Spartanburg, SC IDPA- first time

[lostdog]

Shot my first IDPA match in Spartanburg, SC on Saturday. Good time, shot 140.93 in five stages. My good friend Oakseed was there for his second match, and we all had a good time. I do have a complaint, though: The guys that did our RO/SO were telling me how good it is to shoot to slide lock....mags can drop, faster, ect. The problem is, I am there to train, and I don't like the idea of engaging 3 targets from cover and having my slide lock back before I can kill the last one. I would rather do a "Tac-load" from cover, then kill all the targets in on string of fire...about 5 sec slower per stage, but I never ran out of ammo on target. Other than that one complaint, I loved it.....i'm addicted, and I will be playing every time I can.

PS: Was anybody else there from THR?....check in!

 

[GeneS]

Greetings lostdog.

I was there. I shot on squad 3. I'm glad you liked IDPA. You will have to come back and give it another shot. I shoot there pretty regular and that was not one of their better matches IMO. Also try Greenville on the 2nd Sunday of the month.

Gene

 

[Bladeandbarrel]

The guys that did our RO/SO were telling me how good it is to shoot to slide lock....mags can drop, faster, ect. The problem is, I am there to train, and I don't like the idea of engaging 3 targets from cover and having my slide lock back before I can kill the last one. I would rather do a "Tac-load" from cover, then kill all the targets in on string of fire...about 5 sec slower per stage, but I never ran out of ammo on target. Other than that one complaint, I loved it.....i'm addicted, and I will be playing every time I can.

I wasn't there. I am good friends with the Spartanburg crew tho, and these are MY observations of your statement.

IDPA is not training. It is a game. A game that builds good, sound training "habits" like sight alignment, trigger press, and shooting on the move and under some controlled, yet stiff pressure. It does not teach tactics, however it does teach some truisms.

One truism is that under fire from 3 baddies, you will RARELY if NEVER have the intestinal fortitude to creep down under cover and do a "tac reload" to pick up some more ammo(I think you mean a reload with retention...). Shooting to slide lock is a REAL WORLD issue, meaning thats what happens in the real world, on video, on COPS reruns, for real. If you carry a spare mag, I suggest practicing slide lock reloads.


It also sounds like you have the bug. Hopefully we will se you at the state match this weekend. Look me up.
Have fun. be safe.

I have been shooting IDPA long enough to be fairly good in my class, I always make mistakes! This game will teach you to make fewer mental and physical mistakes while safely handling firearms and that is a big part of why it is so much fun.

 

[lostdog]

slide lock

I agree that slide lock is a real issue in combat, but something I have learned in shooting and in martial arts is that you react the way you train. I admit that right now, in an adrenaline charged situation I would slide lock. But if I train to Relaod/retain ammo, then that is what I will eventually do in combat. It is a game, but it is also what you make of it. I would rather not be exposed from cover with an empty gun if I can help it. I admit that I view IDPA diffrently than most b/c I will be an LEO when I get out of college. I See it as a chance to practice ALL of my gun handling, from saftey to tactics. It helps that something is riding on every shot, even if it is just the score.

 

[Bladeandbarrel]

If you are suggesting that you will learn over time how to count rounds in a gunfight, with people shooting at you, you are sadly mistaken. This is doctrine that was taught for many years until continually disproven in battle and on the street.

Topping off a sidearm is best done when there are NO immediate threats.
If there are immediate threats, your 5 second reload with retention may be too slow as compared to a 2 second slide lock reload which is also generally more positive with less fidgeting and fumbling.

At no time in any IDPA stage should you ever be exposed to a threat with an empty gun. That is why all reloading is mandated behind cover whether it be from slide lock or retention.

The reload with retention is a good skill to practice but, IMO should be performed only when there is a lull in the action like moving from one array to the next behind cover with no immediate threat.

 

[lostdog]

Me thinks...

I think we agree....my problem with the course of fire I was on is that "Experienced" people were shooting to slide lock and reloading while looking at an un-engaged target from caround the cover, not behind it. What was happening was there would be 2 targets engaged on the run with three shots each(6 shots) and then moving to cover, you would engage 3 targets with 2 shots each(6 more) doing this w/o a reload leaves you with a slide lock staring at a live target. This is the way the RO I shot with played it, for speed.
The way I did it, I engaged the 2 on the run targets, and topped of my gun when I reached cover. I agree that you can't count rounds duing a gunfight, but I feel that if you have achance to reload, use it. I also train to double tap the targets, so if I know I have engaged 4 targets..that's 8 rounds. I never try to count rounds, just try to feel how many targets I have engaged. Then I reload at a lull in the action.

Slide lock may be the fastest in a continuing shoot out, but if you have the chance use it....and when you slide lock, try to use cover while loading, not just stand there looking at a target with no holes in it.

 

[Bladeandbarrel]

I think we agree....my problem with the course of fire I was on is that "Experienced" people were shooting to slide lock and reloading while looking at an un-engaged target from caround the cover, not behind it

doing this w/o a reload leaves you with a slide lock staring at a live target.

Reloading in an IDPA match must be done from behind cover. Anything else is a procedural.


Also, in the real world with 4 rds and the gun and 3 bad guys you should shoot each one of them once and run like hell. A mandated doubletap doesn't always make sense unless you a shooting a high-cap gun.

Topping off is a good habit, but not if people are shooting at you.
It is prone to fumble and disaster. I also wouldn't suggest taking on anyone with one round in the gun. problem is, in the real world, you will likely not know when you are on the last one!

 

[lostdog]

thanks

Thanks for the insight....then he was violating the rules. The real world and IDPA don't operate the same..I would at least get on round in each guy before leaving to reload....IDPA that gets you a penalty:banghead:

 

[GeneS]

lostdog,

I'm not sure if I'm following you exactly on the part about shootiing to slidelock and reloading while staring at a target, but I'll comment on what I think I'm hearing. Reloads must be from cover as long as there is cover. If you are shooting from cover (which means 50% of your upper torso and 100% below the waist behind cover) and you need to reload, there is nothing in the rulebook that says you have to get totally behind cover. It's a good idea but in IDPA shooting and reloading from cover have the same 50% requirement. It is just a game.

Take Anthony's advise to heart. I have shot many matches with him. He's VERY good.

Gene