Thoughts on switching to a G35 for IDPA

[DanaT]

Hi all,

Just visting this "club house" from my more normal one.

Anyways, I have been shooting IDPA when ever I can make it for about a year.

I started out just playing around and shot my old standby pistol, a Ruger P89. Even just starting out I was placing in the upper third.

I am not doing too bad considering I still think of myself as a newbie.

Well, after shooting the P89 for while I switched to my Glock and actually really like it. However, I had some stange look when we had to do a retention drill and the muzzle blast blew the center out of the target!

http://www.danat.mesanetworks.net/10mm_IDPA_small.jpg

I have been using my G20 and doing just as well as with the 9mm.

However, my situation has changed and I have an infant and am working some serious hours (including overseas travel). This makes relaoding difficult as every little bit of time I have is pretty much taken up. Just getting to the matches is hard enough.

With reloading time in question, I was thinking of going back to 9mm. I can get WWB ammo cheap and easy. Shooting in SSP 10mm has no advantage (except its hard to score down when the center of the target is gone!!)

I am wanting to shoot IPDA with aglock to keep up practice with the glock feel and sight picture. So I need to buy a 9mm glock.

Going all out, I am thinking of a G34. Any reason why not to?

As a side note the only hestiation I have had is that I also like the feel the XDs (which I have a XD Sub) and am thinking of an XD tactical. However, the XD is in ESP. But winning isn't everything (but being competative at least feels good) but loosing sure sucks!!

Push me over the edge, convince me I need a G34!! Is there any better SSP pistol (HK Expert?) for IDPA especially at a reasonable price?

-Dana

[Landric]

Glocks pretty much rule the roost in SSP. There are other options, but the G34 is not a bad choice.

Personally I like to shoot my carry guns. As it happens, my primary carry gun is a Glock 22, so I shoot it quite a bit in IDPA. Of course I also shoot an HK USP Compact 9mm, a FN Hi-Power 9mm, and a Kimber 1911, but those are all carry guns as well.

[Jayman]

Most top competitors shooting Glocks are shooting the G34. (In SSP or ESP, anyway.) Which isn't to say that you can't be competitive with a different model, but I find the G34 to be easier to shoot well. Throw in the fact that 9mm ammo is cheap and plentiful, and you have a combination that is competitive right out of the box and inexpensive to practice with.

I've been running a G34 for about six months now and there's no way/no how I'm going to switch to any other Glock for SSP or ESP. (CDP now, I'd be tempted to shoot a G21 just to be contrary...)

[Joe D]

IMO the G35 is a better choice. I have both. The G35 shoots just as softly as the G34. The G35 can be shot in IDPA SSP, ESP and IPSC Production, Lim 10 and Limited.
The reload cost is about $5 more per 1,000.

[TimP]

I think the G35 would be a great choice. Thats what I shoot. If you area reloader you can really download some 40 gamer rounds. 130pf 40cal loads are nice. The only reason I would want the 35, is so it can pull double duty in USPSA as well. if your only going to shoot IDPA, the G34 woudl also work just fine.

[Bailer]

I'm in a similar boat with a new baby at home and no time to reload. A g34 and WWB from Walmart has me back in the game.

[DanaT]

Well, its good to see that I am not alone!

I never would have thought that a baby demanded 27 hours a day....

Now, its just trying to get of work long enough to go pickup a G34.

-Dana