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Thread: Opinions on USPSA/IDPA matches for LE

  1. #1

    Opinions on USPSA/IDPA matches for LE

    Hello, I still new here and hardly post, but feel I need to share some of my experiences. My background is 19 years in LE, with most of it being assigned full time to a plain clothes specialized unit. For the past 5 years, one of my additional duties is instructing our monthly range training. Our unit has the advantage of having a separate budget and funding so we can actually train more often than the once or twice a year range practice that's too common in Law Enforcement. I usually visit the range once or twice a week and for several years have been using drills and ideas off of this forum to train myself and other Detectives. I'm probably one of the top shooters in my agency, but still feel I'm missing something by shooting in a low stress environment (shooting alone or with a small group of cops).

    I decided to try some local matches to get additional trigger time and add in good old fashioned stress in the mix. Over the past 30 days, I have shot 6 matches, 3-USPSA and 3-IDPA. I love it. Maybe my opinions will change down the road, but I see no downsides for an LEO to shoot pistol matches. This is something that myself and so many others should have been doing a long time ago. I see no issues with tactics. There's another time and place for that.

    Sure my ego took a hit and thankfully I prepared for it and knew what to expect after doing some reading on here. That makes me only want to get better. I love the part about me shooting against an overweight guy that looks like a hot mess, but he shoots like a stud. And you know what, I have no problem asking him before a stage how he's going to run it or in what particular order. Everyone I have encountered at matches has been overly friendly and more than willing to share ideas and help.

    I guess this is pointed towards other LE or non LE that are hesitant about going to a match. Just try it. Sign up and don't let yourself back out.

  2. #2
    Site Supporter Lon's Avatar
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    Been shooting USPSA for 25 years. A cop for 23. Haven’t found a drawback and don’t expect to.
    Formerly known as xpd54.
    The opinions expressed in this post are my own and do not reflect the opinions or policies of my employer.
    www.gunsnobbery.wordpress.com

  3. #3
    Site Supporter Trooper224's Avatar
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    I've always been of the opinion that any shooting is good shooting. As long as you're putting rounds downrange you're getting some benefit out of it. Yes, there can be training scars that come from heavy involvement in competition, but I think those concerns are far too overblown. I'm not a full time competitor anymore, but I did it off and on for years. Everything from bullseye and service rifle competition to some run and gun events. I look askance at the lycra wearing competition charlies who've never been off the range, yet think they're a stone cold gunfighter. However, I look equally askance at the tactical timmies who think competition will get you kilt on da streetz. A balance is good and beneficial.
    We may lose and we may win, but we will never be here again.......

  4. #4
    Site Supporter
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    Erie County, NY
    I don't shoot USPSA but IDPA and a FOG. My input is that in our matches we get a fair amount of LEO Shooters. My usual group has 3 LEOs in it. One was fairly high placed in local SWAT. They are excellent shooters. There are more officers in other groups. There are several Federal types that shoot in our matches. I know some are member here and might comment.

    They seem to get something out of the pistol and carbine matches.

  5. #5
    Member
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    Jul 2017
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    West
    Not LE here, but I know several LE folks who use USPSA and IPDA as venues to practice and benchmark their shooting skills.

    FWIW Mike Panone, with impressive mil and LE credentials himself, also is a strong advocate for competition for folks who carry guns professionally. Regarding training scars, Mike says that if you can't differentiate between a gunfight and competition, you've got problems.

    On a parallel perspective, I boxed and grappled competitively when I was younger. I also worked security in "interesting" establishments. In the thick of the fight, I never got confused about the appropriate rules for the ring, the mat and the street.

    YMMV but I've found competition to be a wonderful tool for self improvement in almost any endeavor. And I think Paul Sharp addresses this in his sticky post https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....554#post490554

    Best of luck.
    Last edited by Mark D; 08-23-2018 at 04:48 PM.

  6. #6
    Member
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    Austin, TX
    I'm a USPSA GM in production and on a full time SWAT team for the last 6 years. Working on my GM in Limited and PCC. I'm now in charge of firearms training for my team.

    Shooting competition makes shooting subconscious, freeing up your mind to work the tactical problem in front of you.

  7. #7
    Member Zincwarrior's Avatar
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    Oct 2016
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    Central Texas
    Just remembered those targets don't tape and reset themselves during the match!

  8. #8
    Member Peally's Avatar
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    Mar 2014
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    Wisconsin, USA
    There's no downside other than having fun and getting better at shooting. The haters are typically goobers that have no idea what they're talking about.

    Guys that are truly good at anything don't pigeon-hole themselves into not practicing the basics. It's good for you, like your vegetables.
    Semper Gumby, Always Flexible

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Peally View Post
    The haters are typically goobers that have no idea what they're talking about.
    This is true, but the real haters are the minority. They are vocal, but they are the minority. The bigger populations are the apathetic and the skeptical. They don't think competition will "get you killed on the streets" yet they haven't been shown the value of competition.

    The apathetic don't listen to the haters or the competition shooters. I don't know how you reach them.

    OP sounds like he was one of the skeptics. 19 years a LE, and those 5 years as an occasional instructor show he's not apathetic to improvement and yet he never found his way to a match. The question is how to reach those skeptics.

    --------------------------------------------

    Do local PDs do stress shoots as part of their academy? Stress shoots are nothing more than a very long, usually poorly designed, field stage (that sometimes incorporate a PT element). Everyone loves them, even the same folks that would rag on IDPA/USPSA.

    What I'm getting at is maybe the way to reach folks is to incorporate stages in training...but the downside is they most likely aren't going to be running side by side with GMs, which is half the value of shooting competitions. Being exposed to just how fast and accurate one can shoot with a little bit of practice was the big eye opener for me. And seeing how I wasn't hot shit.

    Instead, they'll be shooting beside fellow officers that suck as much as they do and they won't learn that lesson. So hell, I don't know what to do. I'm out of ideas.
    Last edited by BigD; 08-24-2018 at 09:55 AM.

  10. #10
    Gentlemen thank you for the comments. I hate to make excuses, but I think part of the reason I put off doing pistol matches was being afraid of failure and/or ego issues. I think the ego issue can be blamed for why a lot of LE will never compete. They will use the grossly overused terms of “tactics” and/or “tactical” in their explanation of why they can’t do a match. The truth is most LE, at least in my area, have pretty poor tactics anyway.

    If it wasn’t for this forum, I would of never started. After reading comments and watching videos of members like GJM and Gabe White shoot, it inspired me to get better. I also love hearing that we have some USPSA GM’s here. That is just awesome and maybe one day I can work up towards that.

    Hope that makes sense and I apologize for any typos as I did this on my phone.

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