IPSC Rookie Questions - Thanks!

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Kastro_316

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Hey all,

I just got my 9mm, and the reason for getting it was so I can enter some IPSC competitions.

Now, I know I have to get my black badge certificate, but besides that, I dont really know much.

What gear is essential to have? Rules, anything will help guys.

Im just going to enter for fun right now, and see how it goes.

Appreciate it, thanks!
 
Kastro_316 said:
Hey all,

I just got my 9mm, and the reason for getting it was so I can enter some IPSC competitions.

Now, I know I have to get my black badge certificate, but besides that, I dont really know much.

What gear is essential to have? Rules, anything will help guys.

Im just going to enter for fun right now, and see how it goes.

Appreciate it, thanks!
Click to expand...

I would go cheap for starting out. Uncle mike``s Holster Mag pouches, and belt. A lot of people are interested in ipsc, many actually take the black badge, some show up at matches. A few pursue this extreme sport with vigour.
 
I would suggest buying the best equipment you can afford. If you buy cheaper stuff you will probably always feel that it is holding you back. If it is within your budget a quality synthetic belt (ex. CR Speed or Safariland) is 10 fold better than even the thickest leather belt. A quality holster that keeps positive retention of your firearm like the dropped Blade Tec will definitely keep you from the dreaded DQ. They provide as fast a draw as is necessary and are incredible more secure than other designs. I would stay away from the “Race Type” with the exception of the new Safariland Competition Holster. They have a bullet proof locking mechanism that can be turned off during the “load and make ready” allowing for the fastest of draws. Many of the top USPSA shooters are now using this holster. In addition you will need 5 Mag pouches for your belt. The best I have used are the CR Speed and Safariland but they are a little pricy. The $20 Uncle Mikes pouches will work for 9mm mags and in all likely hood won’t affect your reload times as all they really do is hold a magazine for you to grab.
It is also important to practice and dry fire with whatever gear you have as muscle memory is more important than any physical thing in the game. Most important is to have fun! It is a game and that’s what games are all about; if you are too stressed at matches you will not stay with the sport (I have seen that many times). Remember you are not competing against anyone else… only yourself. Good luck with ever you choose for gear and see you on the range!
 
Don't go cheap. Buy right. Buy once.

Look at quality Kydex from Comp-Tac and Blade-Tech. Choose a holster designed expressly for a 1.5" belt and which is specified to be legal for IPSC (and, ideally, for USPSA Production and/or IDPA). For magazine pouches look at Comp-Tac, C.R. Speed and Safariland. For belts look at The Wilderness, C.R. Speed, and Safariland.

My first choice of holster would probably be Comp-Tac. If I were buying another holster just for sport, I'd probably buy a Ky-Tac.

http://www.blade-tech.com/home.php

http://www.comp-tac.com/

http://www.kytac.com/

http://www.rescomp.co.za/

http://www.safariland.com/

http://www.thewilderness.com/
 
Ah, see, I always recommend the opposite. Buy cheap the first time around. There are so many different holsters that it's not worth spending $250 and realize that you want something else.

Borrow or buy a cheap, fabric holster and complete the black badge, and then decide if you want to go down the $500 gunbelt/holster/mag pouch route afterwards, and with which brand.
 
Hey there,

In order to shoot in ipsc competitions, you have to go through a weekend long training/testing course. You'll get introduced to the type of shooting we do, plus put through some exercises, to make sure you can maintain safety and accuracy while under time pressure.

Which it is true that some people have gone into this course ("black badge" course - because a black badge is the membership "patch" you get at the end) having never shot before, and passed, but most of the time, it's good to know how to shoot before going there. I.e. knowing how to safety operate your gun to shoot, without any time pressure, without any draw-from-holster stuff - just shooting from the bench, taking your time, one handed or both. I've heard the standard 'requirement' is to be able to keep your shots on a 8.5x11" paper at something like 10m - good starting point, going into the BB course.

For the course you'll need a gun, 4-5 magazines for it, belt, holster, and mag pouches. You can borrow some of them, if need be.

A lot depends on your level of experience with guns, your shooting experience, where you live, what gun you have, etc, etc.... Give us some more details, and we'll be able to tell you more.

Cheers
 
hungrybeagle said:
Ah, see, I always recommend the opposite. Buy cheap the first time around. There are so many different holsters that it's not worth spending $250 and realize that you want something else.

Borrow or buy a cheap, fabric holster and complete the black badge, and then decide if you want to go down the $500 gunbelt/holster/mag pouch route afterwards, and with which brand.
Click to expand...

I agree with you except for the "fabric holster" part.

I've seen BB students / new members with crappy fabric holsters that ride up on the draw. The instinctive things for the shooters to do was...grab the bottom of the holster with their weak hand while they draw out the gun. Not a good idea...

The Bladetech DOH is a great choice for not much money...
 
Hey all, thanks so much for all the info. Ill show you below the gun I got, and the gear I plan to get. Please tell me if this gear is crap, or not bad for a starter like me :)

I got a Ruger SR9

Holster I plan on getting: CRSpeed Model A Holster or Uncle Mike's Kydex Hip Holster

Belt: Double Alpha Competition Belt

Mag Pouch: Double Alpha Mag Pouches
 
I can't comment on the Ruger other than to say that I haven't seen any being used in competition. The CR Speed holster and Double Alpha belt and pouches are all top notch equipment. They are very adjustable and can be adapted to many different types of guns and magazines, so if you are willing to spend the money they are a very good buy and will last you for years. They Kydex holster may also be absolutely fine (I haven't used one), but what you save in price you will probably give away in terms of adaptability. Note however that if you are planning to shoot in Production Division and want to do so in the U.S., you won't be able to use the CR under their rule set, but the Kydex will be fine. Just something to be aware of.
 
I prefer to see shooters start with something basic when getting into this sport. While many will argue that you should 'buy once' it never really works out that way, usually you end up with an expensive experiment only to find out what you got is not right for you or the sport isn't. A good basic production gun like a Glock or Beretta with some inexpensive kydex will give you a taste for the sport without a large layout of cash, you can buy ammo over the counter and if the sport isn't for you, it's also a good start for IDPA or PPC. I'm also not a fan of seeing race guns or rigs on the black badge course, if you are not familiar with holstering or drawing in the first place, a race holster can be a recipe for disaster. I've seen a lot of these on courses where they weren't adjusted properly or the shooter was having issues getting the gun in properly or dropping the gun altogether.
You will find out, pretty quickly, that the type of gun or holster has less to do with you passing the course, than the skills you need to learn. If you think you need race gear to pass the course, you may want to work on your skills a bit more before signing up. For the record, I passed my course with a bone stock Beretta 92F in a thumbsnap holster.
 
Stick with the uncle mikes holster for the Ruger.
One less complication with regards to setup and they are not that expensive.
I keep a few on hand for the more common guns when I am teaching as a just in case measure.
I agree with PH on the race gun thing too.
 
I did my black badge with a Springfield 1911 .45 in a pancake leather holster. I think I bought it for around $15 on some discount table, but that was almost 20 years ago.
 
Well, this second page has a lot of good advice, and all of them are "experienced" IPSC shooters Some people use the term "old", but that doesn't sound as nice!! It is all good advice.

I am not sure of your choice of gun either, but the goodies like the belt and pouches are excellent choices. Stick with the cheap holster (Uncle Mikes or Blade-tech preferably) for now. If you carry on much further (years perhaps), you will probably choose a different gun eventually. Not knocking your gun........if it works for you, then use it!!:)

Above all things, you must be comfortable with the gun and it's use. The Black Badge course tends to make you move a little faster than you normally would, and the more comfortable you are, then the better you will do. Most people have a very good time at the course. The only ones that don't have fun, usually have gun problems, or they are too nervous. It really isn't that hard once you get your head around it! :rolleyes:

Good luck, and hope to see you at the range!!:D
 
i'm lucky; I bought the expensive set first and I love IPSC so far :) (still underclassed) Model A holster+ 4 versa pouches + belt, all from crspeed

I will never be a serious competitor because of a triple spinal disk herniation that will never ever heal (hell, and I'm only in my 20) but the kit will last a long time that is for sure :)
 
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