Shooting my first idpa in the morning

[G21forME]

Do you guys have any last minute tips for me. I was going to post earlier this week but it slipped my mind. I have been practicing my draw and reloads over the past few weeks and have read most of the rule book. Is there any advice you all could give a noob like me?

[byerly]

Here are some tips:

1. Be safe. This is by far the most important thing.

2. Once you have your gear on, DON'T TAKE YOUR BLASTER OUT OF THE HOLSTER EXCEPT AT THE DIRECTION OF A SAFETY OFFICER!!!!!NO EXCEPTIONS!

3. Don't be self conscious. Everyone has had a first match. We were all cherries once.

4. Identify yourself as a new shooter. They'll probably assign someone to watch over you. Compliment this person often. We love hearing how great we are.

5. As far as shooting goes, just shoot the targets. Get a good sight picture and shoot them where you need to.

6. Paste and reset.

BTW, where are you shooting at?

[Duck of Death]

You'll see folks shooting fast, don't try to emulate them.

[G21forME]

Originally posted by byerly
Here are some tips:

1. Be safe. This is by far the most important thing.

2. Once you have your gear on, DON'T TAKE YOUR BLASTER OUT OF THE HOLSTER EXCEPT AT THE DIRECTION OF A SAFETY OFFICER!!!!!NO EXCEPTIONS!

3. Don't be self conscious. Everyone has had a first match. We were all cherries once.

4. Identify yourself as a new shooter. They'll probably assign someone to watch over you. Compliment this person often. We love hearing how great we are.

5. As far as shooting goes, just shoot the targets. Get a good sight picture and shoot them where you need to.

6. Paste and reset.

BTW, where are you shooting at?

I'm shooting at pioneer sportman's club in NH.

Thanks for the advice, I think I'm on the right track because I planned on telling them it's my first time and I have been trying to keep the mentality that I'm there to learn and I really don't care if I come in last place. I am a little nervous though because I'm shooting my nickel plated 21 with factory loads. I have this fear that all the other shooters will be using 17L's or 34's with soft reloads and laugh at the new guy with the "pimped out" glock 45. BTW what is "paste and reset"?

[zrxoa5793]

Byerly summed it up well, safety over speed, till you get the hang of it.
Paste and reset is reseting the stage between shooters, and it is essential for everyone to help with this so the match can run smoothly.

[Bogey]

You'll have a blast, G21. Don't feel all stoopid or anything by shooting your 21....I shot mine for the first year of competing in IDPA. Matter of fact, I think I shoot it better than my 17.;)


Byerly and zrxoa have it right. Don't think you have to blaze the stages. Be safe more than anything else, and MEMORIZE the 4 laws of gun safety. Relax and you'll do just fine.



I am sure you'll find someone willing to help you out, too.


Good luck!!!!

[skorpio]

Paste and reset refers to those who are not shooting helping place "pasters" over the holes in the targets, which are small brown sel-adhesive squares. Reset would be to stand up any steel plates or poppers, ect.

Tips: They probably won't put you high up in the shooting order, so that you can watch how other shooters handle the stages. Watch what they do, what works, what doesn't. Listen to what the S.O. tells you in the stage description, what kind of reload is required (refer to your rulebook), what order you must engage the targets. In USPSA we say "plan the shoot and shoot the plan" and this works just as well in IDPA. While you cannot "airgun" and mime out your shots, you can talk yourself through a stage and somewhat ingrain it into your short term memory. As mentioned before, don't worry about your speed! You can't miss fast enough to win. Get your hits, make your shots count. The core group in your IDPA club will probably be far more impressed with you in your performance than in your score.

Remember, this is a game, so have fun. Just take a deep breath, clear your head, and most of all be safe. BTW-- prepare for sore facial muscles from the ear to ear grin you will surely have once it begins!!

[sbradley]

Take your time and shoot accurately. You'll fit in very well if you're safe and accurate, and you'll find everyone very helpful. Don't do anything until it is instructed by the RO.

[stangyg123]

The best advise I can give you is just relax, don't try to rush through the course, just aim and shoot. Remember to stay safe and have fun, you'll be surprised how friendly and helpfull people can be to a new shooter. :)

BTW, byerly said it best "Once you have your gear on, DON'T TAKE YOUR BLASTER OUT OF THE HOLSTER EXCEPT AT THE DIRECTION OF A SAFETY OFFICER!!!!!NO EXCEPTIONS!"

This is good advise. :cool:

[G21forME]

Wow was that fun!!! I have got to do that again real soon. It wasn't an idpa like I thought but it was a scsa steel challenge so no reloads but it was great. I did much better than I thought I would but I got a little nervous at the first stage. The first stage I shot was 5 round plates with the far plate in the middle as the last target. My first time was 6.48 and I was feeling good but then my accuracy got worse because I was nervous and excited so my average was 8.3 seconds but who cares right. I wasn't a big fan of this stage but they had a 2 plate over under quick draw stage and my average was 2.225 and I had a lot of fun with this one and I think I did ok time wise. My favorite stage was set up with 2 large squares on the left and right about 10-12 yards out with a small round plate about 15-17 yards in the center being the last target. I was watching the other shooters run the stage and I overheard a couple guys talking about how the outer plates were so big you could just point shoot them so of course I had to try it. I did well on this stage, my average was 4.39 with a best time of 3.94 and that was really cool because I told the range official that it was my first time and the other shooters were helping me and I got a little aplause after the 3.94 and that felt pretty good. I gotta say it guys I think I'm hooked, thanks for all of your advice it really helped me not look like a complete idiot.:cheers:

[Steve Koski]

Nice work. Sounds like a riot.

[Bogey]

Originally posted by G21forME
Wow was that fun!!! I have got to do that again real soon. It wasn't an idpa like I thought but it was a scsa steel challenge so no reloads but it was great. I did much better than I thought I would but I got a little nervous at the first stage. The first stage I shot was 5 round plates with the far plate in the middle as the last target. My first time was 6.48 and I was feeling good but then my accuracy got worse because I was nervous and excited so my average was 8.3 seconds but who cares right. I wasn't a big fan of this stage but they had a 2 plate over under quick draw stage and my average was 2.225 and I had a lot of fun with this one and I think I did ok time wise. My favorite stage was set up with 2 large squares on the left and right about 10-12 yards out with a small round plate about 15-17 yards in the center being the last target. I was watching the other shooters run the stage and I overheard a couple guys talking about how the outer plates were so big you could just point shoot them so of course I had to try it. I did well on this stage, my average was 4.39 with a best time of 3.94 and that was really cool because I told the range official that it was my first time and the other shooters were helping me and I got a little aplause after the 3.94 and that felt pretty good. I gotta say it guys I think I'm hooked, thanks for all of your advice it really helped me not look like a complete idiot.:cheers:



Glad you had fun!!!


We had a few newbies at our club match today....they had a blast!

[cwood]

At my first IDPA match as I was having a great time. I noticed, however, that the adrenaline was pumping so much that my hands were shaking while I was reloading my magazines, and I could barlely get it done.

I, too, found that the other shooters were welcoming and helpful. I later got my daughters involved to varying degrees and they have experienced the same welcoming attitude.

The vast majority of my shooting in the past has been a solitary activity. I had never realized the social benefits of shooting as a group or the skill/safety improvement which could be achieved by doing so.

After missing too many matches in the last few weeks, I got to go shoot an IDPA match today here in Central Texas. I shot like it had been too long between matches but I sure had a good time. It is always a theraputic exercise for me.

An armed society is a polite society.

[TC Rider]

Originally posted by zrxoa5793
Byerly summed it up well, safety over speed, till you get the hang of it.
Paste and reset is reseting the stage between shooters, and it is essential for everyone to help with this so the match can run smoothly.

I wish I had followed Byerly's advice when he told me to shoot IDPA on Saturday and Shotguns on Sunday.

[reconvic]

Prior to your turn, take 3 deep breathes and it will slow your heart rate from about 189 to 140 and help you relax more.
Good luck
Vic:cool: