Mostly standards stages today. We got move a bunch on this one.
In 2009, I shot my very first IPDA match with Mecklenburg Wildlife Defensive Shooters. Since then, I’ve met a great number of folks from around the area to shoot with and learn (lots) from. I’ve also “graduated” to safety officer last year and today had to do stats while our regular stats person is out-of-town.
We had 43 shooters today. That’s a little low for us, considering there can be 80-100 folks who show up. It was cold, so I understand and the lower participant count helped me as I didn’t have to do so much data entry. I don’t envy the “stat shack” duties. But I had great notes to follow and was taught the workflow, so it went pretty smooth. Scores were uploaded within an hour and ten minutes of the last shot fired.
Once we registered everyone, I went down to the newly groomed bays and shot through so that I could get back to stats duty.
My match was consistent with previous performances. I started out HARD on the first and second stage (stage 2 forgot to turn on the camera) … then, settled in to match pace after I realized I was going way too fast to score good hits.
What a fine line it is between match pace and going too fast; enough to cost me three mikes and some fumbled reloads.
Never the less, I got to work on focused grip and concentrated aiming. Drawing and reloading from concealment is foreign to me now. I’ll need more than an evening working with a concealment garment to separate the differences between USPSA and IDPA sports. I did not get any PE’s today. Sometimes, I get caught shooting or reloading on the move in an open area when I’m not in “IDPA Mode”.
If you’re ever in Charlotte, NC on the fourth Saturday of the month, come shoot with us. If you’re new, feel free to observe. We had six folks stop by just to watch and get an impression of IDPA. One fellow just took the CCW class and while waiting for the Sheriff appointment came out to watch. Good on him. Would love to see more folks spending even once a month to practice pistol handling skills outside of indoor ranges where we can run the gun and draw and reload like in an more open area.
Here’s a short video minus stage two. Losts of standards stages which is good this time of year; and messing around with a new camera. While I don’t particularly like first person POV, it is fun. When available, I’ll try to mix in the 3rd person POV shots so that we can see my footwork and stance like normal.
Lee holds an IDPA Expert classification and competes in USPSA Production B Class. He wonders why more gun owners aren’t getting away from the doldrums of the square range and instead taking the opportunity to shoot on the clock in IDPA and USPSA.
