[Glenn E. Meyer]

Usually shoot IDPA but one of our local venues shut down. Thus, I shot my first IPSC type match.

It was loads of fun.

1. Don't try to shoot faster as the guys with ray guns can do it so much faster.
2. If there are 18 targets in one stage, be sure not to forget one. Duh - did that twice and saw others do it.
3. Old knees don't run fast, so don't bother to kill yourself
4. Have fun and don't get tied up in millisecond planning if you aren't into that.

Differences in the two.

1. IDPA - kind of realistic but obviously not the real world - good hits, reasonable cover are fun to do.

2. IPSC, no cover, a nice emphasis on practicing fast hits - so it is good practice for that skill. Airgunning the stages weakens the validity of a tactical training scenario. It is more about hits, sights and trigger.

I use one of my carry guns - a Glock 19 as my goal is to shoot well with it.

Since I have done a lot of FOF for a plain old dude - I don't think I will learn bad habits that will get me killed - a claim in some gun publications.

I regard the matches as great fun and trigger time practice for component skills.

I feel good the rest of the day after a match - even if tired. Very cathartic and I always have met the nicest folks. One thing about South Texas is that the group is very diversive in all dimensions and that is a great thing. To sound hokey, it makes me feel good about humanity in general, esp. when I read some of the raving we see on gun lists with hidden ethnic agendas. Sigh.