IDPA Trend @ My local Club

[GMAN40]

At my local IDPA matches I noticed aprox. 15-1911's 6-Glock 21's and 4-Glock 34's The numbers change slightly from match to match with different shooters. I just converted from a G21 to a G17. Has anyone else noticed this at their matches? I never see S&W's, CZ's, Taurus or any other models. This seems odd to me!:wow:

[Bren]

At my local IDPA matches I noticed aprox. 15-1911's 6-Glock 21's and 4-Glock 34's The numbers change slightly from match to match with different shooters. I just converted from a G21 to a G17. Has anyone else noticed this at their matches? I never see S&W's, CZ's, Taurus or any other models. This seems odd to me!:wow:
That's pretty much true of IDPA overall, as well as USPSA in the single stack and production divisions (the IDPA divisions). However, trend-wise, the S&W M&P 9mm seems to be gaining popularity quicky - I'm tempted to try it myself. The Springfield XD is also slightly popular, but the M&P has already surpassed it from what I see.

I have seen people bring Sigs, H&K's (USP, P7), Berettas, the old SA/DA Smiths (439/459.5904/etc) and others.
but those people leave dissatisified at the end of the day, especially when they are more experienced shooters who can tell the gun is holding them back. I sometimes shoot my Beretta, to stay current for Army training, but evfen though the accuracy is great it still holds me back on speed and shootability (1st to second shot).

I don't think it's "odd" - at the end of the day, regular competitive shooters, regardless of skill level, are going to try to use the gun that lets them shoot the fastest and most accurately and some very expensive trendy gun-magazine-commando pistols just don't work like a fast accurate shooter demands, even when they are the product of German engineering.

Anyhow, I agree that 1911 and Glock are THE guns for anybody who needs speed and accuracy and reliability to win. I don't know why XD isn't more popular (I don't like them, but they seem like a good design) and the M&P is up and coming.

[Deployment Solu]

I shoot at 5 different club's IDPA Matches here is Arkansas on a monthly basis(before anybody asks how many weekends we have here in AR, lket me just say that a few clubs shoot on Sunday after church...LOL). There are always a good ampount of 1911s, Glocks, Sigs, CZs and a few DA revolvers (they seem to be gaining popularity) and an Xd or two.

You are right...few to no S&W or Berettas. Of the many other pistol out there, these are the ones most represented. I have taught auo transition classes when we changed from revolvers to semi-Autos ( whew!! that dates me, doesn't it!!). There was a list of guns you could carry on duty after an armorer inspected them. I remember many of the officers going at lunch to get other guns because many of the pistols were hard on the hands(cuts from sights, etc). We practiced alot of malfunction drills. You learned which guns were friendly to your hands and which ones had sharp edges.

I know most of that has been eliminated by the manufacturers, but Glocks came right out of the box ready to use. I have spent thousands on my old Gold Cups getting them set up for dependable carry!!! Now I carry Glocks!! I have long since retired, but the dependability of the Glocks has been what has kept me carrying them exclusively.

I shoot a G17 and a G34/G35 in IDPA. There was a thread earlier about 34 vs 17 for IDPA. The 34 has NO advantage over the 17 in the average distances shot by IDPA or the average gunfight.

I prefer the G34, but with stock sights. I shot 35 yds with XS Big Dot sights. They are great at really close distances, but at 35 yds don't cut it for me. I went back to standard sights(Trijicon NS) on all my carry and competition guns.

[Jim Watson]

Glocks have almost 70% of the cop market and seems about the same in IDPA SSP and IPSC Production. They are cheap, simple, sturdy, and easy to tinker with.

But there are others. I see a good number of XDs and the Plastic M&Ps are gaining ground. True, there are few metal S&Ws, few Sig-Sauers, few H&Ks, and hardly any Berettas or Rugers. I do see some CZs, though.

[Glock Dave]

Great post by Bren. I get hammered over in the non-glock firearms forum for disliking any DA/SA firearm but as Bren said it is just not as good for fast accurate shots. People show up with Sigs and Berettas but soon switch to something with a consistant trigger pull. Glocks are reasonably cheap, parts are easy to buy and install and the trigger can be pretty decent. 1911's have a trigger that is unmatched by any other gun out there. They are the most popular platforms for a reason. That said, the XD with a good trigger job has the best non-1911 trigger I have ever pulled. They are very top heavy and unbalanced though in my opinion. The M&P is up and coming as Bren said. I would use one if I wasn't already heavily invested in Glocks.

[frankt]

I don't have an actual rundown on the guns at our club but as a SO I get a good idea of what everyone is using.

Of course Glocks have a big following of 9mm and .40 full size guns and 34/35 size also. We also have guys shooting G19s,G30s and G21s.

However we have some top shooters shooting Sigs and HKs. I am seeing a lot of XDs and some S&W M&Ps. The 1911 shooters usually have a fair following but not near as many as shooting SSP.

[Joe D]

I would not consider an XD until Springfield make parts available for them. I am still a little ticked at SA for promptly adding $150 to the cost of an HS2000 just by putting their name on it.

[Vitamin G]

I'd shoot my BHP all day long in IDPA if it was in the same class as a glock. I end up being the ONLY person in ESP.

[ecmills]

I'd shoot my BHP all day long in IDPA if it was in the same class as a glock. I end up being the ONLY person in ESP.
You're not the only one there. That's where all the high-dollar 9mm STI raceguns live. Have fun competing with them. :supergrin:

[Vitamin G]

I've never shot IDPA to compete against anyone, except myself ;)

You can tell the people who are shooting the Glock 26 in Stock pistol, because thats what they carry, are competing against themselves.

The people that shoot the glock 26 in the backup pistol, are competing to win a division.

(Not that there's anything wrong with competing to win... competition raises our drive and motivates us... I just know that no matter how much motivation I have, i'm not going to win ESP with a hipower (with a removed safety device, no less), against 2k+ 1911's.

[Bren]

You're not the only one there. That's where all the high-dollar 9mm STI raceguns live. Have fun competing with them. :supergrin:

Actually, for major matches, I shoot a stock Glock 17 in ESP because it's EASIER competition and I stand more chance of winning a trophy there than in SSP. I udnerstand others do the same and it works.

[Bren]

You can tell the people who are shooting the Glock 26 in Stock pistol, because thats what they carry, are competing against themselves.
***

(Not that there's anything wrong with competing to win... competition raises our drive and motivates us... I just know that no matter how much motivation I have, i'm not going to win ESP with a hipower (with a removed safety device, no less), against 2k+ 1911's.
Well, my response to the "tactical" crowd is:

(1) a gunfight isn't a competition against yourself, it's a competition against somebody else. I figure it's best to know how you stack up and how to get better. Therefore, I compete to win and what I learn from that is factored in to self-defense. If being tactical means I hit the target slower than the next guy, then I'd be dead in a gunfight against a person with similar speed (unlikely as that is, but in theory). If I can hit the 0 ring faster than the next competitor, then the criminal on the street doesn't have much of a chance.

(2) I usually shoot the Glock 17, but without reloads factored in (as in the GSSF course of fire) I can beat my own G17 scores easily and by a good margin using a G26 (I can't really explain why) - I wouldn't hesitate to shoot IDPA local matches with it, although I normally use my G27 with factory ammo when I feel like a change.

If I could do well with it in competition, I wouldn't carry it. I have also hunted deer and turkeys with my USPSA 3-gun shotgun and AR (1 shot, one kill on 2 deer and 2 turkeys with those guns, so far). I am stronly considering the Glock 35 for deer (since I don't have 20).

[gary newport]

Actually, for major matches, I shoot a stock Glock 17 in ESP because it's EASIER competition and I stand more chance of winning a trophy there than in SSP. I udnerstand others do the same and it works.

Bren, why do you consider ESP to be "EASIER competition" than SSP?

[Bren]

Bren, why do you consider ESP to be "EASIER competition" than SSP?

Fewer people shoot in it, for one thing. Their don't tend to be as many serious competitors in ESP. IDPA shooters concentrate mainly on SSP and CDP and it's easier to bring home a trophy with revolver or ESP because those fields don't attract the competition.

[gary newport]

Fewer people shoot in it, for one thing. Their don't tend to be as many serious competitors in ESP. IDPA shooters concentrate mainly on SSP and CDP and it's easier to bring home a trophy with revolver or ESP because those fields don't attract the competition.

Well, I need all the "help" I can get!

[Jim Watson]

I've never shot IDPA to compete against anyone, except myself

How do you know which of your alter egos wins?

Seriously, IDPA (and IPSC) pride themselves on different courses of fire every time out. There is no way to measure your performance except against other shooters of known ability. Certainly you can look up bullseye stats, and I presume GSSF, because they are standardized, and you can track your performance over any span of time. Not IDPA.


IDPA shooters concentrate mainly on SSP and CDP and it's easier to bring home a trophy with revolver or ESP because those fields don't attract the competition.

Not around here. The last two sanctioned matches I have scores for, Tennessee '07 and Alabama '08, ESP had about the same number of entries as CDP and not a whole lot
less than SSP. Scores were better.

[gary newport]

How do you know which of your alter egos wins?

Seriously, IDPA (and IPSC) pride themselves on different courses of fire every time out. There is no way to measure your performance except against other shooters of known ability. Certainly you can look up bullseye stats, and I presume GSSF, because they are standardized, and you can track your performance over any span of time. Not IDPA.

.

GSSF isn't quite as standardized as it used to be. Except for the plate rack stage, stages can be set up in a variety of ways.