What is the secret to IDPA shooting?

[Jim Watson]

I have already passed out there once and hope not to do it again.

 

[Sethdaniel05]

At my local matches it’s really important to shoot the match clean (only 4 stages). Any mistake can equal a few spots in the results.

Just shot a state level match and made a couple mistakes early on and had one stage with too many points down. But also won 3 stages. It would have been far more advantageous for me to shoot more conservatively on some stages instead of trying to keep up my speed. Throttle control is what I need to work on most. Speed isn’t rewarded the same as USPSA.


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[Racinready300ex]

Shooting clean or really close to clean is the key in my mind. You can do all the things right, lean out on the exit, run hard, come into position with the gun up ready to shoot all super efficiently and then miss the -0 by a 1/8" and you've lost everything your technique gained and then some.

 

Dropping 2-3 charlie's on a stage in USPSA even shooting minor is might be fine. Dropping 2-3 points on a IDPA stage is going to kill you unless you are considerably faster then the field. 

[waktasz]

Yep, this. 

[Zincwarrior]

On 9/3/2020 at 9:15 AM, Racinready300ex said:

Shooting clean or really close to clean is the key in my mind. You can do all the things right, lean out on the exit, run hard, come into position with the gun up ready to shoot all super efficiently and then miss the -0 by a 1/8" and you've lost everything your technique gained and then some.

 

Dropping 2-3 charlie's on a stage in USPSA even shooting minor is might be fine. Dropping 2-3 points on a IDPA stage is going to kill you unless you are considerably faster then the field. 

 

This! This! This! One of the real differences between the two sports is that IDPA gives more weight to accuracy. Don't miss those shots or put an extra one in the target to make sure. Also you tend to see more head shots and things in IDPA stages. You can often tell a good IDPA shooter in a USPSA match qualifier because they are used to having to be just a hair more accurate. Interestingly if you shoot Production in USPSA often you are more accurate as well due to the minor factor impacting your scoring.

 

Also, as an SO, if you are a real RUN and gunner, do them a favor your first time up and tell them you are going to boogie. They may not expect it.

[SGT_Schultz]

4 hours ago, Zincwarrior said:

Also, as an SO, if you are a real RUN and gunner, do them a favor your first time up and tell them you are going to boogie. They may not expect it.

 

Why do IDPA SOs invariable ask "which way are you going" when there's a choice of direction at the start?

 

What does it matter which way the shooter goes?  The SO is supposed to keep clear of the shooter no matter what.

 

As a USPSA RO, I never ask.  I always plan to move clear of the shooter in a way that will leave him complete freedom.  It's not like we need to have the timer right by them.......

Edited September 4, 2020 by SGT_Schultz

[Tango]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Yes, aim for zero down, this one is obvious. But I intended to ask: what is the secret to speed in IDPA shooting? In other words, how can one be fast in IDPA? What are the specific skills that make and IDPA shooter a fast one? 

 

I think the answer will not be exactly the same for what it would be for USPSA.

[Tango]

Just now, Tango said:

Thanks for all the suggestions. Yes, aim for zero down, this one is obvious. But I intended to ask: what is the secret to speed in IDPA shooting? In other words, how can one be fast in IDPA? What are the specific skills that make and IDPA shooter a fast one? 

 

I think the answer will not be exactly the same for what it would be for USPSA.

I dont think they are the same skills, here is an example: I have this one shooter friend who is much faster than me in IDPA, but I am faster than him in USPSA. What could cause this?

[waktasz]

You don't actually know how to aim

[SGT_Schultz]

 

11 minutes ago, Tango said:

I dont think they are the same skills, here is an example: I have this one shooter friend who is much faster than me in IDPA, but I am faster than him in USPSA. What could cause this?

 

Is he faster in raw time or total time?

[Sethdaniel05]

The biggest difference between IDPA and USPSA in my mind is the acceptable target area. It’s almost always the 0 in IDPA and in USPSA C’s are more acceptable especially depending on the HF.

All other principals of speed would apply to both.


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[Tango]

34 minutes ago, SGT_Schultz said:

 

 

Is he faster in raw time or total time?

raw time; i am faster in uspsa, he is faster in idpa

[Sethdaniel05]

Next match you shoot together have someone film you and also him. Edit them split screen and it’ll be obvious.


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[rowdyb]

1 hour ago, Tango said:

What are the specific skills that make and IDPA shooter a fast one?

shooting uspsa is actually that skill. then it is up to you to be disciplined enough when you switch about deciding when to pull the trigger.

 

as someone who shoots both there are definitely very great specialists who only shoot idpa versus the guys who pop in and out from uspsa. but if you're a regular person and you just want to get faster i'd say shoot 12 uspsa matches in a row and then come back to idpa.

 

too many SS and EX shooters I see in idpa just really don't know what fast running, fast gun handling and fast transitions are. shoot uspsa and you will.

 

there is a reason most M idpa shooters come in at B in uspsa. i did it when i switched. and the reason is that most idpa shooters are not fast in comparison. coupled with the misguided sentiment that it is speed or accuracy when it really is speed AND accuracy.

 

btw I am M in ssp, esp, pcc, ccp and cdp and have been a DC like 6 times and won at EX once at nats. so i know idpa. i'm a M in uspsa in Prod and Lim10. and a pcc M in steel challenge. so that's where i'm coming from.

Edited September 5, 2020 by rowdyb

[Sethdaniel05]

shooting uspsa is actually that skill. then it is up to you to be disciplined enough when you switch about deciding when to pull the trigger.
 
as someone who shoots both there are definitely very great specialists who only shoot idpa versus the guys who pop in and out from uspsa. but if you're a regular person and you just want to get faster i'd say shoot 12 uspsa matches in a row and then come back to idpa.
 
too many SS and EX shooters I see in idpa just really don't know what fast running, fast gun handling and fast transitions are. shoot uspsa and you will.
 
there is a reason most M idpa shooters come in at B in uspsa. i did it when i switched. and the reason is that most idpa shooters are not fast in comparison.

My experience as well. Master in IDPA and B in USPSA.


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[rowdyb]

-give up the idea it is training or a tactical evolution. approach it solely as a game

-shoot 12 uspsa matches in a row (no idpa at all) in a division as close as possible to your idpa division

-dry fire daily, with honest accountability. and work on just being faster at gun handling than you are.

-develop a perfect index to where the -0 is on the idpa target

-practice visual discipline but not at the exclusion of what the rest of you is doing. you need to learn to "see" faster than you currently are.

-live fire in your vest. dry fire in your vest

-make sure you're not using crap gear

-subjugate your ego and try shooting a local with the idea of being the fastest raw time (so an idpa match and points down be damned) overall. you were fastest, faster than pcc or anyone else. asses what this felt like and what it looked like through the sights. many people don't just simply go faster because they are afraid of the outcome. fear is not a good decision maker. confidence is! also with the former you are focusing on outcomes, which you can't control. one must focus on actions/process. that is what you can control.

Edited September 5, 2020 by rowdyb

[SGT_Schultz]

1 hour ago, Tango said:

raw time; i am faster in uspsa, he is faster in idpa

 

How do you two stack up in IDPA after the points down are tallied up?

[Tango]

1 hour ago, rowdyb said:

shooting uspsa is actually that skill. then it is up to you to be disciplined enough when you switch about deciding when to pull the trigger.

 

as someone who shoots both there are definitely very great specialists who only shoot idpa versus the guys who pop in and out from uspsa. but if you're a regular person and you just want to get faster i'd say shoot 12 uspsa matches in a row and then come back to idpa.

 

too many SS and EX shooters I see in idpa just really don't know what fast running, fast gun handling and fast transitions are. shoot uspsa and you will.

 

there is a reason most M idpa shooters come in at B in uspsa. i did it when i switched. and the reason is that most idpa shooters are not fast in comparison. coupled with the misguided sentiment that it is speed or accuracy when it really is speed AND accuracy.

 

btw I am M in ssp, esp, pcc, ccp and cdp and have been a DC like 6 times and won at EX once at nats. so i know idpa. i'm a M in uspsa in Prod and Lim10. and a pcc M in steel challenge. so that's where i'm coming from.

I am M in USPSA, EX in IDPA, both CO. Not a regular IDPA shooter.

[Tango]

34 minutes ago, SGT_Schultz said:

 

How do you two stack up in IDPA after the points down are tallied up?

close, but he still beats me.

[Tango]

I should say, I sense a feeling of superiority here among USPSA shooters, which is not warranted at the top level. I know production GM's in USPSA who can not beat IDPA M's in IDPA. These are different games, and top level shooters exist in both games. 

[Tango]

I found this. Everything is different in this style of shooting compared to the typical USPSA stage: positions, movement, cadence...lots of move, hard stop, shoot, move again, awkward positions, hard exits etc. vs USPSA you can move fluidly all the time. I think this is the main difference: having to shoot behind barriers (and slicing the pie) make the movement very choppy vs. smooth movement of USPSA. 

 

 

 

[SGT_Schultz]

2 hours ago, Tango said:

close, but he still beats me.

 

I wonder if you're hesitant or if your friend is just a slightly better technical shooter which allows him to shoot more precisely at speed?

 

Just a guess, not having ever seen either of you shoot.

[IHAVEGAS]

18 hours ago, Tango said:

I should say, I sense a feeling of superiority here among USPSA shooters, which is not warranted at the top level. I know production GM's in USPSA who can not beat IDPA M's in IDPA. These are different games, and top level shooters exist in both games. 

 

The local IDPA club is very strong. One of the guys shoots carry optics and has won the overall at state championships a couple times this year, he has yet to come in at the top in CO of a local USPSA match to my knowledge. The other is a DM with a room full of IDPA upper level match trophies including winning his division at the nationals, he stays away from USPSA because he does not want to work hard enough to win and make the additional time/money commitments.

 

For what it is worth. I don't have a dog to fight here, I shoot both sports for fun. 

[MHicks]

A good USPSA GM would just have to look at the stages and get comfortable with the IDPA rules and scoring method and adjust his stage planning accordingly.  But very few of them have the desire to shoot IDPA. 

[rowdyb]

20 hours ago, Tango said:

found this. Everything is different in this style of shooting compared to the typical USPSA stage: positions, movement, cadence...lots of move, hard stop, shoot, move again, awkward positions, hard exits etc. vs USPSA you can move fluidly all the time. I think this is the main difference: having to shoot behind barriers (and slicing the pie) make the movement very choppy vs. smooth movement of USPSA. 

Maybe I read the intent of your original post wrong. I answered for someone who already knows how to shoot IDPA, and probably reasonably well. That type of person knows how to shoot barricades and do odd leans and hit their mark on the ground already. My advice was for someone who was intermediate and wanted to be great.

 

PS-I had an overall stage win at that '16 idpa nats. Otherwise I was a total crash and burn that match hahahaha.