I'm off to my first match - any sage advice?

R

RetiredMajor

New member
I shoot my first IDPA match this coming Sunday. I'm shooting either a Glock 19 or my Springfield XD 9MM Subcompact. I'm accurate and comfortable with either.

So.....any sage advice on how to handle the course for a newbie?

Thanks, in advance and HooAh!
 
Shoot because it's fun and don't worry about placing. Shoot for accuracy and worry about speed as you get used to shooting fast. How's it go? You can't shoot fast enough if you miss?
Take lots of ammo and socialize a lot.
"...shooting either a..." Got a load worked up for both?
 
So how did it go? I just got into this recently myself, but am now deployed so no matches for me, not for a while any way...
 
I hope it was fun. Did you get the new-guy round of applause?

I figure if you don't DQ on your first run through, you did well. :)
 
My advice is listen to the stage instructions carefully. The procedual penalties are killing my scores. That 'slice the pie' causes automatic brainlock for some reason. I do better after watching several others go ahead of me.
 
Let me tell you...it was a hoot! It was a small group of about 20 and they treated me very well. I got there early because a buddy was going to walk me through the stages. That helped a lot. Everyone was patient and helped me. I went last at every stage and it really helped to watch others. I'm a visual learner so seeing and then doing is important to me. They had 5 stages. The toughest was laying on the ground with a 110 lb dummy on me. I had to fling it off, scramble to a nearby car, retrieve my pistol which was jammed (they set up a double feed) and laying under the car, then engage 6 targets from the prone postion near the back of the car. This stage was supposed to simulate a fight, your gun skittered across the parking lot, landed under a car, jammed and you were taking fire from bad guys.

Even though I know how to clear a double feed jam, my mind didn't work right. I was moving too fast and took extra time. I finally got it but it sure demonstrated what a little stress can do to the best laid plans of mice and men.

But, I had a blast and came home dirty, hot and smiling ear to ear. I'll do this again, for sure. I'm also part of a small group trying to get this going in our area, so I wanted to experience it and learn how to run one.

I have a lot to learn, but feel this very doable for us to get a club going.

Thanks for the advice!
 
Glad you had a good time - even more than that, I'm glad that the club provided a welcoming atmosphere, because that's what brings people back to the game. I hope you keep shooting competition; but you should be warned that run and gun games are like crack.
 
Okay, that stage was made of awesome. I'm going to have to get more serious about IDPA (as long as it doesn't cut into my bowling-pin ammo budget...)
 
my advice is that learning the procedures and order of fire will be the biggest lesson you have.
 
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