Posted: 5/23/2005 11:58:20 AM EDT
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I am looking for either a 34 or 35 for IDPA. I curently have a 23 and a 26 and they are both great. I shoot both great and the recoil of the .40 isn't all that much more to me. I am planning on selling the 23 to raise part of the cost of the new pistol. My uncertainty comes from two things. One, how much actual difference is the recoil and/or accuracy between the 34 and 35? Two, I really am not sure if I want to take that step down to all 9mms. So, I would like to get the 35 if the recoil and accuracy difference is negligible. What say you? And before you say it, I am planning on going to a range and renting the 34 that they have. I have yet to find a place that has a 35 to rent. Which is why I'm looking for info from those who have shot both. Thanks. |
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Get the 9mm unless you reload. There's no major or minor in IDPA. The power floor for caliber is 125000 so if you reload you can make a .40 as light as a 9mm in recoil. Personally I'd go 9mm. Wally World value pak is $11 per 100 rounds, it's accurate enough to win. That's what I shoot in IDPA in SSP and in USPSA in Production in my Glock 17. I took 1st place in Production at my local USPSA match. I'm classifying tomorrow in IDPA SSP, right now I'm a sharpshooter, I classified in March of this year with my Beretta Elite in a IWB holster. It's quite a bit slower for me to shoot that gun so I'm hoping to get Expert this time a round shooting my G17 in a Blackhawk CQC holster. I placed 11th (90.53) in Amateur Civilian (G17) at the Richmond VA GSSF match and 5th (88.51) in Amateur Subcompact (G26) using Wally World Win value pk. I did even better at Waldorf MD GSSF shooting a 75.07 in Am Civ and a 77.35 in Am Sub but GSSF hasn't posted the scores yet on their website. |
.40 caliber is the most likely to blow up (not a Glock KB joke, its a fact) and complicates things when you consider that accidentally firing one in a .45 really sucks. I have seen it happen. Glock 9mms have THE BEST reliability record. Thats where Glocks rep came from. The .40s are less reliable, IMHO. |
WHATEVER! |
It's more of a issue with who loaded the ammo. Most of the Kbs out there come from reloads. It is up to the reloader to make sure the case doesn't get a double charge. I wonder what 40s are doing near 45 guns.... |
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.40 caliber will have a serious pressure spike if there is the slightest bit of bullet setback. Also, 9mms can be fired in a .40, and .40s in a .45. Not a problem if there are only 9s and .45s on the range. How Steve managed to get a .40 into his gun in a class that had no .40s in it, I do not know. I note that you ask about IDPA. I am rusty on IDPA rules, but as much as I hate .40, doesnt it make major and 9mms shoot with a penalty in comparison? That might be a factor for you. FWIW, my friend and I both had G21s and were less than impressed with their reliability. |
Let me make sure I understand this correctly. The .40 is bad becuase someone can put a 9mm in it, and someone can also put a .40 in a 45? That is the silliest thing I have ever heard. Would your recommendation be to ban the .40's from ranges, or just ban it altogether becuase of this "flaw"? |
| Just one of my complaints about .40. I personally prefer 10mm or .45. Also, some new shooters find the .40 recoil to be objectionable. I shoot .40s very fast, because they are in and out of recoil quickly, but I just don't like the caliber. Too much of a compromise between the easy shooting and plentiful 9mm and the harder hitting .45. |
| WOW, lots to wade through here. We have already talked about the G-35 but for what you are looking for I think you might be better served with a G-34. If you don't reload, the ammo cost is a big factor to consider. I went through the same thing before I bought my G-35, the only difference is that I needed to make 165PF and that is just not going to happen in a 9mm. I bought a G-17 later because I do like the 9mm Glock. Let me be the first to say GET BOTH! You could get the G-35 and a 9mm barrel! |
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None of my Glocks have ever blown up. And pressure problems are usually caused by reloads, which Glock has already told you not to use. If you're that worried about it, replace the barrel, but then it may not be legal in IDPA. Is there a IDPA group near you? If so go see what they shoot and ask lots of questions. There are a lot of guys I know that prefer the 17 over the 34 because they say they are faster from holster to target with it. IDPA is a different game then others, and asking what others shoot and have had success with may help. I carry a 35 on duty and like the long slide as it points better for me. That being said I would have no problem carrying either or using either in IDPA. The 34 is probably the "cheapest" choice in that you can probably shoot a lot of 9mm cheaper then 40. So I guess for me, the correct IDPA answer would be the 34. |
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Don't get a forty cause you might hurt someone with it.....unlike that lame ass 9mm that just absorbs into people. If you are looking for a mousey gun that your girl will like or that someone that is recoil sensative and can't handle a little more kick then get the 9. Truely, if the 40. cal was the deathtrap that some of the others on top of this post were talking about, there is no way it would be in use like it is with the amount of law enforcement agencies it is. We switched from Glock 19s to Glock 23s due to a more potent caliber.....we had 3 shootings where the bad guy was hit over 20 times with deadly 9mm bullets. Our only problem with the 40 cals was getting rid of all of the 9mm that kept creeping up into our 40 cal Glocks at the range.......finally we started shaking everyones range bags down as they entered the range, and that cured it. Last thought, I would get the more 35, all you have to do is a barrel swap and you can have a really smoking 357 sig.  |
I did that with my 23. I just dropped in a 32 barrel. I've never heard of a Glock barrel in .357sig long enough for the 34-35 platform. I really hate to get rid of the 23. Like most all people here, I don't really like selling guns. But...I would really prefer something better for IDPA, which I am starting to get into. And...I can't afford to get a new gun outright. I wish I could. One last question. At least for now. Someone mentioned getting a 35 and then getting the 9mm barrel for it. If I do that, is the 9mm extractor and new mags all that would be needed for the conversion? If so, then that might be the best deal for me. I could stay with the .40, which i already use, and swap out the innards for competition. |