ACPL Northwest Arkansas Championship IDPA

[DrHenley]

Well, I certainly agree with that Joe. But serious competitors spend many times more hours at the range practicing than actually competing. Buying ammo for practice was bankrupting me after Obummer got elected. I switched to using a 22 conversion slide for a while, until 22 ammo disappeared. For a while I was practicing with an Airsoft 1911 because it was the only way I could afford to shoot and wore the gun slam out. Then I started casting my own bullets, which was economical, but slowed me down considerably. At that point I went into "Ammo Conservation Mode" and decided to take a break from competing. Now that 22 ammo is loosening up, I'm back to mostly practicing with a 22 conversion slide, and getting serious about it again.

The matches to me aren't really a competition with other shooters. They are a "final exam" if you will, of how well I have been practicing. My first few matches were focused on accuracy and mechanics instead of speed. It took over a year before I could run a clean match. I would THINK I had it all down in practice, but under the pressure of the matches, flaws became evident. As I got to where I could run clean matches, then I started working on speed.

At the beginning I worked with an instructor. That only got me so far. The IDPA matches (and preparation for them) got me much farther down the road than just the training alone.



^^^ is the gun I compete with...and carry.

[Sheepdog]

Originally Posted by milkmanjoe

Agreed....we train to stay alive in a gunfight...so I avoid the timed shooting sports. But stress as an additive is always good if you enjoy that type of shooting.

I never have understood why some people feel that training for a gunfight and competition shooting are mutually exclusive.

[Caleb]

Very cool, great shooting Sir.

[milkmanjoe]

Originally Posted by Sheepdog

I never have understood why some people feel that training for a gunfight and competition shooting are mutually exclusive.

They are two different mindsets. I do not want rules to kick in if I am trying to stay alive. There are no timers, rules, guaranteed places to hide or duck behind or limited rounds in a gunfight. Remember...we fight as we train...waiting for a sound could get you killed.

[Sheepdog]

Originally Posted by milkmanjoe

They are two different mindsets. I do not want rules to kick in if I am trying to stay alive. There are no timers, rules, guaranteed places to hide or duck behind or limited rounds in a gunfight. Remember...we fight as we train...waiting for a sound could get you killed.

Soooooooooo..... the only way to train is in a real gunfight??????

[milkmanjoe]

Originally Posted by Sheepdog

Soooooooooo..... the only way to train is in a real gunfight??????

No.....to.train as if you are in one......there are no rules...I do not want the rules of competition games ingrained in my training.

[DrHenley]

No, technically it's not training, it's practice...which develops muscle memory...with some artificial pressure added since you don't have the real pressure of a live gunfight.

If you think there are no rules in a real gunfight, you better not be in one or you will end up either in the grave or in the slammer for life.

Let's see, in a real gunfight Joe, it sounds like you:

Want to stand flatfooted in the open
Firing indiscriminately with no regard for innocent bystanders
With no muscle memory for operating your firearm quickly and accurately under pressure
And no practice clearing jams.

Yeah, good luck with that bud...