IDPA - What kit to get into it?

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ReedTX

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Midland, Texas.
I have recently joined a local club and notice they run a IDPA competition. I watched a few videos and it looks fun and I would like to give it a try. I have a S&W M&P 2.0 9mm and 3 magazines. I note I will need a IDPA approved belt and holster, what are budget recommendations?

I am trying to get into this as reasonably cheap as I can, just to give it a go. I have never done this type of shooting before, my only pistol shooting has been shooting at static targets from a static position.
 
Any belt will work as long as it goes through the pants loops. Regular belt slide kydex holster from comp tac or safariland or blade tech are common recommendations. Most makers will say whether it’s IDPA approved. Or just google IDPA approved holsters. Tons of people make them.

standard mag pouches as long as they’re not cut away for race use. You only need 3 mags and most likely will generally use 2 if your club is like mine.

then a cover garment or a photographer vest or Hawaiian shirt or whatever you want.

good gun. Have fun!
 
1KPerDay said:
Have fun!
Click to expand...

This and safety! Go to your club shoot. Engage everyone that will talk (they all will!). Just start with fun and safety…everything else will come to you….

Talk to other club members, they may lend you some equipment to start…most local / club matches are very forgiving about the rules (cover garment, specific holster, etc. for new shooters - not forgiving about safety!).

Like @1KPerDay says…have fun!
 
Uncle mikes instructor belt is actually stiffer than the wilderness tactical and less than half price, their mag holders work to if you can shim them just right. I prefer the comptac speed paddle (because it’s a faster draw from concealment for me) but lots of folks like the locking paddle.

That said, find a club near you and go to a match, as an interested spectator. You will likely learn more that day than a weeks worth of reading on the internet. Don’t be surprised if people offer you to try out their equipment before you buy or offer equipment they no longer use for pennies on the dollar or just “pay it forward” to you.
 
Note that there is a new set of rules effective June 1st.
SSP - the Division for a Plastic M&P - will be allowed 15 rounds in the magazine as of that date, up from 10.

ETA: Or maybe right away, it is the Match Director's choice as to which book to go by until June. I heard of one place that has already allowed 15 in a non-sanctioned match just to let shooters get tuned up for it.
 
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Thank you for all your comments. They have their first round this Saturday so I plan to go down as a spectator just to see how it all works.

I will check out the holster and belt recommendations. Is there typically any sort of ammo restrictions, or is this dependent on the range? I was planning just to shoot blazer FMJ as I already have it, I am new to shooting steel with a pistol and not sure if this is safe/unsafe?
 
Blazer FMJ is fine. For major matches they check ammo with a chronograph to make sure it isn’t loaded down but for smaller local stuff they usually don’t care. Any standard factory ammo will be fine. They may check to make sure it’s not magnetic jacketed at some ranges.
 
These days you can't be picky about ammo; any old econoball that functions will be accurate enough for an 8" Zero ring.
If you want to get fancy, I see a number of factory load shooters with Federal Syntech coated bullet ammo.

Me? I am reloading, as long as my components last.
I frequent three IDPA clubs running .22 Divisions for economy's sake, and I have more large pistol primers than small, so I am shooting USPSA in .45 ACP.
 
Jim Watson said:
Note that there is a new set of rules effective June 1st.
SSP - the Division for a Plastic M&P - will be allowed 15 rounds in the magazine as of that date, up from 10.

ETA: Or maybe right away, it is the Match Director's choice as to which book to go by until June. I heard of one place that has already allowed 15 in a non-sanctioned match just to let shooters get tuned up for it.
Click to expand...

I just got an email from one of the clubs where I shoot containing the new rule book and notifying us that they're transition to the new rules for the 1st match in APR.

I wish some of our local clubs would start to allow a .22LR division, at least until the primer shortages subside. I'm also about to transition back to CDP, so I can save my SPPs for 3 gun matches where the extra capacity makes more of a difference.
 
rabid wombat said:
@ReedTX - how was it?
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Unfortunately I did not go and check it out properly. It was incredibly windy here in West Texas that morning and I just assumed it would have been called off. I did go a little later and the competition did look like it was finishing off, but I did not talk to anyone or spend time checking it out. I did not want to disturb anyone mid competition so did my own thing. What I did see briefly whilst driving past it looked great fun. I will certainly be back
 
It will be fine; I have used a paddle holster a lot but now have belt loops on most.

Magazine carriers, most of us use two singles instead of one double. Two is all you get.
 
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