First IDPA match tips?

I have gotten a lot of good tips from people regarding shooting a first IDPA match. I was hoping to get some more feedback from anyone willing to type it.

I have read the rules ad nauseam especially the safety officer commands and proper response actions. Also, I will have magazines loaded the day before and will review etiquette standards regarding pasting targets, being ready when my turn comes, and generally making sure I'm staying out of everyone elses way.

Anything else I should do before the match that isn't in the IDPA book?

I have been practicing properly drawing/holstering and mag loading on the range in the last few months. Accuracy is going to suck but I expect first day jitters to be ever present.

Focus on completing each course correctly and shooting accurately. Do not focus on time. Your times will improve as you do more matches, but you need to develop proper fundamentals first. Enjoy!

Let the RO's know its your first match. They'll be more than happy to assist you and politely correct any issues you have. Start slow and safe and you will have a good time.

Where will you be shooting this match?

Some tidbits: tell the RO it's your first and they'll probably let you shoot last in your squad all day so you can watch everyone else first for each stage.

Bring gloves so you can help set up/tear down without getting splinters.

Safety rules first, paying particular attention to any range-specific safety concerns.

what everyone said above.

this past weekend i have run a couple of brand new (to competition) shooters. here's a few things they did wrong or can improve on:
keep that muzzle pointed at the berm, not at your feet and not at the sun. you let one off accidentally and it's a bad thing either way (shoot your foot or hit a house a mile away).

keep your trigger finger indexed along the slide unless you're on target and intending to shoot. it's better to focus on where it should be (along the slide) than where it shouldn't be (anywhere inside the trigger guard). don't wrap it around the grip and don't just leave it out there dangling.

have some half decent gear (belt, holster and mag pouches). anything bladetech or comptac or similar will suffice just fine. guy today had a nylon holster that came off his belt a few times when drawing. check out the bladetech idpa competition package, basic stuff you need and a decent price.

don't have a bunch of loose clothing, elastic pulls or anything that will interfere with your draw, holstering, or may get inside the holster and affect your trigger.

look your gun into the holster!!! you're never on the clock while holstering so do it SLOW and safe. make sure nothing is inside or near that could snag your trigger and light one off.

don't try to keep up with the more experienced and faster guys. go just fast enough to get SOLID hits. if you're not hitting in the A or the down 0 zones, slow the heck down until you are. when you get solid hits then you can speed up a little.

do not yank the trigger. try a "2 stage" trigger pull - take up slack and then break the shot. you yank that thing all the way thru in one swift motion and you will miss your butt off. no one will laugh at you for going slow if you get solid hits, but if you are machine-gunning it and missing everything, you may get some snickers.

have the RO or SO walk you thru the stage dry, step by step, and then have him watch you run thru the stage dry, so you have a decent idea of what to do and when.

don't crowd cover. if you're jammed up against a wall or barrel, it makes you do weird (and unsafe) contortions when reloading or clearing a jam. give yourself some room for manipulating your gun.

again, no charlies' angels, keep the gun pointed at the berm and not your feet or the sky.

again, what everyone said above.

good on you for jumping in, you will have fun and become an overall better shooter!

An Uncle Mikes Instructor Belt is a good deal and served me well for 6 years.

Yeah, been in action gun games for 6 years and got my first DQ Saturday. Time to up my game a little.

Great stuff everyone. I appreciate it.

I think the more prepared I am the more fun it'll be for me and others having to deal with a new guy.

All very good advice above. I’ll add do not try to catch your unfired round when unloading and showing clear. It annoys the SO’s because it is unsafe, makes it difficult to see an empty chamber, and there is some good YouTube video of a guy shooting himself in the hand while doing so!

The only thing not yet said is : Relax , and enjoy yourself.

( Straight thru trigger pull is fine, and agruablely preferable . The key is smooth, controled, and consistent. But that's a seperate discussion .)

Biggfoot44 said:

( Straight thru trigger pull is fine, and agruablely preferable . The key is smooth, controled, and consistent. But that's a seperate discussion .)

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yep, more than one way to do it, and some people just let it barely reset, which doesn't work for me.

back on keeping the gun pointed at the berm, other than safety, the other reason is that's where the targets are. if you have to bring the gun up from the ground or down from the sky to get it on target, that's a time waster.

1, be safe
2, practice avoiding DQable offenses, like how to run uprange without violating the 180 rule.
3, learn and practice to avoid other infractions, like reloading when not behind cover
4, have fun
5, work on the fundementals to reduce points down
6 work on speeding up without increasing points down
pretty much in that order, watch others shoot, you can copy them, but figuring out why they do what they do helps you understand the strategy. If you are the first one there to help setup, the last to leave after teardown, help reset or run/score others, you will pick it up quick, and others will give you plenty of decent advice. The only time I usually don't help run or reset is if i'm up next, you want to be at the starting position ready to go soon as setup is done, or after I run, I take a drink, and reload mags if I need to. Getting enough mags that you only have to reload every few stages, or prefferably have enough mags loaded to not have to reload at all can be a big help. Definetely a good pair of gloves, double the ammount of water or Gatorade you think you will need. Practice a lot, for me 99% of that practice doesn't involve shooting, practice reloads, drawing, moving, how to shoot around cover etc, try new things at home or at the range, push yourself, and if you aren't (safely) screwing up, you are not practicing hard enough, but stick to what you have practiced when shooting the match. IDPA and steel challenge are good competitions to start out with, and lots of people are happy to stick with them, but don't be afraid to try out new matches. IMO IDPA is heavy on rules and fundementals, try a "funshoot" or the upcoming steel matches at York PA's Isaac Walton (yorkpistol.blogspot), they are geared twards new competitors, and can teach you a ton in a single match, especially if you forsee branching out into USPSA or 3gun

Gryphon said:

All very good advice above. I’ll add do not try to catch your unfired round when unloading and showing clear. It annoys the SO’s because it is unsafe, makes it difficult to see an empty chamber, and there is some good YouTube video of a guy shooting himself in the hand while doing so!

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That's a separate discussion, and certainly not something he should worry about at his first match.

But I don't see that as being unsafe when done correctly. Now, those who cup their hand over the ejection port while racking the slide to catch the round...that is unsafe. Either flip catch, or let it hit the dirt.

Racinready300ex said:

That's a separate discussion, and certainly not something he should worry about at his first match.

But I don't see that as being unsafe when done correctly. Now, those who cup their hand over the ejection port while racking the slide to catch the round...that is unsafe. Either flip catch, or let it hit the dirt.

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Gryphon said:

All very good advice above. I’ll add do not try to catch your unfired round when unloading and showing clear. It annoys the SO’s because it is unsafe, makes it difficult to see an empty chamber, and there is some good YouTube video of a guy shooting himself in the hand while doing so!

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I nailed a timer operator in the face with a 308 cartridge when I was clearing my rifle after a 3-gun stage. I think that's a little more annoying than trying to catch an unfired round

fyi just got a reminder email about the intro to idpa class at shadow hawk referenced earlier, saying they had a few spots left. for the very minor cost, prob not a bad idea for someone wanting to jump into idpa (or uspsa).

Show up early and observe the prior squad if you can.

Don’t touch your pistol unless you are in the “safe area” (no ammo allowed here) or as instructed on the line by the RO. Sounds obvious but if you are on an unused stage, you could feel urge to test a sight picture or something.

On that topic, unlike USPSA, “airgunning” is sort of frowned upon in IDPA.

Know the shooting order, which should be the same all match long. Memorize the guy before you and before him. It will probably shift starting shooter each stage but you’ll be in same order. So first guy goes last on 2nd stage...

Help set up or break down the match if you can. If not, definately paste targets when you are not next or on deck. But be sure that the target has been scored!

Read the written stage briefing. Play close attention to starting position and round count. At the line is a bad place to try to remember what to do.

Know the range commands out of rule book.

I’d listen more than talk first time out. Lots of guys take shooting sports really seriously and won’t want to small talk. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fun but it takes a while to learn the vibe of your club.

Have fun! Your only goal is to not DQ!

Opps , I must be out of the loop . What's "airgunning" in IDPA context ?

Practicing a stage by repeatedly walking it and “airgunning” the sight pictures with your arms extended.

IDPA is supposed to be more of a CC or HD sport and you can’t airgun before a guy on the street assaults you....

Gotcha. I had known it as Walking Thru .

md123 said:

Practicing a stage by repeatedly walking it and “airgunning” the sight pictures with your arms extended.

IDPA is supposed to be more of a CC or HD sport and you can’t airgun before a guy on the street assaults you....

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Of course it is perfectly realistic to EDC a full size 2011 Rig, with 10rd mags under a photographer's vest, and shoot zombies, weak hand only, from a canoe sitting on the ground.