GOF

USPSA/IDPA/ICORE targets are pretty big, but the scoring ring perforations are hard to see at any distance and most experienced shooters just have their "sight picture" for the targets. But, if your eyes can't focus sharply on the sights that does you no good. And shooters over 40 years tend to suffer in the ability of the eyes to focus on targets and sights at the same time.... it's called presbyopia (?). That means the elasticity of focus is gone and the eyes can't focus between near and far objects. So, why not just focus on the sights? The focal point of any prescription lens can be set at any distance. I have shooting glasses (for iron sights) set to the focal point distance of my front sight in my normal shooting stance. The targets are not sharp and clear (although I can read a automobile license plate at 13 yards) but the targets don't have to be sharp. Just the sights, so you can put your "sight picture" on the slightly blurry target. Then you can get -0 and A Zone hits.

I find a 7 yard draw/double tap/-0 hits in 1.65 seconds to be very doable without a cover garment (which I believe should add no more than .25 sec to that time). A 2.15 sec 7 yard Mozambique (sans cover garment) and three -0 hits is also about a par time for me with revolver or 9mm semi-auto). At a recent IDPA match (no cover garment required due to 98 degree Florida heat) we were doing a single draw and 7 yard shot... times for the top 25% of the field ran 1.15 to 1.40.... these were MA/EX class but there were a couple of SS in there... and one EX revolver guy. Add a modest .35 split for the second shot to that and you're right in that 1.65 second range. No one broke 1 sec.

I began shooting competitively in 1971 as a member of a US Navy pistol team. They gave me guns & ammo and hauled me around to matches through various Far Eastern countries we weren't currently at war with. With what I was making as an E-4 I could never have afforded that on my own... but the education & EXPERIENCE was PRICELESS. Later (1974/75) I wound up as an small arms instructor at NAS Jax, FL and got to check out guns & ammo to shoot local matches. That was cool. When I left the Navy at age 28 for the Real World I didn't make enough money to be able to afford to shoot until the early 1990s, and shot a few matches, including the Masters International at PASA in 1991. I wasn't real active until I met Mas Ayoob in 2005 and he dragged me into IDPA shooting. I was 55 then. But, I was ready to shoot! I couldn't run as fast as the Masters... but I did remember that you still had to hit something, no matter how fast you ran & shot. I did classify as EX in SSP (now MA), ESP, CDP, and SSR (now just Revolver) and have a pile of 1st Expert trophies (and a couple of DCs) in Revolver, and CDP. Just made EX in the new CCP and MA in BUG with my normal M&P 9c carry gun. GunBugBit did start a pretty good thread. I'm now 65 (Super Senior/USPSA & Distinguished Senior/IDPA...... although I think they could simplify that by just creating the "ROF" class .... "Really Old Fart" But that doesn't mean you can't still play with "the kids". I shot a IDPA match last Sunday with a Revolver... which I hadn't shot in awhile... and finished 7th out of 20 shooters... despite four of the six stages being 13, 15, 16 and 18 round stages. Glad I remembered how to run my Comp IIIs! When I get my Open gun back from trigger work I am looking forward to USPSA/Steel Challenge. I'll shuffle slowly to the start position, hunch over and use my "Old mans" voice... LAMR....and when the buzzer goes -- whip the crap outofa bunch kids! That's so cool. At the above mentioned IDPA match I remember sitting around for the after match bull session and hearing some 30-something high speed/low drag semi-auto shooter remark to his friend " I just got my butt handed to me by an old guy with a revolver!" It does the heart good. You're never to old to shoot. And, on complex COFs... sometimes "age & cunning can beat youth and speed".... you still have to hit something with the shots you fire. Being old doesn't mean you can't still go out and play with the other kids Life is too short not to enjoy it to it's fullest!

I think it depends on the gun. Anything under 2 inches at 25-yards is more than enough for any action pistol game (even ICORE). I can get that in my 9mm M&Ps with a 147 Xtreme plated RN. Jacketed & plated are much cleaner than cast lead, and in Florida humidity I don't have to deal with the smoke from the bullet lube. A RN profile also eliminates any possible SWC feed issues.

Front sight focus is very necessary on steel and on any paper much beyond 5 yards with iron sights. With a red dot the reverse is true -- focus on the target and just let the dot flow. I might add a couple of things on "squad manners".... if you see magazines, moon clips, or speedloaders laying on the ground while the shooter and the squad are scoring & taping, pick them up before they get stepped on, and return them to the shooter. It's a nice courtesy and builds karma. Stick around for the tear down. Everyone is tired, but no one wants to have to do this important job by themselves. Don't be pointing out possible procedurals from the peanut gallery. That's the RO's job, and the good ones don't appreciate the "help".

+1.

Welcome to the wonderful word of IDPA rules. They are not consistent or clear. It all comes down to the opinion of the SO at the time. Considering that that IDPA has lost a large percentage of their experienced SO and a bunch of new ones are running things... you get what you get.

I don't shoot .45 much any more, but the Xtreme 225 grain FP is the most accurate bullet (including premium factory loads) that I have ever put through my M&P .45. In my 9mms Xtreme plated bullets are as accurate as any other, and more so then most... 1.5 inch 25 yard from my latest M&P 9mm. I don't see an issue with quality plated bullets. But, not all plated bullets are "created equal".

At ranges inside 5-7 yards if you can see the front sight in the A Zone you don't need anything else. Close targets can be run real fast!

I think a reasonable objection to .380 and a 95 PF in BUG comes from those who actually set up and run matches. The 105 PF for SSR has created problems keeping steel targets up in windy weather. Dropping to 95 PF only increases the problem. How many reshoots/match delays to you want to have to run when a popper drops before the shooter gets to it? Or, listen to .380 shooters constantly calling for a calibration shot when the popper doesn't drop when hit... especially if it's an activator? Does one expect the MD to create 95 PF loads just for calibration? How much do you want to screw with the MD/course designers (all volunteers), and how much do you want to inconvenience the other shooters... just so someone can drag out a custom .380 with handloads that are likely over pressure ... just to say they did it? Including a 95 PF is going to dumb down course design to the lowest common denominator. Forget the fun stuff... we now just use paper targets.

IDPA has lost a number of experienced SOs... the folks that have been there for most of a decade.... largely due to their rather stupid online tests. In my area (NE FL) they also de-certified several very experienced SOIs. I believe FL only has one SOI left, but he is good. But, how many SOs can one person teach, and how well will these newly minted SOs perform? The FL AC also "retired". I do not know if the intention of IDPA HQ was to reduce the number of experienced people and bring in a crowd of newbies, but that does seem to be the end result. The local USPSA clubs are sending IDPA HQ "thank you" letters. I'm having a lot of fun with my Open Minor gun, and will likely replace the barrel with a non-ported version and shoot CO when that gets going a bit more strongly.

3 shots per target and the shooter only puts 2 on each? 1 PE for failing to follow the COF procedures... that and the 2.5 second mike on each should be enough.

There is some excellent advice in all the above posts. The best is to take what you have to a match... see how you do... talk to upper level shooters.... (you will normally find them to be a very accommodating and informative group)... try different guns... and see what fits you best. There is no way to tell a new competitive shooter what will be best for them. The shooter has to find that out on their own. But, they won't find out until they enter the arena.

You made the right call. 1 PE.

A well-written Rule Book would stop a lot of that crap. But, IDPA has never, and still doesn't, have a Rule Book written in simple/concise language. When the New rule book was under construction members were assured that it would be put together by skilled technical writers who understood the sport. I don't think that actually came to pass. I understand technical writing. I made my living at it for a number of years. I don't see precise/concise language in the new rule book.

The 8 round CCP mag limit means that you are shooting CDP stage strategies with a smaller 125 PF gun. On a 18 round stage you still have to make 2 reloads. 10 rounds would be more realistic, since most carry guns are in 9mm and hold that many. But, compact .45s don't.... Hmmm? Does Wilson make .45 ACP CCP guns? Hmmm? BTW my normal EDC is a M&P 9c (it's BUG and CCP legal). I carry it with a full-sized mag... and it still makes BUG & CCP box requirements. Sometimes, if I'm in the woods, I carry a G29 with a 15 shot mag. Most compact guns will accept full size mags from the parent platform. 8 rounds in CCP is not realistic.

I like the treadmill idea.

I have a CORE. Very accurate and sights mount easy. Still needs a trigger job - factory trigger was 6.25 pounds!

Been playing with Alliant BE86. Better in 9mm and .38 SPL than 231/HP38. Cleaner and less recoil in wienie match loads. Also doesn't leave a lot of residue in revo chambers. I could live with BE86 if 231/HP38 vanishes... and I have used 231/HP38 for the last decade.

Look at his score and see if his comments are worth listening to. If he sucked, tell him to go screw himself. "Playground Bullies" exist well beyond our school playground days. You deal with them now the same way you did (hopefully) then.

Benos is dead on. Yes, there are people watching. But, they can't pull your trigger for you. You're the only one that can. Focus on the sights, focus on the targets, focus on the trigger. Those are the only things that matter at that moment. Focus on what you have to do and screw everybody else (except the RO ). Focus on the task at hand.

I used to be pretty good with a revolver but put it down to play with other guns (so many guns and so little time) I was waiting for a Open Class gun to get returned from trigger work and wondered what I wanted to shoot at my monthly IDPA club match. Picked up the revo, found plenty of previously loaded ammo, ran it on my range... and had a ball! If you're not currently having fun with your revo, just sit it in the gun safe. At some point in time you might want to come back to it. They are cool! They'll also sort out trigger control problems with the 'endless bottom feeders'. Revos have their uses.

A simple solution is for USPSA to state "CO Division shall require a 15 round magazine capacity after the start signal; except for those states that disallow 15 round magazines. In those states the magazine limit will be set in accordance with State law. National Championship events will default to the 15 round capacity rule." This will not affect classifier stages, since none I am aware of benefit from a 15 round magazine. So why not? It would seem to minimize a lot of bitching.

If one has to create a truly custom gun & load to make the .380 ACP work as a competition-legal gun in BUG... one has to wonder where the 'practical & affordable everyday carry gun" philosophy of IDPA gun selection went. What was Berryville thinking? Did they want to create a custom .380 Race Gun BUG division? Can you buy 'over the counter' ammo for them? "Over the counter' ammo was the rationale for lowering SSR PF to 105. What are they doing here? And......Would those guns shoot any better than any of the pint-sized 9mms with a Mouse Fart load?

Thanks for the PM Jane. I forwarded it to my club MD (Flagler IDPA) and will hold it in file to send to any others that need it. And, not ALL in FL have it figured out (Ernie and Karl are particularly astute, but some others... 'not so much'). But, I will do my best to educate them and get them using your software.... because it simply is the best. Shoot good at your next match and leave no cardboard survivors... all cardboard needs to die, and any steel that gets in the way should suffer the same fate. Whack 'Em & Stack 'Em."