Going to my first IDPA match on Saturday

Correia · August 20, 2001, 09:03 AM

Today is my birthday, so to treat myself I've decided to start shooting IDPA.

The next local match is on Saturday the 25th.

I'm planning on using a Springfield loaded model (my CCW), and bringing 5 or 6 magazines. I'll be using a Fobus paddle holster. (It is on the approved list). The ammo is 200 gr. SWC over 5 grains of bullseye. 100% in my gun over about 1000 rounds. I'll make sure I bring eye & ear protection, & a hat for the sun.

Am I forgetting anything?

Any words of wisdom?

I'm excited. I have never competed in anything gun related before. So it should be interesting to see just how bad I get whooped up on.

SA Scott · August 20, 2001, 09:12 AM

FRONT SIGHT!

The first match I shot in, adrenaline competely took over. All the fundamentals went out the window, and I felt compelled to shoot as fast as possible.

Relax, breathe, AIM, take your time and practice proper technique.

One more thing...ENJOY!

SA Scott

IamNOTaNUT · August 20, 2001, 09:47 AM

Two things to keep in mind when shooting at most IDPA matches:

1. The ammo you use must meet the power factor as measured by a chrony. Some clubs do this, others do not. I do not load with bullseye, so I don't know if your load will make it or not, you need 165.

2. Every IDPA club I shot at had aa "cold range." There was only one place you could handle your weapon, other when shooting the stage, and that was the designated safe area. You generally go there straight from the car to get your stuff on your belt, and place an UNLOADED pistol in your holster. Then you go someplace else, anyplace else, to load your mags. No mags or ammo at the safe area. I have seen a number of people DQ'd for violating that rule.

Having said that, don't forget to have fun. You will meet an interesting mix of people, and will see an array of shooting styles. Don't worry too much about the speed, shoot to place your rounds in the 0 ring and let the speed take care of itself. It will come in time on its own with practice.

Just about eeverybody is willing to talk about their holster, gun, load, training, etc. Feel free to pick someone's mind if you see something interesting!

KP95DAO · August 20, 2001, 10:35 AM

Do not forget your two mag carriers and your concealment garment.
You will have lots of fun.

PUMC_TomG · August 20, 2001, 03:00 PM

Watch that front sight. Also, bring sunscreen, I wish I had. Make sure you have a suficietly powered ammo. I was using a fairly weak load (Win-Clean) and it didn't fair to well on the steel. I had some good high hits, and it just refused to fall.

John Forsyth · August 20, 2001, 03:23 PM

Maybe a thermos full of ice water and a folding chair. Do not know how long the match will last or how long you will be standing.

Everything else seems to be about covered. Have fun and be safe.

Jack Carson · August 22, 2001, 12:31 AM

Here are my words of wisdom. Repeat them as a mantra:

"Front sight. Squeeze the trigger. I am only competing with myself....No one else matters. Front sight. Squeeze the trigger. I am only competing with myself..."

Repeat until you are finished shooting.

The part about only competing with yourself is possibly the most important thing to remember about match shooting.

That's the way i see it. jack
p.s. good luck and don't forget to have fun!

RickB · August 22, 2001, 04:44 PM

I'd recommend taking at least a glance at the rule book. It explains a lot of the things you have to take care of before you shoot. Is your gear properly rigged (holster and mag pouches behind body centerline)? Are your mags loaded to capacity (eight rounds in CDP division)? If you have some of the details worked out ahead of time, there won't be so much to take in when you get to the course walk-arounds, etc. If the match is well-run, you WILL have a good time.

banjobart · August 22, 2001, 05:55 PM

5 grains of Bullseye is a bit hot, overkill. Load down to 4.5 grains for more control of the muzzle.

GeneS · August 22, 2001, 07:18 PM

Your load of 5 gr. Bullseye and a 200 gr. SWC sounds about right to me. I have chronographed this load at an average of 850 fps from a 5 in. Government Model. This would be a 170 PF and you need a minimum 165 PF in Custom Defensive Pistol division. 4.5 gr of Bullseye should be about right for a 230 gr. bullet. Of course my gun could just be a little slow.

YMMV

Correia · August 23, 2001, 08:38 AM

About the load, this is kind of my favorite load. I'm very used to it and where it hits, even out to 200 yards (but that is a long story)

. I'm pretty sure that it will make the power factor though I have never actually chronographed it, but it is the same load as the one Bill Wilson uses and recommends in his 1911 book.

I'm excited. Going to go buy myself a new mag pouch tomorrow. I needed one anyway, but this just gives me an excuse. Thanks for the advice everybody. I will give a report when I get back.

Amelia · August 24, 2001, 06:26 AM

I have been shooting IDPA since January and I love it!

Don't worry about speed, even if you are very fast. Just try to get good hits and everything else will fall into place.

If you don't understand something about the course of fire, ask the safety officer.

"You can't miss fast enough to win." is generally true.

HAVE FUN!

Amelia

Correia · August 26, 2001, 06:42 PM

What a fun shoot! I love IDPA.

I was a bit nervous at first, but I paid attention to my front sight picture, and paced myself pretty well. Actually I'm kind of excited to get the match results back because I think that I did ok. At least I don't think I was last, and possibly towards the middle of the pack even. What fun.

I'm not used to no-shoot targets. That was a lesson learned the hard way. Very first stage starts with you back turned, with you sitting as if you are at a camp fire. There are 3 targets behind you, and a no shoot that is supposed to be a hostage. While your back is turned the targets are rearranged. So you don't know where to look for the no shoot.

My first shot, first stage, first string in IDPA ever, the buzzer goes off, I jump up, spin around and shoot the hostage right in the throat (bit above the center ring)

Then proceeded to double tap the rest of the targets like I was supposed to, thinking Damn Hostage! the rest of the way.

The scenarios were simple, but good and realistic. And I found that I did a lot better than I expected. I also learned that all those years of shooting regular old siloette targets has thrown me off. The x ring on those is a little lower than the IDPA ones.

One of the neatest things was getting to watch a master class shooter blaze through the stages. Seriously a six shot, three target stage sounded like a burst from an MP5. No misses, all center of mass. Wow. I want to shoot like that when I grow up.

Everybody was really friendly and helpfull. I was very impressed and I look forward to going back next month.

As an aside it was neat to see somebody else show up with a Molon Labe hat that I had sold them over the internet. Howdy Watch 6.

GeneS · August 26, 2001, 07:50 PM

Glad to hear you had a good time. I really enjoy IDPA. A well designed match is a lot of fun and you get to hang out with some of the best folks on earth. WARNING: This stuff is addicting! I started going to a match every month or so and now it's sometimes 3 or 4 times a month. You may be doing a lot of reloading.

Amelia · August 30, 2001, 05:36 AM

GeneS said:

Quote:

A well designed match is a lot of fun and you get to hang out with some of the best folks on earth. WARNING: This stuff is addicting! I started going to a match every month or so and now it's sometimes 3 or 4 times a month.

Me, too!

August 20, 2001, 09:03 AM	#1
Correia Senior Member Join Date: December 3, 1998 Location: SLC Utah Posts: 3,740	Going to my first IDPA match on Saturday Today is my birthday, so to treat myself I've decided to start shooting IDPA. The next local match is on Saturday the 25th. I'm planning on using a Springfield loaded model (my CCW), and bringing 5 or 6 magazines. I'll be using a Fobus paddle holster. (It is on the approved list). The ammo is 200 gr. SWC over 5 grains of bullseye. 100% in my gun over about 1000 rounds. I'll make sure I bring eye & ear protection, & a hat for the sun. Am I forgetting anything? Any words of wisdom? I'm excited. I have never competed in anything gun related before. So it should be interesting to see just how bad I get whooped up on.

August 20, 2001, 09:47 AM	#3
IamNOTaNUT Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2000 Location: Michigan Posts: 477	Two things to keep in mind when shooting at most IDPA matches: 1. The ammo you use must meet the power factor as measured by a chrony. Some clubs do this, others do not. I do not load with bullseye, so I don't know if your load will make it or not, you need 165. 2. Every IDPA club I shot at had aa "cold range." There was only one place you could handle your weapon, other when shooting the stage, and that was the designated safe area. You generally go there straight from the car to get your stuff on your belt, and place an UNLOADED pistol in your holster. Then you go someplace else, anyplace else, to load your mags. No mags or ammo at the safe area. I have seen a number of people DQ'd for violating that rule. Having said that, don't forget to have fun. You will meet an interesting mix of people, and will see an array of shooting styles. Don't worry too much about the speed, shoot to place your rounds in the 0 ring and let the speed take care of itself. It will come in time on its own with practice. Just about eeverybody is willing to talk about their holster, gun, load, training, etc. Feel free to pick someone's mind if you see something interesting! __________________ IamNOTaNUT I didn't do it, but I thought about it. Next time I might. NRA

August 20, 2001, 10:35 AM	#4
KP95DAO Senior Member Join Date: December 30, 2000 Posts: 699	Match gear. Do not forget your two mag carriers and your concealment garment. You will have lots of fun.

August 20, 2001, 03:00 PM	#5
PUMC_TomG Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2001 Posts: 249	FRONT SIGHT!!! Watch that front sight. Also, bring sunscreen, I wish I had. Make sure you have a suficietly powered ammo. I was using a fairly weak load (Win-Clean) and it didn't fair to well on the steel. I had some good high hits, and it just refused to fall.

August 20, 2001, 03:23 PM	#6
John Forsyth Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 378	Forgetting anything? Maybe a thermos full of ice water and a folding chair. Do not know how long the match will last or how long you will be standing. Everything else seems to be about covered. Have fun and be safe. __________________ John

August 20, 2001, 09:12 AM	#2
SA Scott Senior Member Join Date: January 11, 2000 Location: DFW, Texas, USA Posts: 322	FRONT SIGHT! The first match I shot in, adrenaline competely took over. All the fundamentals went out the window, and I felt compelled to shoot as fast as possible. Relax, breathe, AIM, take your time and practice proper technique. One more thing...ENJOY! SA Scott

August 22, 2001, 12:31 AM	#7
Jack Carson Senior Member Join Date: July 13, 2001 Location: Central Oklahoma Posts: 275	Words of Wisdom Here are my words of wisdom. Repeat them as a mantra: "Front sight. Squeeze the trigger. I am only competing with myself....No one else matters. Front sight. Squeeze the trigger. I am only competing with myself..." Repeat until you are finished shooting. The part about only competing with yourself is possibly the most important thing to remember about match shooting. That's the way i see it. jack p.s. good luck and don't forget to have fun! __________________ Jack C.

August 22, 2001, 04:44 PM	#8
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	I'd recommend taking at least a glance at the rule book. It explains a lot of the things you have to take care of before you shoot. Is your gear properly rigged (holster and mag pouches behind body centerline)? Are your mags loaded to capacity (eight rounds in CDP division)? If you have some of the details worked out ahead of time, there won't be so much to take in when you get to the course walk-arounds, etc. If the match is well-run, you WILL have a good time.

August 22, 2001, 05:55 PM	#9
banjobart Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 2001 Location: Michigan Posts: 188	5 grains of Bullseye is a bit hot, overkill. Load down to 4.5 grains for more control of the muzzle.

August 22, 2001, 07:18 PM	#10
GeneS Senior Member Join Date: April 15, 2000 Location: North Carolina, USA Posts: 190	Power Factor Your load of 5 gr. Bullseye and a 200 gr. SWC sounds about right to me. I have chronographed this load at an average of 850 fps from a 5 in. Government Model. This would be a 170 PF and you need a minimum 165 PF in Custom Defensive Pistol division. 4.5 gr of Bullseye should be about right for a 230 gr. bullet. Of course my gun could just be a little slow. YMMV

August 23, 2001, 08:38 AM	#11
Correia Senior Member Join Date: December 3, 1998 Location: SLC Utah Posts: 3,740	About the load, this is kind of my favorite load. I'm very used to it and where it hits, even out to 200 yards (but that is a long story) . I'm pretty sure that it will make the power factor though I have never actually chronographed it, but it is the same load as the one Bill Wilson uses and recommends in his 1911 book. I'm excited. Going to go buy myself a new mag pouch tomorrow. I needed one anyway, but this just gives me an excuse. Thanks for the advice everybody. I will give a report when I get back.

August 24, 2001, 06:26 AM	#12
Amelia Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 2000 Location: Alabama, USA Posts: 248	We expect a full report afterwards! I have been shooting IDPA since January and I love it! Don't worry about speed, even if you are very fast. Just try to get good hits and everything else will fall into place. If you don't understand something about the course of fire, ask the safety officer. "You can't miss fast enough to win." is generally true. HAVE FUN! Amelia __________________ True safety is in the Lord, but precaution is sound wisdom. - Constitution of the State of Alabama, 1901, ARTICLE 1 [Declaration of Rights], SECTION 26: Right to bear arms. That every citizen has a right to bear arms in defense of himself and the state.

August 26, 2001, 06:42 PM	#13
Correia Senior Member Join Date: December 3, 1998 Location: SLC Utah Posts: 3,740	What a fun shoot! I love IDPA. I was a bit nervous at first, but I paid attention to my front sight picture, and paced myself pretty well. Actually I'm kind of excited to get the match results back because I think that I did ok. At least I don't think I was last, and possibly towards the middle of the pack even. What fun. I'm not used to no-shoot targets. That was a lesson learned the hard way. Very first stage starts with you back turned, with you sitting as if you are at a camp fire. There are 3 targets behind you, and a no shoot that is supposed to be a hostage. While your back is turned the targets are rearranged. So you don't know where to look for the no shoot. My first shot, first stage, first string in IDPA ever, the buzzer goes off, I jump up, spin around and shoot the hostage right in the throat (bit above the center ring) Then proceeded to double tap the rest of the targets like I was supposed to, thinking Damn Hostage! the rest of the way. The scenarios were simple, but good and realistic. And I found that I did a lot better than I expected. I also learned that all those years of shooting regular old siloette targets has thrown me off. The x ring on those is a little lower than the IDPA ones. One of the neatest things was getting to watch a master class shooter blaze through the stages. Seriously a six shot, three target stage sounded like a burst from an MP5. No misses, all center of mass. Wow. I want to shoot like that when I grow up. Everybody was really friendly and helpfull. I was very impressed and I look forward to going back next month. As an aside it was neat to see somebody else show up with a Molon Labe hat that I had sold them over the internet. Howdy Watch 6.

August 26, 2001, 07:50 PM	#14
GeneS Senior Member Join Date: April 15, 2000 Location: North Carolina, USA Posts: 190	Glad to hear you had a good time. I really enjoy IDPA. A well designed match is a lot of fun and you get to hang out with some of the best folks on earth. WARNING: This stuff is addicting! I started going to a match every month or so and now it's sometimes 3 or 4 times a month. You may be doing a lot of reloading.