What is the secret to IDPA shooting?

[Tango]

What skills and strategies are key to a great time/score in IDPA? I ask this as an A class USPSA shooter who occasionally shoots IDPA. Obviously, accuracy is king. Movement is quite different, as one needs to use cover, which makes movement a lot less fluid with a lot of stopping. Reloads are different. Stage planning is much less important, but still is a factor. What I figured out so far:

 

1. Clean up the stages, use make up shots if necessary (aim for zero down overall)

2. Watch for the procedurals

3. Get really low when shooting around barricades (for exploding out of position)

4. Do visualize stage plan even though it seems unnecessary

5. Practice tac reloads while retaining mags (saves a lot of time in certain situations)

6. Make up misses while on the move (after engaging targets from mandatory positions)

7. Practice shooting from awkward positions 

 

What else?

[SGT_Schultz]

9 hours ago, Tango said:

What skills and strategies are key to a great time/score in IDPA? I ask this as an A class USPSA shooter who occasionally shoots IDPA. Obviously, accuracy is king. Movement is quite different, as one needs to use cover, which makes movement a lot less fluid with a lot of stopping. Reloads are different. Stage planning is much less important, but still is a factor. What I figured out so far:

 

1. Clean up the stages, use make up shots if necessary (aim for zero down overall)

2. Watch for the procedurals

3. Get really low when shooting around barricades (for exploding out of position)

4. Do visualize stage plan even though it seems unnecessary

5. Practice tac reloads while retaining mags (saves a lot of time in certain situations)

6. Make up misses while on the move (after engaging targets from mandatory positions)

7. Practice shooting from awkward positions 

 

What else?

 

Read the rule book thoroughly and exploit every loophole that you can find.

 

When you combine the fact that fault lines extend to infinity with the fact that you can re-engage targets from other positions if they're still visible, some interesting (and not so obvious) stage strategies appear. 

 

Most IDPA people around my parts don't think that way so they overlook those loopholes when designing stages.  And for the same reason, expect to be called for procedurals by SOs who don't know the rules like they should.  The times I've tried such loopholes, I end up winning the procedural argument with the rulebook in hand.

 

It's a game, so I game it.

Edited June 20, 2020 by SGT_Schultz

[rowdyb]

It is still a time based game. Time plus, but still your time is the root of your score. I do believe the equivalency of a Master in IDPA is B class in USPSA. So you're already closer to the top of the skills pile as an A USPSA shooter.

 

As the game does have a different feel you will do better by doing the things that separate you from the rest. And this usually means taking less time.

1. As the stages have fewer targets absolutely program them in so you do them with zero conscious thought. The less you do the "huh, what? here? target?" the faster you'll be. Especially as there are usually more vision barriers in IDPA and the non-threats are the same color as the shoot targets. Spend less time visually hunting.

2. Shoot fewer points down. Quickly make up -1 on open targets. Do not chase your desired raw time with a sting of -1 hits. Shoot things right the first time as much as possible.

3. Go fast in the fast parts and slow in the slow parts. A common theme I see with IDPA shooters is not knowing how to turn it up and down, as they're afraid of too many points down. Be aware of when you can rail and do so. Conversely don't keep the pedal down when a tight shot requires more visual patience. It is a rheostat not a light switch.

Edited June 20, 2020 by rowdyb

[SGT_Schultz]

One more thing that strikes me (Prod and CO B class) when I go to an IDPA match is how painfully slowly so many shooters transition from target to target

 

That's an easy way to pick up time that so many seem to leave on the table.

[Jim Watson]

1. Clean up the stages, use make up shots if necessary (aim for zero down overall)

6. Make up misses while on the move (after engaging targets from mandatory positions)

The question is how you know to make up shots.  If you can call your shots and make up as needed, great.  I see a lot of people wasting time peering at the target.  Another thing I do is to program in "insurance shots" on difficult targets.

 

2. Watch for the procedurals

Amen.  My first couple of matches in the "Reopening" were  awful.  My hits were good because I had been shooting regularly on a square range.  I was very out of practice managing a set CoF and picked up a FP and several blunders that did not draw procedurals but sure hurt my time. 

 

3. Get really low when shooting around barricades (for exploding out of position)

Good idea but I am too arthritic.  My last match was USPSA and a couple of us codgers had to take a route that put a low port last.  IDPA will not require you to get up from kneeling or prone on the clock which is a help.

 

4. Do visualize stage plan even though it seems unnecessary

I think it is necessary, because you are working to somebody else's plan.

 

7. Practice shooting from awkward positions

Oh, yes.  I just cringe when I hear people going on at length about "stance" and see them shuffling around to get in their stock position.

 

When you combine the fact that fault lines extend to infinity with the fact that you can re-engage targets from other positions if they're still visible, some interesting (and not so obvious) stage strategies appear. 

Yes, the substitution of fault lines for cover calls was a major change.  You can do a lot even within the length of a board, never mind the virtual prolongation.

 

SOs who don't know the rules like they should.

The reason I am no longer an SO.  I can't completely overwrite the last edition(s) of the rules with the current version.

 

3. Go fast in the fast parts and slow in the slow parts.

Something to watch for, MDs around here are bad about putting targets at widely varying ranges and degrees of visibility from the same Point of Cover.

 

[Toolguy]

Shoot fast, don't miss. That works for all matches, I guess.

Learn to shoot well one handed with either hand. You will be miles ahead of most shooters there on stages that require one hand shooting. Sometimes I do it anyway because it's faster or you don't have to lean nearly as far out from a barricade as you would shooting 2 hands.

[Tango]

9 hours ago, SGT_Schultz said:

w

9 hours ago, SGT_Schultz said:

 

Read the rule book thoroughly and exploit every loophole that you can find.

 

When you combine the fact that fault lines extend to infinity with the fact that you can re-engage targets from other positions if they're still visible, some interesting (and not so obvious) stage strategies appear. 

 

Most IDPA people around my parts don't think that way so they overlook those loopholes when designing stages.  And for the same reason, expect to be called for procedurals by SOs who don't know the rules like they should.  The times I've tried such loopholes, I end up winning the procedural argument with the rulebook in hand.

 

It's a game, so I game it.

what is the implication of fault lines extending to infinity? i don't understand how you can use this to your advantage

[SGT_Schultz]

1 hour ago, Tango said:

what is the implication of fault lines extending to infinity? i don't understand how you can use this to your advantage

 

It depends on stage design, but I have found that I have been able to re-engage difficult targets from a much closer, much more favorable position by taking a few steps back along the invisible fault line extension of a position later on in the CoF.

 

Case in point, fast swinger about 15 -20 yards downrange to be engaged from position one but still swinging (much more slowly) and available much more closely from position two (downrange and a little right of position one).  After activating the swinger from P1 I double tapped it not caring if I hit it or not, that made the swinger "engaged".  Sprinted down to P2, engaged all the targets there, took two quick steps back and left around the barrels from which the swinger appeared, and double tapped it (now barely moving) in the -0 from like 3 yards away.

 

Some people argued that I couldn't re-engage the swinger from there because I stepped backwards and to the side from the fwd fault line.  I said a) P2 doesn't have side fault lines and b) P2 (now that it's in play because I engaged everything I needed to engage at P1) extends backwards to infinity.  Several squad mates backed me up against an SO who wanted to give me a procedural but couldn't explain what rule I broke.

Edited June 21, 2020 by SGT_Schultz

[Tango]

1 hour ago, SGT_Schultz said:

 

It depends on stage design, but I have found that I have been able to re-engage difficult targets from a much closer, much more favorable position by taking a few steps back along the invisible fault line extension of a position later on in the CoF.

 

Case in point, fast swinger about 15 -20 yards downrange to be engaged from position one but still swinging (much more slowly) and available much more closely from position two (downrange and a little right of position one).  After activating the swinger from P1 I double tapped it not caring if I hit it or not, that made the swinger "engaged".  Sprinted down to P2, engaged all the targets there, took two quick steps back and left around the barrels from which the swinger appeared, and double tapped it (now barely moving) in the -0 from like 3 yards away.

 

Some people argued that I couldn't re-engage the swinger from there because I stepped backwards and to the side from the fwd fault line.  I said a) P2 doesn't have side fault lines and b) P2 (now that it's in play because I engaged everything I needed to engage at P1) extends backwards to infinity.  Several squad mates backed me up against an SO who wanted to give me a procedural but couldn't explain what rule I broke.

great strategy and I am happy it worked for you, but to me it sounds too complicated and prone to getting a procedural or ten

[SGT_Schultz]

3 hours ago, Tango said:

 to me it sounds too complicated and prone to getting a procedural or ten

It was simpler than most of the stage plans we come up with and execute in USPSA

 

I'm not shy about confronting SOs who don't know the rules when they try to give procedurals for actions they think are wrong, but are actually legal.

Edited June 21, 2020 by SGT_Schultz

[ima45dv8]

16 minutes ago, SGT_Schultz said:

I'm not shy about confronting SOs who don't know the rules...

Nor should you be.

[rowdyb]

Intent is the dirtiest word in idpa. 

[Joe D]

As a former 3 gun Master two things stand out. My shooting partner, Dave Sevigny, once told me - it's not how fast you reload, double tap or transition from target to target, but how fast you get from point a to point B is what wins matches. He is absolutely correct. BTW don't look at the target to see where your bullet went. The front sight will tell you.

[IHAVEGAS]

Shooting around cover is the one thing where I see good IDPA shooters beating good USPSA shooters. 

[Jim Watson]

The fault line has really changed that.  On walkthrough, I look to see where along the fault line I can shoot all or most of the targets in that array without leaning hard.  Often actual "cover" is not involved, all that is required is to shoot the targets outside to in. 

[SGT_Schultz]

2 hours ago, IHAVEGAS said:

Shooting around cover is the one thing where I see good IDPA shooters beating good USPSA shooters. 

 

What you say might have been true (and I doubt it even then) before fault lines existed in IDPA.  But like Jim Watson said: not any more.

 

I still see IDPA shooters in my area struggling to understand and apply the concept of fault lines and some that even still try to use cover the old way.  I guess that's fine if your motivation is something other than being competitive.  USPSA shooters just blaze them.

[Joe D]

I usually set up one or two stages at our local IDPA match. I make certain that my stages are PCC friendly. I will have several "surprise targets" that require no fault lines.

[Joe D]

I do hate the, if you can see them, you can shoot them rule. Setting up stages takes twice as long now. Bad rule IMO.

[Jim Watson]

I am sure setting up more vision barriers instead of specifying target engagement by fiat is more work.

We shall see on July 11.   

[IHAVEGAS]

3 hours ago, Jim Watson said:

The fault line has really changed that.  On walkthrough, I look to see where along the fault line I can shoot all or most of the targets in that array without leaning hard.  Often actual "cover" is not involved, all that is required is to shoot the targets outside to in. 

 

The two local clubs in my area are traditionalists when it comes to placing fault lines. If there is a wall and you do not want a procedural the lines are set so that you are often going to make a challenging lean. I shoot USPSA a lot more than IDPA (almost never any lean except for the odd classifier behind a barricade which is an easy lean) so I guess it is great practice but it definitely is a skill. 

Edited June 21, 2020 by IHAVEGAS

[Jim Watson]

I have run into those.

At one time, there was a match design policy that fault lines not be placed to require excessive contortion. My arthritis really appreciated that, but the provision did not last.

[SGT_Schultz]

28 minutes ago, Jim Watson said:

We shall see on July 11.   

 

Another rulebook?

[Jim Watson]

No, IDPA shooting resumes at Joe D's club which is within my combat radius. 

[Tango]

what is the fault line rule some of you are referring to??

[Joe D]

On 6/21/2020 at 6:28 PM, Jim Watson said:

No, IDPA shooting resumes at Joe D's club which is within my combat radius. 

Make sure you wear your N95 mask at all times. Oxygen will be available for those that pass out due to carbon dioxide poisoning.