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IDPA Stage - Feedback Requested


DKorn

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Here's the video from a stage from an IDPA match I shot on Tuesday: 

https://youtu.be/zrF9C2hkJGg

 

I'm looking for any feedback on how I can improve my performance on this stage. 

 

So so far I can tell from rewatching it that I hesitated between seating the magazine and hitting the slide release, and that I got into position with the gun up and ready but could probably start shooting sooner. 

 

Thanks!

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If those are standard targets, I'm thinking you could afford to be slightly less precise with your aiming.  Those were some really slow splits.  Also, was this a Virginia scored round?  I'm asking because your mags weren't fully loaded, which seems odd.  Even if your answer is yes, as long as you don't SHOOT any extra rounds you should still have been allowed to load the extras to avoid slide lock.  Also, as intentional as you were being about those shots, you should have been able to instantly drop the mag and start moving after the last shot from the first position.  Instead it looked like you broke the shot and then started reloading and then started moving.  It should look like; shot breaks, weak hand explodes downward while left foot explodes toward the next position, eyes back up before second step is completed.

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Pistolpete, 

 

This was an IDPA limited stage, and we were instructed per the stage briefing to load 6 per magazine. 

 

Since it's IDPA, I was not allowed to leave the position until the gun is fully reloaded. In USPSA I would do the reload on the move for sure. 

 

I'll try to work on my splits on longer targets. I'm not confident enough yet to push the pace. How much should I try to speed it up for IDPA now that a down 1 is a whole second?

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Geez, I totally was in USPSA mode!  My bad.  The header clearly said IDPA.  I think I get a DQ for that.

 

That was a horribly designed stage.  Why require someone to only load 6?  Was it supposed to imitate a revolver scenario? IDPA is just a game I don't get....

 

Anyway, I still think that you can push the pace quite a bit more on the splits.  The extra time is likely comforting, but unnecessary.  Really push yourself with a par timer in dry fire and I think you'll see that you can go much faster than you think as long as you are focused.  I also think you really want to be aggressive on that reload and really get that hand on the mag like your trying to get a slap on a trained boxer before he can dodge or block it.  I struggle with this too.  When you record in the future, try and get these guys a whole match.  The stuff they can find for you to work on will be extremely valuable.  It's like getting very expensive professional coaching for free (not that you should consider it as a reason to not go to a training class)

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The stage is actually part of the IDPA classifier, so it isn't supposed to represent a specific scenario. It's intended to test skills used in other stages, so they limit you in order to force reloads, etc. 

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The stage is actually part of the IDPA classifier, so it isn't supposed to represent a specific scenario. It's intended to test skills used in other stages, so they limit you in order to force reloads, etc. 

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Yeah, forced reloads are one thing.  Slidelock is another.  Not your fault.  You did what was required.  I just really don't get IDPA.  They've always struggled with trying to balance "realistic defensive shooting" with "fun fast shooting" and just end up getting neither for me

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I agree that they've struggled with the balance of fun vs defensive shooting. The new rule set helps a lot, but there are still a few weirdly artificial situations. This stage is a good example of the problem: From a defensive standpoint, it makes sense that I wouldn't advance on "threats" with an empty gun; from a practical standpoint, if I need to reload and i need to move from point A to point B, why shouldn't I do both at the same time?

 

I treat it as just a game with some silly rules and just roll with it. I do want to start shooting USPSA soon, and I've heard it's much more fun. 

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It is.  I actually really enjoy Steel Challenge as well and find it to be amazingly effective defensive training (draw and hit as fast as possible and it's all over in a few seconds). No reloads.  There's also 3 gun which I've only tampered with a little.  Very fun.  Very expensive.  Very much emphasis on speed loading a shotgun which is pretty silly.

All of the games have little faults and your attitude is spot on.  Might as well just roll with it and have fun.  I'm spoiled to have LOTS of options in my area, so I don't do IDPA.

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  • 2 weeks later...

How were your points, DKorn?

 

@Pistolpete9 each Charlie or Bravo in IDPA adds a full second to your time under current IDPA rules. I'm talking a 1 second penalty for a hit half an inch from the A zone or down zero. 

 

Without knowing your current skill level, it's had to tell you how much more to push the splits and transitions.

 

I do know that half a second can come off of that reload with a couple months of dryfiring them a few days a week, though.

 

Another .5-.75 second can come off your stage time if you learn to transition the gun without looking through the sights as you swing to the next targets. Up front those transitions can easily be pushed to match your splits...

 

Bang bang <pause> bang bang

 

can be come bang bang bang bang

 

...If you get aggressive in learning to take your eyes off where you are and snap your gun "judo chop" style to the new -0 that your eyes found for you.

 

Superb analogy: how fast can you roll the mouse over to an icon on your desktop while staring at the arrow on your monitor as it rolls across the screen? Exactly. No one does that. You look where you want to go, and your body brings the arrow to the target you found for it. Do that with your sights, too. Get your eyes ahead of the gun and the gun will come there faster.

Edited by MemphisMechanic
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My hits were less than ideal. I think I had a couple of down 1s in each target.  I'm not very confident outside of about 15 yards since my club hasn't started putting targets farther than that until recently. I've started working on group shooting at further distances but I'm struggling so far. I still think my transitions could be improved in the way you're suggesting, even if the splits can't be sped up quite yet. 

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14 minutes ago, DKorn said:

My hits were less than ideal. I think I had a couple of down 1s in each target.  I'm not very confident outside of about 15 yards since my club hasn't started putting targets farther than that until recently. I've started working on group shooting at further distances but I'm struggling so far. I still think my transitions could be improved in the way you're suggesting, even if the splits can't be sped up quite yet. 

 

Correct. Draws, reloads, and transitions matter far far more than split speed. New guys want to learn to shoot faster. They want to try to save a grand total of .4 seconds per stage by learning "fast double taps" while ignoring their slow movement and 5 second reloads - which combine to cost them 6 seconds per stage. 

 

Split times don't matter until you're a high Expert. Perhaps even a Master. 

 

(And this is coming from a guy who has more than one 1st place SSP Master finish under his belt.)

Edited by MemphisMechanic
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Here's video from this week's match. Sorry that it's 3 separate videos; I couldn't figure out how to edit them together on my phone. 

 

 

Stage 1: Start with "diaper bag" (empty bag) over weak shoulder, "baby" (doll taped to 10 lb medicine ball) in strong hand, and rope in weak hand. At the buzzer, pull the rope to start the no-shoot swinger, then engage all targets near to far with 2 rounds each, while retreating. Dropping the baby is a 10 second Flagrant Penalty. 

 

This stage beat me up and took my lunch money. There was so much going on and my plan and shooting fell completely apart. Also had a malfunction due to a mag not being fully seated. I looked at it later and realized I cannot fully seat it with 10 rounds plus one in the chamber, so that magazine will become a Barney mag only. 

 

 

Stage 2: Went really well. Reload was a little slow, still working on that. This was my first match with a new holster and pouches, so I haven't practiced with the new ones yet. I also need to up my speed on transitions and probably run a little faster from position to position.

 

 

Stage 3: Also went extremely well. First 2 rounds were witha pickup gun (Hipoint C9). Had one mental error when I leaned around the left corner and started to aim for the wrong target first (have to slice the pie in IDPA), costing myself around half a second. Also still need to work on transitions and movement. Reload with retention was slow as molasses. Should I practice to speed that up or just do a really fast (with practice) standing slide lock reload?

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Good shooting! Here are some things I saw that might help:

 

Stage 1 - You are only required to be retreating while you shoot. On that malfunction you could take a few steps forward unless the MD specified otherwise. Also, retreat SLOWER. There is absolutely no reason to be moving at any kind of speed on that stage. Anytime in IDPA you are shooting while retreating and have nowhere else to go you should be moving at a snail's pace.

 

Stage 2 -  Keep the gun high. It takes longer to get the gun up and back on target if you are reloading and moving with the gun at your midsection. It's also harder to hit the magwell when the gun is low.

 

Stage 3 - Get the right position the first time. The little half step to get the far target on the left costs time. For the argument on retaining vs slide lock it really depends. You had 5 rounds left in the gun at the first position when you started the reload. Can you reload with retention faster than you can dump 5 rounds and reload from slide lock? How does the movement from position to position factor into that? On this stage I would say that RWR is the right call IF you can do it fast enough moving from position to position. If you are losing 1+ second getting to the next position because you are doing an RWR then it's not the right call. In general I think the RWR is a good skill to have in IDPA. The slowest part of the RWR is stowing the magazine. Pick your clothing to allow you a fast way to stow a mag. Vests are good, cargo pants are okay in a pinch.

 

Also, move and transition faster.

 

Keep up the good work!

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