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Old October 1, 2017, 09:14 PM   #1
Front Sight
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Pistol advice for IDPA

So I have a 9mm XMD 5.25 Competition that I bought a year ago.

I like it and shoot it pretty well (can keep all shots in the A zone consistently up to 10 yards, and most in the A zone out to 15 yards. But as I have very small hands (with short sausage fingers), I have to rotate my grip slightly to get enough finger on the trigger. It feels slightly artificial and gets uncomfortable after a while.

I had the opportunity to handle a Springfield EMP4 1911-style 9mm last week. They're about 80% size of a standard 1911, but still hold 10+1 and has a 4" barrel. OMG, it fit my hand so, so much better than my XDM. Felt great.

Very strongly thinking about trying to sell my XDM and buy the EMP4... but...

My question is -- am I going to regret using a pistol with only a 4" barrel for IDPA? Or would I be better off with a pistol that I fits my grip better?

Last edited by Front Sight; October 1, 2017 at 10:14 PM.
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Old October 2, 2017, 11:30 AM   #2
RickB
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Quote:
am I going to regret using a pistol with only a 4" barrel for IDPA?
The EMP4 should be just about perfect for CCP division, where everyone will be shooting guns of approximately the same size.
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Old October 2, 2017, 11:46 AM   #3
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I would submit that you might want to ask yourself your own motivation for IDPA.

The net result of shooting IDPA on a regular basis is that you WILL be a better, more slick, fast, accurate and much more confident shooter and gun handler, you will be a MUCH safer gun handler across the board and you will probably have a lot of fun (and you will be spending a lot of money.)

You needn't want to "WIN!" to take part in IDPA and you needn't consider yourself handicapped by equipment (or sausage fingers! ), you will gain all of the above simply by competing against yourself, looking at your times and how they improve with the more you shoot.

You certainly don't need to "beat all those other guys!" when nobody is entering this fray with equal equipment or skills or physical attributes and abilities from the start.

Okay, to make my point more clearly:
There's many fantastic reasons to consider buying a new gun and using it for IDPA, and there are also reasons to argue against buying it... but in my opinion, considering how it could make IDPA more difficult or retard your performance or ability to finish near the top would be, IMO, contrary to the benefits of shooting IDPA.

Just how I see it.
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Old October 2, 2017, 03:53 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by RickB View Post
The EMP4 should be just about perfect for CCP division, where everyone will be shooting guns of approximately the same size.
Unfortunately there aren’t too many people, at least for local matches, who compete in CCP. I was looking more towards ESP, otherwise (if I were to choose to) I’d have a little bit of a tough time advancing in CCP since with IDPA, one must complete against 10 others at minimum to advance in ranking - and there often aren’t 10 CCP competitors. At least so I’m told by a friend who is a serious competitor.

My main concern is that I’m going to have a harder time getting better by using a gun that doesn’t fit all that well. Though I’d also put myself at a disadvantage by going to something that has a shorter sight radius.

I’m definitely not under any illusion that I’ll achieve Grand Master status just by swapping out my gun. I’ve done a couple locals action pistol matches and I had a blast using my XDM. I’m just trying to decide which pistol would be a better choice. It’s a tough decision and there’s definitely pros and cons either way.

But if no one is saying “don’t even attempt to complete with a 4” barrel, you’ll be so outclassed as to never have a chance at advancing”, then I may make the swap.

Now.... if I want to compete in USPSA, then I’ve got a whole ‘nother set of problems if I change guns, since one must complete in single stack with a 9mm 1911 against other competitors shooting major, but can go Production with the XDM.

Too many damn things to consider.

I may just go with what feels comfortable and the rest be damned...
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Old October 3, 2017, 07:20 AM   #5
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In carrying, and shooting the same pistol in IDPA, a Glock 19 Gen4! 4" barrel, a too short sight picture? NOT.
Shoot a match a month, and practice your draw and fire from concealed, even just dry fire? You will improve. And have fun as well.
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Old October 3, 2017, 08:07 AM   #6
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What are you referring to in advancing in rank. You have to take a classifier used by everyone Nationwide. I can guarantee there are more shooters in esp than ccp.

Alternatively if it's the grip have you tried other Springfield 1911s?
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Old October 3, 2017, 09:01 AM   #7
Glenn E. Meyer
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Competition oriented gun that you never carry or a reasonable EDC. That is the issue for me.

If you want some competition ray gun, shoot IPSC.
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Old October 3, 2017, 09:46 AM   #8
Jim Watson
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At The Masters, there were 25 CCPs out of more than 200 shooters. Only Sharpshooter was a large enough class for a match bump.
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Old October 3, 2017, 10:28 AM   #9
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Quote:
Unfortunately there aren’t too many people, at least for local matches, who compete in CCP. I was looking more towards ESP, otherwise (if I were to choose to) I’d have a little bit of a tough time advancing in CCP since with IDPA, one must complete against 10 others at minimum to advance in ranking - and there often aren’t 10 CCP competitors. At least so I’m told by a friend who is a serious competitor.
You must classify annually, all clubs must run a classifier at least once a year, so you should have plenty of opportunities to move up.
I don't know how many clubs you have in your area, but in my neck of the woods, I could shoot six or eight classifiers a year.
You can move up via "match bump" only at sanctioned matches, and I'd be surprised if even 25% of the membership ever shoots a sanctioned match.
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Old October 17, 2017, 08:30 PM   #10
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Front, there is no "A" zone in IDPA, that's for USPSA. IDPA is scored straight time,
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Old November 10, 2017, 08:09 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by 9x45 View Post
Front, there is no "A" zone in IDPA, that's for USPSA. IDPA is scored straight time,
That sounds like semantics. You get assessed a penalty which affects your score (time) if you do not hit the -0 zone? Of course you can take as many shots as required to hit everything in the "-0" zone, and that adds up to a score of pure time, but... if I understand the scoring, if you miss an "Alpha" or "-0" zone on a target, you get assessed.

I could be reading the rule book wrong, so feel free to add to this.
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Old November 10, 2017, 10:43 PM   #12
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In IDPA it's points down. A zone us equivalent to no points. Each point is a second of time.
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