IDPA has come out with some bizarre rules for sure, so our club now has "Defensive Pistol" matches that use mostly 2012 IDPA rules with some modifications. Our reload rules are more "real world."
IDPA is not a substitute for formal training, and before I started competing I did have an instructor work with me. But I still believe it is of immense value in developing muscle memory, learning to operate your pistol instinctively under pressure, and for testing your gun and ammo. Even though the pressure can't be compared to a life and death situation, the instinctive operation of your pistol
WILL transfer. It has uncovered numerous flaws in my technique, and I have been able to adjust accordingly. For example I learned that when I have 8 rounds in a mag, I tend to not seat it completely on a tactical reload. Then after firing the next shot, the mag drops out. Knowing this, I have started carrying 8 round mags loaded to 7 rounds for my EDC. I tried this in a match and had no problems with seating the mags. I was at a disadvantage from a gaming standpoint, requiring more reloads, but I was never left with an empty pistol with a full mag on the ground.
I have started competing with a compact 1911 because that's what I carry. Shooting the plate racks didn't really bring out the difference between the two compact 1911s I have. But running them in an IDPA match was an eye opener.
How many USPSA competitors
CARRY the same gun they use for competition? hmmm?
