My take on IPSC
- Thread starter cbabes
- Start date
A few years ago, I started a small business teaching personal computer skills. I also supplied and installed machines and systems for my clients. By pure good luck later coupled with deliberate effort on my part, my client group consisted predominately of what I would call "mature" people. At one time, 75% of my clientele was over 75. Most of my work was at the client's residences including several retirement homes. My oldest client was 92 and I had many at 80 and more. Not coincidentally, a large number of these people were Jewish Holocaust survivors. Many of these people were simply incredible spirits.
I did this kind of work for ten years and became very close to a lot of these folks. I've always been a student of people and so my clients were a very rich study group numbering about 300 over the years. As so many of these people were "mature" I saw a significant amount of health and emotional issues. I noticed that there were some people that seemed to do well no matter what while others faded quickly when health or other issues struck. Those in the latter group gave up, complained about their problems frequently and took a negative view of everything.
The other group consisted of people who couldn't be beat. They had the same sorts of problems but rarely talked about them. I had people who started to learn computing when they were over 80! In getting to know these people there were several common threads. One was that they had what I called the survivor mentality. Many of them survived the camps and came to Canada to raise large and very successful families. They never stopped solving problems and they never stopped learning!
So I relate my stories to people I meet in the shooting sports. The competition is there of course but so is the requirement to learn new skills and overcome challenges including ever advancing age. I usually finish in the bottom third at most matches. I could choose to see this as losing or not winning but I don't. That's because I have my own priorities and one of them has nothing to do with my score. I go to the matches to have fun and to be with other like minded people. At 70, I often find myself shooting with people who are 40-50 years my junior. Remarkably they don't seem to notice and I always feel totally accepted. I'm not as fast as the others but I'm often just as accurate. I can easily tell anyone that will listen that I have as much or more fun than anyone.
It has stopped raining and so I'm off to a match I thought I had missed. I'll just shoot later if they have room for one more and they always do.
I did this kind of work for ten years and became very close to a lot of these folks. I've always been a student of people and so my clients were a very rich study group numbering about 300 over the years. As so many of these people were "mature" I saw a significant amount of health and emotional issues. I noticed that there were some people that seemed to do well no matter what while others faded quickly when health or other issues struck. Those in the latter group gave up, complained about their problems frequently and took a negative view of everything.
The other group consisted of people who couldn't be beat. They had the same sorts of problems but rarely talked about them. I had people who started to learn computing when they were over 80! In getting to know these people there were several common threads. One was that they had what I called the survivor mentality. Many of them survived the camps and came to Canada to raise large and very successful families. They never stopped solving problems and they never stopped learning!
So I relate my stories to people I meet in the shooting sports. The competition is there of course but so is the requirement to learn new skills and overcome challenges including ever advancing age. I usually finish in the bottom third at most matches. I could choose to see this as losing or not winning but I don't. That's because I have my own priorities and one of them has nothing to do with my score. I go to the matches to have fun and to be with other like minded people. At 70, I often find myself shooting with people who are 40-50 years my junior. Remarkably they don't seem to notice and I always feel totally accepted. I'm not as fast as the others but I'm often just as accurate. I can easily tell anyone that will listen that I have as much or more fun than anyone.
It has stopped raining and so I'm off to a match I thought I had missed. I'll just shoot later if they have room for one more and they always do.
ezzyfreeway
Regular
i was refuse the RPAL can i still take the BB course????Of course.
But the CFO does not refuse RPALs routinely. If you have a club and you passed the course, you're nearly always good to go.
When I decided to get my BB and start with IPSC, because just standing and shooting at a paper was getting boring, I had the impression that it was "hard" to get started. My experience was that it was not. Dedicate a weekend to it, the same way that you probably dedicated a weekend to getting your license in the first place, and the payback is amazing - excluding cost of ammo
You don't need an RPAL to 'borrow' a gun and gear...........
- Location
- Halifax - NS
Maybe, Yes, No?
IPSC Canada doesn't care about your RPAL issues with the CFO, but you'll need a handgun that you've trained with to take the black badge course.
Then you'll need to get that gun to matches and the CFO says that an RPAL is relevant to transport and ownership of a handgun.
Kids & sometimes spouses without RPALs often pass the BB with their parents & spouse's guns' - dunno if you might fall into this category.
Regardless; it's irrelevant to the topic & concept of this cool thread - your problems with your CFO isn't going to get fixed here.
I got my BB at 63 and I am now turning the door knob to 67, I have never had a bad experience shooting IPSC. I go to all the IPSC matches and 3 gun matches that I possibly can and I have fun at them all. The IPSC group at AMA is an excellent group, they are right there with advice to help shoot the stage, always a lot of fun to shoot with, I don't run but they don't mind, they allow me all the time I need. I enjoy shooting IPSC, I can't compete with the younger crowd time wise so, I compete with myself, my goal is to ace a complete match with all A's. You need to have a vision in life, that's now my vision! I can't say enough good about IPSC at AMA!
I don't see how. The BB course is designed for handgun shooting. You would need someone directly supervising you during your entire BB course. I suppose if it were 1 on 1 with you and the instructor, possibly.
Please explain how someone can "borrow" a firearm that they are not of a classification to possess? How does someone with no PAL, or a PAL without R simply "borrow" a restricted firearm?
You can borrow it if the owner if present. Happens often. Husband has PAL, wife shoots, he owns the guns. Same situation can happen with friends.
Obviously you could not just take a buddys gun and drive to the range alone and shoot however
So if the husband is shooting while the wife is shooting, is she under "direct and immediate supervision"? If the BB instructor is with another student is the person without the RPAL under the "direct and immediate supervision" of either the BB instructor or the person who they have borrowed the firearm from? I highly doubt it.
In addition to everything, the BB course is not suited for inexperienced shooters. You really should have thousands of rounds down range from the gun you are planning to use. I'm trying to figure out how someone can be refused their RPAL, yet possibly have their PAL, or even scarier have been denied both yet still be allowed to have a firearm. Only scenario I can think of is under 18.
See if you can locate some factory reloads. I use Wolf and when you can get it, 9mm TMJ or LRN is pretty affordable.
shuraparabellum
CGN Regular
- Location
- #### hole gta
Love IPSC
heavenIsAlie
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Abbotsford
being denied a license is different than being prohibited from owning a firearm, and should not be confused as the same thing.
you don't need thousands of rounds down range before you do the black badge, its a very very very very basic course in regards to shooting and you don't have to do anything very fast. all you need for the black badge is to know how your gun functions and a serious attitude towards safety.
Where did you get that idea?
These are the prerequisites from one of our senior BB instructors.
Before the course you should:
1.) Be able to to hit a 8.5" X 11" paper at 20 meters at your own time, with your pistol, 9/10 times.
2.) Know how your pistol works & name its parts.
3.) Be able to clean your pistol including field stripping.
Nothing about having to shoot thousands of rounds beforehand.
I would add a forth prerequisite to the list. Come with a mature attitude towards safety.
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Hello; OK you got me. I have been shooting bowling pin matchs years back. silhouetts, Cowboy action for 25 years, I like to shoot guns .Even trap and skeet. But at almost 65 years old I find myself taking a BB soon. My local club let me shoot on IPSC night ,so guess it is time to go offical. When I told them I got good advice chuckles and a slap on the back. Felt good,very cool crew.
I shot at Brant yesterday and had a great time. I'm 70 and fit right in just fine at least from my perspective. It's clear that the IPSC crew there is top notch. It has been very friendly both times I visited this summer and the matches were entertaining. I was talking with Joe A. yesterday and remarked about how us mature people are made to feel welcome.
That's awesome.
We keep missing each other. I shot Guelph yesterday. Shooting Brant today.
That's for a judge to decide. And, I'm not aware that it has been brought before a court yet for a precedent to be set in common law. So until then.....
IPSC can be a lot of fun. It is not for everyone, however. Just wonder how many people who take the BB course continue on for more than a few matches?
It is quite expensive. A typical match will take about a hundred rounds or more. Add match fees and average out the annual fees and the cost of a typical match adds up. The people who stick with it invest in the more expensive equipment. To a newbie, continuing with IPSC is a question of whether they want to make a similar investment. Those CR speed units and expensive pistols are not for everyone. You don't have to have the most expensive everything but the pressure is there..
In addition, enforcement of/interpretation of the rules tends to be inconsistent. Getting DQed for a supposed violation (while someone else who does the same thing doesn't DQ) turns people off.
I find IDPA a far more user friendly sport: Less expensive, no course required, rule friendly, just as safe and offers as much as or more shooting enjoyment (lots of three gun matches).
It is quite expensive. A typical match will take about a hundred rounds or more. Add match fees and average out the annual fees and the cost of a typical match adds up. The people who stick with it invest in the more expensive equipment. To a newbie, continuing with IPSC is a question of whether they want to make a similar investment. Those CR speed units and expensive pistols are not for everyone. You don't have to have the most expensive everything but the pressure is there..
In addition, enforcement of/interpretation of the rules tends to be inconsistent. Getting DQed for a supposed violation (while someone else who does the same thing doesn't DQ) turns people off.
I find IDPA a far more user friendly sport: Less expensive, no course required, rule friendly, just as safe and offers as much as or more shooting enjoyment (lots of three gun matches).
