Shooting First IDPA Classifier

As the title suggests, I'm shooting my first IDPA classifier this coming Saturday at Bud's in Lexington. I've shot two matches previously, and just want to get a benchmark then work on improving more. Score sheets from previous matches are here and here(name is Lee, shooting in SSP unclassified). I have read the courses of fire on the IDPA website, and have watched several YouTube videos about it, but found this video to be the most helpful. I've been dry firing at home, and may be hitting the range this coming Friday. Are there any tips/tricks, or anything I should be aware of going into this? Or just go in and shoot it as is? I know I could try and set up the classifier at the range and run it and run it, but that kind of defeats the purpose to me.
Thank you for your time.

 

Thank you very much! As to #2, I thought that you had to do a reload with retention? I didn't realize you could do an empty chamber reload

Apparently I can't read, I apologize. In the IDPA rulebook it says that a tactical reload is a reload with the weapon loaded and retain the magazine (aka reload with retention), so what do you call a tactical magazine change?

 

It's all the same thing in different jargon. Now in IDPA-speak as a "loaded chamber reload."

You may do either a Tactical Reload, handling fresh and partial magazines at the gun, or a Reload With (magazine) Retention, just stowing the partial magazine and loading a full one.

In Stage III, string 2, the true Tac Load has a slight advantage, you can be moving towards the barrel while stowing the partial magazine as long as the full magazine is in the gun.

But that is for moving up from Sharpshooter to Expert.
Just get the gun loaded without dropping anything and DON'T MISS!
I dropped an unreasonable number of points on my last Classifier and I had been practicing 20 yards two days before.

 

lpsharp, I'd suggest that you're overstressing about this. It's just another set of stages. Shoot them with the same degree of attention and speed you've already used on your other matches.

The goal is to set you into YOUR performance band so you will be classed with other shooters of the same performance band. As you get better you'll rise to the top in that performance band and win a few matches then move on to the next higher performance band so you don't end up "cherry picking".

So it's not something you want to sand bag at or study for. Just go and shoot it as well as you can and follow the instructions.

Most of all smile when you're done. It's supposed to be FUN....

 

Some good info here, but I'll echo what BCRider offered:

That said, I'll offer a piece of general advice that just happens to apply to the classifier : Whenever you see a series of long and/or tight shots, the potential to rack up a lot of points down is high, so it pays to slow down if that's what it takes to get your hits. Stage 3, in many ways is the classifier, but many shoot below their overall ability because they racked up way too many points there. Think of stage 3 more as a target shooting event than practical pistol event.

 

Thank you for the feedback! I probably am overstressing about it, but I always want to do as well as I can, but I'll try to just relax and have fun (and make at least Marksman lol)

 

If you can do what it takes to not rack up a bunch of -3s and mikes on stage 3, you'll be ahead of virtually all new shooters and a whole lot of experienced ones too.

 

Well, assuming my math is correct, I shot novice. In stage one, I was in too big of a rush on the headshots, and missed 2 completely, and stage 3 killed me. I got over half of my points down on stage 3. Oh well, at least I know where I'm at and know what I need to work on.

 

No worries, I shot novice my first time too. The first time shooting a classifier is a major learning experience and should be treated as such.

 

We tried to warn you.

Don't sweat it, though. Just shoot matches, and try the classifier again later. You'll improve in both as you do.

Here's some additional reading on the matter, though:

http://www.ccidpa.org/classifier-tips.html

 

As mentioned before--take your time on stage 3. Its not uncommon for scores of -40 on that stage--thats 20 seconds. If you can shoot it well you'll score well. If not you'll score poorly.

On stages requiring movement, draw and aim before you move. Move more quickly when reducing the distance and less quickly when increasing it.

AIM. HIT. and good luck.
Dan

 

Don't feel badly about it. The reason you were warned is that rushing through and firing too quickly is as predictable as tomorrow's sunrise. It's probably happened to everyone here who posted to help you.

I'm still working on learning to slow down, speed up, then again slow down my shot cadence depending on distance to target, how much of the A zone is visible, whether I'm shooting on the move, how much of a sight picture I really need to score an A, and how close the no shoot targets are to my aim point.

This is in IPSC, but no matter the mental discipline challenge is the same.

 

Yep those head shots can get you, and Stage 3 is the equalizer. I shot my first classifier about 3 years ago after I had shot 3-4 matches unclassified. I went in to stage 3 as a possible sharpshooter with about 45 seconds to play with on stage3. WELL lets just say I missed sharpshooter by 7 sec. Last year the same thing happened with me having 38sec to play with to make Expert. I dropped some -3, and ended up 3.67sec short of making Expert.