[brianr34]

I currently only own one handgun and it is a G19. I bought it because of the good balance between target, home defense, potential IDPA and potential CCW.

My question is: Would the G19 be fairly competitive in IDPA? My assumption is the gun is going to be much more accurate than I am. I already have a 3.5 connector and the extended slide and mag release.

How much better is a G34 for IDPA?

I plan on shooting IDPA for sure, but I do not know if I am going to CCW for sure. I was considering trading the G19 for a G34, but I am getting "cold feet" about getting rid of the G19.

 

[Chainlink]

Keep the 19 if you like it and get the 34.....save for it if needed. You can use the 19 meanwhile.

 

[JBP55]

Typical GT answer is to own both and that is good but everyone can not or will not own both and the op. needs a real answer from someone in IDPA.

 

[BP44]

I own both and it depends if you want to be a gamer or hone your skills at CC. Both can be carried but the nod goes to the 19 and both can compete but I feel the 34 has the edge there.

 

[ronin.45]

If you can't own both you must decide the primary role of the gun. Is IDPA a priority. The 19 will be great for IDPA but the 34 has some advantages. A longer sight radius is easier to shoot accurately, and a heavier gun has less felt recoil. Should you decide to carry a gun the 19 is the logical choice. It is smaller and lighter. So it comes down to what you decide you really want to do. If you want a gun that will do both, go with the 19. It will be better for carry and fine for IDPA. You may not be quite as competitive as the top guys but you should be more than capable of holding your own. It is also a great idea to compete with you carry gun so you are intimately familiar with it.

 

[Spike32]

Kind of a personal preference vs. cash on hand kind of deal. Both are fine for IDPA. Remember, in IDPA you are working from the holster, and the G34 has a 5-inch barrel, so the G19 would conceivably be the easier draw, but the sight radius on the G34 favors (only slightly) accuracy. I have shot both in competition and prefer the G34 for GSSF, and the compact for IDPA. I have a friend who only owns one gun, so he split the difference and uses a G17 for both competitions.

 

[Zertek]

If you can't own both you must decide the primary role of the gun. Is IDPA a priority. The 19 will be great for IDPA but the 34 has some advantages. A longer sight radius is easier to shoot accurately, and a heavier gun has less felt recoil. Should you decide to carry a gun the 19 is the logical choice. It is smaller and lighter. So it comes down to what you decide you really want to do. If you want a gun that will do both, go with the 19. It will be better for carry and fine for IDPA. You may not be quite as competitive as the top guys but you should be more than capable of holding your own. It is also a great idea to compete with you carry gun so you are intimately familiar with it.

:agree:

 

[madAB12]

What about a G17?

 

[G8Kpr]

Yes, the 34 is 'better' for IDPA in that it has a longer sight radius and more slide mass making it smoother / lighter recoiling than the 19 for follow up shots. That being said, the 34 is NO more accurate or reliable for IDPA scenarios (close to medium distance combat events), or any other PD use, than the 19. The 19 is more than accurate enough and, being a 9mm, light shooting enough for IDPA - it is far more accurate and capable than you are (or I am) in a self-defense scenario.

I shoot one in IDPA all the time and when I become equal with its capabilities I may move 'up' to another model - or I may just continue to practice becoming as good as I can be with the gun I carry on a regular basis. That's the importance of the choice of weapon for IDPA, not how fast you can hit paper - especially if your at the point of competing where you're still asking what a suitable choice is.

Hope this helps, and ENJOY IDPA with your G19 - it's the best training you can get for your money and, IMO, the most fun you can have with your sidearm.

 

[EX CATM]

Unless you are a pretty experianced shooter I doubt you'll see a real bennefitt over the 19 in your first couple of matches. I'd go shoot s few matches and make sure you even like IDPA first. By then you'll likely have met a few people with a 34 and a timer. Shoot a few drills under time with each and see if the difference is enough to justify the trade. By then, if you've been carrying a lot you'll probably decide to swap the 19 for a 26 and buy a 34, lol.

 

[Jon_R]

I have been shooting IDPA about 1.5 years and we just did the classifier last weekend. I was not classified in ESP so the SOs shot the day before the others and we where allowed to shoot more then once if you wanted to be classified in other divisions. I don't have an ESP gun so I decided to shoot my G35 in ESP and my G19 in SSP. I have more rounds in last few months on the G19 but my score are below. They where close but I shot the G19 better on that day. I understand it is a small sample but getting in and out of the holster that many times in the classifier (13 if I remember correctly) with the 19 ended up better for me then the advantage I got from the larger pistol. But during a regular match you are only coming out of the holster 6-7 times usually. My assessment is that I am not good enough for it to matter yet and the G19 or 23 is my carry gun so no reason not to shoot it a lot every chance I get.

Jon (ESP) - 147.86 G35
Jon (SSP) - 141.22 G19

To do well in IDPA you can use either. If you plan to try and win nationals in Expert or Master the 34 vs. the 19 may matter. I plan to keep shooting the G19 or 23 and leave the 35 for Limited 10 USPSA.

 

[RPFeinman319]

If you can't own both you must decide the primary role of the gun. Is IDPA a priority. The 19 will be great for IDPA but the 34 has some advantages. A longer sight radius is easier to shoot accurately, and a heavier gun has less felt recoil. Should you decide to carry a gun the 19 is the logical choice. It is smaller and lighter. So it comes down to what you decide you really want to do. If you want a gun that will do both, go with the 19. It will be better for carry and fine for IDPA. You may not be quite as competitive as the top guys but you should be more than capable of holding your own. It is also a great idea to compete with you carry gun so you are intimately familiar with it.

+1

 

[EX CATM]

I have been shooting IDPA about 1.5 years and we just did the classifier last weekend. I was not classified in ESP so the SOs shot the day before the others and we where allowed to shoot more then once if you wanted to be classified in other divisions. I don't have an ESP gun so I decided to shoot my G35 in ESP and my G19 in SSP. I have more rounds in last few months on the G19 but my score are below. They where close but I shot the G19 better on that day. I understand it is a small sample but getting in and out of the holster that many times in the classifier (13 if I remember correctly) with the 19 ended up better for me then the advantage I got from the larger pistol. But during a regular match you are only coming out of the holster 6-7 times usually. My assessment is that I am not good enough for it to matter yet and the G19 or 23 is my carry gun so no reason not to shoot it a lot every chance I get.

Jon (ESP) - 147.86 G35
Jon (SSP) - 141.22 G19

To do well in IDPA you can use either. If you plan to try and win nationals in Expert or Master the 34 vs. the 19 may matter. I plan to keep shooting the G19 or 23 and leave the 35 for Limited 10 USPSA.

Don't you thin caliber may have had more effect on your times than any other diference? I'd be more interested to see your times with a G34 and a G19.

 

[Jon_R]

Don't you thin caliber may have had more effect on your times than any other diference? I'd be more interested to see your times with a G34 and a G19.

Maybe but I don't have a 34 yet and my wife and daughter where using the two 17s. My .40 round is also a 165PF so it could explain it to. Next time I will shoot the 35 and 23.

 

[MarkCO]

Jon, shooting factory ammo? If so, that would likely explain the difference...advantage of the 9mms lesser recoil compared to the .40, not the gun.

I made Master in IDPA shooting a G22 with full power ammo. I honestly don't think there is much of a difference between a G19, G17 and G34 in IDPA until you are competing at the top levels. If you decide to shoot USPSA, then the G34 will benefit you a bit more.

Changing the sights will probably benefit you more than going to a G34. The Glock sights are not great for accurate fast shooting.

 

[JurisMyDiction]

i just purchased a 17 for idpa/carry today!

 

[jwc17]

Jon, shooting factory ammo? If so, that would likely explain the difference...advantage of the 9mms lesser recoil compared to the .40, not the gun.

I made Master in IDPA shooting a G22 with full power ammo. I honestly don't think there is much of a difference between a G19, G17 and G34 in IDPA until you are competing at the top levels. If you decide to shoot USPSA, then the G34 will benefit you a bit more.

Changing the sights will probably benefit you more than going to a G34. The Glock sights are not great for accurate fast shooting.

What sights would you recommend for shooting IDPA with a Glock 17?

 

[Jon_R]

Jon, shooting factory ammo? If so, that would likely explain the difference...advantage of the 9mms lesser recoil compared to the .40, not the gun.

I am shooting my reloads but I want to make major for USPSA with .40 and I only want one recipe for all my .40 so I run 165Gr at 1000FPS. It is hard enough to keep up with all the calibers without having a IDPA load and a USPSA load for each caliber.

If they allowed my 40-9 LW conversion barrel in IDPA I would for practical purposes have a G34.

 

[Jeff82]

I've placed and won my Div/Class with a 19, so you can be competitive with it. I haven't been shooting since the election or I'd still be climbing that ladder. (Can't find/afford replacement ammo.) I typically shoot the 19 in IDPA and the 34 in USPSA (until I buy a 35 one day!)

 

[brianr34]

Thank you very much for all of the informative feedback. The info reconfirmed my thought that the G19 is a great overall handgun.

If I am only going to have one handgun right now, it is probably best for me to stick with the G19.