Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ames!haven.umd.edu!mimsy!beaver.cs.washington.edu!microsoft!joeha From: microsoft!joeha@beaver.cs.washington.edu Newsgroups: rec.guns Subject: Revolvers in IPSC Message-ID: <35130@mimsy.umd.edu> Date: 1 Jun 91 15:15:03 GMT Sender: magnum@mimsy.umd.edu Lines: 78 Approved: gun-control@cs.umd.edu It's time to break my lurking silence and announce that after thinking long and hard about it, I finally purchased my first handgun, a Ruger GP-100 .357 Mag with a heavy 4 inch barrel. It is a versatile sporting gun and a reliable carry gun. [If you don't think I can't carry a Ruger concealed, then you don't know how much I weigh :-) ] Also, it was my philosophy to get the most effective round in the most reliable gun and become very very good with it instead going with the crowd and getting a 9mm to "spray and pray" with. So far, I have competed in slow fire bulls-eye, rapid fire bulls-eye and bowling pin contests. But there is one competition I want to try but am leary of: IPSC. Does anyone on the net compete or have you seen anyone compete with a revolver in IPSC? The several times that I attended an IPSC shoot it seemed to be populated with 10mm, .45 ACP, .40 S&W and .38 Supers. Yes, I read the magazines and I knew that's what a majority of people shoot. Those guns being there didn't surprise me. What did surprise me was that there was not one revolver shooter. Am I missing something? If I did my math right, a 180 grain bullet should only have to go 975 fps or get a 158 grain to 1105 fps to get to Major. The ammo can do it, and the revolver is accurate, inexpensive and quite durable. So why aren't there more wheelguns competing? The guns I saw at the shoots made me think that IPSC may have to change their name to "International IMPRACTICAL Equipment Race." Some of those men and women had weapons Flash Gordon would have killed Emperor Ming for. The guns with compensators, scopes, extended controls and speed draw holsters do not seem to be something you can carry everyday much less concealed. And they were talking about picking up other guns at a cost of $2,000 the way I talk about buying a box of ammo. Wasn't the idea behind IPSC to offer realistic testing of you and the gun you carry everyday, the gun you would have with you when going to convience stores, banks or the park? Or do you actually carry your race tuned gun around with you? If you use a different gun for carrying, why aren't you shooting IPSC with it? I am going to enter some IPSC contests because I want to become good with my Ruger. This is the gun I defend my home and family with, the gun I carry on the streets. I don't want to use the gun and end up looking like the TV character Sledge Hammer. But am I going in just for the fun of it with no chance of a being more than bottom of the pack? Is the competition so unbalanced in favor of the autoloader that I must get one to compete. If I must, then I may get one. Just don't hold your breath. I like DA revolvers and will probably get several of them before I get a self-shucker. I am shooting a very effective round out of a reliable, sturdy, accurate gun that fits me to a "T" and I'm not about to give it up. Does this mean I should give up on IPSC instead? Please email me or post your thoughts since I have come to appreciate the flow of facts and opinions of all who I've read here over the last 2 months. Thank you for taking the time to read this long post. Joe Harper joeha@microsoft.uucp These opinions belong only to SuperChef, The Man For All Seasonings. ******************************************************** *Dear Lord. Please give me the wisdom to know when to * *use my weapon and the skill to do so when called upon.* ********************************************************