HK91

Anyone use IDPA to put the skills that you learned in defensive pistol courses to the test?

Ram Rod

I like shooting IDPA matches personally. It puts a third dimension to the training regiment I believe.

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RamRod-----sans remords

HighVelocity

I shoot a lot of IDPA. It is not training. It is a game. A very fun game at that.

Gary

HowardCohodas

I like shooting in matches to improve my confidence and competence in using my weapon. Even if you don't think you are competitive, the pressure you put on yourself in a match is a good way of conditioning yourself to operate in high adrenalin situations. And it's fun.

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Howard
I carry a gun because I can't carry a cop!!
M&P 45 with Crimson Trace LaserGrip in a SmartCarry holster

Miggy

The IDPA training/game controversy is as strong as 9mm v. .45 or steel guns v. plastic guns.

If you treat IDPA as a game, that is all you will get. If you treat it as training you must be aware that it covers only so much but beats static range shooting which is less than nothing and it is also what most of the shooters get as defensive training. IDPA is basic elementary defensive shooting sort of like First, Second and maybe Third grade in elementary school.

There is a strong current of Gamers within IDPA that want to see it moved more into a game: they want lasers and optics and whathaveyou. So far Headquarters has not relented and lots of shooters hate the idea since IDPA was formed because IPSC lost its original bearings as self defense style shooting and became a horse race.

If the first rule in a gunfight is to Have A Gun, the true second rule is Do Not Get Shot and IDPA teaches this by insisting on the use of cover and concealment. I have not seen other shooting sport save TSA (Tactical Shooting Association) that encourages this. Ecourage heck! It is mandatory.

I cannot speak for all IDPA clubs save for mine and the one in the Keys but in these two particular cases we have shooters who never shot before and pulled out the gun of the box brand new the day of their first match, learned to shoot IDPA and then went on to expand their knowledge taking classes with good respectable instructors or attended shooting schools. And yes, when they get to that level, they see IDPA as a game but not with derision because it got them started in the right path. And also it is trigger time in a non-static range with scenarios in which now they can choose to shoot as a game if they are in the mood to do it as such or as training refresher if they want to go that way. Usually when they do the last, their scores suffer and don't rank high but who cares?

Unless you own your own range, no commercial or public range will allow you to draw and move, go down to your knees or prone, seek and shoot from cover, shoot multiple targets, etc. IDPA gives you that. Is it a class in LFI or Thunder Ranch or Valhalla? Nope, but it a start, it teaches you some basics and it is trigger time with a purpose. What you do with it is up to you. You can ca treat it as a game or you can treat it as training. I can't afford to go an train every 2 weeks at Southern Exposure Training with Randy Cain or Louie Awerbuck but I sure can go to my IDPA matches and refresh the basics.

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You have to make the shot when fire is smoking, people are screaming, dogs are barking, kids are crying and sirens are coming.
Randy Cain.

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Cthulhu

Training is a mentality.

You can shoot IDPA as training. It isn't likely you'll win, but you can train many things, depending on the courses of fire that are set up.

On the other hand, you can do what many do and 'game' it, and shoot only to win.

'Practice' could be a combination of the two mentalities.

My two yen...

-JT

Rob99VMI04

I shoot IDPA and and some of the techniques you do in IDPA you would not want to do in real life.

Heres what IDPA does do for you in IMO. It gets you off a static Range. Alllows you to think and move, and shoot. And come up with problem solving situations instead of just shooting at blank 2 dimensional paper. Now you have move your feet and get outside the BOX litterly and shoot at 2 dimensional Card Board.

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To be effective in carrying a gun for self defense requires 3 things a #1 positive- aware-mindset, #2 good training #3 good equipment. Equating this to numbers shows us that if you lack one of these=ZERO times anything is STILL ZERO!-4th grade Math

"When seconds count.....Cops Respond in Minutes"

Cthulhu

+1 Miggy

The group I shoot with has formed an IDPA committee composed of SO's and the match director to decide how IDPA will be shot for our group. They've recently announced (or will soon announce) that PROPER use of concealment/cover will be taken into account during the matches. Many people have very good scores because they are not utilizing concealment/cover correctly, and just poking their guns around corners.

Personally, I really like that enforcement of the rules. A lot of the 'gamers' won't.

-JT

Ram Rod

Well, maybe I'm just too new at it. Maybe I just get a bit more out of it than you? Who was it now that commented here a while back about the USPSA being a bunch of airsoft folks upgrading to live ammunition?

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RamRod-----sans remords

Miggy

Cthulhu, Make sure to strike a balance between enforcement and fun. I give New Shooters a break on their first stage if they make a booboo but take them to one side and explain what they did wrong. Next stage they get dinged if they repeat the mistake and that is when it starts to settle in. I tend to get nastier with gamers, specially if we are going to a sanctioned match. Amazingly, alongside the cover, the most common violation happens before they even draw and is they start moving in anticipation of the beep. And yes, I am the sob that goes :Shooter Is Ready, Stand by (wait anywhere for 4 to 10 seconds) BEEP!" although I am thinking on loosing the beep right before I finish saying Stand-By

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You have to make the shot when fire is smoking, people are screaming, dogs are barking, kids are crying and sirens are coming.
Randy Cain.

GunFreeZone.net