Alternate IDPA Classifier

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The thoughts of a mad man...

Hmmm. I've never fooled with IDPA, but I have wondered where I would classify in it. What are the demarkation times for each of the classifications?

I shoot both (but I'm a piker) and find that those who shoot USPSA do better relative to their skills going to IDPA compared to IDPA going to USPSA. Especially the IDPA classifiers because there is not a whole lot that has to be taken from cover, but in a regular IDPA match it is easy for me at least to forget to use cover and accumulate procedurals.


That whole USPSA revolver thing dinged me I had finally upgraded my old 610 to a 625 and did not make it two full seasons with it before the rule change sent me digging for a 627 and now revolver is mostly, nearly a major, 929s. Glad I can still shoot my old model 10 in IDPA... :D

Personally the changes in the last revision of IDPA made it much better IMHO. I enjoy IDPA more than I ever have. Despite poking some fun at it I think this new smaller "alternate classifier" is another step in the right direction for the sport.

My first revolver was a 6 shot 686 that I purchased specifically to shoot the older revolver class in IDPA. Now they allow moons if you shoot a major pf which can be done with a .357 however the 625s have a major advantage in reloads with the shorter 45 acp cartridge. I have decided to do very little IDPA this year and use my 686 with 38 brass that I have cut down to roughly 38 short colt length, added Hogue big butts and extended cylinder latches to shoot ICORE classic and L-6.

I'm at that crossroads now. Trying to decide between the 627 or the 929...or getting a 929 and rechambering it to 356 TSW.

Hey, the IDPA Nationals will be down you way this year

I fought that battle with myself almost 3 years ago. I would not want to try to influence anyone on this decision. My home club is home to one of the top revolver shooters and I speak with him from time to time. I asked him what to get and he told me 929. This is good because I already shoot production auto 9mm. Then I decided, because I shoot a lot of static steel that I wanted a dot sight so I put one on the 929. Now I have a problem because this puts me in USPSA open. So after much hand wringing I got another 929. one iron sight the other optic. I had action work done on both. The gun I use for optics requires .040 thick moons the other is fine with .035. Odd.

I guess what I'm trying to say is still with all I have invested I at times second guess myself and think perhaps a 627 would have been better. At my level probably wouldn't matter but I like to have good stuff. A 929 though is a fantastic revolver and at this point I really enjoy shooting them.

A traditional revolver shooter might scoff at using a 9mm taper crimp cartridge in a revo but it greatly simplifies my ammo supply situation. I use only Federal, Blazer and Winchester brass and Revolver Supply Company .040 "extreme" moons. After much fooling around I have settled on Bayou coated bullets. Although the gun is 9mm I get better results with Bayou 38 bullets. They measure .358, I use their 105g TC for steel challenge and 135g RN for USPSA and ICORE to make pf. I use an EGW 9mm undersize resizing die to gain a little more case mouth tension I have had bullets come apart in the cylinder which is not good but since using the u die it hasn't happened.

If you browse the Brian Enos forum in the revo section there is a lot of chatter on the 627/929 decision. When the 929 was first introduced some were having problems extracting the empties but I have over 15k through my first 929 and haven't had a single problem. Keep in mind, as mentioned, I'm not a shooter of note.
 
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Now they allow moons if you shoot a major pf which can be done with a .357 however the 625s have a major advantage in reloads with the shorter 45 acp cartridge
Using moonclips in IDPA requires that the shooter load up to a powder factor of 155 as opposed to using speedloaders and only needing 105 (not that anyone really loads that light). Even using good technique, I don't think you can make up with reload speed what you lose with the higher PF
 
PF for IDPA is 105? And that's the practical game that claims to be more reflective of what is practical/tactical?
 
I agree the 155 FP moonclip guns are rarely an advantage in IDPA. I would normal choose the moonclip gun (MOONCLIPS RULE!) but with IDPA's limited round (18 round max) count and heavy use of cover the faster reloads don't happen often enough to offset the disadvantage of the power factor. If the stages where longer like USPSA then I would choose the moonclip gun even if it was the old 165 PF of ESR (shot 165 PF in USPSA for years, not that big of deal) but with 18 round or less stage limit I usually run my old Model 10 with speed loaders and bunny fart loads.
 
PF for IDPA is 105? And that's the practical game that claims to be more reflective of what is practical/tactical?

Power factor for SSR is 105. There is a lot of .38 Special econoball that will not make f 125. I know that at one time, the only way to be sure of f 125 in factory loads was to buy +P.

Of course if you are a handloader, you could do it pretty easily.
I shot some wadcutters that I had left a smidgen too long for my M52 but did fine for LAMR in a revolver, f 107.
 
I guess I'm lucky because in my area there are literally tons of matches to shoot. There are some winter matches for the hearty of soul but by April 1 the flood gates open and there are numerous matches to suit every taste every weekend within a reasonable drive. So it's really easy to write off any one particular sanctioning body be it IDPA, USPSA or so forth.

I have my calendar marked with over 30 confirmed matches from April 1 to October 30 and there are others just don't have the dates yet. While I have already shot my classifier and paid my dues and extended my RO credentials for the year I think IDPA is going to be a casualty for me this year. There is just so much other stuff that I personally enjoy more on the docket.
 
We're lucky here in the metro Atlanta area, too... there are far more shooting competition opportunities than most of us have time to pursue. I could average 2-3 USPSA matches per week, if I had the time. AIn't nobody got time for IDPA, nor our local hybrid variant, GADPA!
 
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