Not sure if this is the right forum. I have been thinking about doing some IDPA shooting. I have never shot a match before. I see there is a course put on by GOAL but it is during the week. My question is where else can I learn about it? And what would be a good caliber to use?
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Idpa
- Thread starter wilfx
- Start date
The GOAL program is a great first intro. However if you cannot make it, there are some clubs that offer a 'new shooter' program that's an intro to the basics of the game - mostly safety oriented, as safety is the most important thing.
You can go to IDPA’s website (www.idpa.com) for some basic info and also find a list of IDPA affiliated clubs in the area and links to those club websites. In MA we have:
Rod & Gun Club of New Bedford in Dartmouth, MA
(www.rodgun-nb.org/ap/action.htm)
Riverside Gun Club in Hudson, MA
(www.riversidegc.org/IDPA/IDPAHome.htm)
Agawam Revolver Club in Southwick, MA
(web link not working)
S&W in Springfield, MA
(www.downzero.com/site_home.aspx)
Bass River Rod & Gun Club in Yarmouth, MA
(www.bassriverrod-gunclub.com/IDPA/MainPage.htm)
In addition, just about every club will do their best to accommodate new shooters. Just let the match director know when you arrive. They will give you some of the quick safety things and probably pair you up with an experienced shooter who will be your mentor and guide you through the different safety rules, tips on how to handle different targets, range etiquette, range commands, etc.
You’ll find that action pistol shooters (IDPA, USPSA, etc) are a bunch of friendly folks who are more than willing to help new shooters. If you think about going to a match just to watch, might as well bring some gear so you can shoot.
As for what caliber is best… ask 5 shooters and you’ll get about 12 different answers. Best bet is to start with what ever you currently have. Go and participate in a match and ask different shooters what they are using and why. You’ll probably get offers to try their equipment too. Then you’ll have a better idea of what to get.
Good luck. Hope you come out and play.
You can go to IDPA’s website (www.idpa.com) for some basic info and also find a list of IDPA affiliated clubs in the area and links to those club websites. In MA we have:
Rod & Gun Club of New Bedford in Dartmouth, MA
(www.rodgun-nb.org/ap/action.htm)
Riverside Gun Club in Hudson, MA
(www.riversidegc.org/IDPA/IDPAHome.htm)
Agawam Revolver Club in Southwick, MA
(web link not working)
S&W in Springfield, MA
(www.downzero.com/site_home.aspx)
Bass River Rod & Gun Club in Yarmouth, MA
(www.bassriverrod-gunclub.com/IDPA/MainPage.htm)
In addition, just about every club will do their best to accommodate new shooters. Just let the match director know when you arrive. They will give you some of the quick safety things and probably pair you up with an experienced shooter who will be your mentor and guide you through the different safety rules, tips on how to handle different targets, range etiquette, range commands, etc.
You’ll find that action pistol shooters (IDPA, USPSA, etc) are a bunch of friendly folks who are more than willing to help new shooters. If you think about going to a match just to watch, might as well bring some gear so you can shoot.
As for what caliber is best… ask 5 shooters and you’ll get about 12 different answers. Best bet is to start with what ever you currently have. Go and participate in a match and ask different shooters what they are using and why. You’ll probably get offers to try their equipment too. Then you’ll have a better idea of what to get.
Good luck. Hope you come out and play.
TY43215
NES Member
If you are any where near Cape Cod and want to learn some basics about IDPA send me a PM. We can spend a Saturday morning together at one of the ranges and get you comfortable enough to shoot a match.
As for caliber, anything 9MM or greater that you are comfortable with is fine. 9MM, 38spl, 40S&W, 38Super, 45ACP, I have even seen a couple 44 mags![[grin]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/041.gif "Grin [grin]")
Regards,
As for caliber, anything 9MM or greater that you are comfortable with is fine. 9MM, 38spl, 40S&W, 38Super, 45ACP, I have even seen a couple 44 mags
Regards,
dwarven1
Lonely Mountain Arms
Best caliber is anything larger than 9mm/.38 Spec'l that you can shoot fast and accurately. The best pistol for you to use is the one that you own that you're most comfortable with and that is most reliable. (ie; do NOT take that jammomatic that you've been meaning to get fixed - you'll only be asking for frustration.)
What I use, personally, is a S&W 1911. Others I've used are a CZ75B in 9mm, and ParaOrdnance P10 and P12 in .45. Haven't done revolver yet, but it will be with a Model 66 when I do.
What do they all have in common? I own them, they're all in a major caliber and they're all reliable - no jams.
The only other things you'll need are a concealment garment (vest, windbreaker, long shirt, etc), several magazines or speedloaders (for revolvers), a strong-side holster (no Thunderwear, ankle holster, shoulder holster or small of back holster) and LOTS of ammo.
BTW... it's not too late for you to back out. IDPA is the most addictive shooting sport I've ever tried. Don't say you weren't warned...![[smile]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/001.gif "Smile [smile]")
What I use, personally, is a S&W 1911. Others I've used are a CZ75B in 9mm, and ParaOrdnance P10 and P12 in .45. Haven't done revolver yet, but it will be with a Model 66 when I do.
What do they all have in common? I own them, they're all in a major caliber and they're all reliable - no jams.
The only other things you'll need are a concealment garment (vest, windbreaker, long shirt, etc), several magazines or speedloaders (for revolvers), a strong-side holster (no Thunderwear, ankle holster, shoulder holster or small of back holster) and LOTS of ammo.
BTW... it's not too late for you to back out. IDPA is the most addictive shooting sport I've ever tried. Don't say you weren't warned...
dwarven1
Lonely Mountain Arms
You need a "major power factor" - ie; anything 9mm or .38 Special or larger. I suspect that .45 is popular simply because the 1911 is such an awesome gun.
Having said that, there are a LOT of Glocks, Sigs, etc, all pumping out 9mm slugs at IDPA matches. 9mm is popular because you can load up 10 round mags and let's face it... 9mm ammo is waayyy cheaper than .45. Which is the main reason that I bought my mouse guns - to have something cheaper to shoot. I'd have no qualms about shooting an IDPA match with Franchesca (my CZ75).
Having said that, there are a LOT of Glocks, Sigs, etc, all pumping out 9mm slugs at IDPA matches. 9mm is popular because you can load up 10 round mags and let's face it... 9mm ammo is waayyy cheaper than .45. Which is the main reason that I bought my mouse guns - to have something cheaper to shoot. I'd have no qualms about shooting an IDPA match with Franchesca (my CZ75).
TY43215
NES Member
You need a "major power factor" - ie; anything 9mm or .38 Special or larger. I suspect that .45 is popular simply because the 1911 is such an awesome gun.
Having said that, there are a LOT of Glocks, Sigs, etc, all pumping out 9mm slugs at IDPA matches. 9mm is popular because you can load up 10 round mags and let's face it... 9mm ammo is waayyy cheaper than .45. Which is the main reason that I bought my mouse guns - to have something cheaper to shoot. I'd have no qualms about shooting an IDPA match with Franchesca (my CZ75).
With all due respect, you can not make "Major Power Factor" in stock guns in 9MM or 38spl. They are Minor Power factor rounds until you hit IPSC 9MM Major.
Major Power Factor is 165 or greater. Bullet weight X Velocity. 38spl has a hard time making minor in anything but a +P load.
All that said, 9MM is the caliber to shoot in at least 2 IDPA Divisions, SSP (Stock Service Pistol) and ESP Enhanced Service Pistol.
Regards,
dwarven1
Lonely Mountain Arms
I guess I misunderstood the reason that IDPA requires 9mm or better, then. Am I mixing up terms between IPSC and IDPA?
I went through this confusion when I tried some IDPA. The difference is that IDPA has power floors of certain power factors per division, USPSA just has power factors that a shooter declares on their score sheet that determine scoring, with one exception.
In IDPA, ESP, SSP, and SSR divisions have a minimum of 125pf, and CDP and ESR divisons have a minimum of 165pf. In USPSA, within a division you can have shooters shooting either minor or major, they just get scored slightly different. The exception is Production division, where all are scored minor regardless of the actual powerfactor you are shooting. Only USPSA Open division shooters shoot 9mm/.38 Super to major power factors.
In general, factory 9mm/.38 special is minor (about 135pf) and factory .40 and .45 is major.
In IDPA, ESP, SSP, and SSR divisions have a minimum of 125pf, and CDP and ESR divisons have a minimum of 165pf. In USPSA, within a division you can have shooters shooting either minor or major, they just get scored slightly different. The exception is Production division, where all are scored minor regardless of the actual powerfactor you are shooting. Only USPSA Open division shooters shoot 9mm/.38 Super to major power factors.
In general, factory 9mm/.38 special is minor (about 135pf) and factory .40 and .45 is major.
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TY43215
NES Member
What GTO Shooter said plus:
I think what you mean to say is IDPA requires a major Caliber This would be 9MM or greater. No 32 or 25 0r 22 in standard competition. BUG is a different matter.
Regards,
TY43215
NES Member
Neptune Cat
NES Member
I own a S&W CS9 and I've thought about shooting IDPA before myself. would I be at a great dissadvantage considering my magazines only hold 7 rounds?
dwarven1
Lonely Mountain Arms
Maybe in some stages. Then again, 1911's only hold 7 rounds (or 8 with aftermarket mags). However, some match directors deliberately try to be revolver-friendly and make courses of fire in multiples of 6 rounds needed.
Or you could do what I do... I don't expect to win and don't care if I do. I go out to enjoy the shooting, enjoy the company, and to get to be a better shot... IOW, I'm only competing against myself. And when I see someone like Gene or Jon Greene popping off rounds so fast it sounds like a machine doing the shooting, I can admire the shooting and try to learn from it without worrying about the fact that they just made sure that they got a better score than I did.
Why not just come out and try it? Don't worry about what you're shooting, just concentrate on learning to shoot it better.
Or you could do what I do... I don't expect to win and don't care if I do. I go out to enjoy the shooting, enjoy the company, and to get to be a better shot... IOW, I'm only competing against myself. And when I see someone like Gene or Jon Greene popping off rounds so fast it sounds like a machine doing the shooting, I can admire the shooting and try to learn from it without worrying about the fact that they just made sure that they got a better score than I did.
Why not just come out and try it? Don't worry about what you're shooting, just concentrate on learning to shoot it better.
It all depends on why you are there. I have really enjoyed IDPA and think that
it has done a lot for my skills. If you are trying to be competitive, though, I
don't think that your carry gun will help you much, just like my sig P245.
F
it has done a lot for my skills. If you are trying to be competitive, though, I
don't think that your carry gun will help you much, just like my sig P245.
F
dwarven1
Lonely Mountain Arms
I shoot at Riverside, but we don't have our 2007 schedule out yet. I know that there's a practice at Harvard this weekend, though. Sunday night, I believe. Darius (Cross-X) will know the exact day & time.
