IDPA vs. IPSC

I am trying my first official CDP match on may 2nd in fredericton,..and regularly shooting in IPSC. I can't imagine not having fun at either sport.
 
DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING IS MY OPINION AND MY OPINION ALONE. IT IS NOT MEANT AS AN INSULT AGAINST THE PRACTITIONERS OF ANY OF THESE DISCIPLINES OR THE DISCIPLINES THEMSELVES, ONLY MY TAKE, OBSERVATIONS AND PERSONAL STANDPOINT ON THEM.

Now that I got that out of the way...

PPC: Having tried it, I think it's little more than multi-position bullseye target shooting, using a silhouette instead of concentric circles than practical shooting as we've come to know it out of other disciplines.

IPSC: From my observations and attempts at taking part, I find that IPSC is more geared speed and volume of fire than on first-shot accuracy. That game is heavily slanted towards the shooters who can afford to plunk down the dough the have their guns fine-tuned into racing devices.

IDPA/CDP: OK, I'm biased. That's the style I prefer shooting. Usually done with much fewer targets and much lower round counts than the other games mentioned. It's intended to be more realistic and to have equipment limited to "duty/carry" gear and a limited amount of ammunition that can be carried. It involves shooting from cover or on the move, reloading from cover and drawing from concealment. As I said, it's more geared towards a "defensive shooting" standpoint.

As I said,
 
DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING IS MY OPINION AND MY OPINION ALONE. IT IS NOT MEANT AS AN INSULT AGAINST THE PRACTITIONERS OF ANY OF THESE DISCIPLINES OR THE DISCIPLINES THEMSELVES, ONLY MY TAKE, OBSERVATIONS AND PERSONAL STANDPOINT ON THEM.

Now that I got that out of the way...

PPC: Having tried it, I think it's little more than multi-position bullseye target shooting, using a silhouette instead of concentric circles than practical shooting as we've come to know it out of other disciplines.

IPSC: From my observations and attempts at taking part, I find that IPSC is more geared speed and volume of fire than on first-shot accuracy. That game is heavily slanted towards the shooters who can afford to plunk down the dough the have their guns fine-tuned into racing devices.

IDPA/CDP: OK, I'm biased. That's the style I prefer shooting. Usually done with much fewer targets and much lower round counts than the other games mentioned. It's intended to be more realistic and to have equipment limited to "duty/carry" gear and a limited amount of ammunition that can be carried. It involves shooting from cover or on the move, reloading from cover and drawing from concealment. As I said, it's more geared towards a "defensive shooting" standpoint.

As I said,

I agree,..except about the IPSC,..first shot is also very important,...every shot is...and gear is not much more expensive.
 
"IPSC: From my observations and attempts at taking part, I find that IPSC is more geared speed and volume of fire than on first-shot accuracy. That game is heavily slanted towards the shooters who can afford to plunk down the dough the have their guns fine-tuned into racing devices."

Unfortunately there still seems to be the opinion that IPSC is hugely expensive to get into and that one has to spend a small fortune on getting a fancy gun to be competitive.This was probably true in the past and scared alot of people from getting involved in the game.However,without a doubt,the fastest growing section of the sport is production division which is not expensive to get into(certainly no more than IDPA or PPC).With a box stock Glock,a plastic holster and a few mag pouches,you can be quite competitive.
 
I agree,..except about the IPSC,..first shot is also very important,...every shot is...and gear is not much more expensive.

Absolutely.

You can spend about the same amount of money to get into either sport. With the exception that in IPSC you would need 2 more magazines and mag pouches.

You will also expend more ammo at an IPSC match than an *dpa match due to you having more mags to address the greater number of targets in a given course of fire.

A Production Pistol is going to serve you pretty well in both sports. I used to use my stock 1911 to shoot the occasional *DPA match when I lived in the Guelph area.

To me both are very fun shooting sports. I just happened to pick IPSC as my mainstay. As to why I picked IPSC? Well to me there was/is too much of a judgement call with regard to some of the rules in *DPA then I care for. That is not saying that I would not play it again. As a matter of fact I probably will over the coming summer.

Any reaons to put rounds down range is a good thing.

IPSC, *DPA, PPC, Bullseye you name it.................
 
,without a doubt,the fastest growing section of the sport is production division which is not expensive to get into

When I started shooting ipsc about ten years ago I was sumarily ridiculed by a MD for showing up to my qualifier with what amounted to a "production" set up.

"Noone shoots production."
You'll never get classified 'cause noone shoots production."
"You better get another gun... Noone shoots production."
"Hey everybody... Look over here! This guy's shooting production..?

Whatever... :jerkit:

I saw lots of guys that day shooting "open" and they still sucked. :D
 
In my opinion, both are target pistol sports.
One is more popular then other.
I guess, both are fun to shoot.
I myself like the idea of IPSC better, because is more like
sport then defensive shooting.
I am learning the skills not to defend myself but to score highest marks.
 
In my opinion, both are target pistol sports.
I am learning the skills not to defend myself but to score highest marks.

In IDPA you are learning skills to shoot accurate and faster. This is exactly the same as in IPSC. How you play the game and the rules are different because they are different sports using a pistol. I enjoy them both...most do. Best analogy I can think of is baseball and softball. Simalar games but different rules.

As to the calls made by the SO in IDPA they are no more "subjective" then in IPSC". The RO/SO makes a call and you live with it. Same as in any sport.

Take Care

Bob
 
As to the calls made by the SO in IDPA they are no more "subjective" then in IPSC". The RO/SO makes a call and you live with it. Same as in any sport.

Take Care

Bob

I disagree..........but that does not make you a "bad man" (other things do that)

For me the big thing is the 50% cover. Unless you have a camera on the target tracking the competitor you have no idea how much cover the competitor had.

For IPSC the only "subjective" component I can think of is finger in trigger and gun on target. However those are saftey infractions that I think put them in a different class.
I guess you are right about other sports. The best anaolgy I have to it is ICE DANCE! LOL!!!:runaway:


As I said........I have played both and enoyed both and will shoot both again.
 
For me the big thing is the 50% cover. Unless you have a camera on the target tracking the competitor you have no idea how much cover the competitor had.
Which is why when we run matches we have two RSO's. Primary who is concerned with shooter's firearm manipulation (aka gun safety) and the secondary RSO who measures the use of cover from 2-3 meters behind the shooter.

IDPA & IPSC are similar to these extents.
Safety is #1 rule and the games are timed.

Both are fun.
 
I disagree. The primary difference with regards to IPSC and IDPA as competitions (not safety related) is the two subjective official calls; cover and failure to do...

In IPSC, there is no call by an official that will effect a competitor's score.
IDPA has justified reasons for this, and there's nothing wrong with that.
 
I disagree..........but that does not make you a "bad man" (other things do that)

For me the big thing is the 50% cover. Unless you have a camera on the target tracking the competitor you have no idea how much cover the competitor had.

For IPSC the only "subjective" component I can think of is finger in trigger and gun on target. However those are saftey infractions that I think put them in a different class.
I guess you are right about other sports. The best anaolgy I have to it is ICE DANCE! LOL!!!:runaway:


As I said........I have played both and enoyed both and will shoot both again.

Ummm. The cover call depends very much on the SO
s experience. Such a call does not in itself call for a penalty unless a shot is fired outside cover. From observations I have seen the call is less likely to be made when you are outside cover than it is when you clearly are within the rules.

As to the finger violation in IPSC it is exactly the same. RO yells stop and DQ's you for a finger violation, unless you have a video going it is completely subjective. In IDPA you get a warning and the penalty is applied only if the competitor doesn't not remove his trigger or if he continues to receive warnings throughout the stage or competition.

The truth of the matter, as in any sport, all field violations are "subjective" based upon a criteria set by the shooting sport. The secret is that all penalties whether they be DQ's or time violations in the form of procedural penalties should always be as consistant as humanly possible at a match. IPSC shooting is a free style form of shooting without "procedural penalties", while IDPA does have expectations as to how the scenario is to be shot, use of cover, and how reloads are completed are two.

I am not sure what your experience has been with IDPA. I think you will find the SO calls to be completely fair and consistant and that is really all you or I should expect from any official. Our Safety Officer Instructors in your Province are all experienced officials and I know spend a great deal of time on their courses for SO's stressing the above and how to address the cover calls.

As a matter of interest what IDPA club do you shoot at?

Take Care

ps: Ice Dancing, really! You must have had a real bad experience with an SO. $hit happens I guess.
Edited to add: Sean has summed it up best. Both are great sports, learn how they are each shot and how the rules are applied and have at it. Incidently FTDR are really a severe form of penalty are only applied when fully warranted. In my view the FTDR is a soft DQ because 20 seconds penalty takes the competitor out of the competion.
 
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I really don't know why you guys bother with these threads. It always starts out a big love-in until someone starts picking at their particular beef and away we go.

For that matter why do I bother reading them???

Kind of like watching cars race. You watch them go round and round just waiting for the wreck.

Personally I would rather shoot that whine.

John
 
IPSC: From my observations and attempts at taking part, I find that IPSC is more geared speed and volume of fire than on first-shot accuracy.
Sorry it worked out that way for you. You must not have seen the better shooters. The best conserve time by being accurate the first time.
 
Sorry it worked out that way for you. You must not have seen the better shooters. The best conserve time by being accurate the first time.
+1;)

Originally Posted by Deuce044
IPSC: From my observations and attempts at taking part, I find that IPSC is more geared speed and volume of fire than on first-shot accuracy


kinda reminds me of the throw away for DA shot(production division) in IPSC,..every shot takes time. Why waste a shot,...the first shot is very important,..I stopped doing that and try and take the first shot DA on steel,...that way it is an aimed shot. I used to think about throwing away the DA shot when I first started shooting,..it kinda made sense,....but it was an excuse to not dryfire or take an aimed shot with good trigger control.

It requires effort to shoot an accurate DA shot,...
 
from what I have observed,..it is not volume of fire(although we all like to hose it up a little:dancingbanana:),..it is just the fact of higher rounds counts,..more stages...etc.
 
The difference between the two is all about fashion.......
You don't have to wear a "shoot me first" vest or tactical cape when shooting IPSC, but a long sleeve T-shirt under a polo shirt with a gun company logo on it IS a must. Oh, and the logo on the shirt better match the gun you are using.
 
For me the big thing is the 50% cover. Unless you have a camera on the target tracking the competitor you have no idea how much cover the competitor had.

When I RO to keep it simple. All that's required is that the shooters feet remain 100% behind cover/barricade/barrel... That way you can be pretty sure he's at 50%... 'cause if his feet are behind cover and he leans out past the 50% chances are... He's gonna fall over :D


As in many if not all games of the gun the benefit of doubt goes to the shooter. You may not always know for sure if the shooter is adhering to the 50% rule, but it's very obvious when he is not... That's when the RO gives the warning and that's usually where it ends... without a penalty.
 
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