IDPA
- International Defensive Pistol Association
IDPA or International Defensive Pistol Association, was started nationally 1996 and was set up to provide a competitive sport that utilized practical equipment and full charge ammunition to solve simulated real world self defense scenarios that the average citizen could possibly encounter. These scenarios generally involve multiple threat targets and have non threat targets mixed in to keep things closer to reality. The equipment used is generally a concealed carry handgun of .38 caliber or larger. The equipment rules are set to limit the modifications that can be applied to the handguns to keep the competitive level accessible to everyone. This is not a game that allows the most radically modified gun to win. It is set up to test the shooter not his gun.
Our monthly matches are held on the second Sunday of each month and have between 50 an 70 shooters. Matches take approximately 3 hours to shoot and scores are posted online that evening. There are no trophies or prizes at this time, however online bragging rights are always there. Registration and scoring is accomplished using the Practiscor Application which saves many hours of data input each month.
A typical match includes 6 separate stages that are set up with a mixture of paper silhouette targets and steel popper (knock down) targets. Non-Shoot (innocent) targets are mixed in to keep you on your toes and accuracy is expected. Props, barricades, vision barriers and other devices are used to simulate shooting around obstacles and buildings which forces the shooter to shoot from all sorts of positions instead of flat footed fixed positions.
A total of 6 to 18 rounds are required for each stage. Magazines are limited to 5,8 or 10 rounds depending on the division you are shooting. Handguns must be reloaded on the clock to accomplish the stage. This will enhance your equipment manipulation practice.
Each stage is shot against the clock and then the targets are scored for hits outside of the zero point down ring, with each point down adding a second to your time. The stage times are then added together to get the final match score.
Divisions are based on the type of handgun. Revolvers shoot against revolvers, semi-autos shoot against semi-autos. Within each division there are 5 classes of shooters: Novice, Marksman, Sharpshooter, Expert and Master. Each class is based on skill level. Skill level is tested twice a year when a standardized “classifier” stage is shot. Advancement is gained as your classifier scores improve. Shooters in each class shoot against their same class shooters. So there is room for every level of shooter and it is not only a lot of fun but you will become more proficient in handling your firearm and your speed and accuracy will improve.
Newsletter editor comment-While this sounds like an event for the highly skilled competitor there are many contestants using IDPA to learn defensive shooting skills. Come on out and join them.