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Old August 24, 2018, 07:12 PM   #1
MisterCrabby
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IDPA Newbie

Hi gang, Any other Newer-ish competition shooters out there ?

I was turned into it by a golfing buddy a couple of months ago. I’ve observed a couple of matches and then shot one the last two weekends.

So far my experience has been great. Super nice people. No condescending dixxs. Very safe. Super fun. Middle of the pack scores but feel like I have lots of room to improve. Like my golf game !

I am now a card card carrying member of IDPA.

Who else is doing it? I’m want to hear!

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Old August 24, 2018, 07:15 PM   #2
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Keep up the good work. Remember those targets don't tape themselves.
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Old August 24, 2018, 08:01 PM   #3
Jim Watson
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Only been in IDPA since 1997. Welcome aboard.
I was working with a couple of recruits yesterday.
A previous recruit is going to her first National Championships next month.
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Old August 26, 2018, 08:15 AM   #4
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Yesterday morning I shot a club match at New Buffalo Rod & Gun. Nice facility, well run, friendly. My accuracy was ok but my speed, especially my splits and sight acquisition needs to improve. But I knew that already so it didn’t take away from the fun.

This is the second time I’ve used my walther and had zero issues either time. No question I’m holding the guns performance back!

What pissed me off a bit was that I messed up two of five stages from mental or procedure mistakes. In one there were six targets simply lined up with a few no shoots various cover areas marked in. We were supposed to engage in order from either direction, first freestyle, then strong hand, then off hand. Each pass was limited to six rounds in a mag. 20 feet ish. Pretty simple right?

I was toward the bottom of the lineup so watched a bunch of guys go before me. So what did I do... the timer goes up, i I had a good smooth draw, lined up the first quickly and proceeded to accurately double tap the first three targets before the hollers to do single shot got through from the other shooters. Gah!! I finished the stage shooting well but had my score fairly but sharply deducted.

My take away is to try not to over focus on execution to the exclusion of higher brain function.

Anybody else shooting this weekend ?

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Old August 26, 2018, 09:57 AM   #5
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I've been shooting IDPA for only 19 years, and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to improve their gunhandling skills.
Some buddies and I used to do a weekly podcast for shooters new to competition, and all episodes are available on youtube.
The first 20-30 episodes covered guns, gear, rules, techniques, etc.
It's called Powerfactor Show if you want to check it out.
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Old August 27, 2018, 12:47 PM   #6
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"...competition shooters..." There are all kinds of competitions that don't involve all that running around. Remember that none of the shooting games have anything to do with self-defence, combat or anything remotely like any of that. They're games, period.
Don't worry about placing. Go because match shooting, of any kind, is great fun. Placing will come.
"...No condescending dixxs..." One of 'em will be along. Every club has at least one. Ignore 'em. I've seen guys who rarely shoot. Do little, but want to be in charge anyway.
By far most competitive shooters are like the one's you've met. Most will bend over backwards to help a new shooter too. Usually includes letting you try their kit and guns for the asking. You don't always have to ask either. Shooters like to talk about and show off their toys.
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Old August 27, 2018, 07:37 PM   #7
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No biggie. The timer is just a signal that turns your brain off.
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Old August 29, 2018, 11:28 AM   #8
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Doing a club match at bend in the river near niles, mich. signed up to shoot cdp with my XDE 45.

I’m thinking I will alternate matches doing ssp with my walther ppq 9mm.

It’s interesting the way the divisions are defined. I can use my walther only in ssp or esp if I wanted even though I have no mods. As far as ic am tell from reading the rule book and talking to more experienced idpa-ers I can use my xde for ssp, esp, cdp, ccp, and even bug!

I cc the 45, so the ccp or cdp make the most sense to me. I don’t think it’s practical or comfortable to carry my full frame walther measuring out at over 8”. Anyway, just seems curious.

I’ll let you know how I do.

Anybody else shooting this weekend?

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Old August 29, 2018, 01:57 PM   #9
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The divisions were defined when "stock service pistols" were often steel-framed, DA/SA pistols, and that action type was considered enough of a disadvantage, compared to SA, that they needed the "protection" of their own division.
Now, with striker-fired guns having essentially the same trigger action as SA guns, SSP is "ESP without a magwell", and not really deserving of a separate division.

SSP should be only for guns with double-strike capability, with striker-fired guns lumped together with SA guns in ESP, CDP, and CCP, if, in fact, action types define the divisions.
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Old August 29, 2018, 03:31 PM   #10
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A SSP shooter probably wouldn't recognize a box stock gun if he saw one at a match.
A Production shooter wouldn't recognize a production line gun if he saw one anywhere.
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Old August 29, 2018, 06:26 PM   #11
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local match saturday. shooting SSP with my beretta 92
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Old August 29, 2018, 06:53 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1-DAB View Post
local match saturday. shooting SSP with my beretta 92


Dab, how do you start, DA with safety on or off, locked and cocked safety on, or what ?

I have been starting L&C even though I don’t carry that way.

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Old August 29, 2018, 06:56 PM   #13
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Rick, thanks for explaining.

I have to I chuckle a bit thinking of my xde 45 acp as a bug. (-:


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Old August 30, 2018, 03:31 PM   #14
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Are you sure the XDE .45 is BUG legal?
The XDs 9mm completely fills the BUG box.
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Old August 31, 2018, 01:37 PM   #15
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2015 IDPA BUG Limits:
- Barrel Length <= 3.60”
- Size 7.25” x 5.5” x 1.375”
- Weight 29.00 oz

Finalized 2017 IDPA BUG Limits (version 2017.2):
- Barrel Length <= 3.50”
- Size 6.50” x 4.625” x 1.375”
- Weight 26.00 oz

Springfield XDe 45:

WEIGHT 23 oz. ok

HEIGHT 5" w/ Flush Magazine, 5.25" w/ Magazine X-Tension. Not ok

BARREL 3.3" Ok

LENGTH 6.75" Not ok

Width. 1.3”. Ok


So, the answer is... my XDe 45 conformed from the earlier 2015 specs, but is now non-conforming pursuant to 2017 rules.

So I am humbly corrected.

Yet it somewhat vindicates the point I’m trying to make about the way idpa categorizes, or until recently, the guns.


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Old August 31, 2018, 05:14 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MisterCrabby View Post
Dab, how do you start, DA with safety on or off, locked and cocked safety on, or what ?

I have been starting L&C even though I don’t carry that way.

Crab




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Generally if you are shooting cocked and locked you should be shooting ESP. I am not aware of Beretta 92s being able to do that.
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Old September 2, 2018, 01:38 AM   #17
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MisterCrabby

I've been shooting IDPA for roughly 4 years, usually 3 matches a month. When I first started I was told 4 things by our club chairperson...
1) Be safe
2) Have fun
3) Shoot for accuracy
4) Speed comes in time

First thing to remember for score improvement is to eliminate your procedural penalities. Scores can also be improved by moving faster as in reloads and moving from one shooting position to another. You don't always have to shoot faster to score lower. Always be safe and try to avoid the DQ, but when it happens, learn from it and move on. Our club chairperson also told me there are two types of people that shoot IDPA, those that HAVE been DQ'ed and those that WILL be DQ'ed.

Last edited by labhound; September 2, 2018 at 10:46 PM.
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Old September 2, 2018, 07:02 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by zincwarrior View Post
Generally if you are shooting cocked and locked you should be shooting ESP. I am not aware of Beretta 92s being able to do that.


Rule book indicates its shooters discretion.

92 has external hammer and external safety.


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Old September 2, 2018, 07:38 PM   #19
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Lab hound, sounds like good advice.

Did a club match again at bend if the river. warm and muggy. Tougher stages than last time.

Shot my xde 45 in cdp. It’s a really good piece. Not one malfunction since it came out of the box. I’m over 1000 rds. The trigger needs some tightening. Will do at some point when it becomes the limiting factor relative to my skill.

I took a procedural in one stage today. Failure to engage target from cover. I clearly got the shot off before the cardboard did, but whatever. Shot middling. Had fun. Idpa is definitely like golf. It comes and goes!

We had a guy in our squad get dqd. He tripped on a raised position marker, stumbled, the muzzle broke 180, then he dropped his gun.

Anybody else shoot this weekend?






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Old September 2, 2018, 08:57 PM   #20
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Quote:
So, the answer is... my XDe 45 conformed from the earlier 2015 specs, but is now non-conforming pursuant to 2017 rules.

So I am humbly corrected.
I shot a compact .45 in BUG for over ten years, but now I'm shooting a REALLY compact 9mm.
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Old September 2, 2018, 09:02 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zincwarrior
Generally if you are shooting cocked and locked you should be shooting ESP. I am not aware of Beretta 92s being able to do that.


Rule book indicates its shooters discretion.

92 has external hammer and external safety.
You have the option of safety engaged or disengaged when the hammer is down.
If the hammer is cocked, then a manual safety must be engaged, and you can't do that with a 92 unless it's a really old one with frame-mounted safety.
No cocked-hammer starts in SSP, regardless.
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Old September 2, 2018, 09:16 PM   #22
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Originally Posted by MisterCrabby View Post
Rule book indicates its shooters discretion.

92 has external hammer and external safety.


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You cannot cock and lock a standard Beretta 92.
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Old September 2, 2018, 09:17 PM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RickB View Post
You have the option of safety engaged or disengaged when the hammer is down.
If the hammer is cocked, then a manual safety must be engaged, and you can't do that with a 92 unless it's a really old one with frame-mounted safety.
No cocked-hammer starts in SSP, regardless.
Exactly.
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Old September 9, 2018, 07:38 PM   #24
MisterCrabby
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Good match on Saturday at Berrien County Sportsman’s Club. Shot my walther ppq m2 5. Great gun. One stage was four targets adjacent to four no shoots in a pinwheel at 100 feet. Damn. Not a shot Ive practiced. Needless to say, didn’t do well. Very humbling. However, it definitely makes me think about my skill level and related tactics and judgements past 30 feet.

Anybody else shoot this weekend?
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Old September 9, 2018, 07:47 PM   #25
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Saturday at Brock's Gap in Hoover, Alabama.
I finished in the top half (barely) which is pretty good for me these days.
The stage where one shot an activator plate from P2 and had to get to P3 quickly enough to shoot a one look popup target was my downfall.
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