New to IDPA help.

Hometeached1 said:

As the title says I'm new to IDPA. There is a local match on the 19th and I'm going to try to go and see how I do.

I will be using my EDC and see how well I do with it, just wanting testing myself and equipment, while havering fun. I already dry fire everyday, but mostly with my 642 since I don't have to worry about set back. I also practice reloads, but not reloads with retention. Should I practice that?
Any tips or pointers for a new guy from you guys who have done this before
Thanks in advance.

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I'm fairly new as well, but I'll still chime in. I've only shot 3 matches, and a classifier, and I can only think of 1 stage outside of the classifier that I've had to do a reload with retention. That said, I'd still practice, it really can't hurt anything. The best advice I have is just to show up, be safe, have fun, and be willing to learn. I shoot at BGSL in Wilmore, KY, and everyone there has been really helpful so far, I suspect that that's how other clubs are as well.

What is your EDC? The 642 or Something Else? If you enter SSR with the five-shooter you will get plenty of reloading practice. You can carry four speedloaders for it vs three for a sixshooter or two magazines for an auto. On top of the loaded gun at the "Load and Make Ready" command.

Reloads with retention outside the Classifier are pretty scarce now that we are not allowed to reload on the move. I think I have done one, maybe two this year. The main occasion is to find yourself with two rounds left in the gun facing an activator and disappearing target calling for two hits. You have to reload if you want to get all your shots in.

You will be fine with a G19.

Best shooting tips/pointers will be had at the match. Let 'em know it's your first match and ask to shoot last for each stage so you can observe what others do before it's your turn.

Dress comfortably -- especially appropriate shoes/boots. Hat with brim. Water, snack.

Be safe (180-rule, finger off trigger, etc) ...and have a great time!

I've only been to a few matches so far (3 IDPA, a classifier, and a 3gun match), but so far every malfunction I have seen has been with a glock. One was due to poorly sized reloads, the others I'm not sure about. The 1911s and other more oddball guns all seem to work perfectly (excluding my slightly underpowered old reloads, which do not reliably lock the slide on my SW99 with its new recoil spring).

Glad to hear the good results from your match =)

IDPA is a blast. Go slow. Be safe. Ask if you dont know.

What kills my scores are longer range targets. Got to slow down enough to get a good sight picture and hit it.

My fundamentals seem to degrade a bit once the buzzer goes off.

Factory Glocks are renowned for their reliability, but all bets are off when you start messing with them; and I'm willing to bet most competition Glocks aren't stock. That said, malfunctions in competition aren't Glock-specific, IME. I've seen them all malfunction, even revolvers. Many malfunctions can be traced to the handloaded ammo used.

Hometeached1, congrats on your match!

Shoot at your pace, hit what you're shooting at, and let the guys upstairs worry about the scoring. You'll likely do better than you think. You will have a blast though!

I won my division my first IDPA match shooting a borrowed Glock 23 and qualified expert at the classifier afterwards. All I did was shoot at my (slow) pace and made good hits on everything I shot at.

ThePenguinKnight said:

I've only been to a few matches so far (3 IDPA, a classifier, and a 3gun match), but so far every malfunction I have seen has been with a glock. One was due to poorly sized reloads, the others I'm not sure about. The 1911s and other more oddball guns all seem to work perfectly (excluding my slightly underpowered old reloads, which do not reliably lock the slide on my SW99 with its new recoil spring).

Glad to hear the good results from your match =)

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I've seen both Glocks and 1911s choke. Its really not a big deal. What is problematic is how many shooters are slow to get the gun back into action.

I mix snap caps in with my mags to train for malfunctions. I havent had one yet with my carry/IDPA gun but it WILL happen eventually.

I've only been to a few matches so far (3 IDPA, a classifier, and a 3gun match), but so far every malfunction I have seen has been with a glock. One was due to poorly sized reloads, the others I'm not sure about. The 1911s and other more oddball guns all seem to work perfectly (excluding my slightly underpowered old reloads, which do not reliably lock the slide on my SW99 with its new recoil spring).

Glad to hear the good results from your match =)

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I would bet if you talked to the guys with Glocks that failed, you would find out they are using an aftermarket barrel, light striker spring, or possibly both. I have had only one malfunction in my G35. I take full responsibility for the malfunction since I dropped the slide before my mag was fully seated. Simply trying to go too fast! All of my match Glocks are modified within SSP specs with a Robert Vogel trigger, 13lb recoil spring, 4.5lb striker spring. All of my Glocks still sport factory barrels since they shoot lights out. One of my friends that I squad with just installed a new barrel in His G34 back in Feb, and has 15 malfunctions since installing. Mot due to not sizing his brass down enough.

Factory Glocks are renowned for their reliability, but all bets are off when you start messing with them; and I'm willing to bet most competition Glocks aren't stock. That said, malfunctions in competition aren't Glock-specific, IME. I've seen them all malfunction, even revolvers. Many malfunctions can be traced to the handloaded ammo used.

Hometeached1, congrats on your match!

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Exactly! Glocks were designed to run with there loser chambers. When you start reducing spring weights, you have to keep everything balanced. Usually a 13lb recoil spring is the threshold for matching up with a factory striker spring. If you drop to a 11lb or lighter recoil spring the factory striker spring can over power the recoil spring causing the slide to ease back when pulling the trigger. This can cause a fire out of battery (Kabooom)! You can over come this by going to a 4lb, or 4.5lb striker spring, but need to switch to Federal primers which are much softer than many others. I don't personally feel comfortable going lower than 4.5lb myself.

Junk ammo is a big part of it.
Somebody trying to learn reloading one question at a time on the Internet is going to have malfunctions about as often as he picks up penalties learning the rules one Procedural at a time.

As the computers say, GIGO.

I was out today testing an ammo/gun/magazine combination that I want well proven before I shoot it when score is kept.

That said, malfunctions in competition aren't Glock-specific, IME. I've seen them all malfunction, even revolvers.

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Pretty much. Coupled with the fact that there are more Glocks used in competition, so your odds of seeing one fail are slightly more than other brands too.

FWIW, in recent years, IPDA participation has steadily trended away from 1911 and toward Glock/M&P, at least for the major tournaments for which IDPA publishes data.

Locally (and anecdotally), I've seen the most failures from 1911 in club matches. And a rental range in Atlanta once told me that 1911 is least reliable in terms of what they have to do to keep all their handguns running.

Any gun will choke on bad ammo. I ran my competition Glocks on the ragged edge of lightened triggers and springs and never had a problem except one match when my seating die burped out a bunch of bad OAL ammo. Federal primers were 100% and that's all I ever used.