IDPA is fun!

[WhiteKnight]

I shot my first IDPA match today at a local range (PDHSC on Tryon Road).

I did absolutely horribly, but nevertheless cannot wait until the next match in August.

I shot my Glock 19 (stock service pistol division) with a Bianchi 20w dual magazine pouch and Uncle Mike's Kydex belt holster.

One particularly memorable stage (#4) consisted of four terrorists (shoots) attempting to rescue Saddam (no-shoot) from his bodyguard (no-shoot) on his way to trial. Unfortunately, it appeared at least a couple shooters ignored the former dictator's "no-shoot" status. :evil:

I also encountered another THR member wearing a Molon Labe hat and another shooter who mentioned the term "JBTs."

To sum up my entire post, if you haven't tried shooting an IDPA match, do it! It's a blast! :)

[cobb]

I did absolutely horribly

Yep, and now you can only get better with every match you shoot. :D

[Red Rook]

Wow,

I go to PDHSC and have been wanting to go to my first IDPA event. You have inspired me! That sounds like fun. Can you tell me when the next one is and what I need to bring? I don't know much anyone up there so maybe I'll see ya there?

[WhiteKnight]

The next match is in August (they are the 2nd Saturday of every month).

I'll be glad to meet up there with you - PM me closer to then and I'll tell you want I'm gonna wear.

I was incredibly nervous at first, but by the time I got to the end of the second stage I couldn't imagine anything more enjoyable. Don't worry about it! There are a ton of really helpful guys there that want to see you succeed and offer valuable advice at every turn.

[Browns Fan]

Yeah, I really enjoy IDPA, too, but I've got an old football injury where I jammed my thumb on my shooting hand and its acting up. :(

I'm gonna have to go to the range and shoot a bit to see if I can handle it before I spend the money to register for a match. It may be wise for me to shoot my CZ 9mm as opposed to my Kimber .45.

[Pylon]

I love IDPA. Ever since i started shooting it, i haven't ever gone back to the plain stand at the range lane shooting.

Only time i'll do lane shooting now is to test out a new gun, or take a friend of mine shooting. Nothing else compares too IDPA. Well, short of the real thing, or war.

[Morgan]

Try IPSC sometime, too. IDPA is probably a better place to start, unless you've already got a friend shooting IPSC.

I quite like IDPA, but prefer IPSC due to the higher round count and more challenging courses of fire. These make it a tougher test of equipment, as well. I use the same gun I carry daily for both - you don't need a "racegun" for IPSC.

Neither one is real training, but both are good practice - testing shooter and equipment under some stress, which is a good thing.

Both are quite fun, and you'll meet some great people.

[Werewolf]

Try IPSC sometime, too.IPSC (which stands for International Practical Shooting Confederation) is indeed fun but IMHO stresses speed way too much. :rolleyes:

For example based on raw score (i.e. hits) I usually place in the top 3 in most stages. Factor in time and I'm in the bottom 25%. Speed counts for sure but when one examines the hit locations of the top guys the hits they make are the equivalent of shoulder, arm or leg hits. The hits I make are invariably 'A' ring hits which would take the opponent out.

Another gripe I have about IPSC is that the guys who are really into it are gamesmen who tweak every rule and take advantage of every loophole possible in a stage. That's cool - IPSC is a GAME. But those guys take it way too seriously and game it way too hard. Annoying at best and a violation of the spirit of the event at worst.

It's practical shooting not speed shooting! I still have a lot of fun doing it but as a training tool it's pretty much useless.

On the bright side it's a heck of a lot cheaper to do IPSC than IDPA where I live. :D

[Blackhawk 6]

Another gripe I have about IPSC is that the guys who are really into it are gamesmen who tweak every rule and take advantage of every loophole possible in a stage. That's cool - IPSC is a GAME. But those guys take it way too seriously and game it way too hard. Annoying at best and a violation of the spirit of the event at worst.

I could not agree more. About every three years I decide to shoot a match and remind myself why I have not shot a match in three years.

[Red Rook]

How do these guys tweak the rules?

[Werewolf]

How do these guys tweak the rules?Here's one example...

Stage is set up with targets starting at 3 yards and another target every 3 yards out to 25.

You are supposed to shoot each target twice until you get out to the last one.

If you miss a target there is no penalty you just get less score as long as you shoot two rounds at each target for a total of 24 rounds fired.

Since IPSC really counts time for more than accuracy on this particular stage one of our Master level shooters decided to game it. Technically he didn't break the rules but he definitely violated the spirit of the stage.

What he did was fire off 22 rounds as quickly as possible (which can be done really, really fast by these guys, especially if you're not aiming at anything) and then put two rounds in the last target. He came in 2nd on that stage. Everyone complained about what he did, the RO decided (correctly) that he didn't break the rules of the stage and his score stood.

Those of us who called him on it were declared by him to be poor sports. What is sad is that he is the 2nd or 3rd rated shooter in IPSC in OK.

That's just one example. Others are not near so bad but they abound. That's mostly why I just pay my $8 to play and have never joined the USPSA which one needs to do to get rated.

[tommyc]

How do these guys tweak the rules?

I'll admit up front that I've only shot 1 IDPA match, but I shoot between 4 to 6 IPSC (USPSA) matches a month.

From my understanding and shooting one IDPA match, you can only shoot an IDPA stage the way the SO says you can. In an IPSC stage, you have a lot more lattitude in how and where you engage the targets. The course description for any given stage will sometimes dictate that certian targets may only be engaged from certian shooting positions. Other times, targets may be engaged as they become available. And sometimes the course description will allow for both. Some shooters only engage targets as they walk/run past them, while others may take long shots, or engage all the targets they can see before having to move. So generally, if the course description doesn't prohibit something, or if it isn't against the rules, someone will do it and that sometimes makes people upset. Some people see that as bending the rules. I've seen some things done at matches that I felt shouldn't be allowed, but since it wasn't against the rules or go against the course description, it was allowed. Everybody will see things differently.


Just my .02

[GSB]

Saddam (no-shoot)

Where's the fun in that? :p

[Taipei Personality]

Hey, WhiteKnight, I was there as well. Are you the guy that asked me about my hat? :)

[WhiteKnight]

That would most definitely be me. :)

[Taipei Personality]

Glad you had fun, hope to see you next month!

[Stickjockey]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saddam (no-shoot)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Where's the fun in that?

it appeared at least a couple shooters ignored the former dictator's "no-shoot" status.

:evil:

[Grump]

Uh, how can 22 shots with presumably at least 11 misses in really short time equal a high hit factor in IPSC? Sounds like a fixed-round count stage, and don't they have a penalty for misses?

I'd expect a guy to zero out on a stage if dumping rounds downrange...

[AZ Jeff]

How come Mister "Top IPSC Guy in OK" did not get 11 failure to engage penalties, plus misses when he did his little dumping trick?

Even with a stage description, he should have basically zeroed the stage for his stunt. Unless somebody is not using the FULL USPSA rulebook.

[Werewolf]

Y'all are preachin' to the choir about the IPSC stage where you only had to actually engage the last target.

The intent of the stage was to engage each target with two rounds and work your way to the last target.

The scoring method chosen (I can never tell the difference, Comstock, Virginia, blow em all away whaterver) was such that a shooter could legitimately choose to just fire rounds and not actually engage any but the last target.

The shooter in question played the game, used the loophole and the RO gave him the stage with no penalty.

The shooter in question is rated GM by the USPSA and recently placed 3rd in the OK regionals. He's a total gamesman. Doesn't have a clue about practical shooting. But he wins and that's all he cares about.

A lot of shooters gave him hell that day - he basically gave them the single fingered salute in return both figuratively and actually.

[AZ Jeff]

I have shot IPSC since 1984, and am a CRO. I just don't see how a competent RO would let him get away with his approach without giving him a bunch of penalties.

This appears to be a case where the Range Officer failed to follow the rulebook in administering penalties, NOT one of a "bad shooter".

[Guns_and_Labs]

What he did was fire off 22 rounds as quickly as possible (which can be done really, really fast by these guys, especially if you're not aiming at anything) and then put two rounds in the last target.

I don't know how you "game" your way out of Failure To Engage -- one procedural mandatory according to my favorite RO's read of the rules.

A lot of shooters gave him hell that day - he basically gave them the single fingered salute in return both figuratively and actually.

Sounds like he needs a DQ for Unsportsmanlike Conduct, as a learning experience.

I still like IPSC for the sport of it, and I'm in awe of the equipment the Open guys come up with. I was at a regional last weekend, and spent my whole time thinking to myself, "How did they ever think of that!?"

I got spanked, scorewise, but had a blast, didn't get any penalties, and got to hang out with the best of the citizenry.

[CZ52GUY]

I'm glad you are enjoying IDPA.

I'm a rookie this year myself (just shot my 7th match Saturday).

I posted sort of a "lessons learned" thread you might find informative over at the Competition Forum.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=91396

Stay safe,

CZ52'