If you could give one piece of advice to a 1st time IDPA shooter it would be ...

[crosswiredmind]

Hey All,

Just found the forum and thought y'all might be able to help me out.

I have been shooting for 25+ years both casually and in competition (50' small bore from the age of 13 to 18). So I am not new to shooting, but I am new to the IDPA.

I am not looking for equipment advice. I know I will be using my .40 S&W Walther P990 DAO. I have the holster, extra mags, etc.

I would love to hear advice about approach, points of style, things to watch out for, things to focus on, and the like. I have a feel for it from watching video online, but that is no substitute for advice from folks that have experience.

Any helpful hints would be appreciated.

Cheers,

David

[spagluvx]

1. Be Safe!
2. Have Fun!
3. Practice makes better.

[steviesterno]

be safe!

I shot my p99 for almost 2 years before I even considered trading up equipment wise. just shoot safe, and as fast as you can while making hits.

The best advice may be dont start IDPA... it's more expensive and more addicting than heroin!

Steviesterno

[Pagoda240]

be safe!

I shot my p99 for almost 2 years before I even considered trading up equipment wise. just shoot safe, and as fast as you can while making hits.

The best advice may be dont start IDPA... it's more expensive and more addicting than heroin!

Steviesterno

In for all the info to follow looking to start doing this myself. Thanks to the pusher above. Thanks Steve.....

[crosswiredmind]

3. Practice makes better.

This I like. Kinda keeps the expectations away from perfection.

[crosswiredmind]

The best advice may be dont start IDPA...

Yeah, but I already paid for membership, got my gear squared, and stocked up on close to 500 round of .40 S&W.

Besides - the static range addiction is getting ... well ... static.

[Lycanthrope]

Be efficient. Waste no motion.

Choreograph in your mind every movement. Visualize your index and body position at every shooting point. Know where you are going to reload.

Look where you want to go and where you want to shoot. The gun will follow. Rip the gun to the target and shoot as fast as you can see what you need to see to make the shot.

Plenty of people can shoot, but few people are efficient about it and they struggle in the gun games.

Lycancouldgoonthrope

[crosswiredmind]

Be efficient. Waste no motion.

Excellent.

Because a shooter can't do a dry-fire walk through how do you do prep? Just visualization?

[Lycanthrope]

Excellent.

Because a shooter can't do a dry-fire walk through how do you do prep? Just visualization?

You can walk the stage, but putting your hands up like you are holding a gun is grounds for a penalty ("airgunning").

It really doesn't matter. Visualization is JUST as effective.

LycansillyruleIMHOthrope

[Yoder]

On the walk through develop a strategy of how to shoot the stage. If your not first watch how the other guys shoot the stage and see what mistakes they make. Use any mistakes you see to make your plan better. Once you have a good plan run it through your head over and over until you hear shooter ready. If you don't do this you will probably freeze up or make a mistake, I know I do. This one is simple but helped me so much, Dont crowd cover. If you are back a few steps from cover it's a hell of a lot easier to shoot around. Front sight focus every shot. It's really easy to get caught up in the adrenaline rush and forget that little post on the front of your gun. Another thing I found is if given the option to shoot on the move or simply run to cover and shoot stationary, run then shoot. Last match I was one of the only guys on a particular stage to sprint to cover then shoot all the targets everyone else tried to shoot a few on the way to cover. I finished 1st on that stage out of 50 guys. Oh yeah, Buy a reloader if you don't have one already or you will go broke. This really is an addiction.