Origins of IPSC

daedra83

Regular
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
4   0   0
I'm not sure that this thread is in the propper section.

I want to know where the IPSC started. Why some guys who practice it wear red t-shirt polo with tan pants (or shorts). And why this sport is so popular in the italian community?

Thanks!!!
 
I'm not sure that this thread is in the propper section.

I want to know where the IPSC started. Why some guys who practice it wear red t-shirt polo with tan pants (or shorts). And why this sport is so popular in the italian community?

Thanks!!!

I got this from googling "IPSC Origin" Hope it's ok to link...wouldn't work any other way

http://www.pgrgclub.ca/documents/ThisnewandexcitingstyleofsportshootinghaditsoriginsinCalifornia.pdf

also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat_pistol_shooting
 
Last edited:
JeffCooper1a%5B3%5D.jpg
 
The way in which IPSC is going, is evident in the growing popularity of IDPA.
IPSC started out as "Practical shooting", but it is very far from that now, and no evidence shows a return to "practical" any time soon. IMHO of course :)
 
I'd be more concerned with where it's going....

and...

The way in which IPSC is going, is evident in the growing popularity of IDPA.
IPSC started out as "Practical shooting", but it is very far from that now, and no evidence shows a return to "practical" any time soon. IMHO of course :)

If anyone has any actual information to share besides inuendo about something being wrong with IPSC I'd be interested in hearing it. Making vague referances isn't helpful for people who aren't "in the know".
 
If anyone has any actual information to share besides inuendo about something being wrong with IPSC I'd be interested in hearing it. Making vague referances isn't helpful for people who aren't "in the know".

+1 to that. I've only been out for IPSC a few times (once since my m&p arrived) and it's been great fun so far. What am I missing?
 
Last edited:
I consider IPSC to be more of a "fun" sport. I think that if ATC's were more available, then IDPA would be MUCH more prevalent. IPSC for fun, IDPA for practice.
 
too many people fall into the trap thinking IDPA is more tactical training , both IPSC and IDPA is just a SPORT, and both can be usefull as a foundation if a person decide to real Tactical training, it helps in your basic foundation of shooting, accuracy, smooth reload and speed. Using a carry holster and equipment doesnt make it Tactical. Bill Wilson is one of the founder of IDPA, and he got his millions by doing and selling replacement parts for 1911 which was in demand at the time when IPSC is becoming an International shooting sport. Unfortunately, STI, SVI, and even Para came into the picture, and Wilson is losing ground to his main market which was the IPSC community. So he came up with IDPA, which is basically tailored to his products.
I shoot both IPSC/IDPA and both are fun, and if I may add, because of my IPSC "TRAINING" , I survived and win a lethal encounter.
 
and...



If anyone has any actual information to share besides inuendo about something being wrong with IPSC I'd be interested in hearing it. Making vague referances isn't helpful for people who aren't "in the know".

Like i said, "IMHO".
Opinions everyone has, and they come from each owns perspective, and the way they see things.
I am not knocking IPSC. I have shot IPSC since 1986 till last year.
I had a ball , and lots of fun with it, and did very well.
It as I saw it, moved from a practical shooting sport to a game.
Thats fine, I am just saying IDPA is more practical than IPSC.
You cant stand in the open and do reloads or hose down targets in any order
in IDPA, or drop a mag on the ground with rounds in it.
One IDPA match I shot last year had 21 competitiors.
2 shooters including myself used a Colt 1911, while all others where, Sig's, Glocks, Smiths and a couple of Rugers.
Maybe the Bill Wilson therory works for the US, dont know, I have never shot there.
Just the way I see it, when guys like myself that shot IPSC for many years, like the more practical approach of IDPA.
I also like a shooting sport that doesnt involve taking out second mortgage to get geared up.
For people that do, thats fine for them.
 
I'll list my qualifications for having an opinion about the "origins Of IPSC in canada.

I shot IPSC from 1980 till 1992. I shot most of the BC championships during that time, and if I recall correctly, three Canuck championships ...
including one as a member of the BC team. I did most of my match shooting with a SS Detonics Combat Master [ 6 shot, 3 1/2" barrel .45 Govt clone ] usually from an SOB holster, and with a power factor of about 200 [ 230 Gr Hornady FP at 875 fps ].

Not exactly what anyone could call a gamesman. Any time I beat any Race gun was a good day. My personal best day was finishing 3rd overall in a Provincial match.

During that period, I also built about a hundred or so IPSC type pistols, in my day job as a gunsmith. I started out with what most would now call "standard " class Govt model .45 pistols ...
tweaked mostly for reliability, probably with better sights and a better trigger job.

Then the gunsmiths invented the compensator.
Then we invented .38 STUPID.
Then we invented the full house "RACE" gun, which was about as practical for daily carry, as an INDY 500 car was for daily driving.

In 1980, when I started in IPSC, there were lots of PRACTICAL stages ...
short range, low round count, quick and dirty. In fact, the course designers made an effort to make many stages "revolver friendly" ...
to keep the 6 shot wheelgunners involved.

Some of the stages were even designated as "surprise " stages ... no way to prep or game it. Like in one National Championship stage I remember, you walked into a dark room [ a big house with no windows ] and the only real light was from the red and blues flashing from off of a cop car inside. Oh yeah ... they handed you a Police flashlight, and said you had to hold the flashlight throughout the stage.

OOPS!! some top competitors did NOT do so well on that stage ... apparently they had never practiced shooting AND holding a flashlight. The clock stopper was a clay pigeon at 15 yds, and it was amazing how many supposedly good shooters ran out of bullets ... in the dark ... with a flashlight ... SURPRISE!!!

In fact, many of the early IPSC stage scenarios were taken from records of ACTUAL shootings. The only "game" aspect to it back then was like in duplicate bridge ... every body got dealt the same hand, and how you played that hand determined the winners. Most every body who shot IPSC back then KNEW this was practice for the real thing, so it was about as "Practical" as any one way range could be.

Then came trophies.
Then came prize tables ...
BIG prize tables, with like really nice guns as prizes!!!
Then came the "gamesmen" who wanted the prizes ...
real bad.

So, it got to the point where you pretty well needed a lawyer on every squad to keep up with all the gamey solutions ... IpSc became "Irritating Pipple Squabbling Constantly" [ in IDPA this would be called Violation fo the "Failure to do right" clause].

And it got to the point where IpSC had about as much relationship to a real gunfight, as Olympic fencing has to a barroom knife fight .. namely not very much.

Not that this is necessarily a bad thing ...
unless you were one of the few holdouts who still thought of IpSc matches, as practice for the real thing.

I have yet to try IDPA, but from what I have heard about it, it is somewhat more practical than IpSC is these days. How practical ...
well the only real test would be a two way range.

And none of us sane people really want to go there, do we??
as usual,
as with any opinion expressed on the internet,
YPMMV
[;{)
LAZ 1
 
Post 13 & 14 are good info. I have no interest in buying a fancy race gun or winning prizes. Wouldn't mind knocking down some targets in a Quantico or Dirty Harry kind of scenario with my 9mm Sig just for the hell of it tho...

Thanks....
 
Lazerus,
you would be very much surprise to learn that in many European countries IPSC is 'the' practice for specials units.
In fact my friend who is in one of the elite groups is shooting IPSC with blessing of his unit and they cover his costs of ammo, match fee, hotel.
For me IPSC is about making quick decision as fast as possible with very little mistakes. If this is not practical then what is it?
As for holding a flashlight, why not, it is a free style and can happen.
One of the stages last year in ON prov actually was sort of like that.

Greetings
 
I consider IPSC to be more of a "fun" sport. I think that if ATC's were more available, then IDPA would be MUCH more prevalent. IPSC for fun, IDPA for practice.

Well said. I'm new to it, but fun is the word. But 'Practical' ??? Not much handgun shooting is practical in Canada (law-enforcement contestants being exception oc)! And as mentioned, in the States IDPA (CDP? IN CANADA) is taking off fast.

Back to the question: I've heard that it (IPSC) came from S. Africa. Is there any sense in that?
 
Last edited:
IPSC is not a training ground for gun fighting. Neither is (whatever)PA. They are all sports, or games, or whatever you want to call them. They are not martial arts, though they were definitely derived from martial arts as were most of the true Olympic sports. They are now stylized extrapolations based on martial concepts and expressed in different ways (slightly) philosophically, but any time you take a martial concept and apply rules to it you have made it into a game.

It's all shooting, and it's all fun. Pick the flavor you like and go with that.
 
I could not have said it any better than that.
My first ever match (BB qualifier) had a semi surprise stage.
One of the best stages i ever shot. score and fun wise.
I remember in the dark stages with a flashlight also.
It was a great equalizer stage.:p
But we all had fun, well most did.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom