Ultimo-Hombre Posted September 9, 2015 Share Posted September 9, 2015 Greetings, I am an USPSA open shooter. That is kind of a disclaimer... My buddy, who shoots all disciplines invited me to shoot the IDPA classifier with my carry gun and I had a blast. The local IDPA match director was super cool about it, and although nothing counted, it made just shooting fun for me. It made me feel like my carry gun has a purpose other than contributing to my back pain. It has renewed my interest in .45ACP and resulted in a phone call to milt sparks for some new gear. My question is this... Do most IDPA shooters see this as competition shooting, or as getting in some great practice with their daily carry rigs, in a format aimed at self defense gunsmanship ? I mean, as I learn the rules, it seems like the emphasis is on keeping the shooter "tactical" versus having a flat out race? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzw26n Posted September 9, 2015 Share Posted September 9, 2015 It's fun, it's good practice ... but a retention reload get's me every time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennJeep1618 Posted September 9, 2015 Share Posted September 9, 2015 It's fun, for what it is. You just have to remember it's a completely different game. I started out shooting IDPA as my first competition about a year ago. In the past few months, I've started USPSA and love it. The only reason I go back to IDPA nowadays is for the people. Lots of great guys at my local club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jogan Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 well...except for that one guy from Tennessee....lol I also started with IDPA. We've amassed such an awesome group of guys that usually we'll get together and decide what division we're gonna shoot and the winner gets lunch. Sadly, I've bought more lunches than I'd like to remember.... I shot last match with my CCP carry gun in an IWB holster. A few months ago, a buddy had a sweet Dan Wesson 1911 and he let me borrow it so I shot a match with that. Got lots of guys willing to let me use a wheel-gun, but I haven't used one in competition, yet. Shoot it for what it is. Shooting with buddies! Any gun time is good time, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpspeed Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 So, i liked IDPA but found the competition aspect so different from USPSA that I never enjoyed it. That ad the fact that the group I shot with was patently unsafe made me quit shooting IDPA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v1911 Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I see it purely as a game for entertainment. Gun time is fun time. I just got my neighbor behind me started. He's currently using his carry XDs and loving it. I can see his competitive nature already rearing its head though. He's already eyeballing getting an M&P pro for SSP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrBorland Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Do most IDPA shooters see this as competition shooting, or as getting in some great practice with their daily carry rigs, in a format aimed at self defense gunsmanship ? From what I've seen, it's split between both camps. Both are fine with me, so long as each recognizes their choice is their choice. Some seem to take it upon themselves to define IDPA strictly their way, and insist everyone else should shoot their way as well. FWIW, I'm mostly in the "it's a game" camp, though there's nothing like competition to test the reliability of your EDC gear. I definitely don't see it as is self-defense training, though. If that's what you need/want, get self-defense training. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bkreutz Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I started shooting IDPA, then shot both USPSA and IDPA. After a while I got tired of hearing the "this improves your skills in case you get in a gunfight" This was always said by someone who, if they ever got into a real gunfight, would respond by crapping their pants. They're both gun games with different rules, nothing more. Now I only shoot USPSA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultimo-Hombre Posted September 10, 2015 Author Share Posted September 10, 2015 I started shooting IDPA, then shot both USPSA and IDPA. After a while I got tired of hearing the "this improves your skills in case you get in a gunfight" This was always said by someone who, if they ever got into a real gunfight, would respond by crapping their pants. They're both gun games with different rules, nothing more. Now I only shoot USPSA. I have never been in a gunfight. But I have been in some situations that required some very time critical decisions that carried life or death consequences. I found that guys reverted to whatever training they had. Good, bad or indifferent. That makes me think that IDPA in the context of carry gear may have some value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultimo-Hombre Posted September 10, 2015 Author Share Posted September 10, 2015 Don't get me wrong. I know these are all games... Just want to be open minded. I also understand and respect that the mission of these forums are competition not defense. Have fun and shoot straight guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racknrider Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 From my observations, for at least 95% of shooters (myself included) it's a game. A lot of guys seem to start with their carry gear but quickly upgrade as they start competing against their friends. I know a couple of guys that compete with their carry gear just for the reps. Occasionally I see an operator with their head on a swivel show up but they usually don't return. I do have a pet peeve. It bugs me when people don't want to follow the rules because "this is how I train" or "that will get you killed". It's a game, have fun. If you want to train go to FrontSight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArrDave Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 It's definitely a game, and the guys who want to play the game are also suited for USPSA. Only the greenest shooters think of it as a facsimile for a gun fight, although the fundamentals instilled by the game with respect to gun handling will help immensely especially compared to your typical tactical square ranger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 (never shot IDPA, so take this for what you paid for it). I think IDPA can be what you want it to be. I know some people who shoot it around my area that use their carry guns and use it strictly for carry gun/defensive practice. I also know other people who take it to the extreme with tricked out guns (division legal of course) vests with weights in them to make draws easier, etc. Definitely trying to "win" more than just practice with their protection guns. Sounds like you enjoyed yourself. If so, keep doing it...for whatever YOU want it to be for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinceislander Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 If you breakdown it down, some aspects of the game are applicable for self defense or a related occupation. Still it is a game and a great way to socialize amongst like minded people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdawgbeav Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 For me it's a game. I shoot with a gun that is not my carry piece. However, I am switching soon to another that is at least the same "platform". It's fun for me. I'm not going to be a paid shooter, never in a million years. But I like shooting and it's fun to spend time with friends that are all there for the same reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAFuchs Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 IPSC and IDPA are games with different rules and different intents. For me they are both fun, practice, serious adventures in something that I love and something that may (hope not) help me in a situation I don't want to be in but will have the skill and knowledge to handle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GmanCdp Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 I shoot around 6 to 10 major matches a year and have noticed several times in the last year,shooters paying a major match fee and shooting the match as if they were on the street or going through a CCW class in a shoot house. I was really impressed with a shooter pieing a corner on one stage that would make Clint Smith smile. At the end of the stage after engaging the last target he would do a 180 scan THEN do a tact reload, then scan 360 and unload and show clear. By the 4th stage shooters in the squad was telling SO's to hurry this guy up..lol Now he and his buddy ended up last but they had a ball talking about what they did or didn't do right on the stage.. I Jumped ahead to the next squad,, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elguapo Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 (edited) I shoot around 6 to 10 major matches a year and have noticed several times in the last year,shooters paying a major match fee and shooting the match as if they were on the street or going through a CCW class in a shoot house. I was really impressed with a shooter pieing a corner on one stage that would make Clint Smith smile. At the end of the stage after engaging the last target he would do a 180 scan THEN do a tact reload, then scan 360 and unload and show clear. Edited September 11, 2015 by elguapo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9x45 Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 (edited) Ultimo-Hombre, while new shooters popularly believe that IDPA is about real world carry guns and full house ammo and is both tactical and practical, it's just another shooting game invented by one the greatest ever IPSC shooters (long before USPSA) Bill Wilson. If you look at rule books side by side, they are different/opposite for every item. And the problem with today's IDPA is it's full of "Tactical Plumbers" These are new shooters (no competition background) that have been thru BackSight or Lightning Ranch 17 times, and who think a 12 second Bill Drill is bad ass, and tell you how to roll in the match, and be sure to shoot it this way or that way because that's what works on the street. To which I tell them you are not a cop, don't have a CCW and have never been in a shooting, so keep your day job as a plumber. The top IDPA shooters are playing by the rules, but you won't see them running an IWB holster with full house duty ammo under a Hawaian shirt, they will be running a G34 with a OWB holster and a spring loaded photographers vest. So the first IDPA state match I went to I was running my G19 carry gun, with 127+P+ ammo, IWB kydex holster, under my everyday Hawaiain. Thought I was at a photographers gun show photo op...... It was more fun when it first started back in 98 because it was mostly USPSA guys wanting to do something different. Edited September 11, 2015 by 9x45 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elguapo Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 (edited) "Tactical Plumbers" These are new shooters (no competition background) that have been thru BackSight or Lightning Ranch 17 times, and who think a 12 second Bill Drill is bad ass I found those guys Edited September 12, 2015 by elguapo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elguapo Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GARD72977 Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 Great post!!!! I like air rifles and flintlocks. Im just not very tactical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9x45 Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 (edited) Well, they first need to setup up a real El Prez. It's not done on steel.... Plus he turns around with a loaded gun? And the previous 2 vids, they were running a parallel hot line? Where ever that is, I'm never going there. They have never heard of berms??? Edited September 12, 2015 by 9x45 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elguapo Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 Those guys are clowns Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9x45 Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 (edited) If you want to see Real Tactical Fool, at least watch this, this guys are actually A class shooters and hang out at our local USPSA clubs. This is the real Shite....... As in we went hunting today, but didn't see Shite. Edited September 12, 2015 by 9x45 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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