Is idpa really fun?

[S&W686]

I shoot both IDPA and USPSA. I started out in IDPA after getting my carry permit to help developing a better understanding of handgun skills and learn how to safely handle a gun properly. I started shooting USPSA last year and have come to enjoy USPSA much better. Over all the skill level of shooters in USPSA are much higher than that in IDPA. Most likely because IDPA has more enter level shooters. One thing I have notice my skill level shooting IDPA has gotten much better because of shooting USPSA. I love both because I love to shoot. The more I can shot the happy I am. Enjoy all the shooting sports and have fun.

[SierraAV8R]

We had a USPSA teenaged young lady show up to our local IDPA match with one of her "space guns", which we allowed her to shoot in "not for competition" category.

She was used to just standing in the open and blazing away like at a carnival shooting gallery, so we had to explain to her that the closer targets presented more danger and had to be shot first, avoiding exposing yourself by "slicing the pie" around corners, and using cover. It was frustrating for her

"IDPA is stupid!" she said.

Some prefer just blazing away, and others don't mind tactical considerations in their game. To each their own.

[Alaskan454]

I have fun at IDPA with a revolver, the required reloads behind cover and other items to avoid a procedural help level the playing field between different types of guns. I like to keep the pistol guys honest and it's always fun when you can go faster than they do. Plus, who needs an excuse to wear Hawaiian shirts? a.k.a cover garments.

[TheGodfather]

I really enjoy all the different options I have in my area. Currently I'm having a lot of fun at the local idpa matches and getting to know all the other competitors. Let's face it...the time spent on the cof is < 4 minutes for the entire day. The rest of the time is spent having a good time with new/old friends.

[Alaskan454]

Same here, I shoot what my friends do...so everything.

[SAFuchs]

I can and is if you make it that way. Practice practice practice.

[mike l m]

IT'S ALL JUST TRIGGER TIME

MIKE

[Posvar]

I started in January of this year. A buddy had been bugging me for a long time and I finally gave in. It's been a fun year and I've learned a lot. For me it's a great way to destress and hang out with friends. As I get more serious into it it's now more about my skill or lack thereof. Trying new things and learning to run the stage in my head prior to the buzzer going off. Looking forward to 2016!

[MMC]

I used to find it fun until I started shooting more sanctioned matches. The good ole boy system of penalizing people who aren't your friends ruined it for me. Call a procedural for you but not the other guy, bs. If you love rules to follow then IDPA is your game.

[racknrider]

I used to find it fun until I started shooting more sanctioned matches. The good ole boy system of penalizing people who aren't your friends ruined it for me. Call a procedural for you but not the other guy, bs. If you love rules to follow then IDPA is your game.

If you want to avoid the good ole boy system, you're going to have to start shooting alone. I have NEVER competed in ANY sport where the good ol boy system didn't exist. Human nature is what it is.

[jrosario]

IDPA is a lot of fun if you enjoy competition shooting and theres no multi-gun, 3-gun, or uspsa happening that same day. I'll shoot anything close to my home on my day off.

[BillR1]

If you want to avoid the good ole boy system, you're going to have to start shooting alone. I have NEVER competed in ANY sport where the good ol boy system didn't exist. Human nature is what it is.

Truth!!

[FWSixgunner]

IDPA is fun when you don't get procedurals.

Seems I worry more about not doing something wrong rather just shooting.

USPSA is wide open and let's me shoot in a way that fits my style.

Tho I shoot both. I much prefer USPSA!!!!!

What he said. I thought it would be fun, but my eyes are glazed over by the time they explain EXACTLY how to execute the COF. IMO, if you do it safely and drill each target, people should shoot it how they want.

I get so many procedurals, I've quit worrying about them. At least the ones where I'm not moving while shooting and using cover that isn't really cover.

IDK much about actual combat but shooting while moving seems stupid to me. I notice everyone moves so slowly when they do this, may as well be standing still. Move fast enough to matter, and your're not going to hit much. Seems like a silly waste of ammo if you were in a real shootout.

If you need to move, I say run like hell to the nearest cover, then shoot. Shoot or move, but not both at once.

Plus as soon as I invested in an SSR, they changed the revo rules. They also screwed the 5-shot revo shooters with the BUG rule change. IDPA is supposed to simulate CHL and yet they made the most made the most common & practical carry revo non-competitive.

Seems to me IDPA is trying to make it "realistic" CC practice and cater to gaming, and not doing well at either.

Haven't tried USPSA yet, but I'm about to.

Sorry to bash, but I find it boring.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Gryff]

Yes, it's fun but it is subtly different than USPSA. IDPA is more scripted than USPSA. In USPSA, you have a lot of flexibility on how you are going to shoot a stage, but in IDPA 99% of competitors will shoot the stage exactly the same way as one another. It will test the skills of all the shooters in nearly the exact same way.

It is different because of the loss of the mental/strategy component, but there are still many, very good shooters who enjoy IDPA.

no ...

BOOM!
Question answered, thread closed!

I'm confused why you two are posting here if it isn't fun.

[GARD72977]

Sound like you need to practice shooting on the move more. When IDPA is not fun it is usually because someone is making a lot of mistakes. Knowing the rules and practicing for what you see in matches is key to doing well in IDPA

Edited December 7, 2015 by GARD72977

[jcc7x7]

answer to ?

no

why? Cause the rules and equipment rules change to often

JMO

[vinceislander]

As a new shooter who has only shot IDPA matches, I do enjoy it. The biggest "gripe" I have is the debates which occur discussing a course of fire and how the rules apply. A new shooter like myself can come away from the debate more confused because of the different interpretations. The match director has the final say but the whole experience can leave someone a bit put off.

[diver60540]

I started out shooting IDPA and like many of use found USPSA, and went there. The speed, creativity (unusual word to apply to me), and higher round count are more enjoyable to me. However, since I've started CCW regularly I do shoot a few IDPA matches mainly to practice shooting from and moving to cover. Doing that in a match with my friends is more fun than making up stuff on my own. So, I get some "practical" practice, get to have some fun with my friends, and don't have to set anything up.

[steviesterno]

i think IDPA is like dry humping... it's really fun when you're just starting out, but it turns out there's a few way-more fun things you can be doing

[jsykes]

I think it can be enjoyable, but not when compared to USPSA.

My competition shooting has slowed down over the last couple years, but I used to shoot both pretty regularly on the local level. It was something to do that was more fun than standing still at the local range and would keep me sharp with my gun handling skills. But whenever I'd have a choice of the two, USPSA would always win out.

IDPA can also depend on the club you shoot at. I used to shoot a couple different ones and one of the clubs was thousands of times better than the other club when coming up with interesting COFs and making the shooting more enjoyable. One club would simply regurgitate the same old COFs every few weeks which got incredibly boring.

For anyone looking to shoot, I think you should try both and I think that both can be fun if its done right.

[Rangerdug]

Its shooting, so in that part it is fun... however, the rules and the rule ninjas that the sport attracts can suck the fun out pretty quickly. I tried to introduce the sport to my cousins, and rule ninjas pretty much ruined it from them going ever again.

[Brooke]

I have a post somewhere in this thread that defends IDPA as a fun shooting sport. I have changed my mind. I started in IDPA because of the opportunities I had for indoor matches through the winter months. The flat footed reload rule had just been adopted so it really did not bother me as it did some people. Changing that flat footed rule didn't bother me either, but I did object to some of the associated changes that required a diagram in the rule book because no way could you write enough rules to cover the situations. I understand the halls and rooms diagram, but putting the rule in practice with stages that do not look exactly like the diagrams is a freaking disaster.

I hate the cover calls by an SO who is in a position that he cannot possibly see the line. While I understand the resistance to fault lines, I do not think anything else is fair in the game. Well known shooters locally don't get called for cover. Lesser known people get cover calls no matter what they do. Well known shooters get "0 down" calls for being within an 1/8 of an inch of the perf by an SO literally running past the target. I paste a lot and I see it repeatedly. It is plain ass cheating the newer shooters on both cover and scoring. Give your buddy, or wannabe buddy, a break and screw everyone else. It is too damn subjective!!

The recent decision to go to 1 pt=1 sec is the end for me. That rule change is crazy. Look at Vogel's scores. His speed and accuracy are amazing. That also applies to a lesser extend to other very good shooters. The change will expand the difference between the best shooters and medium quality shooters. It doesn't add anything positive to the GAME and will cause middling shooters to quit trying to get faster. It appears that this is driven by some berserk thought that IDPA is a tactical timmy training organization.

All the above lead me to try USPSA. If you haven't tried it, do so. It is so much more fun than IDPA that there is no desire to return to the cover calls. Goodbye IDPA!

Edited January 7, 2016 by Brooke

[Distant Thunder]

IDPA CAN be fun.

USPSA CAN be fun.

ICORE CAN be fun.

AP CAN be fun.

GSSF CAN be fun.

We all recognize that, at the end of the day, we're playing a game. Each has a set of rules to play by. Accept that and you're halfway home. I like IDPA because it gives me a chance to practice while playing good guys versus bad guys. Just pretending the targets are shooting back at you and that the non-threats are family and friends will put you in the proper mindset for IDPA. I agree some rules don't make sense (40 S&W/10mm in ESP instead of CDP ... really?), but it's still fun to play.

[NewColonial]

Give your buddy, or wannabe buddy, a break and screw everyone else. It is too damn subjective!!

That's an RO problem, not an IDPA specific problem. There are two local IDPA matches available to me. At one club, the calls are evenly and fairly made. At the other, buddies get generous perf calls, and even get reminded to shoot skipped targets before the "If finished..." command. The former gets most of my match fees, the latter very few.

I've had the same experience in USPSA where at one club there's a lot of time spent arguing calls, and the other it's smooth sailing.

Edited January 7, 2016 by NewColonial

[jcc7x7]

If you want to avoid the good ole boy system, you're going to have to start shooting alone. I have NEVER competed in ANY sport where the good ol boy system didn't exist. Human nature is what it is.

Truth!!

Truth +1