Is it BAD to want to COMPETE in IDPA or IPSC to win?

C

cqbshooter

Inactive
Is it a bad thing to want to join in these competitions with the sole purpose of wanting to achieve first place? Understanding of course that it will mean ALOT of practice, training, and did I mention practice, reloading and everything else that we love about shooting.

Does this forum view this as a BAD thing? :confused:

Don
 
Hint:

It's called COMPETITION for a reason. :rolleyes: Those who don't want to compete should stick with "No-Score Soccer/T-Ball/blissninnie game of choice."

Bring your best game and be prepared for a serious Reality Check - but it will still be FUN!
 
Is it a bad thing to want to join in these competitions with the sole purpose of wanting to achieve first place?
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holy hell man!
That is whiney leftist speak! "It's just for fun, no one needs to win, we don't want to hurt anyone's feelings"
Hell yes you want to win! There is nothing wrong with that. The desire to be first will make you work harder, and become better, even if you don't ever actually win.
 
I want to win too.

One thing to keep in mind is realistic expectations, if you expect to win right away or without putting in the hours and rounds of QUALITY practice you will be very disappointed. The only other thing to really consider is realistic goals for improvement. Set your bar high, but not so high that it is unreachable.
 
He's not asking whether the forum thinks competition is bad and "everybody is a winner."

He's asking whether the forum thinks it's bad to compete solely to win in these games because, in order to do that, you will probably end up doing something "untactical" to get a competitive advantage. The "IDPA is pure tactical training" crowd doesn't like that.

The answer is that the forum doesn't think anything. Some people here agree with you, some don't. State your case and we'll talk about it.
 
Of course there is nothing wrong with setting a goal to WIN and working toward that goal. But, there is another approach. Sometimes, just sometimes ......

you might decide to not concentrate on winning in order to try something new or different. Maybe a new pistol that you're NOT 100% with yet. Maybe you want to shoot always from concealment when it is not required. One day you just might decide to shoot ALL stages strong hand only or use real full power factory ammo. You'd be improving yourself (prepping for future matches, maybe?) but you'd also be at a disadvantage to everyone else, for the purposes of the match scoring that day.

I mentioned this recently on another forum and was roundly booed for not wanting to always win in the scoring. Fight to win! Win to survive! Rah, rah! Interestingly, it seems it's the folks that invest so much of themselves in WINNING that dissapprove of someone not doing the same. At least from their point of view. Part of needing to win so badly is in beating you when you're at your best and I can understand that part of competition.

That's fine, but I don't see anything wrong with USING a match setup to refine or develop some other skills too. If you go into it knowing that it will probably knock you out of winning, so be it. I don't see this as "whiney leftist speak" myself, and I don't try to get others to do as I do. I may in fact choose to get in some "tactical training" that day, but I don't impose those choices on anyone else.

It's your business why you compete and it is my business why I compete. Sometimes I choose to only compete with myself. Other days I come out ready to join the herd and try to beat everybody else. Be serious but have fun; at worst it'll keep everybody guessing what you're up to that day.
 
YOU COMPETE TO WIN??? LOL!!!! Man that's the only reason I go to the shoots. If you've got the competition bug there's nothing you can to do, it is built into us and there is no sense trying to hide it. I love to shoot, but I love to shoot because the more we shoot, the better we get, and the better we get, the greater our chances of winning become! And yes I believe in modifying the gun as much as the rules allow you to do so. I changed barrels recently and went to a shoot and a had a few guys ask me if it made a difference, I said yes not alot but it definately seemed to shoot groups about 1/4" tighter with the aftermarket barrel. And of course a few guys said a 1/4" isn't worth the money, I said have you ever missed the courrugated line on the head shots by a 1/4"??????? I'll take every advantage I can get my hands on. Welcome to the club!
 
You want to compete in a match and not win? Hmmmm, that's strange. If I were you I would be focused on WINNING.

"You must do your damdest and win."
-General George S. Patton
 
It's one thing to try for a win in a game, such as baseball or chess. There is no other way to measure success other than winning.

But to me, when something can be timed or scored without any need for anyone else, I compete with myself. Can I do better than I did last time. In those instances I really don't give a damn what the other shooters do.
 
Well I thank all of you for responding...

Well I thank all of you for responding :D
My personal goal is to shoot a H&K P7M13 or H&K USP 45 Tactical and SMOKE THE "GLOCK LORDS" :cool: They seem to own the winners bracket at a couple of local clubs. It's time that I stepped up and practiced my butt off and gave them a run for their money!!!!

Don :D

And if that don't work I'll buy a Glock :eek:
 
I always go to a match to win. Of course I only really like going to matches where there is some good competition. A match where I can win easily isnt any fun since it wasnt a challenge.
 
Jeeper what days do you shoot. I'm not to far from pearland. I would like to try to kick your butt at a IDPA match :D I shoot at impactzone every wed night. I shoot CDP MM. I think it would be fun to get together with another forum member and do a match.
 
Don,
I can't speak for this Forum but my own personal take is that one should be just as competitive as possible and be the best they can at what they do. As you stated, practice is what will get you to the top. In my opinion most handgun competitions are watered down by the class systems they have. Most shooters have been convinced the class system is there to help the shooters, I feel it aids the organizations much more than the shooters. What the class systems does is encourages sand bagging and mediocrity. A true competition should be a heads-up match and the best shooters should be the ones that are rewarded, after all they did not get to the top by setting on their butts and watching TV. I've competed in both heads-up matches and matches with the class system, I always enjoy the heads-up matches more even though at times I get my butt handed to me.
Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com
 
Read up on the rules so you know how far you can push it and go for it. Most people shoot IDPA/USPSA to win, even if they do not say it publically.

Don't forget the P7M13 is in Enhanced Service Pistol.

TEd
 
crush all opposition, natch

I play at the match; I win on the street.

Real life is a beatch, ay?

Shoot the match any way you wish, with whatever goal(s) you prefer. Compete as hard or as little as you want.

But regardless of motive, please remember that good sportsmanship is the sign of a true gentleman. Even when you've just stomped on, gut-kicked, and utterly crushed your opponents (even if they little Jr. girls). :D

Crush.
A33102
 
H&K P7M13 or H&K USP 45 Tactical and SMOKE THE "GLOCK LORDS
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If you expect to win EX or M class, you better get some equipment that is more conducive to winning the game. There are reasons the 1911 and Glock rule IDPA and it is not just popularity...
 
FWIW, I don't think you would be at a disadvantage at all with a P7M13, provided it fits your hand.

Got a real nice trigger and I like the mag release and manual of arms.

Expensive to buy, gets hot after about two boxes of ammo in practice, and HK is a mother for repair work (requiring at least one spare gun IMHO) but other than that it is an excellent gun. I'd shoot one if I had one and wouldn't feel like I took a step down from my G17 at all. Always wanted a P7M8 for carry.

Ted
 
Impact,

I havent shot IDPA in years but do shoot against some of your guys in IPSC like vincent and gordon. I also just moved back to Phoenix so we wont get the chance to take each other on any time soon. :D I would welcome the challenge!
 
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