TacticalReload Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 I have a question about IDPA rules. Can you switch from one type of ammo to another during a match / stage? For example, suppose you're shooting SSR... Can you fill the cylinder to start with wadcutters to get nice clean holes and then fill your speedloaders with round nose to speed up reloads? Also, can you swtich to using +P or magnum loads on any stage where there is knockdown steel if you feel that the 105pf loads might not drop the steel easily or fast enough? I don't recall ever seeing anything in the rule book, but I'm not sure if this violates the "spirit of the match". Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProGunGuy Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 as long as they make PF and are safe, I would say yes. I have switched between ammo before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOF Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 The answer is yes, if they all pass chrono. I shot two different loads at the IDPA World Championship and told them in advance. Both loads passed chrono and were deemed legal. If the practice is legal at the IDPA World Championship it should now be deemed legal in any IDPA match... unless the Tiger teams change that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Vigilante Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Is there anything in the IDPA rules regarding use of different weight bullets during the same match? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TacticalReload Posted October 26, 2012 Author Share Posted October 26, 2012 As far as I can tell, there isn't much of anything in the rule book about ammunition other than caliber / power factor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootaglock89 Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Legal ammo is legal ammo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PokerNGuns Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Legal magazines are legal magazines, but that doesn't mean you can load different round counts to fit the COF. This question could carry into others. Such as would it be legal in ESP to use magazines with different size basepads. All basepads would legally fit into box, but others might fit better allowing for easier removal?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waktasz Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Legal magazines are legal magazines, but that doesn't mean you can load different round counts to fit the COF. This question could carry into others. Such as would it be legal in ESP to use magazines with different size basepads. All basepads would legally fit into box, but others might fit better allowing for easier removal?? Your first example is totally different because there is a rule specifically disallowing that. The OP's example and your second example are perfectly fine to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1911 Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 It is legal, but I wouldn't recommend it. There are a lot of important things to think about during a match. Trying to keep separate your "starting" ammunition from your "reloading" ammunition is an added complication that is bound to go wrong during the course of a match. At some point, I would find myself struggling trying to reload a speedloader full of wadcutters. My mental energy is better spent visualizing my stage plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOF Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 If the ammo passes the chrono/PF it is legal ammo, even if the bullet weights are different. You can mix&match all you want if the ammo makes PF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cd662 Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Legal but like M1911 mentioned, there is the potential for disaster. I imagine that in the absence of a chronograph at a match, there would also be the potential for accusations of cheating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Koski Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Totally legal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Watson Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 (edited) I shot SSR most of the summer and did as described. Not for power factor or clean holes, but because I had relatively few roundnose on hand. So I loaded the gun with wadcutters and reloaded with roundnose, just so I did not have to buy bullets. I practiced with semiwadcutters, too. I had no problem with confusing the bullet types, largely because I never put a speedloader full of wadcutters on my belt at any time for any reason. Setting up for a stage, I dropped one (1.0) loader with wadcutters in my pocket for LAMR. It helped that I was using two different speedloaders; SL Variant for actual on the clock reloads - they don't make Comp III or Jetloaders for Pythons - and Safariland Comp I for LAMR. Edited October 29, 2012 by Jim Watson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Murphy Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 I've done it to shoot jacketed indoor, lead outdoor. Stuff like that. If I ran 105,000 pf loads I would be tempted to have 125,000 "swatter" loads for steel. I've seen some trouble with the light loads and pepper poppers. I use 125,000 still myself though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TacticalReload Posted October 31, 2012 Author Share Posted October 31, 2012 Legal but like M1911 mentioned, there is the potential for disaster. I imagine that in the absence of a chronograph at a match, there would also be the potential for accusations of cheating. I think this might be a real concern of mine. In actually, making 105,000 pf with a 158gr RN or 148gr WC requires pretty low velocity... the idea that someone would "cheat" to go below 105 (or even be able to get that low without fear of having a stuck bullet) is beyond me. I'm not sure how much can be gained with trying to get even less recoil since at that power factor, I find the limiting factor is more about smoothly pulling the trigger fast enough than it is about controlling recoil. I was a person who really thought that dropping the power factor below 125 for SSR was something that was needed since people who didn't reload and / or were shooting non +P rated guns were in a position where they quite possibly couldn't even find factory ammo that would be legal. However, I have to admit that 105 is pretty low... I was thinking 115 would have been a better place to go. But the rule is 105 so loading to 105 is completely and totally acceptable as far as I'm concerned. That being said, I know that there are plenty of busy bodies who spend what I think is an inordinate about of time worrying about if everyone else is trying to get the tiniest advantage rather than focusing on their own shooting (and maybe even allowing themselves to have a little fun once in a while). It's one of the things that turns me off to major matches. I've seen some behavior that I think ranges from silly to downright pathetic. It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if someone got their panties in a bunch over using two types of ammo in the same match (whether that's different pf or different bullet profiles). Knowing it's technically legal is of some comfort; but if you're somewhere where there isn't a chrono to back you up, maybe it might just be better off to exclusively shoot a more powerful round at matches with steel and with all loaded with RN bullets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RePete Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Legal, but like others, I don't recommend it. Stick with one type of ammo. When I shot PPC, a friend, a Master class shooter, travelled 130 miles to come to a match. He was gaming by having a real powder puff load for 7 and 15 yds and then the standard load for 25 and 50 yds. He was doing ine until he got to 50 yds and picked up the wrong ammo. The bullet was hitting the range floor at about 10 yds. The look on his face when he saw a clean target, and then it hit him like a ton of bricks. He never did that again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1911 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 He was doing ine until he got to 50 yds and picked up the wrong ammo. The bullet was hitting the range floor at about 10 yds. The look on his face when he saw a clean target, and then it hit him like a ton of bricks. He never did that again. Ouch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TacticalReload Posted November 1, 2012 Author Share Posted November 1, 2012 Legal, but like others, I don't recommend it. Stick with one type of ammo. When I shot PPC, a friend, a Master class shooter, travelled 130 miles to come to a match. He was gaming by having a real powder puff load for 7 and 15 yds and then the standard load for 25 and 50 yds. He was doing ine until he got to 50 yds and picked up the wrong ammo. The bullet was hitting the range floor at about 10 yds. The look on his face when he saw a clean target, and then it hit him like a ton of bricks. He never did that again. If the bullet was hitting the floor at 10 yards, was he aiming at the ceiling when he was using it to shoot at 15 yard targets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Tompkins Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 I have a question about IDPA rules. Can you switch from one type of ammo to another during a match / stage? For example, suppose you're shooting SSR... Can you fill the cylinder to start with wadcutters to get nice clean holes and then fill your speedloaders with round nose to speed up reloads? Also, can you swtich to using +P or magnum loads on any stage where there is knockdown steel if you feel that the 105pf loads might not drop the steel easily or fast enough? I don't recall ever seeing anything in the rule book, but I'm not sure if this violates the "spirit of the match". Thanks in advance. Yes legal and I've done the very thing you mentioned. Not an issue if you can manage the two types of ammo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astephenson Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 I don't see why it would be illegal, but I imagine it would be a huge PITA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickB Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 If you are shooting two or three different loads, do you go through chrono two/three times? At a sanctioned match, I think you'd have to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GmanCdp Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 i always wondered why some of these guys would bring 500 rnds of ammo to a 120 rnd match.. Rick,if several shooters didnt say anything about it,how would anybody know or even notice.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Moved to the IDPA rules forum and title changed to reflect the topic. - Admin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ty Hamby Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Legal? - I dont know what rule would say otherwise, so yes. I have been stopped during a COF for mixed ammo. I forgot ammo and picked some 115fmj's for a match. The following weekend I mixed in some of my handload 147's with the left over factory 115's from the previous weekend. When the 115gn went off it was a lot louder than my handloads. The Marksman SO thought I had a double and stoped me. No harm no foul, but can happen to others if you mix ammo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lugnut Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 The more I shoot the more I realize that at some point all my improvements can only come from me. I practice with one load and a shoot matches with the same load. Only time I deviate is if I can't get what I need. For example I have two loads that are very similar for most of my guns. One is N320 and the other is 231. If I can't get or afford the N320 I have a very similar back up load with 231. The rest is entirely up to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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