Shot my first IDPA match today

[why.kyle]

I shot my first IDPA match today. It was small.. only did 4 CoFs, but it was a lot of fun. Will be interesting to see what my score will be.

Problem is, I had to much tunnel vision (excitement and stress and what not) so almost dont remember what I did during some of the stages.. So I didnt really learn anything except I need to focus on the front sight, especially on targets past 10/15 yards. (almost always shot low (which I think means Im anticipating recoil?)

I can see the wisdom in the whole "slow is smooth, smooth is fast"

Anyone who is on the fence about going to an IDPA match, its totally worth it.

 

[gun addict]

it helps alot having someone else film you while you shoot, so you can see afterward what you did right/wrong. BTW try your hands out on ipsc and 3 gun, alot less rules and alot more fun

 

[why.kyle]

Making plans to shoot 3 gun this summer/fall I'm excited to try it out I just need to get a little bit of gear/ammo together and learn my rifle a little bit more.

 

[widefat]

I'm shooting both IDPA and USPSA - I enjoy them both.
I grew up with long guns, and only fired a handgun a few times - probably less than 10 times, until about 18 months ago. Started IDPA one year ago, USPSA last month.
At this stage, I'm am in the bottom 25% every time - which doesn't bother me at all. It's too much fun to worry about the score.

 

[BullfrogKen]

almost always shot low (which I think means Im anticipating recoil?

Depends on how low they are, and the shot disbursement of the group. Jerking the trigger and anticipating recoil typically show a pretty large and inconsistent group size. I've seen people anticipating the recoil let a shot go down into the dirt.


More likely you were focusing on the target, and not on the front sight. That's extremely typical of new shooters, and even some experienced ones. When the shooter "looks over the gun" at the target, but otherwise squeezes the trigger well and doesn't anticipate the recoil, the groups are well-defined and low on the target.

 

[MrBorland]

Our eyes want to go to the center of the target, but the "down zero" is slightly above that. Until your subconscious "knows" where the -0 really is, it's very easy to shoot too low, even without a flinch. See if you can take a used target home with you next time, and use it during dry fire training to help your brain "hardwire" the location of the -0.

And yes, front sight is critical. Only shoot as fast as you can see it.

Congrats on a good 1st run!

 

[BullfrogKen]

If you're interested in the scoring zones, here's a link to the target and a neat tip on how to make your own from scrap cardboard.

http://www.waltinpa.com/2011/06/25/making-my-own-idpa-targets/

MrBorland,

While I might imagine a very good and experienced shot who just doesn't know where the scoring zones on an IDPA/IPSC target are would just aim center mass and shoot low, I don't suspect that's the case here. Someone who had a lot of bullseye shooting experience, sure.


My intuition tells me with the kind of mental stress Kyle describes, I'd diagnose the low shots as looking past the sights and focusing on the target. I've seen it often enough in shooters new to the sport to say that's the case.

Now if he knew his shots were low because he called them center-mass when he broke them, yes. Aim in on the scoring ring, higher up on the chest. When someone descibes to me an experience to me like he just did, that's not indicative of an incorrect sight picture. That suggests to me a failure to focus on the front sight.


Could be wrong . . . the only way to know for sure is to call the shots. And the only way to call the shots is to know where the front sight was.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I remember looking over the sights at my first IDPA match. I'm not sure which was more embarrassing, that or the 3 procedurals.

The other thing I've seen causing a lot of new shooters to shoot low is over gripping their guns...milking the grip...when trying to shoot faster

 

[Serenity]

I shot my first steel challenge last weekend and I am hooked! I need to work on drawing more than anything. I was pleasantly surprised by my placing (not last!) and that the dual action first shot on my Sig was almost always a hit. The ROs were very patient with my inexperience with the procedural aspects.

 

[why.kyle]

If you're interested in the scoring zones, here's
Could be wrong . . . the only way to know for sure is to call the shots. And the only way to call the shots is to know where the front sight was.

Can you explain the concept of calling your shots?
Ive heard it so much but dont really understand how you know where the shot is going to go. From what I understand you just call it by where your sights were when you pulled the trigger.. but I dont quite get it.

Also everyone thanks for the advice, Ill give it all a try

 

[CatsEye]

why.kyle, you pretty much explained it right there. Once you get to the point where you are actually focusing on the front sight throughout the trigger pull to the point the gun fires and the sight lifts out of the notch then you know where the shot went. A lot of it has to do with being patient enough to get the sight picture you need on each shot and maintaining that sight picture through the trigger press. With everything else thats going on at the time it isn't an easy thing but it can be learned with practice and awareness of what you are seeing during the shot. Remember, vision is the key, we can only shoot as fast as we can see the sights. Good shooters shoot faster because they have learned to see faster.

 

[BullfrogKen]

Yep, after enough rounds you will learn to know when you broke a good shot, and when you didn't.

Put up a bullseye target and practice slow fire, and concentrate on where you think each round should be on the target. You don't have to call it exact. "In the black, at 3 o'clock" is good enough to start. Or "just outside the black, low", then see if the round is close to where you called it. If the one you called in the black at 3 o'clock is just outside the black, on the right edge of the bullseye, you're on call.

If the one you called low is actually high and to the left, you're not on call.

You will learn to focus on your front sight, which is the only way you can make a good call. Otherwise it's a guess. With time and practice you will learn to call your shots pretty well. And you'll learn to focus on your front sight.


If you find yourself struggling with it at first, dry fire at home for a while. Get all the ammo out of the room. Put up a bullseye target on a safe wall. Practice the drill of calling your shot without the distraction of the mini-explosion going off in your hand. You can't get the feedback of a shot confirming you were on call, but you will train your mind to call the shots, and see your front sight.

Be honest with yourself, too. If you let a bad one go, call it that way.

 

[Ric_in_OR]

I shot my first IDPA match yesterday.

I totally agree that for the first 3 stages, I was just lucky.

Someone got to hear me muttering "front sight, front sight, front sight..."


But I had a lot of fun and will be doing it again.