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911JB · November 16, 2010, 06:37 AM

Last Sunday I attended my first IDPA match. While it was a load of fun it was also rather frustrating and confusing for me.
Trying to make the transition from a rimfire range shooter to centerfire combat shooter takes a lot of thinking/habit breaking. Here are a few things that I had a hard time with. Dropping the hammer on a empty chamber. the speed/pace of the shots, no bulseye, that damn buzzer going off, weak hand shooting, holstering a cocked and loaded firearm [ I used my 1911 so it was hammer back and safety on ] and shooting from behind cover.
As a rimfire target shooter I just cant get it in my head that it is OK to drop that hammer on a empty chamber. Everything in my being is saying DONT DO IT you will damage the handgun!
The fast pace is also something that is hard to get use to. As a range shooter I have allllllllllll dayyyyyyyyy to make my shot. But as you know in IDPA it is multiple shots in just a few seconds.
The missing bullseye makes it rather difficult for me to find my aiming point. At the range I can locate my aiming point and slowly move my point of aim as needed.
That [censored] Buzzer, enough said there.
Weak hand shooting is something that I can see as useful however it is something that in 40 years of shooting, I have never actually tried.
Holstering a cocked loaded handgun is something that I just cant get use to. After the load and make ready command comes the holster your weapon command. Every time I heard holster your weapon I would instinctively reach up and grab the hammer and let it down easy. They had to tell me many times to just holster the weapon, safety on with hammer back.
Shooting from behind cover while very important in a gun fight, just does not happen when I am at the range, as I take on any number of bullseyes or animal targets. However this is the item that will be easiest for me to get use to.

The one thing that came easy to me , that I have never done before was the shooting on the move. For some reason I was able to walk and shoot with no problems.

Am I the only one that has had difficulties with these items? Or do all rimfire paper punchers have these difficulties?

All in all it was a fun day. Even if it was so confusing I had a hard time remembering my own name, hahaha.

Joe

November 16, 2010, 06:37 AM	#1
911JB Member Join Date: September 19, 2010 Location: IOWA Posts: 55	First IDPA Last Sunday I attended my first IDPA match. While it was a load of fun it was also rather frustrating and confusing for me. Trying to make the transition from a rimfire range shooter to centerfire combat shooter takes a lot of thinking/habit breaking. Here are a few things that I had a hard time with. Dropping the hammer on a empty chamber. the speed/pace of the shots, no bulseye, that damn buzzer going off, weak hand shooting, holstering a cocked and loaded firearm [ I used my 1911 so it was hammer back and safety on ] and shooting from behind cover. As a rimfire target shooter I just cant get it in my head that it is OK to drop that hammer on a empty chamber. Everything in my being is saying DONT DO IT you will damage the handgun! The fast pace is also something that is hard to get use to. As a range shooter I have allllllllllll dayyyyyyyyy to make my shot. But as you know in IDPA it is multiple shots in just a few seconds. The missing bullseye makes it rather difficult for me to find my aiming point. At the range I can locate my aiming point and slowly move my point of aim as needed. That [censored] Buzzer, enough said there. Weak hand shooting is something that I can see as useful however it is something that in 40 years of shooting, I have never actually tried. Holstering a cocked loaded handgun is something that I just cant get use to. After the load and make ready command comes the holster your weapon command. Every time I heard holster your weapon I would instinctively reach up and grab the hammer and let it down easy. They had to tell me many times to just holster the weapon, safety on with hammer back. Shooting from behind cover while very important in a gun fight, just does not happen when I am at the range, as I take on any number of bullseyes or animal targets. However this is the item that will be easiest for me to get use to. The one thing that came easy to me , that I have never done before was the shooting on the move. For some reason I was able to walk and shoot with no problems. Am I the only one that has had difficulties with these items? Or do all rimfire paper punchers have these difficulties? All in all it was a fun day. Even if it was so confusing I had a hard time remembering my own name, hahaha. Joe __________________ Firearms have two enemies, Rust & Politicians!