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USPSA info??

jenlynn724

jenlynn724

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I just started shooting IDPA this past year, and was looking at USPSA. I have been told by a few different people that USPSA is more competitive, and if I am not that good, will feel uncomfortable, because i will be holding up the rest of the shooters. Is there any truth to this? I am curious, because i don't want to jump into something over my head. Also, can you use stock pistols, or do you need to have a super expensive custom gun?? Thanks
 
jenlynn724 said:
I just started shooting IDPA this past year, and was looking at USPSA. I have been told by a few different people that USPSA is more competitive, and if I am not that good, will feel uncomfortable, because i will be holding up the rest of the shooters. Is there any truth to this? I am curious, because i don't want to jump into something over my head. Also, can you use stock pistols, or do you need to have a super expensive custom gun?? Thanks
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Local USPSA matches are full of shooters of all skill levels so there is no way that you will be holding any of them up. If ANYONE at a match makes you feel that way they deserve to get smacked in the head and asked to never return to a match (at least that is what I would do at my club).

You most certainly can shoot stock pistols as there is a division (Production) just for off the shelf guns.

Go check out a match, I think you will be very pleasantly surprised.
 
jenlynn724 said:
I just started shooting IDPA this past year, and was looking at USPSA. I have been told by a few different people that USPSA is more competitive, and if I am not that good, will feel uncomfortable, because i will be holding up the rest of the shooters. Is there any truth to this?
Click to expand...

Not really. TELL the person handling registration that you are new and s/he will almost certainly put you in a squad with an RO who will walk you through the procedures. You may even have other new shooters in the squad.

Want to know what pisses other shooters off? NOT being ready when your name is called, NOT helping tape and brass, and talking loudly while someone else is "in the box." I suspect that ticks off IDPA shooters as well.

Also, can you use stock pistols, or do you need to have a super expensive custom gun??
Click to expand...

USPSA has a division for pretty much anything this side of cowboy and single-shot pistols. Your Glock or M&P will be fine in Production, your Security Six or Model 66 will be fine in Revolver and your 1911 will be fine in Limited-10 or Single Stack.

You want at LEAST 4 mags on your belt, plus 1 for the gun, and a good holster. Obviously, good eye and ear protection as well. If you're shooting IDPA, you have most, if not all, of that already.

Oh - we DON'T have a dress code. Leave the "shoot-me-first" vest at home.
 
not even remotely true. Bring what you got. I've been shooting production for years. It's an exciting and competitive division. But be warned the all of the open guns is very strong.

If you like pulling the trigger and making your own decisions, you'll like this game.
 
and if I am not that good, will feel uncomfortable, because i will be holding up the rest of the shooters. Is there any truth to this? I am curious, because i don't want to jump into something over my head
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No truth whatsoever. As long as you know how to follow all the safety procedures (the universal ones, plus the USPSA specific ones like "handling the gun only in the designated location") you will not be "holding anyone up.". Jump in and help when everyone goes forward to tape targets and you'll be pretty popular in no time.

Also, can you use stock pistols, or do you need to have a super expensive custom gun?? Thanks
Click to expand...
There are several divisions, including "production" which is specifically designed for out of the box pistols. One of our former local shooters (Dave Sevigny) has, quite literally, made a career out of shooting an out of the box handgun.

I am running an intro course on USPSA shooting in Hopkinton on 3/20-3-21 - PM if you want details.
 
Don't worry about holding anyone up. USPSA has everyone from novice to expert shooters. The majority of people involved are very nice, helpfull people & are always willing to teach new shooters & lend a hand with helpfull tips & pointers.
You can shoot any handgun you bring to the table & there are divisions for every type.
One thing is once you get bitten by the USPSA bug, You're going to want to spend some decent money on some competition equipment, like a speed holster, belt, extra mags & mag holders. One year of shooting USPSA & you will become a faster & more proficient shooter that can operate ones equipment without having to think about it.
IMO, USPSA is waaaay more fun than IDPA.
 
jenlynn724 said:
I just started shooting IDPA this past year, and was looking at USPSA. I have been told by a few different people that USPSA is more competitive, and if I am not that good, will feel uncomfortable, because i will be holding up the rest of the shooters. Is there any truth to this? I am curious, because i don't want to jump into something over my head. Also, can you use stock pistols, or do you need to have a super expensive custom gun?? Thanks
Click to expand...

It is rarely the "new" shooters that holding anything, quite the opposite.

Just come out and have fun.
 
Thanks guys.. I think i'll come out and watch the next match local to me. Unfortunately, the class in march won't work for me..
 
Scrivener said:
It's all those "A" shooters playing range lawyer with the RO as they try to make Master.......
Click to expand...

Amen to that!!

As has been said, bring your gear to the match, lots of ammo, and let the R.O. on your squad that you're new to USPSA. You'll find the shooters very easy to get along with.
 
Jenlynn- I think I'm one of the few on this thread that shoot both. I RO/SO in each as well. From my perspective the ONLY thing that is important is safe gun handling- if you can do that (which I know you can) you will fit in just fine. The only thing that someone will mostly likely give you crap about is that you do shoot IDPA as well. It's part of the hazing process but that makes the time that much more fun. lol

Shooting USPSA is a bit humbling to be honest with you... IDPA tends to draw more of the newer action shooters.. but some of the best USPSA shooters are some of the nicest people so jump in!
 
I shoot at Harvard. If you want to feel better about yourself, just shoot in my group. I guarantee you will not finish last.
 
Like Lugnut, I also shoot both disciplines as well. I shoot IDPA SSP and USPSA production and use the exact same gear but with a couple extra mags on my belt for USPSA. I do think USPSA is harder, a bit more competitive and the overall talent level is a bit better but no one will mind that you are a beginner. As was said earlier, if some one gets upset then they need to get a smack. Remember EVERYONE was a beginner at some point.

You are worried that you won't be good enough but my first match experience was quite different and a little funny. I used to be one of those guys who took all the tactical defensive classes from the big name trainers who thought that gun games would get you killed. They used to spout off how that once you graduated from their class you would be better than 99% of all the shooters out there. I showed up at my first match thinking I was going to kick everyone's ass and show them how shooting was supposed to be done. Well, I got my ass handed to me. I couldn't believe how good everyone was. I found out that compared to these guys I totally sucked. But everyone couldn't have been any nicer and more supportive. Now go out and find a match to shoot.
 
Glshooter said:
Like Lugnut, I also shoot both disciplines as well.
Click to expand...

For IDPA, "discipline" is meant literally. Think of Bill Wilson as a ballistic dominatrix, ready to swat your rump with a riding crop for "Failure To Do Right," use cover or Reload With Retention.

No such authoritarianism in USPSA.

I used to be one of those guys who took all the tactical defensive classes from the big name trainers who thought that gun games would get you killed. They used to spout off how that once you graduated from their class you would be better than 99% of all the shooters out there. I showed up at my first match thinking I was going to kick everyone's ass and show them how shooting was supposed to be done. Well, I got my ass handed to me. I couldn't believe how good everyone was. I found out that compared to these guys I totally sucked.
Click to expand...

At least you had all those "tactical" T-shirts. [wink]
 
While everyone's here, I was looking at the Northeast match schedule, and noticed there were no Westfield matches listed (except for S&W). Did Westfield fall off the grid, or is this another byproduct of the club's legal troubles?
 
I used to be one of those guys who took all the tactical defensive classes from the big name trainers who thought that gun games would get you killed.
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Yup, dead competition shooters are just getting stacked up like cordwood on the streets of American cities.

They used to spout off how that once you graduated from their class you would be better than 99% of all the shooters out there.
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This may very well be true. There are a lot of really bad shooters out there.

99% of the shooters out there would probably consider a sleeve of primers to be a "stockpile" rather than a "critical shortage".
 
Scrivener said:
But at least you learned how to snatch the slide off a bad guy's Beretta, right?
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Oh yeah, that's my favorite move. I also learned that only a .45 will stop a bad guy, buy a 1911 because plastic guns melt in the sun, USPSA and IDPA guys shoot fast but their tactics suck. But my favorite is listening to guys talk about how the military should do things because the internet/gun magazine/book/instructor they worship says differently.

Lugnut said:
You seem to have made up ground just fine now though!
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Thanks Dave, I'm trying hard. I still get jealous when I watch these young athletic guys and wish I had started earlier instead of my out of shape late 30's.
 
Glshooter said:
I still get jealous when I watch these young athletic guys and wish I had started earlier instead of my out of shape late 30's.
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Wait till you get to your out of shape, bad knees, can't see the front sight without special glasses 50's!
Rob Leatham is now in his late 40's ( I think), with bad knees, and carrying a lot more weight than he did in the 80's. Robbie is still a force to be reconned with.
 
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To the OP if you want a good idea and have time tomorrow there is a USPSA style match at Independent Sportsmen in Foxboro tomorrow AM. New shooters are welcome. Don't come to watch, bring your gear and a couple hundred rounds and play. You will be hooked.
 
Glshooter said:
Thanks Dave, I'm trying hard. I still get jealous when I watch these young athletic guys and wish I had started earlier instead of my out of shape late 30's.
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So become the Late 30's in-shape guy. Physical conditioning only plays a small role in this game. smooth movement and efficiency are more important. One of the thing I learn when I started was that it didn't matter if I could get to the next shooting box faster than anyone else, if I wasn't ready to shoot when I got there, then I was just wasting time.
 

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