[Graham Smith]

I've seen people at matches in my area that shoot different divisions different weeks. One fellow I know shoots Limited, Production (both Semi-Auto and Revolver), and Single Stack at different times during the year.

Last year I shot a Glock 19 in Production and am starting the season this year the same. In the next couple months, I'm going to start shooting my Glock 35 in Production so I can get used to it, then I am going to switch to L10. But I really don't want to quit shooting Production completely so I was thinking about shooting the G35 in L10 for some matches and in Production for others, just switching ammo but otherwise leaving the gun and my rig the same (which is what one fellow I shoot with does).

But the other day, another shooter suggested that I should stick with my G19 in Production and just shoot the G35 in L10. His reasoning was that the G19 Production requires a lot more attention to accuracy and that would improve my L10 shooting. This started a whole discussion about the advisability of switching between different guns, divisions, rigs, etc.

I just think that the more variation I get in my shooting the better overall shooter I will become. I have no illusions of every making GM, I just want to better my last months scores. This is why I also like to take a "practical shooting" class once a year - to challenge myself to do different things.

Your thoughts and comments would be appreciated.

[lugnut]

I've struggled with this as well. I do think that sticking with one gun could give you an advantage. But I recently heard a session from David Olhasso where he emphasized that "cross training" with different gun helps you in that every gun teaches you different things. I'm sure he's not saying to switch guns everytime you shoot but I think it has merit. I enjoy shooting different guns but want to remain very competitive. Recently I was shooting CDP and made Expert with my G21SF. When I switched back to my G34... much to my surprise it didn't take much adjustment at all to shoot like I thought I could. Same thing with my G35 in Limited. NO idea what will happen when I shoot the round gun!

I do believe that using different equipment- holsters, pouches, guns (with different reloading) can slow you down a tad. I think the benefits are worth it... especially since it's much of the fun for me.

My plans:

Stick with G35 Limited, G34 IDPA SSP with some wheel gun stuff thrown in for fun. I will practice dry/live firing with the gun I will shoot at least weeks before a big match if not longer. Local club stuff- I'll switch between the G34/G35 and not worry to much- except the diff holsters/pouches. Wheel gun will be when I have some "down" time.

It's always difficult finding the right balance...

This post has been edited by lugnut: 13 March 2009 - 06:33 AM

[Jman]

It's really up to you. I screwed up my chance at another Nationals slot doing it though. Came up a bit shy of a Production slot because I jumped between it and Limited. Your shooting acquaintance suggestion makes sense. Major scoring is cool but you'll need to pick up the pace a bit to take full advantage of it. Specializing is very important if elevating your game to its highest level is your goal. If your goal is strictly fun with fellow shooters shoot what you want when you want.

Jim

[buddy_fuentes]

I have switched back and fourth between different divisions and I see diminishing returns. I have decided to stick with Limited and try to increase my performance in that division.

From my own results I think you would do better shooting one gun and changing the loads to suit you need at the time. Instead of worrying about more accuracy requirements from a G19 in a match (Maybe 150 rounds?)......practice with your G35 and shoot it in the match and get totally tuned in to one gun.

Just my thoughts. Good luck in whatever you do.

Buddy

[lugnut]

buddy_fuentes, on Mar 13 2009, 09:48 AM, said:

I have switched back and fourth between different divisions and I see diminishing returns.

On the flip side of this- if you plateau with a certain gun- switching can help. It certainly has worked for me.

[LPatterson]

Since your stated goal is to better the previous month's scores then you would be better off picking one gun and staying with it in one division. Those of us who swap around month to month are usually shooting for the fun and challenge, for example I am classified C or D in all five division. Could I get to B by shooting only one division possibly if I would devote the necessary 30-60 minutes a day to dry fire and live fire 3-5 times a week.

My goal is to have fun shooting against friends, this year a friend has challenged me to shoot Revolver so that is what I will do until the yearly SS match, then there is a GSSF match, capped with a concealed carry match.

[kevin c]

I shoot my G17 in IDPA, and my G34 at club/sectional matches in Production Division. I shot the last back to back Nats with my G35, minor 40 for Production, Major 40 for L10, using the same gun and rig.

Different PF's, different formats, but basically the same gun all the way across.

Works for me.

[gino_aki]

I bet if a lot of us were honest with ourselves we'd admit one of the big the reasons for jumping divisions is that we get to play with different toys. Everywhere you look in competitive sports you see one thing - specialization. Brett Favre plays quarterback. Jerry Rice plays wide receiver. Michael Jordan plays basketball. Tiger plays golf. Not too many athletes aspire to be Brian Clay.

That said, is there anything wrong with wanting that new Open gun, or seeing if you can shoot as good with that single stack as you did when you were (for me waaaay) younger, and an SS as defined by the rules essentially was THE gun. Our sport is an equipment driven "race" just like vehicle-racing (was gonna say auto, but that'd leave out all the other forms) and our organizations have created different divisions in response...just like the other racing venues. If you want to get get good at Supermoto you spend your time on the bike. Will spending a weekend at the dirt track in a stock car help that? Maybe, maybe not...it'll still be fun I warrant. As far as I can tell from the magazines on the subject it's pretty hard to excel in say both 125cc and 250cc classes in motocross, let alone be competitive in different venues.

For me, shooting different divisions IS mostly getting to shoot different guns...and generally sucking at all of them

[CenTX]

I could be attributing this to the wrong shooter, but it seems like Jerry Miculek said that shooting different classes will help you with different skills. Something like: when shooting open you don't have to concentrate on the sights as much and can work on other things.

[steel1212]

As the great Flexmoney always says "pick a gun and shoot it!" If you want to shoot in different divisions thats fine, for example if you want to shoot production mostly but want to work on stage break down or movement more than your reloads, shoot limited minor with the same exact setup you shoot in production. When KAPS was around and we ran 2 divisions in one day I shoot limited and open with the same limited gun or Single Stack and L10 with the same Single Stack mags, mag pouch placement and all.

This post has been edited by steel1212: 13 March 2009 - 04:41 PM

[Joe4d]

I started action pistol with a 9 + 1 Hipower, worked on mags and went to a 10+1 hipower and commensed to get penalties for dropping mags with the slide down, I then started revolver, first couple matches I dry fired my revolver 3 times after 6 shots and wondered why my new revolver was misfiring, I went to Hawaii and switched to USPSA, spent the first couple matches doing tac reloads, I was basically shooting limited 10 in Hawaii, I got back to VA started shooting Limited and you guessed started dropping mags with 10 rounds still in them.
People on this websight tend to be alot more serious about this sport than the average match shooter. I find many people really dont care that much, they just like having fun. They'll trade for a new gun and bring it to a match. at sign up they say, "Hey what division does a XYZ belong in" some guys are USPSA guys and want to win, some guys are gun guys and just like shooting all kinds of guns.
You half to be honest with your goals. If you want to really maximize your game sticking with one gun and division will be best.

[lugnut]

Here's the rub Joe4d- I have several conflicting goals. I want to be a very competitive shooter... but I'll stop competiting when it isn't fun. I've decided to mix it up a bit... I think have a ways to improve and I know I'll get there... albeit maybe a tad slower.

Like you said... we all do this for different reasons. Sometimes we don't even know why we do what we do. Haven't we all purchased something we didn't really need? LOL

[fourtrax]

I shoot OPEN because... well, Dad gave me an OPEN gun. I know lucky me. But, I have said b4 and will say again, I think that the best all around learning division is PRODUCTION. You'll learn it all from stage breakdown to where and how do I reload in PRODUCTION. You'll learn it all in any division, I just feel that you'll be forced to learn it quicker and better in PRODUCTION if you want to be semi=competitive. My .02 cents anyways. Have fun in whatever you decide.

[VegasOPM]

I switch between Production and Limited pretty regularly. My Production gun is a G17, which is also my Limited, SSP and ESP gun. When I shoot it in Limited, it wears a Dawson ICE magwell and +5 Arres. I also have a G22, if I decide to shoot Major. Same trigger, same magwell, same sights.... so no re-education is necessary. Lately I have been playing with my 1911 for Single Stack and CDP. Different grip angle, sights and trigger- but sight alignment and trigger control still work the same. I have even been shooting a Beretta 92 in practice sometimes, just to mix it up.

[1911jerry]

I have had a few GM's give me this advice:

If you want to really improve, shoot the same gun for 2 years straight.

Jerry

[SharonAnne9x23]

I think it depends on how much you CAN shoot. In Phoenix we can shoot a practical match every Tuesday evening, Thursday evening, and almost every weekend day of the month. If you take into account IDPA, USPSA and Paper & Steel I am sure you can shoot every Saturday and Sunday. That makes 16 opportunities to shoot, not counting practice sessions. I know a few guys who shoot together who rotate, LTD one week, single stack one week, Prod one week, Open one week, then repeat. You stay fresh on every gun.
If you have aspirations to be a M or GM then stick with each one until you make it, then switch. If you want a slot to the nationals in a particular division then stick with one. It also depends on how many slots your club has in a division. When I have asked for an open slot, I got one, at Rio.

[steel1212]

1911jerry, on Mar 15 2009, 04:50 PM, said:

I have had a few GM's give me this advice:

If you want to really improve, shoot the same gun for 2 years straight.

Jerry

Very, very true!

[lugnut]

1911jerry, on Mar 15 2009, 04:50 PM, said:

I have had a few GM's give me this advice:

If you want to really improve, shoot the same gun for 2 years straight.

Jerry

What would a GM know anyway??

I'm sure you could get really good if you practiced like the GMs do. Personally- I could not go 2 years shooting one gun. I just don't think I could do it.

[TMC]

gino_aki, on Mar 13 2009, 10:40 AM, said:

I bet if a lot of us were honest with ourselves we'd admit one of the big the reasons for jumping divisions is that we get to play with different toys.

That's my reason. I've got a bunch of guns and I like shooting them. I shoot open, limited, production, 3-gun, ICORE, Glock matches, steel challenge (open and open 22) and rimrife matches. I have cowboy guns and gear just haven't found a match to shoot when there isn't a USPSA match.

[Mo Hepworth]

I think switching divisions forces you to pay attention to different things while shooting. I think I tend to shoot more A's when shooting production,..and have better trigger control. With L10 I would concentrate more on moving out of position a tad quicker,...using the mag well to facilitate mag changes although I may have started moving. I find the different recoil characteristics allows me to watch the gun differently,...maybe like getting a little of back to basics. Our goal would be all A's of course,..but I tend to accept a few more C's and gain some speed for .40 in L10/Limited/Standard.

[Jody Waring]

For me, I am not a M or GM, but what works for this cat is paying attention to the sights, whether it be a dot or iron sights, and shoot as fast as the sights allow. I was slow learning to call my shots, but now I just break the shot when I see what I need to, and I shoot each gun enough to know how it feels, recoils etc... I think your familiarity with each gun you use is the big thing, and when you have that and you have the fundamentals down pretty good, you should be able to shoot all of your different guns well. Everyone must know someone that can shoot whatever they pick up. There's an old guy in my area that can pick up his 1911, Glock, S&W, CZ or whatever, and give most young guys in the area a run for the money. He can draw, and reload well, and he shoots most of his guns alot. His being familiar with his different guns pays off. I think he decides what he is shooting just before the match as he usually totes half a dozen different ones with him! He shoots mainly Standard and production, but nonetheless, he can do either very well.

This post has been edited by Jody Waring: 09 April 2009 - 01:17 PM

[Mo Hepworth]

Jody Waring, on Apr 9 2009, 02:14 PM, said:

For me, I am not a M or GM, but what works for this cat is paying attention to the sights, whether it be a dot or iron sights, and shoot as fast as the sights allow. I was slow learning to call my shots, but now I just break the shot when I see what I need to, and I shoot each gun enough to know how it feels, recoils etc... I think your familiarity with each gun you use is the big thing, and when you have that and you have the fundamentals down pretty good, you should be able to shoot all of your different guns well. Everyone must know someone that can shoot whatever they pick up. There's an old guy in my area that can pick up his 1911, Glock, S&W, CZ or whatever, and give most young guys in the area a run for the money. He can draw, and reload well, and he shoots most of his guns alot. His being familiar with his different guns pays off. I think he decides what he is shooting just before the match as he usually totes half a dozen different ones with him! He shoots mainly Standard and production, but nonetheless, he can do either very well.

sounds like Jim Mcgee.

[Jody Waring]

That was a hard one wasn't it Mo!

[Sam815]

Jody Waring, on Apr 9 2009, 02:46 PM, said:

That was a hard one wasn't it Mo!

I've shot several divisions including Single Stack, Limited etc. over the years. However, with the cost of ammo these days, I've decided to switch back to my Glock 34 and focus on production this year. I usually keep at least 1K-2k rounds of 9mm on hand. Will also shoot a few shotguns matches this year to switch things up a little. I guess the 1911 and Para will go back into the safe along with the revolver.

[Chris Keen]

1911jerry, on Mar 15 2009, 04:50 PM, said:

I have had a few GM's give me this advice:

If you want to really improve, shoot the same gun for 2 years straight.

Jerry

Good solid advice Jerry.