How do you explain IPSC shooting

[rtr]

Sometimes I find myself telling people I meet about my shooting hobby.

I have a hard time easily explaining what IPSC or practical shooting in general really is.

How do you explain it to people?

[mlmiller1]

I tell people it is a high speed shooting game where you use real guns & run around shooting at mostly paper targets.

If they still look interested I tell them it is scored where speed & accuracy both count.

Then if they still look interested, I say we shoot at moving targets, sometimes, & we are moving & shooting sometimes as well.

If still interested, I send them to the uspsa website where the video is on the front page.

Then finally if they express anymore interest at all, I invite them to come with me & give it a try if they want. I can loan them gear & so forth for their first try. But if that intimidates them, I offer to take them to the range & either give them some tips & show them what to expect OR I offer to take them to the range & just help them to either( A ) learn to shoot or( B ) learn to shoot better. Always with the disclaimer that I am not that great of a shot.

Just my approach. MLM

Edited April 29, 2009 by mlmiller1

[smokshwn]

Drag racing with guns

[North]

Most folks have seen movies were police shoot action type stages. I usually reference that and then show them some web video.

[kevin c]

I ask them if they know what the Olympic Biathalon is like. If they do, I tell them IPSC is like that, only with a pistol, with full power ammo, with moving targets, with no snow, and running instead of skis.

Hey, it's a start...

[ihatepickles]

Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas... Accuracy, Power, Speed...

[CSEMARTIN]

If they seem genuinely interested, I'll gladly go into it with them. Otherwise, I quit trying....

[ShaunH]

The most fun you can have with your pants on..and you do it with a handgun!!!

Edited April 29, 2009 by ShaunH

[edwin garcia]

NASCAR of shooting sports

[Graham Smith]

I tell them it's like target shooting except very fast and you have to shoot around obstacles. If they are still interested, I send them a link to one of a couple different web videos (one is fairly short using a hat cam). If they are still interested, I tell them to come to a match.

[rvb]

I tell people [especially non-shooters] it's much like playing golf.....

... golf has 9 to 18 "stages," however you have to complete each hole as fast as possible, the holes are often moving, and instead of a nice wide-open green the holes are in the middle of the woods with lots of stuff to get in the way of an accurate shot. Oh, and you don't start the holes with the clubs in your hands, you have to remove the club from the bag and make your first swing as quickly as possible at the buzzer. ... yea... just like golf.

-rvb

[SteveU]

I tell people [especially non-shooters] it's much like playing golf.....

... golf has 9 to 18 "stages," however you have to complete each hole as fast as possible, the holes are often moving, and instead of a nice wide-open green the holes are in the middle of the woods with lots of stuff to get in the way of an accurate shot. Oh, and you don't start the holes with the clubs in your hands, you have to remove the club from the bag and make your first swing as quickly as possible at the buzzer. ... yea... just like golf.

-rvb

now THAT sounds like a way to make golf interesting.

If there's ever a USPSA golf outing, I nominate you to write the rules.

[gmantwo]

I tell them it's the most fun you can have with a gun and still be legal!

If I'm near a computer, I take them to USPSA.ORG and show them the video on the main page.

[cdrissel]

Sometimes I find myself telling people I meet about my shooting hobby.

I have a hard time easily explaining what IPSC or practical shooting in general really is.

How do you explain it to people?

"hobby"?

I'd say it was more of an addiction.

Edited April 29, 2009 by cdrissel

[JoshF]

NASCAR of shooting sports

Nah... more like the World Rally Championship of shooting sports... You get to see the course and map it out but it's anything but predictable plus we run be it Sun, Rain, Snow, Hurricane, etc.....

Steel Challenge is more like NASCAR.... Same courses of fire ran every time in confined area and it is spectator friendly....

excuse me while I go put my flame suit on

Edited April 29, 2009 by JoshF

[Bigpops]

I told someone the other day " remember all of the stuff you were taught as a kid....like don't run with guns? Well we do that safely and fast"

[kurtm]

I tell people that it is like an obstacle course and a maze with targets interspersed through out and you have to do it faster and more accurately than anyone else to win. Usually get,s their interest up. KurtM

[BSeevers]

I say its rooted in combat shooting like the "hogans alley" you see on cop movies like Dirty Harry but has evolved to speed competition shooting. The courses are always different and we are scored on targets and timed to .01 sec. I then simulate a dropper and swinger with my hand. Usually they ask what kind of gun and I explain Open and how its like a Top Fuel Racecar and Production is like Showroom Stock and that you compete in your own class and type of gun. I throw in that I usually compete in larger national/regional events but there are plenty of casual locals. I always talk about how much fun it is for me.

[SA Friday]

I say its rooted in combat shooting like the "hogans alley" you see on cop movies like Dirty Harry but has evolved to speed competition shooting. The courses are always different and we are scored on targets and timed to .01 sec. I then simulate a dropper and swinger with my hand. Usually they ask what kind of gun and I explain Open and how its like a Top Fuel Racecar and Production is like Showroom Stock and that you compete in your own class and type of gun. I throw in that I usually compete in larger national/regional events but there are plenty of casual locals. I always talk about how much fun it is for me.

Yep, Hogan's Ally from the Dirty Harry movie... WITHOUT the really bad 70's hair and clothes, and faster. Then the vid from the uspsa site. Then some vids from youtube.

[rtr]

Obviously video describes it best, but I struggle to explain when I don't have a computer nearby.

Golf is an interesting comparison. It seems there are very few people still shooting IPSC who have been doing it for more than about 10 years. It seems like IPSC takes a similar amount of time, money and commitment as golf but isn't as socially acceptable as golf in a lot of ways (ie isn't used as much as a social and business networking tool as well as a sport).

[bkeeler]

Here is the problem..... now solve the problem as fast and accurately as you can.

BK

[John2A]

If I am asked what I do for a hobby I usually say I shoot USPSA. If they ask what that is I say it is like shooting at the range except you have a person behind you with a timer, you are faced with any where from 5-12 different stages and within those stages you have 3-4 different scenarios to solve as quickly as possible. If still interested I show some footage of me on my camcorder if still interested I invite them to a match and will provide all the gear needed and even offer to pay for the first match. I have never had any one take me up on the offer.

I usually follow up with this is the most fun that you can have with a great group of people. Come and watch or come and shoot but I must warn you that it is addicitive. Most of my older golf buddies don't understand why I do this. When I was playing golf 3-4 times a week I was a scrath to 1 handi cap and now I am a B class shooter. I tell them well I won have won all of your money now it is time for me to pay up some other people... Right Devon

[Sterling White]

Welcome to your new addiction!

[ShaunH]

Here is the problem..... now solve the problem as fast and accurately as you can.

BK

I like that one; however, I would add "with a firearm" to the end of it.

[ciscoip]

I describe it as an obstacle course with targets in it, where the competitors shoot as fast and as accurately as possible. Points divided by time gives you your score, which is compared to all other competitors.