First IDPA Match

S

SOCOMII

New member
I have been trying for 6 months to shoot in a match but something always came up (forgetting to register in time, had a kid, etc etc.) My goal was to use an XD 4" 45 in ESP, and also begin reloading to practice more and shoot in matchs. All I bought were lead semi wad cutters but they have MAJOR issues in XD's but I didn't do the research on that until after the XD jammed every 2 rounds. What fun. :confused:

There is no way I can try and compete with the XD and reloads. So I decided to use a 1911 and the reloads, as they tested fine at the range. I was set.

So I get to the range for the match and realize that I forgot to bring my mag holder. Never mind the fact that I have been practicing, reloading, practicing, reloading, drawing, firing, reloading, firing, drawing for MONTHS waiting for all the planets to line up and I was now going to have to wrestle the mags out of my pockets. I had not practiced that....

Now we are ready to start and the RO begins collecting the scoresheets, but I am not at all familiar with the process. I had read through the rule book but I'm no legal eagle and it made my eyes hurt, and it was mostly rules. I knew I needed a holster, a gun, some bullets, and a "concealment garment" that I did not actually need at the match, but I used a shirt anyhow. I had stuff from IDPA and I am sure at some point in time I knew it cost money but wasn't focused on that.

So everyone has to wait around for me to walk back up the range and get a scoresheet. I tell they RO "It's my first time". He says "You have shot a gun before right?" That was just what I needed to hear....put me right at ease. :rolleyes:

So I get the scorecard and everyone starts after a walk-through of Stage 1. I get to go last and everything starts fine and then THE GUN JAMS. That was awesome. The RO wants to call it but I keep fumbling to clear the jam. The mag is out, I can't pull the slide back. The slide is not fully forward so I whack the slide forward with my left hand and insert the mag and fire, reload and it JAMS AGAIN. Same issue, whack it, insert mag, bang, bang, finish the stage. My time is off the charts but at least I can shoot straight.

There are 6 RO's all looking at me like I have some sort of Saturday Night Special. "Is your gun going to be ok?" the RO asks. I say "It's the reloads" and they are looking at me like I should just pack it up, but I say "I'll get some factory loads." I didn't really care what ammo I used but I was not expecting my reloads to fail twice. :barf:

Stage 2 goes along and I shoot the rest of the match fine. I hit a few non-threatening targets I never even saw and reloading from my pockets was the best ever. Very smooth. :rolleyes: Everone should carry 2-3 loaded steels mags in their pocket at all times.

I was surprised how little I thought about aiming and how much was pointing and shooting. I didn't rush at all and shot straight because of it, and I did not kill anyone around me.

When I decided to use the 1911 I also decided that the "push-pull" grip technique I had been using for the last 15 years was no longer practical. I started to practice the 2-handed grip I saw in the magazines. Grip the gun high, thumbs forward along the slide. It was very effective in practice and for the match. I also switched to both eyes open all the time. It helped practicing with a rifle I have with a red dot sight on it.

I'll only be the new guy once, thankfully. I had a good time and will be shooting two matches a month now. I'll practice with the lead until it's gone and then try and use some jacketed round-nose for the 1911 and the XD in matches, but I'll bring some factory loads just in case. ;)

-out
 
Welcome aboard.

It is a little known fact that shot timers emit radiation which is only detectable by its adverse effects on a human brain when trying to control a gun AND on the gun itself.
 
The main thing is that you had fun! You will laugh went you remember your first match in the future.
Did you find what was wrong with your reloads? A problem I had before I got a Dillon, was that I used a RCBS die that seated and crimped at the same time, it put un-noticable bulge that caused jams. I started seating and crimping in two steps and that problem went away, but it was so time consuming that the Dillon was nesessary. The Dillon crimps and seats at different stages. Just something you might check. I didn't hear that XDs din't like lead, I'm surprised, its pretty propular.
 
The jam seems like a bulge caused it. I have a 4 hole turret press and crimp separate but I had recently raised the setting to see how it felt both loading and shooting.
 
The Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die will save you a lot of trouble loading mixed brass with bulk cast bullets. It resizes the finished cartridge as it taper crimps, and will iron out bulges as may occur with cheap components.
 
LONG time shooter but I can barely afford enough ammo to become competitive with my P99 left hand almost useless due 2 c3-4 vertabrae fusion but I consider myself a world class sniper. any day any range any gun as long as its not yours,,P99er
 
Ahhh, the memories!!

My first IDPA match was last summer and I too will never forget what a mess it was. And from what I've seen since its amazing that anyone ever goes back for a second helping as that first time for many people is nearly traumatic.

But I'll have to say that in spite of the all the things that went wrong, it still was the most fun I've ever had with a gun. After about 10-15 matches since then I am still coming in near the bottom of the rankings out of about 50 shooters each time but I don't care. I have learned more about handguns as a result of participating than I had learned my whole life until now.

And as has been mentioned, the radiation from the timer that affects gun control can also blank out your memory. When the buzzer sounds, all the preplanning on how to shoot a stage very often flys out of your head and when its over you may have no recollection of how you shot the stage until the guys watching stop laughing and tell you how you screwed up.
 
I checked the scores today. 207! Points down was 61. The time was horrendous from clearing the two jams. And shooting 3 innocent targets....and drawing mags from my pocket....

I used a Para PXT SSP and would have liked to use a SA Mil-Spec (not US) but after 1000 practice rounds, the short trigger is no bueno for me.

Any thoughts on trading the Springer for a Para P14 45 for IDPA?
 
My thoughts are: don't do any trading yet. Shoot a few more matches with what you have. You are going to make mistakes and it ain't the gun! Maybe later you will want something different, borrow that gun and shoot a match and see what you think. I have shot ISPC for close to 20 years, and IDPA since it started, I still screw up big time, and... it ain't the gun!
Just shoot what you have and have fun, and in time your scores come up.
 
while I'm certainly there to have fun (folks can hear me laughin' at myself)

I go to the line acting like my life depends on it; Are my mags fully loaded? Did I actually LOAD my gun? and is the mag I stuck in full?
Is my belt gonna stay on? My mags stay in their pouches?
My glasses un-fogged?
Shoes tied?

I go to have fun seriously.

A33102


Current strong-elbow woes forced me to 'go leftie' (good thing I already had leftie holster and 9x19 1911 with ambi safety, ay?) ; try THAT some time for u t t e r l y humbling shooting experience; I looked and acted retarded.
But I had fun.
 
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