Looking for a “Production” gun to compliment my “Single Stack” gun.

[Snoopy47]

For those of you that shoot 1911’s frequently what “Production” class gun do you find most similar to your Single Stack gun?

For competitive reasons I’m going to go with 9mm, but if you picked up a production gun, which one would most naturally point like a 1911?

This is for Steel Challenge so bull’s-eye accuracy takes a back seat to reliability.

[Jim Watson]

I did not have much trouble adapting to the S&W Plastic M&P for IDPA SSP after years of shooting 1911 pattern guns. You will want a trigger job by Dan Burwell or Randy Lee; or at least the DIY installation of Lee's Apex parts.

http://www.burwellgunsmithing.com/index.htm

http://apextactical.com/index.php

[Hunter Customs]

Originally Posted by Snoopy47

For those of you that shoot 1911’s frequently what “Production” class gun do you find most similar to your Single Stack gun?

For competitive reasons I’m going to go with 9mm, but if you picked up a production gun, which one would most naturally point like a 1911?

This is for Steel Challenge so bull’s-eye accuracy takes a back seat to reliability.

I shot Production with a Para LDA 9mm and did very well with the gun.
Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com

[RH45]

I've tried a lot of production guns for the same reason, and there isn't anything I've found that duplicates a single stack, but, the M&P Pro, is as close as I've found.

[waktasz]

I like my M&P too. There's a lot of pre-travel, but once you reach the end of the pretravel, the weight and feel of the break is very nice.

[Snoopy47]

Thanks. I'll try the MP next.

The reason I ask is there are over 500 approved Production guns, and isn't it the truth everytime you try out someone's gun (at least in my case), I "like" it and want one. So I wanted to shy away from simply trying out guns folks have at the range. There always seems to be a manufacture bias depending on which group I'm around at any given time.

I've already come to the conclusion that a trigger job would be needed on any production gun. There is NO WAY I'm going to get an out of the box Production gun and even come close to my 1911 trigger.

That's funny one of you mention Apex Tactical parts. I met one of their pistol smiths this weekend. He was in my squad, and let my try is HK, which got me to thinking about how best to go about looking at Production guns.

[MSgt Dotson]

The M&P does have a nice grip angle....and, for the 1911 user inside all of us, several (minus the Pro, unfortunately) do have thumb safeties....

[Joe40]

I have been shooting a Glock 34 for about 4 years in Production with a G17 as backup gun. Haven't had to use the G17 at all. Last fall I picked up an M&P 9mm L to try out later this year. I will probably get some work done on it first like a Fiber front sight and trigger job.

I don't think you can go wrong with either a Glock or M&P.

[Gary1911A1]

I recommend the CZ Shadow. The way the grip curves at the rear places my hand behind the trigger in such a way that it's more like pulling straight back like on a 1911 than any other pistol I've tried in Production.

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: I shoot 2011's and 1911's but I use the Glock 34 for Production and IDPA SSP. The grip angle is not as big a deal as most think it is. I have owned and sold some of the best Production guns out there such as the CZ Shadow. Great pistol and very accurate. I just did not like the DA/SA trigger. The DA trigger pull was just under 8lbs and the SA was just about 2lbs. The M&P you can do a great trigger on but the trigger just feels funny to me because of the curve and pivot point. The XD is another good one with a couple of drop in parts you can have a nice trigger. The XD does have a heavy slide compared to the Glock 34. I really like the Glock because I can get parts and they just plain work and work. For about $20 in parts you have all the spares you will ever need or never needHope this helps. Thanks, Eric

[want2race]

I was looking to do the same thing, switch to Production for a bit to see if I couldn't improve my classification. Haven't shot that division for a few years now.

Bobby at FGW let me borrow his M&P Pro. It feels pretty good in the hands, WAY better than a Glock for me. The grip angle may not be a big deal for some but I need it close for indexing. Glocks index high and are not comfortable for me to shoot.

The trigger was very nice. Can't remember if he said he did the trigger job or not. I am looking forward to trying it out.

I've shot XD's too, the trigger is good but it is top heavy. The M&P just feels a bit better overall, I'm the furthest thing from a S&W fan but I'll give it shot.

[twodelta]

I tried a few different guns when I was looking for a Production gun to go with my 1911. Our USPSA matches let you shoot a second gun if you want during the summer. I ended up getting a M&P 9 Pro because of the grip angle and trigger. My wife shot it, and liked it so much she shoots it in Production. She has close to 2000 rounds through it. I've shot it about 50 times to make sure it was sighted in and to chrono my/her reloads.....

[RRPD1]

Not sure you can wrong with the M&P L or Pro, or a CZ, or XD. I've shot all of them and find that the XD just works better for me. I like how the XD tracks and points better than the Smith and I've shot them all a bunch. Everyone is different and none of them are bad choices by any means.

[Bullseye1911]

G34 is one of the more popular ones that lots of shooters are using in production

[Snoopy47]

I rented an M&P…. I’m horrible with it.

I borrowed a guy’s Sig 220 (yep and relic from the 70’s), I did really well with it. So I’ll try some modern ones.

So Sig and HK are next.

[waktasz]

I find that the M&P trigger feels just like a SIG SA trigger. Lots of takeup with virtually no weight, and then a clean break.

[AZMCS]

Another for the M&P. I switch back and forth between an M&P 9mm(with the Apex Tactical sear and radius-ed plunger) and my Valor without a hiccup. Those parts makes the trigger nearly perfect.

[mike4045]

I use a glock34, cz shadow and a borrowed MP for production. I change platforms without much trouble. The cz is the slower of the bunch for me. Any of them makes a good choice. I lean towards the clock, because I am faster with it.

[SoonerPast]

An XD with Canyon Creek's trigger really is as close to a single action feel as there is in the plastic world. Particularly the reset. The con is that if you like IDPA, the XD is in a different class than the rest of the polymer guns.

[ambluemax]

I've only shot single stack in USPSA, but I jump back and forth between 1911's and my XD9 and G23 all the time in IDPA (sometimes at the same match when its allowed). I don't think you can go wrong with those two or the M&P. I don't like the M&P trigger though. Yes the grip angle is different on the glock, but I don't have any trouble with it and quite frankly I like the change of pace sometimes to keep things fresh and exciting.

[mikeg1005]

Maybe I'm just retarded but on my friends G34, shooting it last weekend for the first time since I shot someone elses a few years back... I had a premature slide lock every mag becuase I would accidently press up what I call "glocks sad excuse" for an extended slide lock... it just got in the way of the way I was holding the gun. Its an accurate gun but just not for me... I don't like the feel of it.

Mike.

[jsykes]

Originally Posted by SoonerPast

An XD with Canyon Creek's trigger really is as close to a single action feel as there is in the plastic world. Particularly the reset. The con is that if you like IDPA, the XD is in a different class than the rest of the polymer guns.

Agree with this one hundred percent. It points like my 19/2011s and the trigger is as close as I've felt as its actually a single action design in that it only releases the striker, not cocking it at all like some of the other polymer pistols.

[twodelta]

I finally got to shoot my/her M&P 9 Pro in a USPSA match today. Wife was sick.....
It definitely feels the closest to a 1911 for me. I had never practiced drawing with the pistol, and only shot it 100 times before today. I had no problems drawing and reloading. It almost seems to fit my hand better than my 1911.

[want2race]

Hey Dude, you beat me to this post! I also shot a 9Pro for the first time in a match yesterday (same match as twodelta).

Man, I love it. I'm a 1911/2011 only shooter. Hell I don't even own a plastic gun, the M&P is borrowed. I was able to index on targets with relative ease and hammer away nearly as fast as my 2011. Although it has a trigger job, the reset was still a little long. I went home, googled it, then fixed the reset. Pretty darn easy to do too! The pull weight measures 3# on my pull gage, which is fine for now, but now the reset is nearly half of what it was.
(Hope you don't mind Bobby...LOL)

Steel12 is working the video, but he said on one stage it looked as though I threw up a handfull of brass.

If I could get one with a thumb safety, I'd actually carry one of these daily.

[twodelta]

I meant to ask to try your M&P yesterday to see if there was a big difference with the trigger job. I haven't done anything to mine yet. Mainly because I haven't shot it much. The wife carries a 9c, and loved this gun when she shot it. Yesterday put me over the 2000 round mark without a single problem. The M&P trigger feels as light as my Springfield 1911 that you worked on for me.

I made my usual stupid mistakes yesterday, but the gun worked great. I was definitely more accurate. Maybe I was concentrating more since I was shooting minor, and was trying to avoid those Charlies. I might get one of these for myself, or even get one of the 40 Pros. I could use it in limited, L-10, and Production.