RickB

We have struggled with this some, at our matches. It's not because moving and reloading is gamey, it's been because we didn't think that being out of view of threats was the same thing as being "behind cover". The way cover is defined, if you cannot see any threats, you are "behind cover". So, if you are standing in the middle of a room, and there is a doorway or window in each wall, but you can't see any threats, you are "behind cover"? The rulebook says you can't leave cover with an empty weapon. In a houseclearing stage, if you run dry at a cover position, should you reload before you head down the hall, because you are leaving your cover position, or, since no threats are visible, you aren't actually leaving cover, so running down the hall while reloading is OK?

I think there is an advantage to 9+1. Most IDPA stages consist of paper targets, shot two-each. With an even number of rounds in the gun, the reload falls between targets. Loaded 10+1, you are likely to have to re-engage a target, which is almost like adding another target. Like Duane, I shot the Idaho State match loaded 7+1, and found that too often, I was doing reloads when nobody else did. 9+1 is enough rounds that you won't probably have to do additional reloads, and yet, your reloads will come at a better time/place. I don't have the choice of a hi-cap gun, but if I had both 9-round and 10-round mags for my single stack Super, I'd let the CoFs for a given match decide it. Lot's of steel and activating targets, and I'd go for capacity. Lots of static paper, I'd go for an even number of (enough) rounds.

If you've been shooting SS for the last year, and you feel comfortable with it, shoot that. Reloads should come at some time other than when you are supposed to be shooting, so the difference in reload speed doesn't much matter (it does come into play on standards, when every reload is on the clock, but I'd still say, practice, practice, practice).

SSD is a 1911-only division. CDP also allows any gun that is SSP-legal, as long as it is in .45 ACP. You can shoot any .45 that makes weight and fits in the box.

I believe the rules require that the depleted mag be "secured", and I don't think swinging on the end of a lanyard qualifies.

Poor course design. Ideally, targets should be available only from where they are to be engaged. The reality is, that you don't have all day to set up a stage, so adding "shoot only" verbiage to the course description can suffice, but not always.

All of the above. I shot the '05 season with my BUG/carry gun. I'll still shoot it in BUG matches, but I certainly won't shoot any more sanctioned matches with it.

Make sure he's banned from other clubs in the Section, as well; you don't want to just make him someone else's problem.

How old are your mags? I've heard that the newer ones won't, or haven't been, cracking like the early ones. I wouldn't think major names would be tying themselves to those mags, if they still didn't work.

I've used Shooting Star and Power Mag 8-rounders for years, with no problem other than spring replacements every three or four years. I just bought two Novak/ACT-MAG 8-rounders, and while I've put only 80 rounds through them, if they keep working, they are my new favorites. They are easily the best looking mags I've ever seen, they operate very smoothly, and the springs don't stack when you load the last round; the spring pressure is more constant, from first round to last, than other 8-rounders I've tried. I prefer mags with metal followers, as a lot of the ranges on which I shoot are covered with sand, and junk can get embedded in plastic followers, whereas metal ones act as scrapers, and allow the junk to fall out.

We always include "steel must fall to score" in the course description. We set the steel light enough that it should drop with any full-caliber hit. If it doesn't drop, the shooter has to shoot it some more. If a shooter hits the same steel target three times, and it's still standing, I'll (as SO) stop them and check the "calibration" of the steel. Assuming it's heavy, I'll adjust it and order a reshoot. I don't like to see shooters hitting a popper with multiple shots, as it can be dangerous, and it can also indicate under-powered ammo. When a shooter protests that they'd rather drive the steel down with three shots, than reshoot, I have to wonder about their motives.

I shoot a match, either IDPA or USPSA, or both, almost every weekend. If I could choose just one kind of match, it would be single stack; USPSA courses of fire, tailored to 8+1 capacity, and "carry" gear. But, having shot a few "nine rounds from one view" USPSA matches with SSD-legal gear, I have to say I don't like it. Why I like the (provisional) SS division, is that it promises to provide for consistent rules at all single stack 1911-only matches, wherever they are. I've shot SS matches in WA, OR, and AZ, and they all use different rules, sometimes differing even within a given match from year to year. It would be great to go to the Single Stack Classic, or the Western States Single Stack Championship (or the now-defunct Washington State Straight Eight Championship ), and find the same rules in effect. I've heard that SSD is supposed to encourage IDPA shooters to cross over, among other reasons, but I shoot both games precisely because they are different. I can use carry gear and 8-round mags in IDPA, and switch to race gear and 10-rounders for USPSA. While having similar equipment rules might encourage people to kick USPSA's tires, I think people want to "race" when they shoot USPSA, and that's hard, when you have only nine rounds in the gun. I agree that L10 is already a single stack division, and I absolutely don't buy the theory that faster reloads make single stacks uncompetitive there. You are supposed to be reloading at times other than when you are shooting, so you can't just add the fraction of a second in difference, and conclude that the hi-caps have an advantage. If you have two or three steps, you have time to reload with no penalty. It comes into play in stand-and-shoot situations, where movement is not required, but again, it's not a big deal. I never even consider it, when I'm sizing up the competition; "Oh, no, that guy has a hi-cap, and there are three reloads on this stage, so he'll beat me by 1.5 seconds!" I'll just have to have a better plan, economize on movement, and shoot straighter. That's always a winning combination. When the Area 1 championship was last held in my neighborhood, Rob Leatham won L10 with a single stack .45, and he very nearly won the match overall. That is, he beat most of the Limited and Open shooters, too. So, I'll be shooting my single stack in L10 as long as there is an L10. If L10 goes away, I doubt that I'll shoot SSD, except at SS-only matches.

I've been shooting L10 almost since the day it was implemented; I think the rule book came out on a Friday, and I MD'd our club match on Sunday. I've hardly shot anything but a single stack .45, and have never felt at a disadvantage when someone showed up with a hi-cap (the more, the merrier). My L10 "race gun" is not SS legal. A lot of talk about diluting competition, at the same time we're debating getting rid of the one catch-all division we have. Whether you shoot a hi-cap .40 (but can't get hi-cap mags), or a Glock 9 (with a 2# trigger), or a single stack .45 (that's too big or weighs too much), you can shoot in L10. If we want to have as large a competitive pool as possible, let's make L10 the ONLY division, instead of getting rid of it. OK, back to reality. I agree that people shoot USPSA to "race", and it's hard to go very fast with 8-round mags and all of your gear behind the hips. I've been shooting with SS gear a bit (still registering in L10, so I'll have someone to shoot against . . .), and it isn't any fun. I love the idea of consistent rules for single stack matches, so whether I'm in Washington, or Oregon, or Arizona, or Illinois, the rules will be the same, but for the typical USPSA match, SS is a drag. IDPA shooters who want to shoot USPSA can get some 10-round mags, and they're ready to go. Get rid of L10, and I suspect you will see a DECREASE in the number of single stackers in USPSA. In providing a "home" with SSD, we might actually chase people away, as those who are now shooting a single stack in L10 won't migrate to SS, they'll go to Limited or Production. One thing that I've always been able to count on from USPSA, is acting in the interests of current members, even when claiming something is being done to attract new members; don't disappoint me now. On the other hand, if I can just get that 18th round in my P14 mags . . .

Yes; the creativity is generally in the mind of the course designer, not the shooter. Could we get some examples of a scenario CoF that has multiple ways to shoot it? I assume we're not talking about shooting around one side of a barricade rather than another, but one in which the shooter can take a number of "paths" to the same end?

What the heck is a run 'n gun, 18-round CoF? That is, what CoF that conforms to IDPA rules and course design rationale? At our state match, we always try to have one "circus stage", with swingers, turners, clamshells, etc., and a high round count, but it still has cover, tactical priority, etc. Our bread-and butter CoF is the shooter starting out in the open, exposed to one threat. At the signal, engage that target while moving to cover, usually laterally or backing up, then engage further threats from cover. Usually 8-12 rounds. It can be a carjack stage, an ATM stage, a mugging stage; just about whatever scenario you want. Three targets, six targets, whatever.

I could not begin to conceal a gun under a t-shirt. I shot the '05 Idaho match of which Ken speaks, and I couldn't believe that guy had a gun on, and I think it was a Glock in a kydex IWB holster. I usually dress for the weather, so I am often using coats of various weights for cover garments. In the Summer, I wear a big Hawaiian shirt, over a t-shirt, for cover.

If you shoot well-attended sanctioned matches, you won't be able to "hide" in a lower class, as your match performance will bump you up. With the new classification database - which can be updated by club officials - any shooter who should be bumped will no longer be able to "forget" his classification; anyone can go to the website and check it.

What about a forward-falling popper that is center-punched twice, and thus stays standing? How do you calibrate that?

When we require shots on the body and the head, we put a strip of black tape across the neck, and score the head as a separate target.

If all SO's would read the rule book, and take it to heart, there wouldn't be a lot of complaints like these. Also, Ken Hackathorn's "comments" in the Tac Journal served the same purpose as Amidon's column in Front Sight; that's where rules were clarified, but you couldn't always count on everyone having read every TJ. I hear more complaining (on this forum, but never on the range, in six years of competition) about "mind reading" SO's, but I see it only as a hypothetical issue. The only time I've ever seen "round dumping" called, the rule was improperly applied; SO's can't read minds, and since one of the rules that guides SO behavior is to give the benefit of a doubt to the shooter, dumping should rarely, if ever, be called. In any case where it was clear-cut, I can't see the shooter actually getting an advantage, so calling it would be counter-productive. Intentionally putting a round in the -3 zone, followed by two better hits, to facilitate a slidelock reload, is hardly what I would consider dumping; the rules say that you can shoot until you are satisfied, if it's a Vickers stage, and making-up a -3 hit is certainly not dumping. Any SO who thinks it is, needs a refresher on the rules. As it is, there is no requirement for SO's to maintain their rules knowledge, as there is in USPSA, but that day will come. Of course, it is also a ridiculous conceit among a lot of USPSA shooters that all USPSA rules are universally understood and identically enforced; not a match goes by, in my Section, without questions about whether a certain stage is legal, or if a rule was properly interpreted. Why do you think Amidon's writings fill two or three pages in each Front Sight? IDPA is moving toward a universal SO class syllabus, and I'm sure they will institute annual testing, to help ensure that all SO's are up to speed.

In the Seattle area, we had monthly match attendance in the 30-40 range from 2002-2004, then last year, it picked up to 50-60. We have also seen at least three new clubs spring up, in outlying areas. We've hosted the state championship for five years, and have seen an addtional five shooters, each year. This year we had 92 paid, and 83 actually shot.

Shooting Star and Power Mag.

While there is no voting, IDPA does solicit ideas and feedback from members. Perhaps not the total membership, but from Area Coordinators, who represent shooters in their area. While rule changes were being considered in '04-'05, I was contacted by my AC, asking for input.

I think Kimber's "commanders" are 4", not 4.25", right?

So, if the rule book drew the line at 4.3", it would make sense? Are there any factory guns with 4.25" bull barrels? I think the rule was written when we had 3.5" bulls, and 4.25" bushing barrels, and not the plethora of factory 4" bull guns that we have today.