Posted: 12/6/2011 5:18:11 PM EDT
| Ok, I am gathering gear for my first try at 3 gun. I have a 5.56 rifle with Burris XTR optic, a Mossberg 930 shotgun and now I need to settle on a pistol. I have shot 1911s for a number of years and it is my favorite platform. I have a Government size 1911 that I have shot enough that I can confidently ring our steel target at 25 yards. What I don't know is if the 8 round magazine of the 1911 will limit me more than my skills can. I have an opportunity to pick up a used Springfield XD45. What I don't know is if the Springfield XD45 will put me in a different division? |
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When it comes to pistol platforms, everyone has their own idea. IMHO, the double-action semi-auto pistol is the answer to a question that was never asked. I shot Smith revolvers for 90% of my LEO career and since I retired, I exclusively carry a 1911, either my Colt 1991A1 Compac or my Kimber Stainless II. The Glock model 21 I retired with stays under my pillow, simply because it has night sights and 13 round mags and I usually wake up groggy.  Don't get me wrong, they do have their applications, especially in the hands of LEO who are not gun nuts and will fire their weapon in practice ONLY by department mandate. Those, I would prefer not to see walking around with a condition one 1911. |
| patchz, I'm not sure you understood the question. First let me review my original post. I carry a 1911 in condition 1 and have done so for a number of years. I'm not looking to start a debate about revolvers vs semi-auto pistols. My question is only related to choosing between my 1911 and a Springfield XD45 for use in 3 gun competitions. |
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As Mr. Tielke pointed out your rifle with optics will put you in TacOptics where 99% are shooting 9's, 40's, supers, etc that are holding 21-24 rounds before they have to reload. It all comes down to how competitive you want/plan to be. My opinion to you is go and shoot a local match or three with the gear that you own right now and that will put things in perspective on what you think you may or may not need.
As to your OP I would go with the XD45 for 3 gun. 14 rounds at the start is much better than 8. |
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I shoot an XD .40 Service in three gun and I love it. I have a couple of 1911s as well but they're a bit too heavy and offer too few rounds compared to my XD. The XD is also the most naturally pointing pistol I've ever shot. I fell in love with the XD platform back in 2004 when I had a chance to shoot one that belonged to a friend. It was such a strong match that I went home and ordered mine the same night. The great thing about the XD is that it closely mimics the 1911 in terms of grip angle, safety, and button/lever placement. This means your existing skills with your 1911 will easily transfer to the XD and vice versa. If you decide to switch back to a 1911 or 2011 later, you aren't learning a new weapons platform from scratch. Much like the 1911, you also have a ton of versatility with the XD. You can get a variety of barrel lengths, calibers, and capacities to meet your needs. I'm shooting a 4" Service model in .40 right now, but I'm looking very closely at buying a 5" Tactical model in 9mm and shipping it off for some custom work. |
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As was stated, you will be running optics, so to be competitive (if that is your goal), you will need a pistol that gets you into the competition. I, like you, have shot 1911's for decades. I bought an XD-9 in 2006, had a trigger job done, and started shooting the jeepers out of it. After over 7k rounds, I still was not all that good with it. I also have a CZ-75B that I have had for years, and even with that shooting DA/SA, I could run circles around the XD with it. The XD was a great pistol, and never gave me a lick of trouble, but I eventually sold it. Unless you really want a new pistol, I would first get some 10 round magazines for the 1911 and run that. To get a new one, I would be looking for a 9mm or .40 so you can get the magazine capacity up there. This last year I ran my CZ-75 9mm with the stock 16rd magazines, but was wishing for them 19 rounders. -Corn
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