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Old August 10, 2015, 12:09 PM   #1
georgiacatweazle
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level of accuracy for IDPA

i've been practicing a lot over the last 9 months to get in form for IDPA etc.
overall what kind of accuracy is needed ? most pistols i have from glock 17's to 1911's and 38's i can get one to two inch groups without too much trouble.
obviously with a time factor that will drift.
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Old August 10, 2015, 01:27 PM   #2
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The down 0 (-0) zones on an IDPA target are an 8" circle in the center of the body portion of the silhouette, and a 6" square on the head portion. That is the level of accuracy required to be "perfect" as far as IDPA accuracy is concerned. Any holes outside these zones result in added time to the adjusted (final) score. There is so much more too the sport than just accuracy, and I can almost guarantee you that the inherent accuracy of whatever gun you choose will not be your limiting factor.

Just go shoot and match and have fun, but be aware that is is highly addictive.

Last edited by Captains1911; August 10, 2015 at 02:27 PM.
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Old August 10, 2015, 01:30 PM   #3
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IMO, the inherent accuracy of most factory handguns will be fine, especially if you're just starting out. Any "drift" due to time pressure is a shooter issue.
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Old August 10, 2015, 02:03 PM   #4
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had a stage yesterday, two targets at 35 yards, 2 shots each from cover. down 2 and down 6 (missed, dang it).

classifier is at 20 yards max.

accuracy at speed is what you are after. up close, bangbangbang, at distance, bang...bang...bang.

you will learn, over time, how fast you can go at different distances.

at 35 yards: bang............bang............bang..........bang.
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Old August 10, 2015, 02:26 PM   #5
Captains1911
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Quote:
had a stage yesterday, two targets at 35 yards, 2 shots each from cover. down 2 and down 6 (missed, dang it).

classifier is at 20 yards max.

accuracy at speed is what you are after. up close, bangbangbang, at distance, bang...bang...bang.

you will learn, over time, how fast you can go at different distances.

at 35 yards: bang............bang............bang..........bang.
35 yards??? Sounds like the match director was having a bad day when they designed that stage.

Typically 20 yards is the max range for IDPA, with most targets being much closer. I can remember a few stages I have shot at local club matches where a target was 25 - 30 yards out. It never hurts to throw those in the mix once in a while, but it's not typical by any means.
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Old August 10, 2015, 02:41 PM   #6
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If the gun - with you shooting it - is capable of putting all rounds in the area covered by the front sight, it's accurate enough for IDPA.
You need to shoot at the pace that allows you to get those hits.
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Old August 10, 2015, 03:18 PM   #7
georgiacatweazle
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thanks for the input guys.
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Old August 10, 2015, 04:26 PM   #8
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you can go max 25 yards for a scenario stage, and max 35 yards for a standards stage, but 6 shots max at those distances.

6.7.1 Scenario stages may have shots up to 25 yards (22.9 meters) from the shooter.
6.7.2 Standards stages may have shots up to 35 yards (32 meters) from the shooter. Standards stages will not require more than 6 shots per stage at targets that are further than 25 yards from the shooter.
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Old August 10, 2015, 04:38 PM   #9
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You are ready to go. You don't need 9 months of practice for most IDPA stages. Get out there!
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Old August 10, 2015, 04:41 PM   #10
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What Glenn said. You need some really basic equipment, and have that thing between your ears working safety wise and you're good to go.

Most important thing:

*Don't touch your pistol until ordered to do so by the SO ever ever ever.
*Keep the bad end pointed down range at all times. ALL TIMES.
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Old August 10, 2015, 04:44 PM   #11
georgiacatweazle
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ok good deal. i'll see when the next local match is.
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Old August 10, 2015, 05:55 PM   #12
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Yep. Glenn covered it. Go to a match. Meet new friends. Have fun. Be safe. You'll be back next month.
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Old August 11, 2015, 12:31 PM   #13
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Strange things seem to happen at the Action type matches.
When that buzzer goes off, all those close, easy to hit targets seem to grow legs and wing it way farther down range.
And leave ya' wondering how on earth anyone can miss a target at 15 yards that's nearly as big as a person.
All part of the fun.
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Old August 12, 2015, 08:50 PM   #14
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And targets that need shooting suddenly grow "no shoot" hand prints.

Sigh.
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Old August 12, 2015, 10:45 PM   #15
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If you really want to improve your shooting skills, then shoot both IDPA and USPSA. If you can be cognizant enough to shoot both games well, then you will be better prepared to handle a stressful SD situation. Having to shoot different disciplines under the pressure of a timer in a competition requires you to have your head on straight.

It has done wonders for me.

Fly
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Old August 12, 2015, 11:22 PM   #16
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Idpa is lots of fun and had lots of practical and creative shooting scenarios but it does not require a match grade gun. Most factory line pistols will do. The same is true of uspsa as far as accuracy is concerned. You will find race guns at uspsa but they are tuned for speed more than accuracy. If you are looking for a discipline that includes speed but has a greater focus on accuracy than idpa or uspsa then there is nra action pistol (bianchi cup) which is more rigorous in the accuracy department (and more fun in my opinion). Steel challenge can also be more demanding on the accuracy side of things. Good luck!
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Old August 13, 2015, 12:42 PM   #17
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Other than for the Bianchi Cup, the NRA has done a miserable job in promoting their only action pistol competition.
One would think that with the aging of the competition shooting population, the AP matches would be a no brainer.

There's lots of folks who are no longer able to do the run 'n gun games.
AP would be a natural home for those whose running, squatting, and fast manipulating of multiple magazines are a thing of the past.
If anyone can actually find a place that has an NRA Action Pistol Match, they are lucky.
For shame, NRA.

Where we used to live there was just one club that had AP matches.
And even when most folks preferred the USPSA type matches, the AP matches were always well attended.
Where we live now, it's literally hours to drive to one of the few that can be found.
I'm convinced that any club that offers and advertises an AP match would find an audience.
But it would take the NRA to get behind it and promote it country wide.
Something they seem to have no interest in.
Maybe it would take another organization willing to adopt it to see it happen.
One can hope.
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Old August 13, 2015, 03:47 PM   #18
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from reading wiki, action pistol sounds like a fairly long course of fire, requiring some fancy equipment (steel plates, moving targets) that i suspect many clubs do not have, nor have room for them.

there are plenty of IDPA stages that can fit into a small or narrow pistol bay, are easy to set up and shoot, get the whole squad thru them in 30-45 min, and then either go to the next bay, or reset the stage to another stage. minimal equipment (target stands and targets) and props (barricades and barrels) and you can have a challenging stage for all.

AP is the same COF every time. boring.

there are plenty of events available if you want to go shooting, search and find some.
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Old August 13, 2015, 04:53 PM   #19
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Steel Challenge doesn't take a lot of room but it takes a lot of plates.

Quote:
AP is the same COF every time. boring.
A common attitude for all the older shooting sports.
But that does not make them less challenging.
Bullseye, PPC, AP, SC, IHMSA have the same CoF every time. The entertaining part is they hardly ever have a 100% score.
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Old August 13, 2015, 05:01 PM   #20
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IDPA, which i've been shooting for just over a year now, your score is your time.

AP, from what i've read, is 'did you hit the X or 10 or not'? yeah, there are time limits to complete each string of fire, but maybe they'd do well to borrow some scoring from others. assign time penalties to misses, like IDPA, and low time score wins, not just X count? they are very close to getting a 1920-192x score. then what?

with time scoring, there is no absolute lower limit, go faster, accurately, you win.

my 2 cents.
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Old August 13, 2015, 08:12 PM   #21
Jim Watson
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I have become fairly well acquainted with IDPA and its "Time Plus" scoring over the past 18 years and quite enjoy it. (I also comprehend IPSC "Hit Factor" scoring.) But it has its limitations. The novelty factor driving stage design makes it difficult to track progress, especially since so many people turn up their noses at the Classifier. So many that the Classifier is no longer required so long as you shoot a sanctioned match a year in each Division you wish to compete in.

I track my performance relative to shooters of known ability; I do not subscribe to the common nonsense "I only compete against myself." But that is not as precise as my old ATA and PPC or more recent F Class and BPCR scorebooks with exact scores for years of work.
I can tell when practicing at the less-short ranges that I am not as accurate as I was when shooting PPC. Faster, yes; wilder, yes.

I never got into NRA AP, nobody around here has the elaborate setup. But I figure that if somebody shoots a 1920/192, then there will be a race to see who can do it next. If equipment and technique get so good as to lead to concern with frequent clean ties, they can treat it like they did F Class. When it looked like there would be too many 200 possibles shot, they halved the size of the target.
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Old August 13, 2015, 08:29 PM   #22
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The chances of me shooting a tier 2 or higher match is minimal, too many obligations at home. So I track my progress by my classifier scores.
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Old August 13, 2015, 08:32 PM   #23
Jim Watson
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Oh, good.
Too many people find the Classifier... boring.
Bill Wilson says he prefers Standards, most members like the novelty and entertainment of scenario stages.
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Old August 13, 2015, 08:48 PM   #24
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I find it a good measure of shooting ability, not full of tricks and mind games you find in scenarios. They are fun, but they are always different. The classifier is a constant. Working on improving in CDP presently.
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Old August 14, 2015, 08:58 AM   #25
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I shoot those action games. IDPA, USPSA etc. When I look at the results I'm at the top of the list when it comes to hit factor.

Then they add time. that always puts me in the bottom half. I"m 68 with COPD and I just cant compete in the speed department. I cant load as fast as most.

I hate to say this but if that's all I was gonna shoot, I'd work on speed above all else.

I've had people whip my but buy dumping a multi round mag at targets while I'm getting good hits with my revolver.

If you want to be competitive work on speed. you get enough rounds down there fast enough you'll get the hits.

But I shoot for fun, I shoot against my self, plus I carry a revolver so I still want to shoot a revolver in these matches.

But USPSA-IDPA does help my revolver shooting. When I was doing my yearly LEOSA qualification I shoot against recent retirees who were using semi's. I smoked their butts, even in the reloading department using speed loaders vs. magazines. It makes it all worth while when I smile and say.
"REAL COPS USE REVOLVERS"
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