{"id":1036,"date":"2023-05-03T17:13:04","date_gmt":"2023-05-03T17:13:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=1036"},"modified":"2023-05-03T17:13:04","modified_gmt":"2023-05-03T17:13:04","slug":"is-using-a-carry-gun-for-competition-a-mistake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=1036","title":{"rendered":"Is Using a Carry Gun for Competition a Mistake?"},"content":{"rendered":"


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By Nic Lenze<\/a><\/p>\n

T<\/span>he concealed carry landscape has changed drastically over the last several years. Many micro-sized or compact carry guns were often limited to just seven or eight rounds, meaning they were stuck in their role as a concealment gun. That has changed. Now, gun store counters are lined with compact yet capable guns with impressive capacity, expanding the potential role of these firearms.<\/p>\n

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Should you compete with your carry gun? What self-defense advantages can you gain from shooting competition with it? Are there any\u00a0downsides?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With features like optics compatibility and accessory rails, can your carry gun easily fill the role of a home defense gun or even be run through a weekend competition? This is a huge potential benefit, allowing shooters to spend more time behind the gun they\u2019re most likely to use during a defensive encounter.<\/p>\n

So, is shooting competitions with it one of the best ways to train and see what your CCW gear can do for you?<\/p>\n

\"author\n<\/picture>
Here the author competes with his carry gun, a Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro. He carries the gun with a Vortex Defender 6\u00a0MOA red\u00a0dot.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Competitive shooting is fun and educational. If you think way back to your days in school, were you more likely to learn if a lesson was made entirely of charts and graphs, or if new skills were used in a fun and practical setting?<\/p>\n

Competition makes me more likely to train and, as a bonus, highlights what is and isn\u2019t working with my gear. I treat my everyday carry as a system and testing that system before I need it is crucial. So, I decided it was time to start competing with my carry gun.<\/p>\n

The Gun<\/h2>\n

I\u2019ve been carrying a Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro<\/a> since they were released. Guns are expensive, and dedicating a handgun to the home defense role and then buying another one for carry didn\u2019t make financial sense. I was looking for one gun to fill both roles, and the Hellcat Pro met those needs.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"carry\n<\/picture>
The author carries his Hellcat Pro in a Black Arch Entrada holster. The rig carries inside the waistband and offers a spare magazine\u00a0pouch.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My Hellcat Pro, which I have had customized with a two-tone finish featuring a black slide and Desert FDE frame, is equipped with a Vortex Defender-CCW 6 MOA red dot<\/a>. It follows me everywhere in a Black Arch Entrada appendix holster, attached to an AttackPAK Venom Inner belt.<\/p>\n

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I mean it. I take this\u00a0everywhere<\/em>\u00a0I can legally carry! Through my carry journey, I found that having a smaller gun isn\u2019t necessarily better, and the Hellcat Pro strikes that middle ground between being small enough to carry and large enough to shoot well. Also, here in Colorado we have a magazine limit to contend with, and 16 rounds (15 in the magazine, and one in the chamber) is the most I can legally carry. Magazines that carry 15 rounds in such a slim package are exactly what I need.<\/p>\n

The Match<\/h2>\n

I called my buddies for a friendly competition at my favorite outdoor range, MODTAC Training Group.\u00a0The match consisted of four stages. Each one posed unique challenges like partially obstructed targets, headshot-only sections, and rogue tumbleweeds destroying a perfectly good box of morale-boosting donuts.<\/p>\n

\"using\n<\/picture>
Both competition and real-world defensive encounters encourage the use of\u00a0cover.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Modeled loosely on IDPA rules, all targets had to be engaged with real-world considerations. Shots must be taken from behind cover, if it\u2019s available. They also need to be shot in the order of tactical priority to simulate what would be done in an actual encounter.<\/p>\n

We ran it as a two-gun match. Each competitor had a long gun and a handgun, forcing them to deal with transitioning to their pistol. Operating your pistol with one hand while the other is occupied is excellent practice for the real world.<\/p>\n

There was too much running, too much wind and too much fun. At the end of the day, shooting matches (official or otherwise) is a great time and a perfect way to catch up with friends.<\/p>\n

The Rub<\/h2>\n

Formal training can never be replaced as the best way to really learn your weapon system. Nobody can spot your shooting deficiencies like a quality instructor. However, formal training is also costly as a husband and father of two (plus one cat). I\u2019ve used competition as an affordable way to supplement my skill-building.<\/p>\n

\"shooting\n<\/picture>
While competition is not identical to real defensive encounters, it can force you to improve your accuracy and speed under stress. This alone can be beneficial to your\u00a0survivability.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I fired fewer than 100 rounds in this match through my carry gun. Sadly, that\u2019s probably more than most carriers will do in a year. Not only did I fire the rounds, but I also ran, moved safely, thought ahead, problem solved, and had intention behind every single shot.<\/p>\n

At times, all-day courses can drag on to the point where I\u2019m just shooting and not thinking, wasting time and ammunition. With competition, the downtime between stages can also drag on. Instead of being bored, that time is a study hall for the wins and losses of the previous stage.<\/p>\n

Competition has the added benefit of stress. Whether you\u2019re there to win or just to challenge yourself, the pressure is on. Your heart rate will elevate and give you a small adrenaline rush. Shot timers are often compared to the mind-erasing devices from Men in Black<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Even the most well-planned stage can vanish from your mind with the sound of a\u00a0beeeeep<\/em>. This can devastate your score or can be used as a time to practice your improvisational skills. Keep fighting, get through it, and triumph.<\/p>\n

Everyday carry is more than a gun. The entire system must work together and mesh with how you dress. I keep other pieces of gear on me and have the opportunity to move dynamically with my flashlight, tourniquet, keys, and wallet. The range I use is parts grass, gravel and dirt, so testing the performance of footwear is a bonus. No flip-flops, people.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

Competition Isn\u2019t a replacement for formal classes, but it has rounded out my training and showed me where my deficits really are. Unfortunately, they\u2019re still all over the place, but continue to dwindle with each additional match.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re serious about your defense, being a well-rounded shooter should be something that interests you. Those smooth edges come from stepping out of your comfort zone and learning in new ways. So, hop onto Practiscore, find a match at a local range, and let me know how it goes. If you can\u2019t get a hold of me, I\u2019m probably off shooting my own match.<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s Note: Please be sure to check out The Armory Life Forum, where you can comment about our daily articles, as well as just talk guns and gear. Click the \u201cGo To Forum Thread\u201d link below to jump in!<\/em><\/p>\n

Join the Discussion<\/span><\/h5>\n

Go to forum thread<\/a><\/p>\n

Featured in this article<\/span><\/h5>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span> \n\t\t\t\t\t\"Hellcat\u00ae\n<\/picture>\n <\/p>\n

Hellcat\u00ae Pro Series<\/span><\/h3>\n


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\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span> \n\t\t\t\t\t\"Vortex\n<\/picture>\n <\/p>\n

Vortex Defender-CCW Red Dot, 6 MOA<\/span><\/h3>\n


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\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span> \n\t\t\t\t\t\"Black\n<\/picture>\n <\/p>\n

Black Arch Holsters Entrada Flexible Appendix Holster<\/span><\/h3>\n


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\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span> \n\t\t\t\t\t\"AttackPAK\n<\/picture>\n <\/p>\n

AttackPAK Venom Inner<\/span><\/h3>\n


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\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span> \n\t\t\t\t\t\"MODTAC\"\/\n<\/picture>\n <\/p>\n

MODTAC <\/h3>\n


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By Nic Lenze The concealed carry landscape has changed drastically over the last several years. Many micro-sized or compact carry guns were often limited to just seven or eight rounds, meaning they were stuck in their role as a concealment gun. That has changed. Now, gun store counters are lined with compact yet capable guns […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1037,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1036","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1036","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1036"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1036\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1037"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1036"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1036"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1036"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}