USPSA or IDPA or BOTH ???

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jcramin

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I just joined a local gun club and I am planning to start competing.

I have joined USPSA because I a friend of mine at the same club competes in USPSA. Is there and advantage to also joining IDPA and shooting in IDPA also ?

I will be starting of shooting a single stack .45 stock Smith and Wesson SW1911SC

I will be also purchasing a 13-15 round XD 40 or and M&P 40 to compete with also.

Thank you,
J
 
Yes, join both, enjoy shooting, and don't get caught up in the us versus them attitudes. They're both games, and any trigger time is good.
 
If you want to win, specialize.

If you are out for fun or maximum trigger time, or out to challenge yourself with varying events, shoot both, but be aware that if you get mixed up:
IPSC freestyle will accumulate procedural penalties in IDPA.
IDPA use of cover and Tactical Priority/Sequence will cost you valuable time in IPSC.
 
Try both. Pick the one you like the best. As Jim says, if you want to win, pick one or the other and focus on it. If you just want to play, there's nothing wrong with shooting both.

Personally, I find that USPSA suits my temperament better. Your mileage may vary.

- Chris
 
Definately play both games. I don't find it difficult to remember which set of rules I'm spose to be using. That said I'm not the fastest gun in our club at either.
 
Play as much as you can afford.

I play 3 types of shooting games and normally don't have too much difficulty making the transition from one to the other. The only big difference for me is the type of weapons and equipment variances.

Fortunately, you can use all IDPA equipment for USPSA, and Action Pistol. However, some USPSA type equipment cannot be used in IDPA.
 
Do both.
I do.
I'm glad there's different types with different approaches. More variety.
I agree with the above posts- stay out of the us-and-them thing. Both disciplines are great fun and educational.
Bill
 
At least TRY both. I let my IDPA membership lapse because there aren't many matches in my area, but they did some things I really enjoyed that you don't see in USPSA matches. Like the 360 degree house with no walk through beforehand!
 
I personally stick with USPSA because nothing I will carry is IDPA legal. They say they try to be toward "tactical" shooters, but when I can't shoot what I carry, why would I participate in that?
 
There has to be a line somewhere VARifleman, and to win, some people would say they carry their Open gun.

I used to do both USPSA and IDPA, but because there were more clubs in my area hosting IDPA matches, and I could do it more often, I stuck with that game only. I could deal with the rule changes swapping back and forth, but its hard to not shoot one sport like the other, and that can either earn you a penalty, or make you slower than the rest of the pack.
 
The BEST thing about IDPA are the pistol restrictions. That's why it hasn't become a checkbook race. And you can shoot some pretty customized guns in ESP and CDP.
 
Depends on the clubs.

Back home, the IDPA club is good, so I do all IDPA.

Down here, my leave schedule can get somewhat restricted, and the local IPSC club is better than the local IDPA club in terms of stage design, so I tend to shoot whatever is going on if I have weekend leave and money for ammo.
 
The BEST thing about IDPA are the pistol restrictions. That's why it hasn't become a checkbook race. And you can shoot some pretty customized guns in ESP and CDP.
Click to expand...

Except I can't keep the grip tape where I have it for carry, and I can't carry larger backup mags, and I can't carry any of my guns at full capacity...USPSA gives you the option to shoot it as you see fit. You are not restricted to do it like everyone else. You are not penalized for using the equipment you deem fit. If you treat it as a way to test your skills and see your improvement, it gives a lot more flexibility in tactics.
 
Where do you put grip tape that is not allowed in IDPA? Headquarters has said that its legal on the grip, the slide, just about anywhere.

You do know the purpose for the round limitations right? Who cares if you have to download? USPSA has capacity restrictions in production, and a round-about way of limiting them in other division by way of magazine size restrictions.

Everyone is on an even playing field instead of HAVING to own a glock 9mm because of capacity.
 
I have been wondering the same thing. I am a newer female shooter. I need some advice as to where to focus. Right now I am shooting USPSA 1911 45 single stack, but that is only because it happened to be the gun they handed me at my first match! If I want to be competitive and use the fact that I am female as an advantage, what should I shoot? People tell me "Open" in USPSA. Although, I have noticed that not too many girl shooters are shooting 45s, especially 1911s.
 
There's a couple middle aged women who shoot IPSC in SC. IIRC they mostly use .38Super 1911-style double stack "Open" guns.

But there's also a woman who shoots IDPA in my club back home (and I'm drawing a blank on what she shoots, probably some kind of 1911 .45 cause thats the default for almost everyone, but I honestly don't remember).
 
Where do you put grip tape that is not allowed in IDPA? Headquarters has said that its legal on the grip, the slide, just about anywhere.

You do know the purpose for the round limitations right? Who cares if you have to download? USPSA has capacity restrictions in production, and a round-about way of limiting them in other division by way of magazine size restrictions.

Everyone is on an even playing field instead of HAVING to own a glock 9mm because of capacity.
Click to expand...
Oops...I was partially talking about production in USPSA with its grip tape limitations, but I don't shoot that. I shoot limited and limited 10.

USPSA limits limited to 140mm mags, but I'm not required to run 140mm mags all the time. I can run 120mm sometimes, while 140mm other times, depending on my needs, and I can load them as I see fit. In IDPA, I can't start with a 8 round mag in my 1911 and go to a 10 rounder for reloads, even though that's a very good thing to do for carry as extended mags are easy to reload. I do not see any tactical advantage of a "tactical" reload, or especially a reload with retention.

Also, if you use IDPA to practice in the even of an incident on the street, why do you care about even playing field? I don't. I've drawn from concealment in USPSA, and from open carry because I do both.
 
The point of the tac-load rule is to keep people from "gaming" the stage the way you do in IPSC, because you know how many targets you'll face in each area, you shoot 3-4, speed load, shoot 3-4 more, ect. IDPA wants you to go to slide-lock because thats what you'll probably do in real life. The tac-load is something you are offered the ability to do when its convenient.

I don't use IDPA as a training tool myself, because I have other means of doing that. To me its a game, that I play with pistols I own. Its a game I want to win, therefore I do want a level playing field.
 
Certainly.

Although, from the title, it may not be a "my sport is better than yours", but it does lend itself to some distinctions being drawn.
 
Not trying to make it one, but I stated my reasons for not shooting IDPA because it goes against the reasons that I shoot the games, some seem to take offense at that...
 
Offense? I'm merely trying to grasp the logic used to reach your decision.

edit: If you took this little debate as confrontational, then please reevaluate, thinking of it as a friendly disagreement.
 
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