2021 USPSA Nationals equipment

[bobsguns]

Got my monthly magazine from USPSA & they always do the follow-up on who uses what in guns, ammo, gear, etc. Some of it is surprising, some of it isn't. But I thought I'd list the main items such as guns, ammo & holsters. For those times when we struggle to find a holster, these brands may not be well-known to non-competitive shooters. I know there are several I've never heard of.

It surprises me that Glock has dropped as low as they have in participation %. When I first began USPSA, Glock dominated the Production & Limited classes. Now, not so much. 

Nice to see CZ making big jumps as well. When I began using my CZ at matches, I was the only one using them. Nice to know I was ahead of the curve for once in my life. LOL!

They didn't list it but I wish they'd done one for the race gun barrel mfgrs. 

 

Open Division

This is aka the race guns. Foot long mags, compensators, red dots, all the go-fast goodies for shooters.

Firearm mfgr frame: STI/Staccato 18%, SVI 17%, Phoenix 12%, Atlas 11%. 

Optic: Sig Sauer 41%, C-More 31%, Leupold 6%.

Factory loaded ammo: Precision Delta 27%, Eley 25%, Atlanta Arms 18%.

 

Limited/L10

Firearm mfgr: STI/Staccato 29%, Atlas 17%, Phoenix Trinity 11%, Infinity Arms 9%, CZ 7%.

Holster mfgr: Double Alpha 28%, Red Hill Tactical 14%, Safariland 10%, GX Products 8%, Ghost 5%.

Factory loaded ammo: Federal 34%, Atlanta Arms 25%, Zoo City 13%.

Grips: Factory 31%, Phoenix Trinity 20%, STI 16%, Infinity Arms 12%, CK Arms 10%. 

Bullet caliber: 40S&W 76%, 9mm 20%, .45acp 4%.

 

Production

Firearm mfgrs: CZ 51%, Glock 12%, Sig Sauer 12%, Tangfolio 10%, Beretta 5%, Walther 3%. (Would've thought Glock would be much higher.)

Factory loaded ammo: Federal 60%, Atlanta Arms 14%, Precision Delta 10%.

Grips: Factory 43%, LOK grips 33%, Henning Group 12%, Shooting Sports Innovations 8%.

Holsters: Red Hill Tactical 25%, Blade-Tech 19%, GX Products 16%, Comp-Tac 8%, Boss Holster 5%.

Trigger mfgr: Factory 44%, Cajun Gun Works 20%, CZ Custom 10%, Gray Guns 8%.

 

PCC Division

Firearm Custom Shop: JP Rifles 26%, Parts Build 18%, Sig Sauer 15%, Palmetto State 10%, Leadstar 8%.

Optic Mfgr: Holosun 32%, C-More 18%, Vortex 15%, Sig Sauer 13%, Trijicon 7%.

Bolt brand: JP Rifles 28%, Taccom 7 17%, Palmetto State 12%, Stern Defense 10%. 

Factory Ammo: Federal 31%, Blazer 14%, Impact Ammo 13%, Winchester 10%. 

Bullet weight: 124/125gr 41%, 115gr 25%, 147gr 16%, 135gr 8%.

 

Carry Optics

Firearm: Sig Sauer 38%, CZ 24%, Glock 15%, Walther 9%, Canik 7%.

Holster mfgrs: Red Hill Tactical 27%, GX Products 21%, Comp-Tac 16%, Blade-Tech 11%, Double Alpha 10%.

Factory Slide: Optics Ready 66%, Milled 30%, Dovetail mount 4%.

Trigger: Factory 44%. Gray Guns 19%, Cajun Gun Works 13%, Apex 5%, Sig Armorer 5%.

Bullet weight: 147gr 40%, 124/125gr 30%, 150gr 14%, 135gr 9%, 115gr 4%.

 

Single Stack

Firearm mfgr: Springfield Armory 24%, STI/Staccato 17%, Dan Wesson 10%, Sig Sauer 9%, Ruger 8%, Infinity 8%.

Bullet caliber: .45acp 36%, .40S&W 35%, 9mm 26%.

Grip mfgr: VZ Grips 32 %, Techwell 29%, Factory 19%, Hogue 12%.

Factory Ammo: Federal 38%, Atlanta Arms 21%, Precision Delta 7%, Armscor 6%, Winchester 6%.

Holster mfgr: Blade-Tech 23%, Red Hill Tactical 18%, GX Products 14%, Comp-Tac 11%, Safariland 9%.

 

Revolver

Firearm mfgr: S&W 91%, Ruger 9%.

Bullet caliber: 9mm 70%, .38 Short Colt 14%, .38spl 14%, .45acp 2%.

Holster mfgr: CR Speed 21%, Double Alpha 20%, Comp-Tac 16%, Blade-Tech 9%, Hogue 9%.

Grip mfgr: Hogue 91%, Factory 7%.

Factory ammo: 80% Federal, Speer 20%.

 

 

[gregintenn]

Palmetto State holds a 10% share of the carbines. Interesting.

[bobsguns]

44 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

Palmetto State holds a 10% share of the carbines. Interesting.

Yeah, that surprised me too. I hear a lot of people bad mouthing them but I have an upper of theirs in .300B/O & am happy with it. 

[gregintenn]

25 minutes ago, bobsguns said:

Yeah, that surprised me too. I hear a lot of people bad mouthing them but I have an upper of theirs in .300B/O & am happy with it. 

I expect they put a lot of ad money into sponsoring competitors. At least that’s how the music industry works.

I have had good luck with their stuff too; especially for the money. I’m a PSA fan.

[deerslayer]

PSA is the budget route for PCC.  I’ve seen lots of people have plenty of trouble with them.  For the serious PCC shooter, JP is the buy once-cry once solution.  

[deerslayer]

17 hours ago, bobsguns said:

Got my monthly magazine from USPSA & they always do the follow-up on who uses what in guns, ammo, gear, etc. Some of it is surprising, some of it isn't. But I thought I'd list the main items such as guns, ammo & holsters. For those times when we struggle to find a holster, these brands may not be well-known to non-competitive shooters. I know there are several I've never heard of.

It surprises me that Glock has dropped as low as they have in participation %. When I first began USPSA, Glock dominated the Production & Limited classes. Now, not so much. 

Nice to see CZ making big jumps as well. When I began using my CZ at matches, I was the only one using them. Nice to know I was ahead of the curve for once in my life. LOL!

They didn't list it but I wish they'd done one for the race gun barrel mfgrs. 

 

Open Division

This is aka the race guns. Foot long mags, compensators, red dots, all the go-fast goodies for shooters.

Firearm mfgr frame: STI/Staccato 18%, SVI 17%, Phoenix 12%, Atlas 11%. 

Optic: Sig Sauer 41%, C-More 31%, Leupold 6%.

Factory loaded ammo: Precision Delta 27%, Eley 25%, Atlanta Arms 18%.

 

Limited/L10

Firearm mfgr: STI/Staccato 29%, Atlas 17%, Phoenix Trinity 11%, Infinity Arms 9%, CZ 7%.

Holster mfgr: Double Alpha 28%, Red Hill Tactical 14%, Safariland 10%, GX Products 8%, Ghost 5%.

Factory loaded ammo: Federal 34%, Atlanta Arms 25%, Zoo City 13%.

Grips: Factory 31%, Phoenix Trinity 20%, STI 16%, Infinity Arms 12%, CK Arms 10%. 

Bullet caliber: 40S&W 76%, 9mm 20%, .45acp 4%.

 

Production

Firearm mfgrs: CZ 51%, Glock 12%, Sig Sauer 12%, Tangfolio 10%, Beretta 5%, Walther 3%. (Would've thought Glock would be much higher.)

Factory loaded ammo: Federal 60%, Atlanta Arms 14%, Precision Delta 10%.

Grips: Factory 43%, LOK grips 33%, Henning Group 12%, Shooting Sports Innovations 8%.

Holsters: Red Hill Tactical 25%, Blade-Tech 19%, GX Products 16%, Comp-Tac 8%, Boss Holster 5%.

Trigger mfgr: Factory 44%, Cajun Gun Works 20%, CZ Custom 10%, Gray Guns 8%.

 

PCC Division

Firearm Custom Shop: JP Rifles 26%, Parts Build 18%, Sig Sauer 15%, Palmetto State 10%, Leadstar 8%.

Optic Mfgr: Holosun 32%, C-More 18%, Vortex 15%, Sig Sauer 13%, Trijicon 7%.

Bolt brand: JP Rifles 28%, Taccom 7 17%, Palmetto State 12%, Stern Defense 10%. 

Factory Ammo: Federal 31%, Blazer 14%, Impact Ammo 13%, Winchester 10%. 

Bullet weight: 124/125gr 41%, 115gr 25%, 147gr 16%, 135gr 8%.

 

Carry Optics

Firearm: Sig Sauer 38%, CZ 24%, Glock 15%, Walther 9%, Canik 7%.

Holster mfgrs: Red Hill Tactical 27%, GX Products 21%, Comp-Tac 16%, Blade-Tech 11%, Double Alpha 10%.

Factory Slide: Optics Ready 66%, Milled 30%, Dovetail mount 4%.

Trigger: Factory 44%. Gray Guns 19%, Cajun Gun Works 13%, Apex 5%, Sig Armorer 5%.

Bullet weight: 147gr 40%, 124/125gr 30%, 150gr 14%, 135gr 9%, 115gr 4%.

 

Single Stack

Firearm mfgr: Springfield Armory 24%, STI/Staccato 17%, Dan Wesson 10%, Sig Sauer 9%, Ruger 8%, Infinity 8%.

Bullet caliber: .45acp 36%, .40S&W 35%, 9mm 26%.

Grip mfgr: VZ Grips 32 %, Techwell 29%, Factory 19%, Hogue 12%.

Factory Ammo: Federal 38%, Atlanta Arms 21%, Precision Delta 7%, Armscor 6%, Winchester 6%.

Holster mfgr: Blade-Tech 23%, Red Hill Tactical 18%, GX Products 14%, Comp-Tac 11%, Safariland 9%.

 

Revolver

Firearm mfgr: S&W 91%, Ruger 9%.

Bullet caliber: 9mm 70%, .38 Short Colt 14%, .38spl 14%, .45acp 2%.

Holster mfgr: CR Speed 21%, Double Alpha 20%, Comp-Tac 16%, Blade-Tech 9%, Hogue 9%.

Grip mfgr: Hogue 91%, Factory 7%.

Factory ammo: 80% Federal, Speer 20%.

 

 

Some of the holster makers are actually making gun holders, not holsters.  
 

I’ve shot mostly Limited division in USPSA and I’ve never seen Glock dominate Limited—that’s always been 2011 territory.  I have used a Glock 24 extensively (and made Master with it) and was always regarded as the oddball in the division.  Glocks being used less in Production makes sense because right now all the rage is heavy guns, which usually starts with a steel frame.  In fact, USPSA changed the Production weight limit to 59 oz, which is bizarre to me, but if shooters want to strap bricks on their guns to supposedly make them shoot flatter, they can knock themselves out.  
 
DA autos with 2 pound SA triggers have gradually become more prevalent and are now the majority (in Production).  CZ Shadow 2 pretty much dominates Production now.  I like CZ, but I’m not a DA fan.  
 

I get them lumping STI and Staccato together, but there were probably very few Staccato guns used.  They don’t really make anything that is useful for USPSA.  

[bobsguns]

10 hours ago, deerslayer said:

PSA is the budget route for PCC.  I’ve seen lots of people have plenty of trouble with them.  For the serious PCC shooter, JP is the buy once-cry once solution.  

For me, it'd be a lot more than crying. More like a screaming hissy fit.........................    

Do you recall what sort of problems there were with the PSA rifles?

[deerslayer]

11 hours ago, bobsguns said:

For me, it'd be a lot more than crying. More like a screaming hissy fit.........................    

Do you recall what sort of problems there were with the PSA rifles?

Basically every feeding malfunction there is.  Seems like a 50/50 chance they will run, even if left stock.  I know one guy who has them figured out and likes them, but he has a long machining background. 

[Sleep profit]

35 minutes ago, deerslayer said:

Basically every feeding malfunction there is.  Seems like a 50/50 chance they will run, even if left stock.  I know one guy who has them figured out and likes them, but he has a long machining background. 

Not that familiar with ARs What brand do you suggest in the 1000 range thanks  saving up.  Also caliber is 223 standard 

Edited February 16, 2022 by Sleep profit

[deerslayer]

8 minutes ago, Sleep profit said:

Not that familiar with ARs What brand do you suggest in the 1000 range thanks  saving up.  Also caliber is 223 standard 

I was talking specifically about 9mm PSA ARs.  5.56/.223 aren’t nearly the drama queens a 9mm can be

[Sleep profit]

12 minutes ago, deerslayer said:

I was talking specifically about 9mm PSA ARs.  5.56/.223 aren’t nearly the drama queens a 9mm can be

Ok thanks