thinking about the often asked question of glock 17 or 34. Now that the gen 5’s have hit the market, any thoughts on this? My goal in the near term is to rent both to shoot side by side to get a good feel. Am I at any disadvantage with the 19x? I looked to be one of the few that just had a stock set up, there were a lot of cool race guns there. Part of my competitiveness wants to kick their butts with a stock 19x but I tend to live under the delusion that I’m better than I actually am. (The driving range syndrome). In the end as an avg. shooter I really don’t want to be at a disadvantage. What are your thoughts around this?

    My thinking is run the 19x for a while and get used to competing and then maybe step up to the 17/34 if I end up getting series about it. Of course it doesn’t hurt to be talked into another gun.

    Overall it was a great experience and look forward to more opportunities to compete.
    Last edited by Dismas316; 03-24-2018 at 09:50 AM.

  2. #2
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    Feb 2011
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    Idaho
    Right on! The first competition is definitely both an adrenaline dump, as well as a reality check about where your skills are at. Most people that have the ability to push through the initial hit to the ego and keep going find it more than a little addicting.

    I don't think you are on the right track by setting the goal of shooting slowly just to have a clean match. While it is worthwhile to avoid misses and less than ideal hits, you may find that no matter how slow you consciously go, brief moments of inattention still cause your hits to be worse than you want, but now you are slow as well. Rather than seeing the competitive journey as trading speed for accuracy and vice versa, I have found it best to see the journey as a constant pursuit for more of both.

    Regarding the 19X: the G34 is optimized for competition, so if you want to jump in and buy all new gear to compete while staying with Glock, that would likely be the best choice. However, the 19X is a great gun and would not be holding you back until you are capable of extremely high level shooting. Most new competitors see all the fast guys with optimized equipment and copy what those guys are using in an attempt to buy skill. Then they find out their scores are basically the same, but at least they have all the cool-guy gear now.

    Good luck and have fun with it!
    TY83544

  3. #3
    I have only done 1 IDPA and 3 Steel Challenges. My over riding goal is to always make hits so I go as slow as I need to. I found that in SC I can't hear the hits, and advice here was if you wait to hear them you are going too slowly. So I take my time to aim but then move quickly to the next. As in lots of other endeavors, I feel that speed will come w/ more trigger time. If you aren't going to use an optic, the 34 has a longer sight radius so that would be my choice. OTOH, you will want to decide what your goal is. For me, I want to improve my skills if I ever need them for defense. So I choose to shoot a Beretta 92 because that is what our HD guns are. That DA first shot definitely makes things a little more difficult so, IF I were really trying to win, I would probably have an M&P full size. I wish i had thought to try this 10 yrs ago.

  4. #4
    Site Supporter Jesting Devil's Avatar
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    Jan 2012
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    Beaches of SoCal
    Skill will always trump gear. A GM will crush you with a glock 26, does that make it better? No way, it's the guy running it.

    Glock 17 vs 34 really doesn't matter much if any. If you load your own ammo you can load lighter with a 34 due to the longer barrel giving you more velocity for the same powder charge. Sight radius is often mentioned but if it makes any difference, it is a very small one. I shoot my CZ better at distance than my 34 even though the sight radius is much shorter, the trigger and ergonomics make a much bigger difference. A 34 feels a little softer shooting to me but I track the sights better with a 17. Measurable on drills? Not for me. Usually a 19 isn't ideal due to the grip length for reloading but with a 19x, that's not an issue. I haven't shot one so I can't say if it will be at a noticeable difference but I'd guess not. Maybe find a friend at a match with a 34 (guaranteed there will be some) and see if you can try it back to back with your gun. Anecdotally, I shot a friends 19gen5 remarkably well the other day and I want one now.

    Once you have a gun that's good enough (full size frame, decent sights, ok trigger, and adequately accurate), I think the biggest factor is actually psychological. If you perceive your gear to be at any disadvantage, you may be worrying about that on a stage rather than how to aggressively execute your stage plan. If you find yourself thinking, "If I had a 34, maybe I wouldn't have missed that steel," then you'd be better off with a 34 where you won't have that question in your mind for the next 3 stages. The best gun to compete with is the one that gets out of your way so you can focus on developing your skill.

    Welcome to the sport!
    Last edited by Jesting Devil; 03-24-2018 at 11:30 AM.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Dismas316 View Post
    Am I at any disadvantage with the 19x?
    [FONT=arial]My thinking is run the 19x for a while and get used to competing
    Your 19x is a great pistol. It won't be holding you back. Get good with it and revisit the new gun idea in a year or two.

  6. #6
    Member olstyn's Avatar
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    Sep 2014
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    Minnesota
    Quote Originally Posted by Talionis View Post
    Right on! The first competition is definitely both an adrenaline dump, as well as a reality check about where your skills are at. Most people that have the ability to push through the initial hit to the ego and keep going find it more than a little addicting.
    So true. My first few matches, 5 or 6 years ago, I was like "Wow, I suck. I want to go again!" Ever since then, it's been a slow journey of gradual improvement. I'm still nowhere near where I'd like to be, but it is gratifying to look at scores and see that these days, some of my hit factors when I blow it on a stage are better than the ones I used to get when everything seemed to be going right, and of course the high end is much higher.

    To the OP, as others have said, welcome to the addiction. It's going to cost you a ton of time and money, but you'll also build skill and have a lot of fun, so you'll most likely think the time and money are worth it.

  7. #7
    Member
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    Oct 2015
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    N. Texas
    Quote Originally Posted by olstyn View Post

    To the OP, as others have said, welcome to the addiction. It's going to cost you a ton of time and money, but you'll also build skill and have a lot of fun, so you'll most likely think the time and money are worth it.
    That very thought certainly has crossed my mind. It's not like this "hobby", ok lifestyle, hasn't cost me a good bit of cash already, I can see it accelerating pretty quickly by getting the bug of competition.

    At least from my perspective, it's a bit more justifiable. At least that's what I keep telling myself.

  8. #8
    Chasing the Horizon RJ's Avatar
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    Jan 2014
    Awesome Dismas!

    Sounds like you are on the right track. Lots of the guys here offering good advice too.

    Me, not so much. I’ve shot 4 USPSA matches in like three years lol. Did my last one Friday night, so hopefully my pace will pick up.

    My thoughts would be to keep the 19X, and shoot it a lot. Or at least until you are doing really well. For me at least, I need to move faster, avoid dumb mistakes like leaving steel standing, and put holes in all the things that need holes. I shoot a Production Glock 19. A 17 or a 34 isn’t really going to help ‘me’ so much as avoiding shooting that ‘Mike’ Guy.

    Good luck and hope you continue!

  9. #9
    New Member schüler's Avatar
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    TX
    Quote Originally Posted by Dismas316 View Post
    ...
    [FONT=arial]Anyway, this has got me thinking about the often asked question of glock 17 or 34. Now that the gen 5’s have hit the market, any thoughts on this? My goal in the near term is to rent both to shoot side by side to get a good feel. Am I at any disadvantage with the 19x?
    ...
    First, congrats for getting out there and getting real.

    Your personal shooting goals will drive your pistol choice.

    IIRC, Mike Hughes (NLT/SIRT guy) worked to USPSA Grand Master with stock G19s, complete with stock plastic sights. Not the easy route but his personal choice.

    Gabe White uses a G34 for everything - for his own personal reasons. I believe he details some of that reasoning in his MASF and other interviews.

  10. #10
    Deadeye Dick Clusterfrack's Avatar
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    Jun 2013
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    Wokelandia

    My First Competition as a newbie.

    Skiing: if you don’t risk falling, you’re not pushing your limits and you won’t improve much.

    Competitive Shooting: if you don’t risk some penalties... same as above.
    Last edited by Clusterfrack; 03-25-2018 at 02:46 PM.
    "You can never have too many knives." --Joe Ambercrombie
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