IDPA critique for a new(ish) guy.

[hukdizzle]

Hey Everyone,

I have been an IDPA shooter since January but haven't actually had much trigger time until this month when I had the time and picked up a competition specific pistol. I was hoping that I could post a couple of videos up of a stage I shot this past weekend where I felt I did okay, but I want to make sure I am not on the road to developing any bad habits. I only recently started dry fire practicing 15 minutes a night with reload and draw practice and it has helped me quite a bit in just a couple of weeks. I have also started grip training with a CoC trainer and a dynaflex gyro ball which seems to have helped my recoil mitigation quite a bit as well.

Stage 3

Third Person View

First Person View

Thanks

-Curtis

[Sandbagger123]

Not sure if its the angle, but your SO seems to be quite generous on the cover. To me, your leg is way out there. Also, your cover garment is not legal. Time to get the fishing vest. LOL

Edited September 30, 2013 by Sandbagger123

[PROBIKE101]

begin to move on retreet before your first shot looked like pe to me and generous on the cover

[hukdizzle]

Not sure if its the angle, but your SO seems to be quite generous on the cover. To me, your leg is way out there. Also, your cover garment is not legal. Time to get the fishing vest. LOL

Yeah we are really relaxed which is a good thing for motivating new people but for me it's starting to become an issue because I would like to shoot actual regional events eventually.

I hate the vests! Oh well Maybe I can pick up a black one or something.

[hukdizzle]

Not sure if its the angle, but your SO seems to be quite generous on the cover. To me, your leg is way out there. Also, your cover garment is not legal. Time to get the fishing vest. LOL

Leg probably is for sure. Just last night I started practicing with a door at the house and slicing the pie with pieces of blue tape on my walls at different heights ensuring my lower body was behind cover.

[Onagoth]

Not a bad run, couple tips

1) Try to know exactly when you're going to slide lock, on a stage like that it should be fairly easy to remember

2) You probably could of shot those targets faster, they are fairly close.

These points might seem like knit-picking, but your stage there was decent enough that the smaller details start to become important.

I also agree the RO was pretty generous...I might of given you a procedural on the first target (I assume you were supposed to be retreating for the first two)

Edited September 30, 2013 by Onagoth

[hukdizzle]

Not a bad run, couple tips

1) Try to know exactly when you're going to slide lock, on a stage like that it should be fairly easy to remember

2) You probably could of shot those targets faster, they are fairly close.

These points might seem like knit-picking, but your stage there was decent enough that the smaller details start to become important.

I also agree the RO was pretty generous...I might of given you a procedural on the first target (I assume you were supposed to be retreating for the first two)

I totally agree about the speed and I hope to improve it each match, I can only assume it will come with time. My accuracy isn't the greatest and this particular match I wanted to shoot as many 0's as possible at a moderate speed, I had a -2 on this particular stage. I have shot prior matches faster but my accuracy suffered so I was "slowing" it down this match. I do need to start figuring out when slide lock will happen more often, it will help me anticipate my reload much quicker.

I honestly cannot recall if we were to draw and shoot and THEN start to retreat or draw and retreat while shooting. I honestly think I goofed and shot flat footed when I should have been moving.

Thanks for the critique!

Edited September 30, 2013 by hukdizzle

[hukdizzle]

Here is a vid I took of my reload practice. This is probably about as smooth and quick as my reloads get currently. I use my middle finger for the magazine release and from what I can tell from searching this isn't a "bad" way to do it but not the usual way of doing it. I have small-medium hands so it allows me to keep a better grip on the gun so that I can transition back to shooting faster.

Any tips?

[PROBIKE101]

no flat feet move feet before trigger,other wise not bad for early learning,IDPA is time and grade sport more matches the better you get

takes time,i have seen guys have good acuracy out of the box but get killed by pe and no shoot and general rules will kill thier time

remember hang in dont OD on it and have fun dont beat yourself up over bad stages ,eventually you will walk up on any stage and know what too do

then your gettin some where.............

[Durtarg]

Speed will come with time. Shoot at your skill level and you will see yourself improve. Dont over think the stage, do some stage prep as far as round counts and reloads, but dont make it complicated. That just leads to the curse of the beep and your plan goes to hell. Everyone at a match will usually give you advise and help you along the way. Talk to the top shooters every match and find the info that will help you as a beginner.

[Marshal82]

Be smooth, I see some extra movement that isn't necessary. The reload should be a smooth movement of bring the gun back while pressing the release while the left hand is going for the new mag. Make sure you index the fresh mag with your finger.

[jabbermurph]

Just some thoughts from a fellow newbie:

Stages starting with engagement on the retreat- Sometimes it is best to draw then start stepping backwards. Other times you can set yourself up for the next position by making a big step during the draw and continue your retreat.. Fire with an equally FAST cadence. Those targets are spitting distance, good practice for a Type 1 sight focus.

Reloads- New rules, so plan a target that you can throw 3 at (second to last target you split 1-reload-1 on). You don't want to add an extra transition. Dump 3, reload, on to the next target. And don't move back behind cover to reload, save the tenths of a second and be ready to snap those eyes to the next target.

[trp]

What holster are you using it looks like it has an offset which is not idpa legal

[bigfish]

You really should post 1/2 a dozen reloads so we can see if you are repeatably making the same mistakes of if they are just a one time thing in the video.

Its also hard to tell in the video but it almost looks like you are grabbing the bottom of the mag to perform a reload. Your mags should be facing forward in the magpouch and when you grab it you should be placing your index finger on the bullet so you can guide the mag to the magwell