competition: G35 or HK Expert?

[Half Loaded]

I have been thinking about getting a new range, HD and competition gun and have a couple questions. Mainly I want something that I can use in a variety of competitions and range time.

First, would you go for a g35 or an HK Expert in .40? I have both Glock and HK guns currently. I shoot a G20 with a .40 replacement barrel sometimes (also have a G27), and I have a USP compact in 9mm. Both the Glock and HK are great and I seem to shoot about equally well with both. I have read that HK may be a tad more accurate, and therefore I wonder if it has higher potential as my skills grow (but that might just be BS).

Second, and more generally, is .40 a better all around choice for a gun that will be used in various competitions compared to 9 mm for broadly qualifying? I have little experience right now but expect greater opportunity to get involved in competition in the future.

Thanks for any advice.

[Jim Watson]

What kind of "competition?"
I see very few H&Ks at IDPA, Glocks are much more common.

Do you handload?
IDPA SSP and USPSA Production do very well with 9mm if you buy your ammo.
If you load it, Joe D and others say a light loaded .40 is softer to shoot than 9mm. And a full charge .40 would get you into USPSA Limited, etc.

[Half Loaded]

What kind of "competition?"
I see very few H&Ks at IDPA, Glocks are much more common.

Do you handload?
IDPA SSP and USPSA Production do very well with 9mm if you buy your ammo.
If you load it, Joe D and others say a light loaded .40 is softer to shoot than 9mm. And a full charge .40 would get you into USPSA Limited, etc.

Really I was hoping to go with one gun that might work across a variety of competition venues given that I have no experience in any of them yet (other than local courses set up that were relatively informal). I mean more the practical shooting variety.

Again, being new to this idea I recall seeing that .40 will qualify in more than .9mm?

No, I do not reload (yet!).

Thanks for helping a newbie.

[Glock Dave]

If you shoot IDPA, .40 and 9mm are scored the same. In USPSA, .40 is scored major and 9mm is scored minor meaning you get more points for shots outside the A zone when you use a .40. To confuse matters more, in USPSA there is a production division where everything is scored minor so it doesn't matter. But there is also the limited division where you are scored major or minor. So in USPSA, .40 gives you more options. Also like one of the poster above said, double action/single action guns like HK's, Berettas and Sigs are not as popular in the shooting sports. Some people use them but not many. CZ's are catching on in production division though.

[Half Loaded]

...double action/single action guns like HK's, Berettas and Sigs are not as popular in the shooting sports. Some people use them but not many.

Why is that? I would think the single action triggers would have a lot of folks who like that feature (people rave about 1911s for that reason).

[EKUJustice]

Harder to get use to 2 seperate trigger pulls. The single actions on those guns while not real heavy are nothing like the 1911s short crisp trigger pull as they are typically very long. The glocks have a consistant trigger pull and alot of people lighten them up alot for competition use

[Glock Dave]

Why is that? I would think the single action triggers would have a lot of folks who like that feature (people rave about 1911s for that reason).


I get into arguments about this all the time, especially in the non-glock forum. Guns with a transition from double action to single action are harder to become proficient with compared to guns with one consistant trigger pull. You have to get used to two mechanical motions as opposed to one. The first double action pull is usually very long and heavy and then the single action pulls are light but with a lot of take up. I have seen a lot of shooters who are new to competition show up with their Sigs or berettas and within a short time they go buy a Glock, 1911, or something else. And these are people who have owned and shot guns for years. They just never experienced what it takes to shoot fast and accurately. If you don't believe me, just look at what guns were used at the IDPA nationals.
6 Berettas, 2 HK's, 9 Sig DA/SA, 5 CZ/EAA witness, then there were 106 Glocks and and 114 1911's of all different makes. There were also 21 Springfield XD's and 18 S&W M&P's which are both similar to Glock triggers. The truth is in the numbers.

[mpolans]

I think we just covered this:
http://glocktalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=838040