[PiratePast40]

SR9c in USPSA competition

Just went to my first USPSA orientation and decided to compete next week. Wondering if anyone else is using the SR9, 9c, 40 or 40c, in competiton and what you're doing.

The first obvious change is to take out the mag disconnect since a dry fire without a mag in place is mandatory at the end of each stage. Next is using the 17 round mags since the gun is easier to shoot with the bigger mags. The mag extender is an obvious problem so I intend to use a drop or two of superglue to keep them attached at the bottom of the mag. Anyone have any experience or other ideas for this?

Having a little trouble finding a competition style holster since they're not common for the SR9 or 9c. I suspect that a holster that will fit the 9 will be fine for the 9c. Thing is, it's tough finding one. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

 

[mndoggie]

Some report putting a layer of black electrical tape on the magazine to make it slightly bigger. That helps prevent the extender grip from moving and is less permanent than glue.

 

[SouthSideScubaSteve]

I used a couple of pieces of foam 2-sided tape to secure the Extenders to my Mags ...

I have been thinking about trying a USDPA event and wasn't aware of the "dry fire" requriement (sans mag)... That may just provide justification for buying a fullsized SR9 to use for competition, so I can leave my SR9c "stock" for HD use.... I wonder if my wife will buy that excuse ??

 

[JimB120]

Shot an SR9c in IDPA once in the pouring rain. My hand slipped off the slide so frequently I couldn't clear it.

Short sight radius was pretty unforgiving to slight variations in sight picture too, especially with water running down my glasses.

I have a friend that shoots an SR9 pretty well as a game gun though.

 

[PiratePast40]

I just tried using tape on the magazine and it works great for keeping the extender in place. Doesn't take much.

The short sight radius is definately a downside and multiple target aquisition seems tough but I really think it'll be a long long time before I'm even close to being able to outshot this gun. I've got so much more to learn and so many techniques to master that I'm not sure it really matters what gun a beginner is using.

To give you an example, I shot 49 in El Presidente but it took me 20 seconds. There were 6 of us in the class. Two were requasl and 2 were on the Oregon State shooting team so were very familiar with guns of all sort. We only used this exercise for classification and scoring but I ended up at 48% and placed 4th so didn't feel too bad.

I can see right away that there are things I can do to for better times. First off, a holster with a thumb strap will help and then actual mag holders instead of putting them in my back pocket might be a good idea.

 

[Trucker]

The mag extender is an obvious problem so I intend to use a drop or two of superglue to keep them attached at the bottom of the mag. Anyone have any experience or other ideas for this?

Before you resort to glue try this:

Get a small pack of velcro tape. I found some that was the exact same width as the magazine itself! Cut off a piece of the soft velcro [the "hairy" roll] the right size. Stick that onto the inside of the grip extender shell so it contacts the rear of the magazine when you slip the extender shell onto the Magazine. Slip that down over the mag ... it goes on tight! BINGO!!

I tried the black tape trick and it didn't satisfy me .... there was still wobble. Went the velcro route and it solved the problem. So simple a cave man could do it!

Wish I could take credit for the idea but I can't. Wish I could remember the poster's handle that originally posted the idea .... but I can't. Oldtimer's desease!

 

[bhefley59]

I use the SR40 in the Limited Class . There is one guy at our matches that uses his SR9C but he shoots production where your limited to 10 rounds anyway. Not sure I've seen him use the longer mags. I'm hoping Galloway's come out with the +2 mag bases soon. He told me last summer they was on the back burner.
Shot my SR1911 in a few single stack classes this summer that was a blast ..
Good Luck shooting in USPSA I love it. We have enough clubs in this area that are close we could shoot almost every sat and sunday.
Forgot to add I use a Fobus Evolution Belt holster for my SR40 and my SR1911 both .

 

[carbonyl]

Before you resort to glue try this:

Get a small pack of velcro tape. I found some that was the exact same width as the magazine itself! Cut off a piece of the soft velcro [the "hairy" roll] the right size. Stick that onto the inside of the grip extender shell so it contacts the rear of the magazine when you slip the extender shell onto the Magazine. Slip that down over the mag ... it goes on tight! BINGO!!

I tried the black tape trick and it didn't satisfy me .... there was still wobble. Went the velcro route and it solved the problem. So simple a cave man could do it!

Wish I could take credit for the idea but I can't. Wish I could remember the poster's handle that originally posted the idea .... but I can't. Oldtimer's desease!

Read it, tried it and love it. What a great solution, solid as a rock! Thanks for sharing this great idea.

 

[Trucker]

Read it, tried it and love it. What a great solution, solid as a rock! Thanks for sharing this great idea.

Hey! If you're happy I'm tickled to death!

Glad I could help someone.

 

[Allfat]

I shoot my SR9 in production. I shot my SR9c in my first match and then went and bought the SR9.

I removed the mag disconnect, added a ghost trigger bar, polished all the insides, added grip tape to the grip, and changed out the front sight for a green fiber optic sight.

For a holster, I use a Blackhawk Serpa. I use it because I could get it locally before my first match. A lot of people use Bladetech holsters for competition, and I think they make one for the SR9c. Check their website to be sure.

I am in your area, so I will probably see you around, I will be shooting in Albany next week as well with my SR9. See you there!

 

[PiratePast40]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions on the mag extenders. The tape sems to be working on them right now so I'll stick with it but definately keep the velcro trick in mind if the tape doesn't hold up.

I picked up up some Fobus gear at the gun show today. It was all paddle style but the price was right. $20 each for the holster and double mag holder and $10 for the single mag holder. In case anyone is interested, the SR9 stuff fits the SR9c just fine. Holster is the HK2. Was also able to pick up 500 rounds of reloaded 9mm for $45 for 500 rounds! Seems like a sweet deal and they're local with no shipping.

I plan on competing next Saturday at Albany. I'm a member there and that's where the indoctrination was as well. I'm pretty stoked and looking forward to it. I hear that all the noobs have to write NEW SHOOTER on all their score cards. Someone said you also have to wear pink arm bands but I'm not sure of that .

Jerry, the instructor at ARPC, recommended that I compete in limited so I can load the mags to 17 rounds and reduce the number of reloads needed. Anyone know of any negatives to this, let me know.
Thanks again to everyone with suggestions and recommendations - keep em' coming!

 

[Allfat]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions on the mag extenders. The tape sems to be working on them right now so I'll stick with it but definately keep the velcro trick in mind if the tape doesn't hold up.

I picked up up some Fobus gear at the gun show today. It was all paddle style but the price was right. $20 each for the holster and double mag holder and $10 for the single mag holder. In case anyone is interested, the SR9 stuff fits the SR9c just fine. Holster is the HK2. Was also able to pick up 500 rounds of reloaded 9mm for $45 for 500 rounds! Seems like a sweet deal and they're local with no shipping.

I plan on competing next Saturday at Albany. I'm a member there and that's where the indoctrination was as well. I'm pretty stoked and looking forward to it. I hear that all the noobs have to write NEW SHOOTER on all their score cards. Someone said you also have to wear pink arm bands but I'm not sure of that .

Jerry, the instructor at ARPC, recommended that I compete in limited so I can load the mags to 17 rounds and reduce the number of reloads needed. Anyone know of any negatives to this, let me know.
Thanks again to everyone with suggestions and recommendations - keep em' coming!

Shooting limited the first time out is pretty normal, it is what I shot my first time. I only had a few magazines, and you can get into long courses that will require you to have over 30 rounds if you shoot it perfect, more if you miss some steel. If you only have a few magazines, then limited is your class. I shoot production with 5 magazines, and sometimes I need to use all of them in a stage because a reload makes sense with rounds still in the magazine.

You will not be very competitive with a stock, compact 9mm in limited, but it will be fun nonetheless. After your first competition, you can decide if you want to stick with limited, or move to another class like Production or Limited 10.

 

[scooter89]

I shoot idpa with my sr9 and i do okay, i put grip tape on it and i use a leather desantis holster for idpa and i really like it. I shoot more for fun than the competition aspect so that holster is more along the lines of something you would actually use for ccw.

 

[PiratePast40]

I have 5 of the 17 round magazines so am assuming that's enough. I'll keep practicing at home this week to see how I feel about my reloading speed. It won't be live fire so will just have to see.

I was having trouble acquiring the front sight as the clouds rolled in and actually did some pointing instead of aiming during the el Presidente drill. Does the fiber optic sight help in that circumstance?

Thanks again.

 

[Allfat]

I have 5 of the 17 round magazines so am assuming that's enough. I'll keep practicing at home this week to see how I feel about my reloading speed. It won't be live fire so will just have to see.

I was having trouble acquiring the front sight as the clouds rolled in and actually did some pointing instead of aiming during the el Presidente drill. Does the fiber optic sight help in that circumstance?

Thanks again.

You have plenty of magazines for any class you want to shoot in, limited, production, limited 10, whatever you want. I use 5 mags for production and there are times that I use all the mags on my belt.

With limited, you won't have to worry about reloading as often because you will have 17 rounds in your magazines instead of only 10 in production. Don't worry too much about being competitive in your first match, just be safe and have fun. Last month at Albany, there were 2 new shooters in our squad, both were DQ'd. One on the first stage from moving with his finger on the trigger, one on the second to last stage for handling his gun before the "Make Ready" command. Don't let that happen to you, get through your first match being safe and learning as much as you can from your squad.

As for the fiber optic, it helps me pick up the front sight. I blacked out the rear sight dots on my stock sight, as that is what I like in a sight picture. Come find me next Saturday and I will let you handle my gun and get a feel for the fiber optic sight. I will be in a white F150 with a stainless SR9 on my hip. I will probably be the only other Ruger you see there, they are not that common in competition.

 

[PiratePast40]

Made it through my first competition without getting disqualified ! Lots and lots more to learn. Penalties and misses add up quick and wipe out those "2 Alphas" too danged quick .

Anyone else notice the wear marks on the top of the SR9 magazines? Don't know the name of the part but it's the plactic piece that sits on the spring and pushes up on the bottom round. The marks line up with the prongs on the loader so am assuming that's where they're coming from. Wondering if the line will worsen and possibly cause the last round to hang up. Haven't seen it yet but wondering is anyone else has noticed.

 

[carbonyl]

Seems like you're talking about the follower. Could it be that the mark is from the rim of the last round scraping across the plastic surface as it's being loaded?

 

[PiratePast40]

It's not at the back end but exactly where the marks from the loader contact the follower. I doubt it would be casued by the shell casing.

Just wondering if anyone else had noticed this and if anyone has actually seen it cause a problem.

 

[carbonyl]

It's not at the back end but exactly where the marks from the loader contact the follower. I doubt it would be casued by the shell casing.

Just wondering if anyone else had noticed this and if anyone has actually seen it cause a problem.

I don't know what you mean by loader. Nothing on my slide touches the follower when cycled on an empty magazine. Is this mark on all your mags or just the 17 round. If it's only on one I wonder if it may just be a defect on the plastic follower.

 

[PiratePast40]

I don't know what you mean by loader. Nothing on my slide touches the follower when cycled on an empty magazine. Is this mark on all your mags or just the 17 round. If it's only on one I wonder if it may just be a defect on the plastic follower.

I'm talking about the manual magazine loader used to press down on the mag so you can insert the rounds. The loader has two points that push down on the plastic, spring loaded top of the magazine when loading the first round into the magazine. Has nothing to do with the slide or when firing. Guess I didn't explain it very well.

All magazines that see use have this mark across them, both 10 and 17 rounders . I don't believe it will affect anything but the last round.

I sent an email to Ruger and they asked for pictures and they will look to see if it's a problem. The only loader I've used is the original one that came in the box. I've bought two new ones from shopruger.com but haven't used them yet so don't know if the issue is attributable to just this one loader.