My IPSC Experience

These are firearms. They were designed (all politics aside) in history to be the most effective means of lethal personal combat. There should be 0 allowable exceptions in regards to safety in a non combat situation.

Yes, it sucks. Yes, it can be expensive. But -1- wrong move and somebody might not make it home. Good intentions or not. The sport is well regulated to prevent accidents and keep everyone on the same safe playing field.

If making a potentially deadly mistake that cost you your course is too much for you to bear, competitive shooting may not be for you. I've seen seasoned competitors sent home, understandably upset, but they do not dwell on it for years then come to complain about it online. They acknowledge their mistake, fix the deficiency, and return as soon as possible to compete again.

You won't find many sympathetic ears about safety issues after the tragedy that happened in Kamloops. There is a need to show you can do everything safely, the punishment for not can be a fatality. Buck up, run it again with better skills, or sell the holster and stick with static shooting.
 
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majority of the IPSC guys I've ever shot with, are all a bunch of cocky, arrogant a$$holes who scare about 90% of new shooters away on IPSC nights. great way to promote a dying sport...that being said, you had your finger in the trigger guard twice, and dropped what I'm assuming is a loaded fire arm, I wouldn't want to shoot next to you either. go home, put your gun belt on every night for a month straight and practice drawing, dry firing, reloading, and holstering until you can do it all with out thinking about it.
 
Dying sport?
Lol. Membership is growing rapidly for the past few years.
Alberta will be over 800 members most likely this year with ontario surpassing 1800.

Ipsc is THE largest shooting sport organization in canada.
 
It's been said that there are those who have been disqualified and those who will be disqualified. The point being that it can happen to anyone.

It's happened to me three times that I can remember (and there might have been more). I recall tripping and breaking 90. I recall dropping a revolver during a reload. I recall following a mover to the deck - and shooting through it into the deck. Each time I was disqualified, and gravely embarassed, but at no time was I ever made to feel as though I should quit. Safety infractions call for disqualification; it's not personal, it's just business. I doubt that anyone intended to make you feel badly.

You have to accept responsibility for everything you did (or didn't do) and move on. I am sorry that you had a bad first experience, but just because you failed on your first attempt doesn't mean that you would fail on your next attempt. Maybe you should give it another go.
 
I was always taught that if you learned from you mistake it was a lesson, I was also taught to never quit until you know yourself that it is time to stop. It is too bad you waited so long to air your frustration and I do hope it gave you some closure but at the end of the day whatever your excuse is/was you did drop a gun.... I have been shooting IPSC for a couple of years and I must say it is still fun. The safest place to be is usually in front of my target :redface: as I am certainly not in the same league as most, but at the same time I do have a lot of fun. My black Badge was an eye opener for safety and a course I do highly recommend for all. Yes in all groups of people you have those that excel and don't always have time for teaching new people (either they are too busy or sometimes they forget that they were new once) but at the same time there are always many who are willing to offer advice and tips. my two cents worth
 
It might help to think of it like other sports. Five fouls in bball your booted. Red card in soccer your out. Take out a tooth with a high stick you got a game misconduct. You don't like it. Of course not. Your embarrassed, your mad: probably. Well, those are the rules just like any other sport. And talk about equipment snobs try standing beside the skeet shooter with a 10k Beretta Over Under with your $500 Stevens.
 
kidcom said:
I have thought about this for a very long time and have finally decided to speak out about my feelings and issues concerning IPSC as a sport. Several years ago I decided to try and get my IPSC Black Badge. It was something that I just wanted to due because I thought that it would be a terrific experience to add to my shooting resume. However, it wasn't to be. I attended an out of town course of which I had to travel at my own personal expenses including food and lodging while there. I brought with me about 750 rounds of ammo of which I consumed almost 400 rounds. The course was over two days and required that participants meet one week prior to actually taking the course. As you can see, I had to drive to this location twice to take the course. I have to admit that the course was challenging and exciting at the same time. However, at some point, all the participants are required to shoot from either the kneeling, sitting and prone positions. Unfortunately, this is where I ran into a somewhat embarrassing situation. I suffer from arthritis in both of my knees and as a result, It's hard for me to participate in some of these shooting positions. I brought this to the attention of the person conducting the course and I was basically told not to worry about it. If the course instructor had advised me at that point that because of my physical limitations I shouldn’t proceed, I would have accepted his decision and would have withdrawn from the course. Safety was the primary concern which I fully agree with. During the course several people had issues which required that they be taken aside in order to give them personal attention in resolving their problems including safety issues. It was drawn to my attention that I let my finger slip down off the side of the frame of my pistol down towards the trigger area. At no time did my finger actually enter into the trigger guard. By the second day, I felt that I was doing very well with the course. I was waiting to do my turn at a shooting drill when I accidentally dropped my pistol while trying to put it in my Ghost Ultimate holster. God you'd think that I committed the crime of the century when that happened. Anyways, after that, it seemed to me that everything went down hill from there. I felt like a pariah within the group. The climax of the whole weekend reared it's ugly head when, what appeared to those giving the course, that my finger once again dropped down off the slide towards the trigger guard. At this time, I was asked to leave the course. One individual was taken aside for the same thing several times, about six times, for proper instruction. I was instructed twice. Believe me I'm the first person to demand safe procedures at all times when handling any type of firearm. Every time I go through those last few minutes in my head, I'm convinced that it didn't happened and that I was railroaded out of the course do to my health limitations. As I was putting away my stuff in preparation for leaving, one of the other participants, a young fellow, who had watched the whole proceedings, came to me and apologized as he felt I was treated badly and shouldn't have been asked to leave. I thanked him for his kind words. Well there you have my initiation to IPSC. Financially it cost me about $1000 from which my investment resulted in receiving a handshake and a thank you for participating but I wasn't IPSC quality. I asked for and received back my registration form and fee for joining IPSC (membership payment required in order to take the course). However, I never received the money back that we all paid for the instructor. I believe my dismissal from the course was handled in an inappropriate manner. I was embarrassed and humiliated in front of the group. I'm a senior citizen who thought by taking this course that I would learn about the various different aspects of our wonderful hobby and sport, but to no avail.
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If you we're using a glock in a ghost holster I was there as an assistant to black badge instructor.
There was some scary #### coming from that glock guy from out of town on that day.
I remember it hitting concrete and going into a spin, kinda funny but not really.

I didn't want to bring that useless story up again, but the occasion seemed fitting.

Edit : And the part so I forgot to mention, I am 100% willing to bet, that had you taken recommendations and trained with your gun back home, and would of came back a year later and proved to be comfortable, you would of been takn back in with open arms. As long as you can prove to be comfortable and safe, and this is even if you are glock guy whoever may he be.
 
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The rules about gun safety in the action shooting sports are strict for a very good reason. And those sports have an excellent track record in part because of it. (With a recent incident in BC, thankfully rare, offering a sober reminder about what can happen when you waver for a split second.)

That said, the action shooting sports are still subject to the niceties (and the not so niceties) of human personalities.

There are some RSOs/SOs who will bring down the DQ hammer, and have every right to do so, but fail to follow up with the firm but friendly instruction that must necessarily follow a DQ if they are to have any hope of turning it into a teaching moment.

Those RSOs/SOs lose a superb opportunity to not only reduce the likelihood of future problems, but can very easily turn a participant (especially someone who is new to action shooting sports) from further involvement.

And, on the other side of the coin, there are also participants who will fail to learn from their DQ experience and may instead become bitter and vindictive about being "called out" or embarrassed, and see it as being unfairly targeted or singled out. Those people, if they cannot see their error, probably ought to find another hobby. For everyone's sake.
 
Some sports aren't a good fit with some people. I occasionally shoot with people, who while may be 'qualified', make me nervous to be near. Lack of physical co-ordination, lack of mental focus, too-casual attitude, etc. They should be doing something less dynamic. If you are showing signs of inability / incompetence, you should be DQ'd. Politely is better, but the priority is safety. I'd rather shoot with an a**hole SO who is on the ball than a nice guy who is worried about what people think. Although the experience was expensive and uncomfortable, I bet the shooter is safer and wiser for it every time he's around a firearm. Or so i hope.
 
DTM5 said:
Some sports aren't a good fit with some people. I occasionally shoot with people, who while may be 'qualified', make me nervous to be near. Lack of physical co-ordination, lack of mental focus, too-casual attitude, etc. They should be doing something less dynamic. If you are showing signs of inability / incompetence, you should be DQ'd. Politely is better, but the priority is safety. I'd rather shoot with an a**hole SO who is on the ball than a nice guy who is worried about what people think. Although the experience was expensive and uncomfortable, I bet the shooter is safer and wiser for it every time he's around a firearm. Or so i hope.
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In a similar vein but different sport, I compete in yearly first responder events. Rarely is pure safety an issue, but focus and commitment often are lacking from the more "live and let live" types. At least the type-A members can be incentivized by not wanting to suck in competition. Also, cool gear doesn't change the final score much. Finish place depends on performance under pressure.
 
HI;
So at almost 65 years old I took the IPSC BB. I practiced and was much coached and trained by other seasoned IPSC members of my home club. I carefully picked a handgun and safer slower holster with a lock. Most of the "kids" half my age could not bend over or get up easily. Had a hard time hitting the centre of the target. I was shocked to find out the level of skill in general I saw. The BB instructor busted a gut to get them up to speed.
Yes we all passed, some barley and some have since dropped out. So this is not for all. I can not complain about the instructor or the course requirements. I need those skills to shoot safely. YEP I have come in last place a few times but so far no DQ.
 
read through all the posts ....heaven forbid some of you get old age aliments or a disability ... now , in saying that i am a leg amputee , i have shot ipsc matches in new zealand before moving here , i cant run , and getting down on my knee/knees /stomach takes a tad longer , i was always allowed to place my handgun on the ground before getting down , fire , then get back up with hand gun still on the ground , then safely retireive it and carry on , was i going to win on speed ? hell no , i enjoyed my time shooting ipsc , there are allowances for age and ability , but you still must be competent regardless , ... its too bad you gave up , ... i got dq for putting my gun back into the holster , it didnt lock back , and it tumbled forward onto the ground .... stupid wsm11 holsters ... my fault completely . i took the dq , as you have too . to the OP , give it another go , remember practise practise practise , .
 
I should mention that if everyone had read my OP carefully, you would have realize that I wasn't DQ'd for dropping my pistol. The reason for that, which I forgot to mention, was the pistol was safe, no magazine, no round in the chamber. It was my second percieved drop of my finger towards the trigger guard that resulted in the DQ. That was obviously questioned by the young fellow who spoke with me after I was asked to leave the course.
 
You broke (at least.) one of the 4 cardinal rules. You won't find sympathy here for it. During a safety course you broke several rules (muzzle direction on drop, finger on trigger, treat every gun as id it were loaded [referencing the "unloaded drop]), they are rules for a reason. As explained by several posters, an IPSC shooter was killed during a match this year. Safety is priority #1, far ahead of your feelings.
 
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kidcom said:
I should mention that if everyone had read my OP carefully, you would have realize that I wasn't DQ'd for dropping my pistol. The reason for that, which I forgot to mention, was the pistol was safe, no magazine, no round in the chamber. It was my second percieved drop of my finger towards the trigger guard that resulted in the DQ. That was obviously questioned by the young fellow who spoke with me after I was asked to leave the course.
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Yep repeated finger on trigger when not engaging targets is a safety risk, and grounds for a DQ.
 
IPSC course or shooting at the range, if you drop your gun loaded or not (always treat a firearm as loaded, PERIOD) safety is nothing to sneeze at.

if you were shooting next to me at the range, and I saw that, I would be heading out as you are u safe.

as a retired IPSC competitor, and RO for over 20 years, I'm glad the instructor did what he did. You were not even qualified to take the course YET.
 
bsand said:
Yep repeated finger on trigger when not engaging targets is a safety risk, and grounds for a DQ.
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You say that my finger was on the trigger...it WASN"T. Again the point has been missed. My finger was NEVER inside the trigger guard PERIOD. That's why the young fellow came to me at the end to express his disbelief as to what happened.
 
kidcom said:
You say that my finger was on the trigger...it WASN"T. Again the point has been missed. My finger was NEVER inside the trigger guard PERIOD. That's why the young fellow came to me at the end to express his disbelief as to what happened.
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I feel for ya. The arrogant IPSC crowd, not all, but enough discourage new shooters and some of these people forget they where new to it. I feel bad when I am in the midst of these distractions.
 
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