Say Uncle is wondering about what caliber he should use for competition.
So, of course, that leads to choices regarding caliber. Having always been a 45ACP guy, I have a few guns in that caliber. I was thinking of something different and leaning toward .40S&W since it seems to be the standard for competition.
If I were allowed to shoot the Ruger 22/45, I'd have nothing but A hits as fast as I could pull the trigger. I'd also have steel plates that wouldn't fall down, but that's another discussion altogether. There is definitely an advantage to lighter recoil in follow up shots but I've learned that the recoil isn't my problem (I still shoot low. Three quarters high! Three quarters high!).
My biggest drawback with the Para Gun Blog .45 is that it's a single stack. I get 8+1 rounds of JMB approved goodness which makes the baby Jesus smile. That is until the course calls for 22+ rounds and I spend half of the time doing mag changes.
Now, not to brag, but for some odd reason I don't have much of an issue with a quick change. I keep thinking I need to get a mag well to make it even faster, but so far I've yet to get tripped up swapping out mags (thank God in IPSC I can just dump partially loaded mags!). However, even with a fairly speedy change, it still slows me down.
What I'd really love is a double stack .45. My hands are large enough that the added width isn't going to bother me. 14+1 rounds of .45ACP not only makes the Baby Jesus smile, but you'll get some cooing and a giggle too.
So, capacity is a major factor in my opinion. I've watched guys burn through entire stages with 9mm and not make a single mag change, but those guys get pissed if they get too close to the outside of the A zone. I'm not good enough to warrant the increase accuracy required for shooting minor power, so my best bet is to get a double stack .45 or switch to 40. Yeah, it's a little more pricey, but that's why I reload.
Opinions?