Decided I'd try USPSA advice please.

Uspsa

Just be safe! Go slow, watch your muzzle, finger off the trigger during transitions. Slow, smooth, accurate and SAFE. Speed will come eventually. Learn to do it smooth and safe first, don't think you are going to win anything in the first couple of matches. Like I said, speed will come later.

Deckard

I tell everyone at their first match: "You're not going to win, so take your time, think about what you're doing and be safe."

It seems that when I tell them they're not going to win, a weight is lifted off their shoulders!

Watch the 180 and your trigger finger. Imagine a bungee cord is attached to your muzzle, connected to the backstop. Walk around your gun, keeping the gun pointed downrange at all times. IE; move left or right with the muzzle pointed downrange. You can practice this in your house. (empty gun, safe backstop, etc, etc, etc)

Then, practice reloading while moving to your right. Once you have that down, practice reloading while moving left. For a right handed shooter, this is begging you to break the 180, so you have to adapt your technique to ensure the 180 remains unbroken.

Each time you move or reload, your finger is not only off the trigger but OUT of the triggerguard.

For your first match, I tell newbies to RELOAD WHERE YOU ARE, then move to the next position, because it's just too easy to violate the 180 while trying to move AND reload at the same time. But, since you're asking, you have time to practice the things I suggested, so you might move while you reload, depending on the stage.

Do these things and you should be fine.

Come to learn with an open mind. Listen to the advice given. Have fun. Just about every first timer I meet at matches becomes addicted. Also, check out the Brian Enos forums.

Depending on how much time you have, try setting up a stage with several targets at different distances (5-15 yards) and work on your front sight flash/double-taps. Make accuracy/efficiency higher on the priority than speed - speed will come with time/practice. If live shooting practice is not available, set up some mock up stages at home and do walk throughs with your pistol.

And yes, smooth is fast.

Look at some YouTube videos to get match/staging ideas. Learn from masters (Rob Leatham, Todd Jarrett and others) and duplicate what works from the beginning and don't reinvent the wheel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6UtpCX82Pc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7n091somWoI&feature=related


Instructional videos youtube (Plenty more on YouTube):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KEOFLExpCs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqIHZ7oLTh8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuVPKYKB1LQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io342N-Bs40&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C1-4V-GiUA

I found that new shooters (and seasoned shooters too) benefit from video taping the shoot of your performance and reviewing later to point out areas of improvement - stance/posture, grip quality, sight alignment to head/front sight flash time, efficiency of mag change, smooth movement between targets (your head/sights should move as a unit), etc. - same as football team reviewing tapes.

Have fun and keep an open mind to soak up from other seasoned shooters (their coaching may be invaluable because they can see what you are doing wrong and point out how to improve your performance).

Be safe. Make SURE you fully understand the 180 degree rule cuz it dings new shooters often. Shoot ALL alphas.

Jim

oops, sorry... double tap

1. Be safe.

2. Be deliberate. DON'T try to rush. Be deliberate and SMOOTH.

3. Be accurate. IE, think accuracy first and get your hits. Speed will come.

4. HAVE FUN!!!!

"...want to do some of these to become a better defensive shooter..." Don't think about any of the shooting games as being anything but shooting games. They're lots of fun, but they have little or nothing to do with reality. Mind you, the more you shoot your Beretta, more you'll be familiar with it.
"...What else do I need?..." Got a load that both shoots well and cycles the action? Good ammo is essential. A pair of comfortable boots(ankle height will do) matters. You're running around on rough surfaces. Got belt pouches for all those extra mags? Got a proper gun belt? Eye and ear protection shouldn't need mentioning, but it's required.
Now go have some fun. Don't worry about placing either. Takes the fun out.

Shoot ALL alphas.

Click to expand...

That right there's funny. I don't care who you are.

"...want to do some of these to become a better defensive shooter..." Don't think about any of the shooting games as being anything but shooting games. They're lots of fun, but they have little or nothing to do with reality.

Click to expand...

How do you feel about football practice? Soccer practice? Military drills? Training with simunitions? Why practice anything if it, "...has little or nothing to do with reality"? If one wanted to become a better defensive shooter would one have to go out and have some gun fights?

"...little or nothing to do with reality..." Grasshopper, the shooting games have rules about holsters, ammo, targets and safety rules. Said rules have nothing to do with anything but the games. The only thing the games let you do is become very familiar with the firearm you use for the game.
Self-defence has one, legalities aside, don't get hurt and don't die. There are no rules about ammo, holsters or anything else.

Self-defence has one, legalities aside, don't get hurt and don't die. There are no rules about ammo, holsters or anything else.

Click to expand...

The consistent requirement to identify targets, obtain a rapid sight picture, and shoot as fast as possible while moving, and static, has helped me over the years with all of my military shooting, in training and in Afghan/Iraq.

Gun games are an easy way to enhance and maintain marksmanship skills, and improve gun handling skills, all of which are important elements of defense.


Amazingly enough, we run many of the same type of stages in the military...

Most importantly, take a whole lot of ammo. On some stations it is possible to run out, even when carrying 50 rounds. Ask me how I know. Ha!

Seriously though, USPSA is a whole lot of fun. Enjoy!

Dave

help set up and tear down

Lots of good advice for you Damian.

Something else to consider is registering and paying for the match before the reg'n deadline.

If pre-reg'n is not required, ask the Match Director if you can help with some of the pre-match chores. Then show up on time. Who knows, you might end up helping the experienced shooters set up a couple stages. This will familiarize you with what is about to happen, so you'll likely do better when moving through/shooting those stages.

When the match is over and the results are announced, stick around and help the others with the stage tear-down. There will be lots of props, target stands, steel poppers to return to their storage sheds. So leave yourself some time at day's end to help out.

Putting a match together requires a lot of energy on the part of the regular shooters. By pitching in, you show that you undestand that USPSA is a volunteer-run organization. Many clubs need new blood so your offer to help will be appreciated. Don't let a good local club go down because a few guys and gals end up doing all the work and burning out.

And you'll make more friends and learn faster by helping out.

Check out this link. It kinda organizes all the "homework" you need to do before your USPSA safety check into 1 handy place.

http://www.northwestsection.org/files/SafetyCheck_Mar_08.pdf

My advice would be to start in Production with your Beretta. As you learn the rules and get comfortable with the gun handling, you can graduate to Limited or L10 on piece at a time.

I did it over a year. $600 won't take you very far when you account for the gun, mags, and gear; heck the holsters can be $175 or more (and a lot of guys use the $60 Bladetech DOH in Limited, so there). I would plan on $600 to $700 on top of the cost of the gun to be fully competitive in Limited, depending on your likes and how far you want to take trigger work, etc.

By going with Production first, you're in the game instantly. Your learning curve begins NOW, not $700 and a gun from now.

That's my advice!
Dan

Good advice Dan.

Getting into it now is key as USPSA is as much shooting as it is learning to plan a strategy and execute efficient movement through the stages.

Good point 250. As well as getting over the heebie jeebies when the beeper goes off, you need to learn to read a stage and innovate. That can start in Production while you assemble your Limited gun and gear.

Learn the rules. Help the club set up and tear down, get to know the guys. The odds are you'll find the gear you need IN THE CLUB!

Dan

Hi all, this is my first post here so take it easy on a newbie. The many ideas above are all good ideas. I started shooting USPSA in 1988 with my Duty weapon, I was a Reserve Deputy in our local County S.O. This was the most fun that could be had, in my opinion, with a handgun. Yes, shoot/use what you brung. You will find many of the competitors willing to help in every way. If you like this type of shooting you will know what you want/need to do to get the most out of USPSA, you may have everything you need already. In 1989 I built a .45 similar to the one that won the 1988 Championship Oh what fun. That lasted for four years then the new 2011 frames got my attention and I HAD to have a CMC 2011 in 9x23 Super +P (don't ask how much that cost to build), but I was getting better every year ( but I was getting older too) I was very lucky to belong to a local club, HPH, that the future President of USPSA shot at monthly. I had so many opportunities to meet great shooters and would not have missed the experience for the world. So go, learn, be safe and enjoy a great sport. DVC

Jerry
L776

Make sure you have lots of MONEY!!!!!!!!! I don't care what division you choose to shoot in, if you want to get good it's takes a lot of ammo.
I started in late april last year and burned up close to 10,000 rnds, I expect to shoot more this year.

Thank God for my 650!!!!!!!

Have a ball!

Don't worry about your mag It'll survive dropping straight from the gun to the dirt. We see too many new guys take it out by hand and drop it softly on the ground or similar. Get a good grip on the fresh mag as you let the empty fall to the ground.

Don't worry about losing that round you ejected You're going to shoot 100 to 150 rounds in a match, is it really worth obsessing over a round or two that you eject at 'unload and show clear' to get DQ'd over? Lots of guys will UNSC and before holstering, bend over to pickup that lone live round - all the while their right hand has the muzzle swinging into the peanut gallery for an instant DQ.

Keep your head in the game Don't forget to hydrate and eat. Matches can be a full day and sometimes nerves get in the way of eating or drinking which leads to brain farts.

Have fun. It's a game. And like the poster said above, relax, your not going to win today anyhow.

Get at least 3 mag pouch 4 mags minimum. In IPSC you want to have a lot of magazines because there are long stages. forget tactics. IPSC is all speed and safety. Be ready to reload also because you will be shooting a lot and it is addicting. I agree you need a lot of moolah!