I'm off to my first match - any sage advice?

RetiredMajor · September 26, 2008, 08:20 PM

I shoot my first IDPA match this coming Sunday. I'm shooting either a Glock 19 or my Springfield XD 9MM Subcompact. I'm accurate and comfortable with either.

So.....any sage advice on how to handle the course for a newbie?

Thanks, in advance and HooAh!

T. O'Heir · September 26, 2008, 11:20 PM

Shoot because it's fun and don't worry about placing. Shoot for accuracy and worry about speed as you get used to shooting fast. How's it go? You can't shoot fast enough if you miss?
Take lots of ammo and socialize a lot.
"...shooting either a..." Got a load worked up for both?

ChewToy · September 27, 2008, 10:59 AM

So how did it go? I just got into this recently myself, but am now deployed so no matches for me, not for a while any way...

Don Gwinn · September 28, 2008, 10:30 PM

I hope it was fun. Did you get the new-guy round of applause?

I figure if you don't DQ on your first run through, you did well.

9mm1033 · September 30, 2008, 10:12 AM

My advice is listen to the stage instructions carefully. The procedual penalties are killing my scores. That 'slice the pie' causes automatic brainlock for some reason. I do better after watching several others go ahead of me.

ChewToy · September 30, 2008, 11:54 AM

Quote:

How's it go? You can't shoot fast enough if you miss?

I think it goes... "You can't miss fast enough to win."

RetiredMajor · October 1, 2008, 07:53 PM

Let me tell you...it was a hoot! It was a small group of about 20 and they treated me very well. I got there early because a buddy was going to walk me through the stages. That helped a lot. Everyone was patient and helped me. I went last at every stage and it really helped to watch others. I'm a visual learner so seeing and then doing is important to me. They had 5 stages. The toughest was laying on the ground with a 110 lb dummy on me. I had to fling it off, scramble to a nearby car, retrieve my pistol which was jammed (they set up a double feed) and laying under the car, then engage 6 targets from the prone postion near the back of the car. This stage was supposed to simulate a fight, your gun skittered across the parking lot, landed under a car, jammed and you were taking fire from bad guys.

Even though I know how to clear a double feed jam, my mind didn't work right. I was moving too fast and took extra time. I finally got it but it sure demonstrated what a little stress can do to the best laid plans of mice and men.

But, I had a blast and came home dirty, hot and smiling ear to ear. I'll do this again, for sure. I'm also part of a small group trying to get this going in our area, so I wanted to experience it and learn how to run one.

I have a lot to learn, but feel this very doable for us to get a club going.

Thanks for the advice!

ChewToy · October 1, 2008, 10:09 PM

Wow, that sounds like a fun stage! Which pistol did you decide to go with? Congrats on your first comp.

9mm1033 · October 6, 2008, 08:11 AM

Wow, what a great stage. You're lucky, the stages at my club are vanilla, very basic, no imagination.

NRAhab · October 6, 2008, 08:22 AM

Glad you had a good time - even more than that, I'm glad that the club provided a welcoming atmosphere, because that's what brings people back to the game. I hope you keep shooting competition; but you should be warned that run and gun games are like crack.

Tamara · October 8, 2008, 06:22 PM

Okay, that stage was made of awesome. I'm going to have to get more serious about IDPA (as long as it doesn't cut into my bowling-pin ammo budget...)

ISC · October 8, 2008, 11:12 PM

my advice is that learning the procedures and order of fire will be the biggest lesson you have.

September 26, 2008, 08:20 PM	#1
RetiredMajor Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2008 Location: Dubuque, Iowa Posts: 456	I'm off to my first match - any sage advice? I shoot my first IDPA match this coming Sunday. I'm shooting either a Glock 19 or my Springfield XD 9MM Subcompact. I'm accurate and comfortable with either. So.....any sage advice on how to handle the course for a newbie? Thanks, in advance and HooAh! __________________ RetiredMajor, NRA Certified Instructor Every day's a holiday and every meal's a feast!

September 26, 2008, 11:20 PM	#2
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	Shoot because it's fun and don't worry about placing. Shoot for accuracy and worry about speed as you get used to shooting fast. How's it go? You can't shoot fast enough if you miss? Take lots of ammo and socialize a lot. "...shooting either a..." Got a load worked up for both? __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

September 28, 2008, 10:30 PM	#4
Don Gwinn Staff Emeritus Join Date: March 9, 2000 Location: Virden, IL Posts: 5,917	I hope it was fun. Did you get the new-guy round of applause? I figure if you don't DQ on your first run through, you did well. __________________ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Don Gwinn: Chicago Gun Rights Examiner

September 30, 2008, 10:12 AM	#5
9mm1033 Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2005 Location: A big city with far too many cars and people. Posts: 932	My advice is listen to the stage instructions carefully. The procedual penalties are killing my scores. That 'slice the pie' causes automatic brainlock for some reason. I do better after watching several others go ahead of me. __________________ No one reads or cares what is written in ones signature box. So I'm not writing anything worth reading or remembering.

October 1, 2008, 07:53 PM	#7
RetiredMajor Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2008 Location: Dubuque, Iowa Posts: 456	Let me tell you...it was a hoot! It was a small group of about 20 and they treated me very well. I got there early because a buddy was going to walk me through the stages. That helped a lot. Everyone was patient and helped me. I went last at every stage and it really helped to watch others. I'm a visual learner so seeing and then doing is important to me. They had 5 stages. The toughest was laying on the ground with a 110 lb dummy on me. I had to fling it off, scramble to a nearby car, retrieve my pistol which was jammed (they set up a double feed) and laying under the car, then engage 6 targets from the prone postion near the back of the car. This stage was supposed to simulate a fight, your gun skittered across the parking lot, landed under a car, jammed and you were taking fire from bad guys. Even though I know how to clear a double feed jam, my mind didn't work right. I was moving too fast and took extra time. I finally got it but it sure demonstrated what a little stress can do to the best laid plans of mice and men. But, I had a blast and came home dirty, hot and smiling ear to ear. I'll do this again, for sure. I'm also part of a small group trying to get this going in our area, so I wanted to experience it and learn how to run one. I have a lot to learn, but feel this very doable for us to get a club going. Thanks for the advice! __________________ RetiredMajor, NRA Certified Instructor Every day's a holiday and every meal's a feast!

September 27, 2008, 10:59 AM	#3
ChewToy Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2007 Location: North Pole, Alaska Posts: 108	So how did it go? I just got into this recently myself, but am now deployed so no matches for me, not for a while any way...

October 1, 2008, 10:09 PM	#8
ChewToy Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2007 Location: North Pole, Alaska Posts: 108	Wow, that sounds like a fun stage! Which pistol did you decide to go with? Congrats on your first comp.

October 6, 2008, 08:11 AM	#9
9mm1033 Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2005 Location: A big city with far too many cars and people. Posts: 932	Wow, what a great stage. You're lucky, the stages at my club are vanilla, very basic, no imagination. __________________ No one reads or cares what is written in ones signature box. So I'm not writing anything worth reading or remembering.

October 6, 2008, 08:22 AM	#10
NRAhab Senior Member Join Date: August 20, 2005 Location: Bellevue, WA Posts: 683	Glad you had a good time - even more than that, I'm glad that the club provided a welcoming atmosphere, because that's what brings people back to the game. I hope you keep shooting competition; but you should be warned that run and gun games are like crack. __________________ Join the community at GunUp!

October 8, 2008, 06:22 PM	#11
Tamara Moderator Emeritus Join Date: March 11, 2000 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 16,002	Okay, that stage was made of awesome. I'm going to have to get more serious about IDPA (as long as it doesn't cut into my bowling-pin ammo budget...) __________________ MOLON LABE! 2% Unobtainium, 98% Hypetanium. The Arms Room: An Online Museum.

October 8, 2008, 11:12 PM	#12
ISC Junior member Join Date: August 5, 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 1,982	my advice is that learning the procedures and order of fire will be the biggest lesson you have.

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