Easiest shooting major caliber.

Kingjamez · May 6, 2012

What is your opinion on the best caliber to use to make major in USPSA standard division and most 3 gun matches? I considered .40S&W but after firing it I'm not sure if it's any faster back on target than .45ACP.

Either way it'll be a full size glock. Any suggestions on which caliber would be more competitive for an average shooter like me? I already have a G34, and wish that I could use it to make major, but the usual minimum regardless of power factor is .40 cal.

-Jim

joppaj · May 6, 2012

My G22 is my service weapon. I have more rounds through it than every other gun I own combined. I'm ALMOST as fast back on target with my G21SF just because the recoil is so much different. I'd get the G21, practice and never look back if I were you.

fivepointstar · May 6, 2012

9mm

with the lower recoil you can get back on target faster. COnsider the Glock 17C the compensated slide & bbl reduces muzzle climb

jawn · May 6, 2012

.45 is probably the most practical way to make major. I much prefer shooting .45 over .40.

.357SIG would be fun though, and I find it slightly less objectionable than .40S&W.

Kingjamez · May 6, 2012

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately 9mm is too small in diameter to make major, the bullet must be .40 cal or more. If I could use 9mm my Glock 34 would be the obvious answer, it shoots sooooo smoothly,

Joppaj: My limited experience conclusion sounds similar to your considerable experience. That is exactly the kind of feedback I need. Thanks for pushing me in the right direction! I already shoot .45 ACP and dont own any .40S&W's so that would be another reason to go G21SF. Thanks!

-Jim

rkgsmith · May 6, 2012

.Depnds on why you are shooting. If it's just for fun and your not in to win, but just to go an shoot, then yes the .45 is fine. Load some 230 gr ball, and the recoil is not bad. If your there to win, then the only way is the forty. USPSA is a numbers game, more rounds in the mag is a HUGE advantage. The glocks are good, but only the pros win ( and only a couple) use a glock. STI's rule the game, just look at what the top shooters use. All 40's. Nobody has used a .45 and won since the mid 80's. But it's all what you want from the sport.

Billman · May 6, 2012

45acp, the recoil is very manageable during competition.

hvymax · May 6, 2012

400 Cor Bon maybe 460 Rowland. I thought that was what 38 Super was for?

coopermania · May 6, 2012

I used to shoot 9mm Major when i lived in Indiana and when the rules changed I went to 10 mm shooting Nosler 135 grainers. One the days when I would have to get chronographed the RSO shot my delta and then stared at the chrono screen when it told him my rounds busted 1400 fps. It took them awhile to figure out what i was doing. Using it in 40 cal it should be a pretty soft round to shoot.

BenL · May 7, 2012

Recoil is a relative thing. I have a SVI in .40S&W, and with the right loads, recoils like a light 9mm.

If you're already a Glock shooter, I'd suggest the G35 if you want to shoot Limited Major.

Mag capacity in a .45ACP is a real handicap.

kalister1 · May 7, 2012

USPSA Pistol does not have a Standard Division. The have Production, and all production is scored as Minor.

davsco · May 7, 2012

if you want to let the pros help you make your decision, according to the 2010 uspsa equipment survey, in Limited, a whopping 98+% shoot .40 S&W.

as far as frames, sti is first with 65% and glock 3rd with 9%.

more info than you asked for, but bullet weight is 75% 180g, 12% 200g and 7% 165g.

if you're not necessarily trying to take top prize, and also don't want to drop a bunch of coin, i'd stick with what you're familiar with, so get glock 35, swap out the sights, work on the trigger, add a magwell, and extend the mags.

just for purposes of clarification:

uspsa (handgun) has production and limited divisions (and others). production division for pistol is all scored minor irrespective of caliber. limited for major has to be at least .40 caliber with power factor of 165, and for minor has to be at least 9mm with power factor of 125.

for uspsa multigun, to shoot major with rifle you need 320 power factor, and 150 to make minor, no caliber restrictions. AND you need to make major with your handgun if you want your rifle scored as major.

so, if you're just shooting an AR in .223/5.56 for 3 gun, you are already in minor and can just use your g34 in 9mm. but if you're shooting .308 or something that will have power factor of at least 320, then your pistol will need to be at least .40 with pf of 165 to be scored as major.

Kingjamez · May 7, 2012

Davsco, thanks for the excellent post. I've been reading rules for IDPA, USPSA, IPSC, 3gun, etc. your post cleared up a lot for me. Thanks!

-Jim

davsco · May 7, 2012

to confuse the issue a little, there is another set of 3 gun rules, IMGA, used, at least some of the time, at York and Peacemaker and perhaps other venues in the area. these rules don't appear to differentiate between major and minor, but they do have a Heavy Metal division in which the rifle needs to have a minimum of 320 power factor and .30 caliber, and pistol needs to be at least .44 caliber with power factor of 165.

jimbobborg · May 8, 2012

davsco said:
to confuse the issue a little, there is another set of 3 gun rules, IMGA, used, at least some of the time, at York and Peacemaker and perhaps other venues in the area. these rules don't appear to differentiate between major and minor, but they do have a Heavy Metal division in which the rifle needs to have a minimum of 320 power factor and .30 caliber, and pistol needs to be at least .44 caliber with power factor of 165.

That's to ensure folks are using the antiquated .45 ACP. 230gr ball ammo makes that power factor. Too bad it leaves out the 10mm.

davsco · May 8, 2012

jimbobborg said:
Too bad it leaves out the 10mm.

yeah i don't know why they don't just go on power factor, whether idpa, uspsa or 3 gun...

jimbobborg · May 8, 2012

davsco said:
yeah i don't know why they don't just go on power factor, whether idpa, uspsa or 3 gun...

They lack imagination. And they worship at the alter of the .45 ACP. I just calculated out the power factor for one of my cast bullet 10mm loads. 247. I need to shoot some more of that.

mahead · May 16, 2012

I used to hate the 40 cal round until I shot hand loads out of a heavy gun. Now I like it.

howard762 · May 17, 2012

Dave is spot on. 45 is cool, I have several, but lack of capacity is a killer. I have a 10mm too, but no sport I know of requires that kind of power and brass is too expensive to just let lay around.

If you want to shoot both Limited in USPSA and 3 gun the 40 is the only way to go. STI Edge if the budget allows it, a Glock 35, or 22 if it doesn't. The M&P 40 or maybe the XD should be considered as well.

There's a reason the guys at the top shoot mostly the same guns. They are capable of winning. They don't have time or money for guns that can't. They need equipment they can count on to win when there is money or prizes on the line. Shooters heavily sponsored by gun companies are the only exception. They do what they're paid to do.

Heavy metal is really a pre-M16, pre-M92 kind of thing, where they want you to use 45s, M1As, and 12ga shotguns. They ought to just say that I guess. Neither the 45 or any 30 cal would be competitive in the Tactical Optics division so it gives those guys a place to play.

photoracer · May 17, 2012

davsco said:
if you want to let the pros help you make your decision, according to the 2010 uspsa equipment survey, in Limited, a whopping 98+% shoot .40 S&W.

as far as frames, sti is first with 65% and glock 3rd with 9%.

more info than you asked for, but bullet weight is 75% 180g, 12% 200g and 7% 165g.

if you're not necessarily trying to take top prize, and also don't want to drop a bunch of coin, i'd stick with what you're familiar with, so get glock 35, swap out the sights, work on the trigger, add a magwell, and extend the mags.

just for purposes of clarification:

uspsa (handgun) has production and limited divisions (and others). production division for pistol is all scored minor irrespective of caliber. limited for major has to be at least .40 caliber with power factor of 165, and for minor has to be at least 9mm with power factor of 125.

for uspsa multigun, to shoot major with rifle you need 320 power factor, and 150 to make minor, no caliber restrictions. AND you need to make major with your handgun if you want your rifle scored as major.

so, if you're just shooting an AR in .223/5.56 for 3 gun, you are already in minor and can just use your g34 in 9mm. but if you're shooting .308 or something that will have power factor of at least 320, then your pistol will need to be at least .40 with pf of 165 to be scored as major.

That is one reason I will be shooting my Bul M-5 in 9x23mm in 3-gun since I have already built a 5.56 rifle. Besides according to the USPSA site Limited pistol will have a minimum of .40 starting in 2013 (no more minor calibers in Limited) using the IPSC rules, which means the only mods not allowed will be comps and optics. Things like thumbrests will now be legal like in the rest of the world. So because my Bul will not be legal in Limited next year anyway I figure to use it in Multigun instead. I can still use it in SC. I don't think the USPSA pistol rule changes will carry over to Multigun.

Easiest shooting major caliber.

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