How to Choose the Best Competitive Shooting Pistol and Caliber

Competition shooting is a fun and popular sport, but when you are just getting started, there are a few things you need to figure out. Obviously, before you start competing you are going to need to get a pistol of your own, but what kind should you get? Well, that answer is not as straightforward as we would hope. There are a few factors to consider before buying your first race pistol.

Know Your Competitions Rules

The most important thing for you to do is to know what the rules are for your particular competition. There are dozens of different competition types, and the rules change depending on which one you do. For example, if you plan to compete in a cowboy competition, you should not show up with a Glock 19.

Once you get your rules down, you should know what type of gun you need, the power factor requirement, and the type of shooting you will be doing. Then you get to do the fun part: buying a gun.

The Best Caliber for You

The power factor requirement for your particular competition is going to be very important when you choose the caliber you are going to be shooting. To start, you need to understand what the power factor is and why it exists at all.

Power factor is calculated by multiplying the bullet’s weight by its velocity through a chronograph then dividing by 1000. We use a chronograph because you can not assume the bullet will travel as fast as it says it will on the ammunition box out of your pistol. The exact same round will be faster or slower in two different pistols. Plus many competition shooters reload their own ammo, which obviously does not have a manufacturer estimated velocity. 

This power factor exists so that everyone more or less has the same amount of recoil to put up with. If it didn't, everyone would be shooting a 22 lr and there would not be very much diversity. If you pay attention to the formula, you may notice that heavier loads have a distinct advantage.

Typically heavier bullets produce more recoil than lighter ones. However, that is only true if they are both loaded to full SAAMI pressures. So, reloaders have figured out how to make loads with heavier calibers, that still meet the power factor requirements, but have much less recoil.

If you are not reloading your own cartridges, you can still be competitive but you have to manage your recoil. The 9mm is the most popular minor caliber and factory loads in 115-and 124-grains all make a power factor in the 138 to 141 range.

The 230 grain 45 ACP goes around 860 feet per second, which makes a power factor of 197, which is considered a major caliber. The same caliber hand-loaded can be toned down to a power factor of 170 with much less recoil.

40 caliber is also a very popular round and you can typically get cartridges off the shelf with a power factor of 180. These power factors will always be tested and you will not be allowed to compete if your power factor is lower than the minimum.

You can compete if your power factor is over the required minimum, but I would not recommend going into a competition with more than you need. I doubt you could win a revolver competition with a 500 magnum.

All and all, the power factor requirement is going to be the biggest factor as to which caliber you select. It also depends on if you are loading your own rounds or not. As a beginner you probably will not be, so you can estimate your power factor with the manufacturer specs, but it will be tested at the competition. 

Popular Race Pistols 

I thought I would also give you a few examples of popular race pistols in each caliber so that you have a good idea of what you need to get to have the right power factor.

9mm is one of the most popular calibers for competition shooting, and you are likely to find plenty of guns out there that are competition-ready. Although there are a few that can be used in stock races, or with a little work can be super effective in any race.

Glock 34

This is a long Glock that shoots super smoothly. The bigger slide also cuts down on recoil and makes this gun very accurate. The magazine holds 17 rounds which is very useful. These guns start around $700 which is a fair price for the base of a high-tier race gun.

Sig Sauer P320 XFive Legion

This gun is very popular. Around 9% of shooters at the USPSA Production Nationals used the XFive Legion. That is for a good reason. This is a quality gun, that has a variety of magazine options and is an optimal weight. This gun handles recoil well and has very nice sights for a stock gun. It also comes in at $900, which is on the cheaper side for race guns.

Next, we will take a look at 40 caliber race pistols which are a popular choice in many competitions. Glock and sig have some good options here, but just to diversify a little I will include other brands instead.

Smith & Wesson M&P 40

Seeing as S&W made the round, they also made a good gun to go with it. The base model is fairly nice, but there are also other models of this gun with a few modifications. Overall this is a solid pistol that shoots smooth and reliably.

Armscor Pro Match Ultra HC

The PRO Match Ultra HC is a target-grade pistol ready for competition right out of the box. it's chambered in 40 S&W with a 16-round capacity. It also includes a skeletonized hammer and factory 1.36 kg / 1.81 kg trigger with adjustable over travel stop. Comes with G10 grips and wide-angle front and rear slide grooves. This gun costs around $1100 but requires zero work. That makes it a popular choice for new shooters that want to get started right away.

There are dozens of other guns and other calibers that we could talk about, but this should be enough to get you started. I do plan on doing a few more articles around specific calibers surrounding competition shooting so be on the lookout for those if you are interested. Good luck on the range!

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