Deciding between milling tso slide and trading for second s2 OR

[nkresho]

Morning everyone,

I need to talk (type) this one out because I'm really torn.

I've come to the realization that my eyes are not going to be able to effectively focus between the target and the front sight with corrective lenses (or without).  I can get a great front sight focus without my glasses,  but the target is really blurry even at 10 to 15 yards.  If i wear my glasses I can get a really good target focus but the front sight is a blurry blob.  If i spend longer at the range (30+ mins)  with my glasses on,  the front sight gets worse and worse.  I've also tried corrective lens on one eye with no benefit.  That actually got me a little nauseous.

I started shooting club level matches last season and am pretty motivated to get classified the best i can this year.  I shot my tso 9 in limited last year which I was aware was a handicap for scoring. Crayon chewing and window licking and all that...  I had the tso before getting serious about attending matches so that's what I used. 

I've since been closely following Steve Andersons and Ben Stoegers dry fire books' practice routines nearly every day.  I've focused my live fire drills to practice the same skills so I can be ready for the upcoming season.  I'm also taking a bimonthly class where we live fire short courses of fire while moving.  Goal this year is to get classified A or better in carry optics.  I'm confident I can make that happen.

Now that I have a daily dry fire routine and i am motivated to be competitive I'm no longer interested in limited with the tso as it is.  I grabbed a shadow 2 or and rts2 with full intentions to shoot co this upcoming season.  That's where ill start regardless of what happens will with limited optics.

With the provisional limited optics on the horizon it got me reading and thinking, a lot.  I'm never going to use the tso in limited again.  I've accepted that fact.   At the range I'm just not nearly as good with irons as I used to be, due to the vision issue i noted above.  It started bothering me after each range trip where I'd get to thinking i was just losing my touch even though i shoot at least once a week.   Practicing with the dot on the s2, I am feeling like I'm improving nicely and gaining more confidence. It's really rejuvenated my excitement in shooting.  The dot has reminded me how much I love to just shoot, which has also motivated me more to prepare for this season.

All that back story brings me to the decision I want to make.   With the significantly reduced utility of my tso, I can:
1. get it milled for an optic, which pretty much negates the longer sight picture and is a non-reversible mod.  The benefit is the awesome tso trigger with the sprung sear cage,  the magwell, and the thumb rest,  which I like.  In this milled configuration I'd be able to use it if limited optics does become a reality (which I know is a big "if" at this point).  I've already got a nice huron holster for the gun as well as plenty of extra mags too.  Even if limited optics doesn't happen,  with the dot,  this gun will get more range time.
Or
2. Trade in the tso (at a loss) for another shadow 2 optics ready.  This pistol would be a backup to the one I have,  but also let's me tweak it for limited optics.  In the limited optics configuration I'd convert to sao, get an extended safety (if i could ever find one in stock),  and add a magwell.  I'm pretty confident I could get the trigger close enough to the tso that is be happy with it.   As above,  even if LO doesn't happen,  this gun would get plenty of range time.

Or, the boring option...

3. Cool my jets and just run the shadow 2 in carry optics this season and keep the tso in the safe. Even though I won't really use the tso, it'll hold its value if I leave it unmodified.

Cost- wise I think it'd definitely be cheaper to mill the tso and be done with it. Already got the good sa trigger and the magwell. Already have extra mags and a great holster for it too.  But,  that's not reversible and if limited optics never happens the tso would serve me just as well as a strictly range toy as it does now.  I wouldn't have a backup for either pistol with that plan either (although I imagine the need for a backup is not that important).

What's everyone else planning to do if limited optics happens ?

Any other suggestions I've overlooked?

Preemptive thanks for any advice or suggestions.  At minimum,  it was cathartic to the this out, although it didn't add the clarity I'd hoped it would.

[George16]

Just shoot what you have now and just wait for the OR DWX. When it comes out, just sell your TSO and get the DWX OR.

I’ll wait for the DWX OR before buying one. I don’t want to make the same mistake years ago when I decided to buy the Shadow 2 and had it milled for optics and lightened to make the 43 oz wight for CO only to have the weight increased to the current 59 oz later on.

[nkresho]

That's an awesome idea I hadn't even though of.  Thanks for the suggestion.

[Johnny Chimpo]

Morning everyone,

I need to talk (type) this one out because I'm really torn.

I've come to the realization that my eyes are not going to be able to effectively focus between the target and the front sight with corrective lenses (or without).  I can get a great front sight focus without my glasses,  but the target is really blurry even at 10 to 15 yards.  If i wear my glasses I can get a really good target focus but the front sight is a blurry blob.  If i spend longer at the range (30+ mins)  with my glasses on,  the front sight gets worse and worse.  I've also tried corrective lens on one eye with no benefit.  That actually got me a little nauseous.

I started shooting club level matches last season and am pretty motivated to get classified the best i can this year.  I shot my tso 9 in limited last year which I was aware was a handicap for scoring. Crayon chewing and window licking and all that...  I had the tso before getting serious about attending matches so that's what I used. 

I've since been closely following Steve Andersons and Ben Stoegers dry fire books' practice routines nearly every day.  I've focused my live fire drills to practice the same skills so I can be ready for the upcoming season.  I'm also taking a bimonthly class where we live fire short courses of fire while moving.  Goal this year is to get classified A or better in carry optics.  I'm confident I can make that happen.

Now that I have a daily dry fire routine and i am motivated to be competitive I'm no longer interested in limited with the tso as it is.  I grabbed a shadow 2 or and rts2 with full intentions to shoot co this upcoming season.  That's where ill start regardless of what happens will with limited optics.

With the provisional limited optics on the horizon it got me reading and thinking, a lot.  I'm never going to use the tso in limited again.  I've accepted that fact.   At the range I'm just not nearly as good with irons as I used to be, due to the vision issue i noted above.  It started bothering me after each range trip where I'd get to thinking i was just losing my touch even though i shoot at least once a week.   Practicing with the dot on the s2, I am feeling like I'm improving nicely and gaining more confidence. It's really rejuvenated my excitement in shooting.  The dot has reminded me how much I love to just shoot, which has also motivated me more to prepare for this season.

All that back story brings me to the decision I want to make.   With the significantly reduced utility of my tso, I can:
1. get it milled for an optic, which pretty much negates the longer sight picture and is a non-reversible mod.  The benefit is the awesome tso trigger with the sprung sear cage,  the magwell, and the thumb rest,  which I like.  In this milled configuration I'd be able to use it if limited optics does become a reality (which I know is a big "if" at this point).  I've already got a nice huron holster for the gun as well as plenty of extra mags too.  Even if limited optics doesn't happen,  with the dot,  this gun will get more range time.
Or
2. Trade in the tso (at a loss) for another shadow 2 optics ready.  This pistol would be a backup to the one I have,  but also let's me tweak it for limited optics.  In the limited optics configuration I'd convert to sao, get an extended safety (if i could ever find one in stock),  and add a magwell.  I'm pretty confident I could get the trigger close enough to the tso that is be happy with it.   As above,  even if LO doesn't happen,  this gun would get plenty of range time.

Or, the boring option...

3. Cool my jets and just run the shadow 2 in carry optics this season and keep the tso in the safe. Even though I won't really use the tso, it'll hold its value if I leave it unmodified.

Cost- wise I think it'd definitely be cheaper to mill the tso and be done with it. Already got the good sa trigger and the magwell. Already have extra mags and a great holster for it too.  But,  that's not reversible and if limited optics never happens the tso would serve me just as well as a strictly range toy as it does now.  I wouldn't have a backup for either pistol with that plan either (although I imagine the need for a backup is not that important).

What's everyone else planning to do if limited optics happens ?

Any other suggestions I've overlooked?

Preemptive thanks for any advice or suggestions.  At minimum,  it was cathartic to the this out, although it didn't add the clarity I'd hoped it would.

Limited Optics, if it even happens, won't be a thing until 2024

[nkresho]

Thanks, yeah.  I have been trying to figure that side of it out too.  I certainly appreciate the info.  That does help my decision.  Milling the slide was way too early an idea.  I have plenty of range-only toys.

I will be focusing on regular CO this year.  Was getting a bit ahead of myself.  Logically, i think i'd move to open next anyway.  That's a long ways off though.


I'm thinking the backup shadow 2 is the better move and will probably still trade the TSO in toward one in the upcoming months.  The DWX is beautiful, but the shadow platform fits my hands really well already.  I can maintain the same form factor for holsters and mags as well as spare parts across platforms as well.  If i ever have an issue with my dot, i can swap the uppers and have it sighted and ready to go.  Or just swap pistols.  I do like that idea.

[nkresho]

Made up my mind, finally.  Really tough decision.  I was pretty emotionally attached to the TSO.

I let her go last night and picked up the shadow 2 OR. 

New 8 pound 5 ounce (DA pull weight) baby girl.  2 pound 12oz SA pull weight



I may keep this one blue gripped so i can tell the difference.

I may still grab that optic ready DWX when it comes out.

Thanks everybody for letting me type it out and think out loud.

[George16]

Made up my mind, finally.  Really tough decision.  I was pretty emotionally attached to the TSO.

I let her go last night and picked up the shadow 2 OR. 

New 8 pound 5 ounce (DA pull weight) baby girl.  2 pound 12oz SA pull weight



I may keep this one blue gripped so i can tell the difference.

I may still grab that optic ready DWX when it comes out.

Thanks everybody for letting me type it out and think out loud.

Congrats on your new S2 OR. Enjoy!

[Pmull153]

Made up my mind, finally.  Really tough decision.  I was pretty emotionally attached to the TSO.

I let her go last night and picked up the shadow 2 OR. 

New 8 pound 5 ounce (DA pull weight) baby girl.  2 pound 12oz SA pull weight



I may keep this one blue gripped so i can tell the difference.

I may still grab that optic ready DWX when it comes out.

Thanks everybody for letting me type it out and think out loud.

Why did I have to see this!? I’m in the same boat with the TSO

[Stealth01]

Mill it and be happy!