Very important. And if you get your plan from an experienced shooter, just because they didn't shoot it using that plan, doesn't mean that the plan they gave you sucks. I typically give newbies much more conservative plans than what I might shoot. Because I don't know if you have the skills to shoot it without make up shots.Originally Posted by Failure2Stop
I definitely will in about a month or so. I have a broken foot currently and the high was 115 today here in Vegas. Neither one make for much shooting fun.
I really don't care if I 'win'. I care if I maintain or improve my skill set. If you are a beginner and want to 'win' - then you can have a psychological conniption fit if it makes you happy. I'm not going to beat a couple of national champs who shoot in my match set. I did come in second after one (but that was because only two of us were shooting revolvers that day - haha! What a triumph).
So at my last match, my 1911 decides on one stage to throw me a nasty double feed. OH, I seez - Givens taught me how to deal with this. And I did - I knew the drill - I cleared it and finished the stage with a crappy - very crappy score. But so what, I felt that I had practiced a good skill to have.
Our local clubs are very supportive and the problem is folks lack the ego strength to start. You learn more from a screw up sometimes.
Just holster and then move with the crutches.I definitely will in about a month or so. I have a broken foot currently and the high was 115 today here in Vegas. Neither one make for much shooting fun.
Some random thoughts from this casual local-match shooter (and if some of these are already reality, awesome---clue me in):
Get the word out about Production and other divisions where you can shoot using your regular carry gear. Some shooters have the mistaken impression that IDPA is the only game in town when it comes to shooting your CCW, when in fact USPSA is arguably better in some ways (e.g. appendix carry).
Maybe have some shorter matches sometimes. I too have done the "stand around for hours and shoot for 2 minutes" thing.
Have some explicitly CCW-focused matches (or stages) from time to time.
There's probably no way to get a shooter's scores into their hands faster than the way it's done now, but it would be nice if there were a way. Is there a USPSA scoring smartphone app so that an individual shooter can enter her/his time and hit count, instead of waiting for the times and scores to post on the club website three days later?
Allowing "pocket guns" in some stages (or in some matches) would be fun. It'd be neat to run one's P32 or Tomcat on a stage here and there.
A Beginner or Mousegun division allowing .22LR?
I shoot at 5 clubs, 4 use electronic scoring for the match some let you use your practiscore app to see secured results during the match and all of them have the match results uploaded to the USPSA site by the end of the day or early evening.
A couple of your suggestions (ccw-focused stages, pocket gun ie BUG stages or side matches) are straight out of the IDPA playbook. I think USPSA and IDPA fill different niches. I don't want to see USPSA become more like IDPA. Both do different things well. There's no need for them to try to be alike. (I also feel confident that those changes would go over like a lead balloon with the USPSA faithful.)
Shorter matchs - excellent idea. Downtime between stages is my principle complaint about USPSA. But how do you fix it? Steel only matches? Give shooter on deck a maximum of 1 minute to make ready after range has been called clear? I don't see an easy solution to this problem.
Re:range lawyering. I can't say if it's exaggerated but it definitely exists. Some guys see a sport in finding a loophole in the stage description. Oh well. I let them do their thing and not get involved in it. I think power tripping ROs are a bigger turnoff.
Last edited by Pup town; 07-13-2014 at 03:56 PM.
I just wanted to contribute a few thoughts.
I'm a new shooter, civilian type. I have one pistol, my S&W M&P. I guess maybe I am the target market for 'average CCW' holder. I try and get to the range once a month. I've fired 2,200 rounds or so at the range since last May.
I have never drawn a weapon, nor used a holster.
I heard about a "Basic Action Pistol" course for $20 on Saturday mornings at a local outdoor range from a web search. I emailed the instructor, and arranged to attend.
I brought my pistol, some ammo, a basic $25 Kydex Safariland holster, an Uncle Mike's rigger belt (don't laugh) and my eyes and ears.
I left my ego at home.
We got a two hour classroom overview of Safety, IDPA, USPSA, etc. as well as an introduction to how matches are scored.
We then spent about 1.5 hours in two squads of 7 running two stages. After each run, I received some coaching in a friendly manner on what I did wrong.
I learned not to break the 180, and to clearly demonstrate my finger was demonstrably off the trigger while moving. Sure, I had to stick my mags in my jeans back pocket, and my M&P was not the fanciest gun there.
I finished 7th out of 14. While I had some 2Alphas, my times were about 50% slower than the younger guys, because I was trying to take my time, as fast I could. My heart rate was up. It also seemed like my IQ dropped a 100 points when that dang beep went off.
I enjoyed the guys in my group and my instructors. Seemed like solid folks, like, professionals. Competent but casual. Like maybe LEOs, or senior NCOs. Good guys. They said the goal was to learn to shoot fast, and shoot accurately.
It was a heck of a lot more fun than shooting those same 50 rounds at the range. I had a blast and I'll be back.
Just my $0.02.
Rich in Tampa
Last edited by RJ; 07-13-2014 at 08:12 PM. Reason: Typo
I can't speak for other areas, but in my area (SF Bay) both sports need general exposures to the public first.
Most of my friends, even those gun owners never heard of either USPSA or IDPA before.
At the risk of breaking some social taboos, I have to ask-should USPSA/IDPA be in the business of attracting CCW holders?
I ask ,as the role of USPSA going all the way back to Jeff Cooper's time was to serve as a practice vehicle for established shooters. The guy sticking a Taurus Curve into his jacket pocket when he's "going somewhere dangerous" isn't in that category . Using a program created to put committed shooters together as an outreach plan for the uninitiated would appear to be a step backward, like the Ferarri racing club trying to teach basic drivers safety.
Were I king, I'd start a ground up league marketed to the person who sees their guns as appliances to be left in a closet. Inspiring uncaring people to practice at all is a totally different goal then getting already motivated shooters to compete with each other.
The Minority Marksman.
"When you meet a swordsman, draw your sword: Do not recite poetry to one who is not a poet."
-a Ch'an Buddhist axiom.
Reply With Quote