How to make your IDPA shoot (and everyone else’s) run smoother

Just a few points for the newer IDPA shooters as well as the regulars who may have forgotten about what makes a shoot run smoother.

Gear

· Arrive at the range with the appropriate equipment. Eye pro, ear pro, etc. Do this by packing your range bag the night before. Running around looking for a crucial piece of gear at the match detracts from your enjoyment of the sport.

· Have spare eye pro, ear pro and even a spare holster and mag pouches handy in case you have a breakage. If you don’t want to lug extra gear around, at least keep them in your car.

· Have at the very least 3 mags. 6 is far better. You always need extra in case of a mag going down or for a longer standards stage.

· Bring at least twice the amount of ammo suggested for the day

· Buy a decent quality range bag and put things where you remember to find them

· Make sure your firearm conforms to the division criteria set out in the rulebook.

· Make sure your holster conforms to the rulebook criteria

· Make sure your concealment garment conforms to the rulebook criteria

· Try to test the ammo you intend to shoot before coming to a match. There’s nothing worse than discovering a blatant underload that stuffs your day up and potentially disqualifies you from a major event.

· Wear footwear that allows you to move easily on all terrain ie good grip

· I prefer looser clothing that allows me unrestricted movement eg: running, move to and from prone, kneeling etc

· Make sure your clothing doesn’t obstruct draws or cause snags because of loose drawstrings etc.

· Wear a stiff belt designed to carry a firearm. It’ll help.

· Wear knee-guards under your pants if you take strain shooting from a kneeling position. Also good for when a single stone on the flat range decides you have an attractive knee.



On/behind the line

· When the SO gives the course briefing, listen carefully. Many have missed the bus big-time because they didn’t listen when the SO said 3 shots per target, not 2 for example.

· You should be familiar enough with the rulebook to know what “cover” means by the time you start.

· Safety is not a suggestion. Do not endanger yourself and the people around you by handling your firearm the same way you peel a potato. Deliberate and controlled movements don’t have to be fast.

· Have your mags loaded by the time you step up to the line. Have enough mags (see Gear)

· Have your eye-pro,ear-pro and concealment ready by the time you step up to the line.

· STFU when you’re standing only a few meters away from the SO and shooter. Your jabber can get in the way of SO instructions.

· Concentrate on the SO’s instructions and after you’ve shot make sure your attention is on unloading your firearm safely and getting it back into its holster.

· No individual walkthroughs of a COF or airgunning. Even long-time competitors forget this rule.

· Be helpful. It’s annoying to see people sitting on their asses behind the line while only 1 or 2 people pick up brass or patch targets. An unhelpful detail ends up creating a backlog.

· Arguing with the SO about a rule that’s quite clearly laid out in the rulebook is a monumental waste of time. We all have something we don’t agree with in the rulebook but that’s the game. Repeating the same complaint over and over is futile.

· If you’re new, don’t try and blaze a path to glory. Make sure your gunhandling is smooth, consistent and safe. Focus on accuracy and shooting with control at all times. You can work on speed once you’re familiar with how things work.

· For most shooters, especially newbies, there is a little adrenaline rush as you wait for the timer to go off. Don’t get yourself so flustered that it screws with your gunhandling abilities. Competition shooting is an excellent way to pressure test your basic skills but most new people need to start off slow.

· After you’ve shot, verify your shots with the SO by checking each target with them. SO’s make mistakes too, so don’t complain when you see how many points down you were after everything is patched already.

· Check your score sheet before you sign it. If you don’t and you sign anyway, any mistakes are no longer mistakes. They now form part of your score.

· After you’ve shot, checked your targets and signed for scores, get out of the way so the next shooter can move up.

· Be aware that when the SO says “clear the range”, it’s not a suggestion. Hurry up.





IDPA rulebook: http://www.idpa.com/Documents/IDPARuleBook2005.pdf
IDPA acronyms: http://www.idpa.com/acronyms.asp

Thanks Thorkind. Good post.

Excellent post - hopefully all members read this.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Thorkind

When the SO gives the course briefing, listen carefully. Many have missed the bus big-time because they didn’t listen when the SO said 3 shots per target, not 2 for example

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Hee-hee! ;-)

Excellent write-up. Just to emphasize a few points.

PARTICIPATE! That is the best way to learn. Picking up brass and patching targets is part of the gig...learn to love it.
Don't skimp on your belt, mag pouches, and holster. It's not to say you must go and buy the best there is, but buy the best you can afford. If you take care of them, they will probably outlast you.

And most importantly, HAVE FUN! It's a sport, and thus you will always get people that get competitive, but shoot at your own pace. Technique first, speed later. If you do it other way around, you will probably get frustrated. It's crawl -> walk -> run for a reason.

Great post Thorkind, thank-you!

As i just did the NSO/classifier last Saturday. I would like to say excellent post. Reading your post, makes me want pack my bag and get ready for my first shoot.

Nice one Thorkind.

Another addition to the range bag one should consider is a small/basic tool and parts kit, it might just keep you in the game if the defecation meets the oscillation and your gun or kit decides to take a dump.

Thanks Thorkind. I sincerely hope that some people take note of this, especially that picking brass isn't a one man affair.

Outstanding bro.

· Wear knee-guards under your pants if you take strain shooting from a kneeling position. Also good for when a single stone on the flat range decides you have an attractive knee.

Thanks, just learnt a new one....

TH, what do you think should go in the tool bag?