A USPSA/IDPA Gear Question...

[RJ]

If you are looking for training particularly for competition shooting I would look at Universal Shooting Academy. They are about 90 minutes from Tampa in Frostproof.

I looked that up. Great lead, thanks very much. I'll follow up on that.

[RJ]

Thanks for the advice. Been busy with family / work till now.

I'll look into this some more this fall when it cools down here in Tampa. I've heard about the Wyoming Antelope Club near me offers training but I'm not clear if that is IDPA or what. I'll have to give them a call when my schedule lightens up a bit.

My local indoor range offers "one on one" training at $75 for an hour session, but that seems pricy for what you get.

Or maybe a better option is to devote time to one of the popular shooting schools over a few days.

Well I'm in contact with the WAC. There is a three hour Action Pistol Class Saturday at 9.

Should be interesting. Considering I've only ever shot holes in paper. Eek.

[PPGMD]

Once I get my STI back together, I will be doing a match or two at WAC in the next month or so.

[Lomshek]

Did a search to ask this question.

I have been interested in getting into some kind of organized, regular pistol competition. I shoot paper targets about once a month at the range but it's getting boring.

I have a S&W M&P FS9mm with 4 mags, an Apex DCAEK and Apex polymer trigger. I have a set of Trijicon HD sights. My holster is a simple Safariland 5197.

Would I need much else to go try USPSA or IDPA?

Maybe a sturdy belt?

Is my pistol 'ok' to use as is? I read the rule book (USPSA) briefly but wasn't too sure.

Thanks in advance.

V/R

Rich

I've only shot USPSA so can only answer for that. I shoot USPSA Limited with my M&P 9 FS, Safariland 7TS belt holster and BladeTech double mag pouches after starting in Production.

Limited is much less restrictive on gun mods (Apex trigger is legal) and holster/mag placement than Production plus you can fill the mags up instead of just loading 10 rounds.

Being scored for minor instead of major hurts me when I don't hit A's (shoot better I tell myself) but the gear itself makes no difference whatsoever that I can tell. I'd imagine when your draw & reload times are less than 1 second the race holster and mag pouches make a difference but for the mortals it won't affect the results.

ETA - Keep in mind in USPSA (& IDPA I think) the gun restrictions are one way streets. They do not allow someone to shoot a 2011 with 28 round mags and optic in Production but a shooter is allowed to shoot a Production gun in Open (or Limited or Ltd 10). Lots of folks get wrapped up in "this is a production gun so I can only shoot production" which is false.

[RJ]

Well I'm in contact with the WAC. There is a three hour Action Pistol Class Saturday at 9.

Should be interesting. Considering I've only ever shot holes in paper. Eek.

Wanted to report I had a blast with the introduction course today at Wyoming Antelope Club here near St Pete FL.

It was a 'basic', slow time introduction to the game concept in a low key format. We shot two 'stages' set up in two bays. Two squads of 7 man shooters each. After an hour and a half of classroom orientation, we moved to the range for the in-brief and walkthrough.

We got one run each; with the RO taking us aside privately to discuss ways to improve afterwards.

Along with our squad, I helped to tape targets after scoring and collect dropped mags. Most of us stuck around to break down the stages and put the gear away.

How did I do?

Well, for never having even drawn a pistol in my life until today, I finished 7th out of 14 (I think, if I understood the scoring).

Anyways, my gear was good, no issues. I appreciate the info in this thread, thanks.

Rich in Tampa