[bornhunter04]

They are all games. I haven't shot uspsa yet but I do shoot IDPA regularly. I believe either 'game' will improve your pistol handling skills exponentially.

I like IDPA because of the rules that require cover and you to keep from exposing yourself to the targets. One of the things that attracted me to the sport was that I could use my carry gun/holster/cover garment and be competitive. Plus there was no additional cost to start competing.

IDPA is a thinking man's game. There are some courses that you really have to be aware of your surroundings and where targets are. If your moving through the course a foot one way or another you might expose yourself to targets while engaging others, thus incurring a penalty.

I don't understand the grip about the downloaded mag capacity. It was designed to level the playing field, and also make it easier for stage creators to force reloads (which must be done behind cover). It levels the playing field by allowing people in non-2A friendly states with 10 round mag limits to travel to another state and be competitive. Will I ccw with more rounds. You bet. Do I appreciate being 'forced' to reload on the clock under stress? Dang right!

To the op, go shoot both. Lots of people do. There's guys at our club that shoot IDPA, USPSA, and Cowboy action. Any day of shooting is better than any day at work.

[bornhunter04]

Originally Posted by PEC-Memphis

This simply isn't true as an absolute. Sure, there are stages where your statement applies - but it depends upon stage design. We often have more than one choice of start position - and then other choices of how to engage targets. Depending upon the design, these choices can make the strategies for the stage quite different. As an example, which side of a hallway can change the target array to be engaged first, how far you can proceed down the hallway and maintain cover, etc. Determining the best strategy on some (well designed stages) can be more difficult in IDPA than in USPSA.

I've seen this on many occasions. Earlier this year, we had one stage that messed a lot of shooters up. Many guys forgot to engage 1 or 2 targets on it just simply because as you moved down the hall you had to be careful of how far you went. There were 2 or 3 ways to shoot it at least and that's assuming your didn't screw up.

[GlockinNJ]

Thanks again for all the input. I just shot my first IDPA match this weekend and it was great. I now understand many of the comments made about it being rules-based. But, I'm okay with the format. The rules give the shooter more to think about under duress and I like that kind of challenge.

Bottom line: it was fun and I'm sure it will make me a better shooter and that's exactly what I am looking for. One day I will try UDPSA too.

[waktasz]

What club did you shoot at?

[GlockinNJ]

Originally Posted by waktasz

What club did you shoot at?

Somerset, NJ. And I can't say enough about the staff there. Very knowledgable and accommodating of newcomers. A few times when another shooter made a procedural error, I asked a SO to explain to me what happened so that I can learn and they were very helpful.

[waktasz]

Gotcha. I've been there a few times. It was indoors right?

[BuckyP]

Originally Posted by GlockinNJ

Somerset, NJ. And I can't say enough about the staff there. Very knowledgable and accommodating of newcomers. A few times when another shooter made a procedural error, I asked a SO to explain to me what happened so that I can learn and they were very helpful.

Agreed. The folks that run that match are great. I've been there a few times. They started capping match attendance because they were getting too many shooters. Are they still doing that?

[GlockinNJ]

Originally Posted by waktasz

Gotcha. I've been there a few times. It was indoors right?

Yep, indoors.

[GlockinNJ]

Originally Posted by BuckyP

Agreed. The folks that run that match are great. I've been there a few times. They started capping match attendance because they were getting too many shooters. Are they still doing that?

I think so. The web registration says they take 30 shooters and it looked like a full house on Sunday. It took about 5 1/2 hrs to complete, including pizza break. It was run very smoothly and safely by the staff, but it just took a while due to the number of shooters.

[waktasz]

Make sure to check out some of the matches west of the Delaware in a place we like to call America.

If you haven't already found it, this is the #1 website to keep an eye on for IDPA events in the area.

http://www.nepaidpascores.net/

[TheBelly]

I don't give a crap whether I'm major or minor caliber.

I don't give a crap whether I'm in the production, limited, open, space craft, or sasquatch class.

I care about being able to use my equipment how I would in real life. I use it as training by putting the stress of time into my shooting. Other than having people shoot back, I can't think of any other way to get the stress in there.

I only ask two questions about my shooting when I get done with a stage: Did I have any Misses? Did I hit any No-Shoots? I'm accountable for every bullet, so just get to what matters to me.

I care about the A, B, C, D zone hits because I can't miss fast enough to win a real gunfight.

I will cheat in real life if it means going home or going to the morgue, so I wll pick the competitions that allow me to cheat how I will shoot in real life.

BUT.... That's just me... Define the end goal, and then find (or create) the path to it.

[jhayesvw]

Originally Posted by whatsupglock

I don't mind the rules. Rules make the game more challenging. What bothers me is when the rules are not applied equally across the board.

This is the exact problem I had in IDPA.
the RO was calling me for "penalties" they did not call others for. Such as not being far enough behind cover and taking extra shots. Neither of which I did intentionally or any differently than other people.
I was however faster my 2nd time out than most of the people that had been shooting there for years. They called me a gamer, whatever that is. and then said they would score me hard.
I stopped shooting IDPA after that and focused on USPSA.

I love USPSA because its more individual. I have to read the stage and decide where I want/need to reload. What I want to shoot first, second, third, etc. Which side I want to start on and where I want to go.
If I want to go farther forward to increase my accuracy or if I think I can hang back and shoot from a distance.

USPSA all the way.
I think IDPA could be fun but not when I shot it with SOME of the people I shot with.