Sociology and Action Shooting!?

Sociology as an Explanation for Stage Plans

by Josh Mazzola of AR15Targets

Sociology can certainly be a field of study which seems to produce some obvious conclusions in many circumstances, but it presents some exceptionally interesting and unique case studies as well.  One such case study is Solomon Asch's study on group conformity.  Asch conducted a study where he presented a question with an extremely obvious answer to a test subject.  When he asked the individual for the answer to his question in private, 99% of individuals polled provided the correct answer.  Asch then introduced the individual into a group setting (of approximately 7 people) where he asked the question again.  Asch instructed the rest of the group to purposely give the wrong answer to see how the original subject would react.  In over 1/3 of cases, the subject (who had given the correct answer in private) changed the answer they had given in private to the obviously wrong answer after having heard the rest of the group answer incorrectly.  Asch's study is one which still remains prevalent in understanding group dynamics and conformity.

Now, although this is an interesting topic for discussion, what does it have to do with shooting?  Well, if you ever have the chance to watch multiple squads of shooters shoot the same stage at matches of the various action shooting sports, (from a Range Officer's perspective for example) you will notice that within each squad, most shooters will shoot the stage with very little deviation from one another.  However, when comparing shooters from one squad to another, we often find that these individuals are much more likely to shoot the same stage very differently.  In other words, each squad seems to have an original take on the stage, but each person in that squad typically shoots the stage the same way everyone else in the squad does.  Now granted, sometimes stages are setup in a manner where there is really only one way to shoot them effectively, but there are also numerous other stages where there are multiple effective ways to shoot them; so can we hypothesize a cause for this manner of deviation between squads?  While there are certainly other variables which can effect a shooter's decision to attack a stage a certain way, I believe there is no way we can totally ignore Asch's study on conformity when we have this discussion.  As Asch has shown, even in cases where there is a completely obvious answer, over 30% of people will divert their decisions to those of others, and as we know, in action shooting, there is very rarely such an obvious answer to the problems presented in a stage.  Due to this fact, I'd suggest that the ratio expected in the circumstance of shooting is much higher than 30%.  Remember, action shooting sports are unique in the realm of sports, in that "players" have the opportunity to watch their opponents compete before trying it themselves.  This means that, just like in Asch's study, individuals can be influenced in how they shoot a stage based on the manner in which others shoot a stage and/or decide and discuss how to shoot a stage.  Every squad which I have ever been in has shooters who will discuss (in the very least among themselves) the way they best see to shoot the stage and the reasons why.  Based on Asch's study, other shooters in that squad are implicitly more likely to follow the group's decision on what is "correct", regardless of their own opinions (assuming their opinions are overruled by the group).  I will further hypothesize that shooters within each squad will often mimic the plan of the best shooter in the squad, regardless of whether his/her plan works best with other shooters' strengths/weaknesses.  Like in many things in life, those who are the best at action shooting and/or the opinions of those who are the best are often held in higher regard than those of others.  While I certainly believe this phenomenon to be of greater presence among less experienced shooters, I don't think that we can completely rule out Asch's study from even the higher levels of shooters in at least some shape or form.

Remember, when you are at a match, do your best to analyze a stage and pick a way to shoot which best highlights your skills and abilities.  Just because most people are shooting the stage a certain way, doesn't mean that that way is the best way for you to shoot it.  In this same line of thought however, it is also important to ask and listen to why other shooters are attacking a stage differently, even if a large majority of the reason relates to group-think, skilled shooters will still be able to give you tips and tricks to think about if you simply ask and listen.  A great deal of learning the tricks of action shooting comes from listening to someone who is better than you.   

Understanding Power Factor

Understanding Power Factor - How Relevent Is It?

by Josh Mazzola of Team AR15Targets

In USPSA, the term "Power Factor" (PF) is one of the many demons that new shooters have to conquer to adequately understand both the basics of the sport, as well as the more integral aspects of gaming and scoring - reference my post regarding speed vs accuracy in IDPA and USPSA.  So let's answer the basic question of "what is PF?"  In terms for the everyday person, the answer is deceptively simple; PF is the "energy" (in a non-mathematical sense) of your round, how hard or soft your specific ammunition shoots.  That's about the extent of the easy aspect of understanding PF, from here it gets a little more complex.

There are two levels of PF, Major (valued at 165PF and greater) and Minor (valued at 125-164.99PF).  While the different levels effect how shooters are scored in terms of target zone values, shooters are not separated into different divisions based on PF in USPSA.  In other words, a Limited-10 shooter with Minor PF competes directly against all other Limited-10 shooters in his or her classification (A, B , M, GM, etc) whether their ammunition makes Major or Minor PF.  PF itself is calculated by multiplying the weight (in grains) of the bullet, by the velocity with which is exits the muzzle, and then dividing that product by a constant of 1000.  So let's take the example of standard factory 9mm...

Winchester White Box:

(115grains X 1180fps) / 1000 = 135.70PF

At a match (usually only sanctioned regional size or larger) your ammunition will be chronographed and a bullet weighed, to establish your PF for the match.  Because of the fear of possibly not "making PF", most top shooters suggest never shooting an ammunition which is less than 5PF above your PF Floor (the lowest possible PF you can have and still be classified within a given PF).  So that would mean if a shooter was shooting Minor, he or she should shoot a minimum PF of 130 and if Major, a minimum PF of 170.  Also, most top shooters will not shoot an ammunition which comes in at much more than 5PF above their PF Floor.  Doing so incurs unnecessary increases in recoil which can add microseconds to times.  Cooking up loads that make PF and shoot extremely flat/soft is something many shooters spend countless hours testing in a very raw trial/error format.  Generally, 9mm is shot at Minor PF (unless in Open Division where some shooters load 9mm to Major PF - WARNING, be sure you gun can handle the increased pressures of a Major PF load before trying), and .40cal is shot at Major PF.

So should you shoot Major or Minor?

- It's first important to mention that if shooting Production Division, there is only Minor PF; regardless of how hot your load is, you will be scored Minor, so shoot a Minor load.  In Limited, Limited-10, and Open, shooting Minor means that you will need to focus more heavily on accuracy, to the point where it almost becomes trivial.  In order to keep up with the shooters who are at the top of the brackets in these divisions, you really need to be shooting major so that you can collect as many points as possible when you send a round into the C or D zone of a target.  It is widely considered a handicap to not shoot Major in these divisions - again, if you reference the above linked article, you will see that the cost of missing the A zone when shooting Minor is mathematically double that in terms of the direct translation of a point to time when compared to Major.  In Single Stack division, there is more debate over whether Minor is a handicap or not.  Minor shooters can actually utilize an advantage in magazine capacity which is negligible in L, L10, and O when shooting in SS.  Major shooters in SS can fit approximately 8 rounds in a magazine while Minor shooters can get up to 10.  That's a 20% advantage in magazine capacity (if we assume 10 to be the standard) that Minor shooters enjoy in SS; so the need to be more accurate can be balanced by magazine capacity.

What's the difference in 5PF - is such a small difference actually even noticeable? 

- Surprisingly enough, the felt difference in just a few PF deviation can be dramatic, specifically depending on  what powders are being used, how fast they burn, what bullet weight they are pushing, and what that then equates to in terms of slide reciprocation speed.  While everyone has their own recipe for loads, the standard for Production (where I've spent the majority of my time in USPSA) seems to always be a heavy bullet moving slower opposed to a light bullet moving faster.  In other words, shooters tend to opt for a 147grain bullet moving at 880FPS rather than a 95grain bullet moving at 1375FPS, despite the fact that both have a PF of approximately 130.  What this really breaks down to is that each shooter needs to find a load which works for him/her and the only way to do that is to test a bunch of different loads.

But what if i don't have the time to reload my own ammo?

- No problem!  Not only can you shoot factory 9mm in Minor and be competitive, you can also shoot factory .40cal in Major without any problem as they are both WAY above the PF Floor for both classifications.  If you are more competitive and are looking for every edge you can get, you can buy reloads from various websites which manufacture their ammo to meet certain PFs.  Atlanta Arms and Ammo is an awesome place to do this.  They offer some top notch ammo loaded to whatever you can think up in terms of PF.

So let's recap...as a new shooter, the most important thing that you need to consider relating to PF is what division you should shoot in.  If you are shooting 9mm, unless you are competent in understanding how 9mm Major will effect your gun and you are able to load 9mm to Major PF, you are most likely best off shooting in Production.  You will get a more adequate comparison of your skill-level to other shooters because you won't be at any disadvantage in terms of the value of hits.  If you have a .40 caliber, you should shoot in anything BUT Production.  You will be at a disadvantage shooting a .40 against 9mm's when your hit values are worth the same.  Even if you have to shoot factory loaded .40 in L or L10, you will be better off doing that than shooting factory loaded .40 in Production.    

HOW THE AR15 OPERATES AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR RECOIL CONTROL

by Josh Mazzola of AR15Targets

Often people ask, "how can I better control the recoil of my AR15?"  Answers to this question will vary from source to source, as will emphasis on different techniques and alterations to stance and grip, but today, I'm here to tell you that simply changing the placement of the weapon's stock, can radically change the controllability of your carbine, specifically when that carbine is an AR.  To better understand why we need to pay attention to stock placement, we first need to understand how the AR platform mechanically functions.  

When the shooter pulls the trigger, the firing pin strikes the primer, igniting the powder, and sending the bullet down the barrel. A large amount of the hot gas which is propelling the bullet follows it out the muzzle of the weapon (the expansion of which causes recoil), but some exits through the barrel's gas port and travels back down through the gas tube into the receiver.  Here, the gas is injected into the bolt carrier group (BCG) and propels it backwards into the buffer and spring.  The spring compresses and the the bolt carrier group travels partially into the buffer tube (the movement of which causes recoil).  After the spring has reached full compression (under general circumstances) it then drives the buffer and bolt carrier group forward where the BCG is able to pick up and chamber a new round.  The important part of this sequence to take note of for the purposes of recoil control as it relates to stock placement, is the cyclic movement of the bolt carrier group.  It's important to note that in the AR15, the bore as well as "recoiling system" are in a straight line which ends in the top of the buttstock.  What this means is that as the weapon is fired and subsequently cycles, the energy of the bullet leaving the muzzle as well as that of the bolt carrier group reciprocating inside the gun, is directly transferred through the top of the stock.  

Red line signifying the "path" of energy 

Note how I have the stock slightly lower with my shoulders wrapped around it
so that the mass of my torso can absorb the energy coming off the weapon.
The picture is frozen as the weapon is at its peak of the recoiling sequence,
yet the muzzle has barely deviated.

So what this means for shooters is that getting the mass of our bodies behind the top of the stock will drastically mitigate the felt recoil of the weapon.  To do this, we need to move the stock from the traditional location, where the top of the stock sits above our shoulder/body mass, down so that the top of the stock actually sits in front of our musculature rather than just air.  It also helps to move the stock inward towards the body's center-line as much as is comfortable in order to mitigate horizontal deviation of the muzzle during recoil; this requires some squaring of the shoulders toward the target (more than some are used to).  It's also important to note that by squaring the shoulders we are then able to wrap them over and around the stock which will further aid in dealing with the recoil energy.  This technique is used to some degree by almost all of the shooters who are competitive in the action shooting sports as well as those who teach/use a carbine for practical applications in real world environments.  It is extremely effective in aiding the shooter in keeping the gun flat and on target for faster more accurate follow-up shots.  It is however, only a piece of proper carbine grip and stance that is required for the highest level of recoil control.

Missing Fast Enough to Win?!

MATHEMATICS IN USPSA: CAN I MISS AND MAKE UP TIME!?

by: Josh Mazzola of Team AR15Targets

Let's talk math!  Now granted, math isn't everyone's favorite subject, but understanding its application is an invaluable part of improving your scores in the various action shooting sports.  In USPSA specifically, a large part of the game is mathematics.  Finding the balance, not only as a shooter between speed and accuracy, but mathematically between speed and accuracy is key to success.  We as shooters can all understand that balancing speed and accuracy means shooting fast enough so that we are "using" the entire target zone allotted to us, but what exactly do we mean when we say mathematically balancing speed and accuracy?  - Well, by understanding how to maximize USPSA Hit Factor scoring, we as shooters can better understand what the cost of shooting points down is, purely in terms of time; something which isn't as obvious in USPSA as in IDPA for example. 

Standard IDPA Target

In IDPA (which utilizes Time Plus scoring) there are 3 target zones per target; the Down 0, Down 1, and Down 3.  After shooting each stage, your total points down are tallied up and divided by 2.  This gives you a value in seconds which is then added to your raw time.  In other words, if you shot a stage in 10.00 seconds with 6 points down, your overall time would be 13.00 seconds (10+[6/2]=13).  This means that the cost of shooting a "Down 1", which for all extensive purposes is a Charlie on a USPSA target, is a penalty of 0.50 seconds.  It's important to note that the point values in IDPA never fluctuate, so a Down 1 will always equate to 0.50 seconds and a Down 3 will always equate to 1.50 seconds.  Mathematically, what this breaks down to, is that if a shooter can shoot a D0-D0 faster than he/she can shoot a D0-D1+0.50s, then it is mathematically faster for him/her to shoot all D0-D0's.  Very few shooters are able to shoot a D0-D1 more than 0.50 seconds faster than they can shoot a D0-D0, meaning that every time they put a shot outside the Down 0, they are almost always adding time to their score.  This is why you see the winners of most IDPA matches with very few points down.  To put it another way, if it takes a shooter 1.00 seconds to shoot a D0-D0 but only 0.55 seconds to shoot a D0-D1, then he/she is still better off shooting a D0-D0 because with the 0.50s penalty assessed, his/her 0.55s time is bumped up to a 1.05s time, 0.05s slower than his/her D0-D0 time.  Understanding this, we can deduce that accuracy is of extreme importance in IDPA and in order to be successful one must shoot very few points down.

Standard USPSA Target

In USPSA (which utilizes Hit Factor scoring) there are 4 target zones per target; the Alpha, the Bravo, the Charlie, and the Delta.  The Bravo and Charlie zones are actually worth the same point value, so we can eliminate the Bravo zone for the purposes of simplicity in discussion.  Opposed to in IDPA where points are a negative, in USPSA, points work in the shooter's favor.  The Alpha zone is worth 5 points, the Charlie zone is worth 4 points (3 points for Minor Power Factor), and the Delta zone is worth 2 Points, (1 point for Minor Power Factor).  With this in mind, the general maximum value of a standard target is 10 points (A+A = 5+5= 10).  The shooter's overall score on a USPSA stage is deduced by adding up the total points shot, and dividing that number by the overall time; the final number is the shooter's Hit Factor (HF).  What this means, is that
mathematically, the value of a point (in terms of time) is completely dependent on the stage and is not consistent like it is in IDPA.  We don't usually think about a dropped point equating to time when shooting USPSA, but by doing so, we can actually see how fast we should be shooting a stage and see if a shooter can actually "miss fast enough to win".

Example 1: Shooting a High Hit Factor Stage

A stage is denoted a "High Hit Factor" if there are lots of points available and the shooter can complete the stage relatively quickly.  A High HF is usually something around a HF of 10.0.  So for the sake of this example, let's say that the stage has 10 targets or 100 available points (10 targets X 10 points per target = 100 points) which shooterX can shoot in 10.00 seconds; 100 points/10 seconds = 10 HF.  In this case, we can deduce that a point is worth exactly 0.10 second (10s/100p = 0.1s/p).  So if the stage has a high HF, then shooting points down doesn't hurt very much, and in actuality, can be better for you than shooting all A's if you can increase your speed accordingly!  Now I know you're jumping out of your chair right now, but bare with me as I explain why.  If the shooter can shoot an A-A in 1.00 seconds and can shoot an A-C in anything faster than 0.90 seconds, then he is actually going to improve his overall HF by shooting A-C's (assuming the shooter is shooting Major PF).  If the shooter in the same example were to be shooting Minor PF, then his value of shooting a Charlie would be doubled from 0.10s to 0.20s because his Charlie shot is only worth 3 points instead of 4.  So for the Minor PF shooter, he needs to shoot a A-C in 0.80 seconds or less to make shooting an A-C more advantageous than an A-A.  Although the Minor shooter may be cutting it close, shooting an A-C in 0.10 or even 0.20 seconds faster than an A-A is actually an achievable task for many shooters.  So remember, if you can shoot fast enough to make up the time added for your lost point/s, then you will actually be benefiting from speeding up and taking some Charlie's because doing so will improve your HF overall.  The opportune time to do this is when the value of seconds/point is very low, (which is on high HF stages).

Example 2: Shooting a Low Hit Factor Stage

A stage is denoted a "Low Hit Factor" if there are few points available and/or the shooter must take significant time to complete the stage.  A Low HF is usually something around a HF of 4.0-5.0.  So for the sake of this example, let's say that the stage has 10 targets or 100 available points (10 targets X 10 points per target = 100 points) which shooterX can shoot in 20.00 seconds; 100 points/20 seconds = 5 HF.  In this case, we can deduce that a point is worth exactly 0.20 second (20s/100p = 0.2s/p).  So if the stage has a low HF, then shooting points down has a higher time penalty which the shooter must balance with increased speed.  If the shooter can shoot an A-A in 1.00 seconds and can shoot an A-C in anything faster than 0.80 seconds, then he is actually going to improve his overall HF by shooting A-C's (assuming the shooter is shooting Major PF).  If the shooter in the same example were to be shooting Minor PF, then his value of shooting a Charlie would be doubled from 0.20s to 0.40s because his Charlie shot is only worth 3 points instead of 4.  So for the Minor PF shooter, he needs to shoot an A-C in 0.60 seconds or less to make shoot an A-C more advantageous than an A-A.  As you can see the Major PF shooter is still liable to  be able to at least break even or maybe pick up some small fractions of time when shooting Charlies so long as he is moving quickly, but the Minor PF shooter most likely will not.  What this means is that Major PF shooters can afford to take some Charlie's on low HF stages so long as they are moving quick enough to account for them, whereas Minor PF shooters really cannot afford to do so.  This is the prime advantage of shooting Major PF in USPSA.

Example 3: For Example Only - A Hit Factor of 1

In this example, we have a stage with a HF of 1.0 (it is extremely unlikely that you will see a stage like this, but it helps hammer home the point of mathematical balance).  This would be a stage where there are 10 available points, but it takes the shooter 10 seconds to finish the stage.  In this case, a single point is actually worth an entire second of time (10s/10p = 1p/s), and therefore, unless the shooter can shoot an A-C more than 1.00 seconds faster than an A-A, then shooting the A-A would be more beneficial to the shooter's score.  Remember, in USPSA the stage's HF denotes what level of accuracy and what level of speed is needed to maximize score.  BUT, remember also that each shooter's HF on a given stage will always be different and each shooter needs to calculate a stage's HF for himself/herself in order to denote the value of shooting a Charlie so that they can weigh the cost/benefit analysis of doing so.

On the average, we can deduce that shooting a point down for Major PF shooters is usually worth about an additional 0.15 seconds and therefore, unlike in IDPA, it actually makes sense to forgo some level of accuracy in favor of speed when shooting Major.  However, when shooting Minor, we can deduce that a point on average, is worth around 0.33 seconds.  This, like in IDPA, means that it is most likely more advantageous to shoot all A's unless the stage has an extremely high HF where a shooter would be able to make up (the approximately) 0.20 seconds he loses per point.  Either way, remember that only you can control what your HF is per stage.  So based on your shooting ability, you might not be able to achieve high HF's and that simply means that you have to pay more attention to collecting all your points as they are worth more for you.  So can you "miss" fast enough to win....well, no, but you can certainly shoot some Charlie's and still win, and if doing so allows you to free up some speed you otherwise don't use, doing so might even help you improve your score.

The Bill Drill - Speed Shooting at its Finest

The term/saying "speed shoot/ing" can mean a whole host of different things, even within the shooting community; but how is the term "speed shooting" practically applicable?  By understanding what we as shooters are trying to achieve in practical firearms implementation, we can suggest the the term "speed shooting" is equivalent to "putting as many rounds as possible into a given target zone within a finite time."  As you can see, this definition effectively creates what we in the practical shooting sports call "a balance of speed and precision."  The Bill Drill, a drill attributed in large part to Mr. Bill Wilson, is one of the most prolific balances of speed and precision we can use in the practical shooting sports.  As with any string of fire which tests your balance of speed and precision, your ability to track your front sight through recoil as well as the obvious necessity for an effective grip and stance will be required to preform this drill effectively. 

The drill setup is as follows:

Start Position: Surrender

Target Distance: 10 yards

Target Size: Standard USPSA A Zone

String of Fire: Draw, Fire 6 Shots (all must land in A zone) - the catch is, the goal is to shoot the string within 2 seconds.

Post a video response to youtube of your best time on the Bill Drill.

GLOCK 17/22 OPEN DIVISION CONVERSION

by: Josh Mazzola of Team AR15Targets

This thread/article has been written in an attempt to provide shooters with a step by step analysis and discussion of converting a stock Glock 17/22 to an Open Glock.  The following is my opinions on the matter based on my experiences, nothing more.

General Points of Discussion

What is Open Division? - Much like in racing, in the world of competitive shooting there are different divisions which allow different modifications to both the shooter's firearm and gear.  Open division is basically the, "no holds barred" division and almost all modifications you can think of are allowed; from red dots and compensators to custom milling on slides.

World Champion Jerry Miculek shooting his Open 2011 at
the 2012 Arkansas Multigun Championship.

What does it normally cost to get an Open-gun setup? - While this is an extremely subjective point of discussion, open guns normally range in price from $2000.00 at the absolute cheapest, to upwards of $5000 or more.  When you start adding in magazines, gear, etc. the price just keeps going up.  It is definitely the most expensive division in the practical shooting sports.

How does the Glock stack up in Open? - Most Open-guns are built on the 2011 (juiced up 1911) platform.  So many rightfully ask, "how well can a striker fired polymer gun fare in this division?" Well the answer is, we really can't gather accurate stats on the topic.  Very few Open shooters shoot Glocks, so to make a direct comparison on which platform is the best based on what the winning shooters are using, would be a flawed interpretation of data.  With this said, the fact that not many Open shooters use Glocks definitely counts as a mark against Glocks in the Open division.  Despite this fact, Dave Sevigny, formerly of Team Glock, was an absolute beast in Open with his customized Glock, and the new Glock team-shooter, KC Eusebio, is equally as impressive (having just won the 2012 Ohio State Open Championship with a Glock).  So what it comes down to, in my opinion, is that simply put, the shooter makes the gun.  However, if you have mad cash to burn, the 2011 would probably be the more "appropriate" choice for a pure Open build.

What are the differences between a DIY Open Glock and a true custom built Open Glock? - I referenced Dave Sevigny and KC Eusebio's custom Glocks above, so let's discuss the differences between the guns they are shooting, and something you can put together at home.  What you are going to be doing does not equate to the guns that these guys have, but then again, you aren't doing this conversion with the hopes to become the Open champion with the gun right?  We are going to be piecing together parts, we are not going to be perfectly blending each part together.  This equates to sloppier tolerances, and more chance for failures in a DIY gun than a custom gun which has been tuned by a professional smith (who has most likely done hundreds of builds).

So then why DIY? - With all that said, a DIY Glock might sound like a lose-lose.  But the purpose of this at-home conversion as I see it, is primarily for creating a "water tester".  By undertaking this project, we can create a gun that gives us a chance to shoot in Open when we want, and see if it's something we are truly interested in.  Not to mention we can swap back to stock configuration very easily if we don't care for Open without any permanent alterations having been made to our weapon. Another reason you might attempt this conversion is because it can provide a way for you to get your significant-other into shooting.  Lady shooters, don't be upset, but sometimes women who don't shoot are hesitant to do so because they simply don't like the feel of recoil.  This conversion will cut down on some of the more unpleasant parts of shooting, and this can be an inviting way to convince someone (man or woman) to come out and try shooting or the action shooting sports.  This project can also be completely for purposes devoid of the competition realm, and moreover be designed as a way for someone to simply juice up a stock gun that they otherwise don't use, giving them something fun to shoot with their buddies in the backyard.

So what's the total cost of your DIY Open Glock? - the modifications you will be making should cost you about $850.00 at the higher end.  This price does not include the cost of the stock G17/22.  If you don't already own a Glock, I'd strongly suggest looking into a used Open 2011 or custom Open Glock if you're really wanting to get an Open gun.  The price difference might not be as horrible as you expect if you have to buy the stock Glock on top of the price of the modification parts we'll be purchasing.  This conversion is very much direct at those who have already spent some of their overall budget on a stock Glock.

Top: G17 Open Conversion
Bottom: G34 Production Division

What parts will I need to install/purchase? - The $850.00 I just mentioned will get you a new: trigger, firing pin spring kit, magwell, slide racker, RDS, threaded barrel, guide rod and recoil spring, and compensator.  Please note, not all of these items are required to make the gun function as an Open gun, so you can save money as you go through your build by eliminating parts which are a luxury and not a necessity.  These are also not all of the parts you could end up buying.  What I've tried to do is bring together the parts I feel are most important and present that information to you based on my experience.

Should I mount my optic on the slide or on a frame mount? - For the purposes of this build, put the optic on the slide to start.  Not only is this cheaper for now, but it also keeps the optic where you're used to seeing your sights.  In the future, if you