DerekR Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Good evening from Michigan. I am new to Shooting Pistols and Rifles. I just purchased my first pistol, It's the compact Smith & Wesson 9mm Tactical Model 469. I am hoping in 2-5 years I can join the IPDA and compete. I am new and I've been shooting for 3 weeks only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdzman Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Welcome to the forum, you've come to the right place to learn the ins and outs of competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekR Posted May 2, 2012 Author Share Posted May 2, 2012 Great Thank you Sir. I am building just a very small range in the back yard. And I do have a length question. In feet how many feet away does the target have to be to be able to practice a idpa regulation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Csiedmond1 Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Welcome to the party!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trodrig Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Welcome! If you can, build your bay to 35 yards deep and 20 yards wide. If you can't make it that big, scale back from there. IDPA generally won't have you shooting that far but you may find yourself wanting to shoot some steel challenge or other disciplines in the future and 35 yards should give you plenty of space. I forget what the longest distance for the IDPA classifier is but you can find it on their website. Also, why wait 2-5 years to compete?? Go out to a local match and tell the folks you're new and want to learn. They'll be excited to have you and coach you through your first match. Most important thing is to be safe and have fun! Don't wait 2 years to do it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 how many feet away does the target have to be to be able to practice a idpa regulation? Derek, really no specific distance you "have to be" to practice IDPA or shooting. You can shoot at as little as 20 feet and derive tremendous value to your ability to hit targets - with a small target - at very close distance, simply use a very small target. Try dot torture - see web - you can print your own targets for 20 feet. As someone else mentioned, don't wait too long to jump in with both feet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackey Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 must be nice to be able build a range in your backyard. no reason to wait to do it. be safe and have fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekR Posted May 2, 2012 Author Share Posted May 2, 2012 Thank you Everyone. Mackey, It's not going to be a range you would see on tv like top shots. Or in a movie. It's going to be 2 home built saw horses, hay bales, some 2 liter of pop, a prep table. and maybe 2 old house doors you find junking around. That's about it. Hi Power Jack, I will look for that on the web and Youtube. My little Smith & Wesson is an awesome gun to start with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle O Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Thank you Everyone. Mackey, It's not going to be a range you would see on tv like top shots. Or in a movie. It's going to be 2 home built saw horses, hay bales, some 2 liter of pop, a prep table. and maybe 2 old house doors you find junking around. That's about it. Hi Power Jack, I will look for that on the web and Youtube. My little Smith & Wesson is an awesome gun to start with. First off, Welcome to the forums! I second the "do not wait to go shoot a match" or at the very least go and watch. Now seriously, I would not trust a hay bail and an old door to catch any centerfire bullet! Remember every bullet you send, has your name on it! If someone were to get hurt or killed by it, that is on you my friend. I would use no less than earthen or some type of tire/steel/something that is proven to work as a bullet stop/trap Be safe! That is what it is all about! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storz Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Welcome from another newbie, what part of MI are you in? I am from Brighton originally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekR Posted May 2, 2012 Author Share Posted May 2, 2012 Kyle Thanks Sir, I will take a second look and find some other stuff. I am going to be building the saw horses out of the wooden Pallets. Storz, Traverse City City sir. Maybe we will shoot some time. We got a kick ass range here in Michigan. It's in Doors but it's a lot of money per hour, It's $25 per hour just for the range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 It's going to be 2 home built saw horses, hay bales, I would not trust a hay bail to catch centerfire bullet! I would use no less than earthen or some type of tire/steel/something that is proven to work as a bullet stop/trap +1. Push up a pile of 6 - 7 feet high berm to catch the bullets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCBDoubleTap Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Storz, Traverse City City sir. I wasn't aware that Traverse City allowed discharge of a firearm (on personal property) within city limits - you might want to check that. You don't want the Traverse City PD showing up to investigate reports of gunshots being heard in your neighborhood... Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekR Posted May 2, 2012 Author Share Posted May 2, 2012 Storz, Traverse City City sir. I wasn't aware that Traverse City allowed discharge of a firearm (on personal property) within city limits - you might want to check that. You don't want the Traverse City PD showing up to investigate reports of gunshots being heard in your neighborhood... Tom Thanks Tom, I meant Grawn Mi, Sorry bout the Mis understanding.It's a sanctioned indoor range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leas327 Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 My suggestion to you is don't wait to shoot competition. Get in the game. If you are unsure about being able to handle a firearm around others enroll in a safety class. Go to a match and watch. Take your gun, holster, mags, and pouches with you just in case. Let the match director know you are new and help out. Help set up, help paste and reset stages and ask questions. I have yet to see a match director or anyone for that matter tell a new guy "we got it under control just go sit on the bench." Don't wait 2-5to years to try it out. That is just time lost. Go to your first match with the goal to be safe and enjoy yourself. Even the greats were new guys at one point in their lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekR Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share Posted May 3, 2012 My suggestion to you is don't wait to shoot competition. Get in the game. If you are unsure about being able to handle a firearm around others enroll in a safety class. Go to a match and watch. Take your gun, holster, mags, and pouches with you just in case. Let the match director know you are new and help out. Help set up, help paste and reset stages and ask questions. I have yet to see a match director or anyone for that matter tell a new guy "we got it under control just go sit on the bench." Don't wait 2-5to years to try it out. That is just time lost. Go to your first match with the goal to be safe and enjoy yourself. Even the greats were new guys at one point in their lives. Thank you Sir, That's what I've done with BBQ 3 years ago and my business is just starting to take off.I've been shooting and I can handle a firearm ok. I just gotta learn my grouping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leas327 Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 (edited) You can work on sight picture and trigger control for free in your basement doing dryfire. Those two things are huge factors in getting hits. Edited May 3, 2012 by leas327 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekR Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share Posted May 3, 2012 Leas, Thank you, I am purchasing Snap caps next week. And I've purchased 250 rounds of Ruger 9mm ammo for my 9. So I will be all set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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