TexasCHLforum.com

Congratulations Kkpsiknl on your first IDPA match. I think you have caught the bug.

Make sure the Safety Officer (SO) that is running your squad knows this is your first time so that they don't make you go first. It will really help you to see other people shoot the stage.

There will be a walkthrough of each stage before your squad shoots it. Make sure to ask questions if you don't understand the course of fire.

Help tape targets between shooters as this will help things go quicker for everyone especially on hot days. Get into the good practice of treating your local match like a higher tier match by not touching or taping the target until it has been scored.

If you are the next to shoot don't go tape targets. This is your time to get mentally ready and think through the course of fire before you are on the clock. No air gunning allowed (i.e. no practice shooting the stage with your fingers like a gun). However, you can quickly walk the stage while others are taping targets to build your mental image of what you are going to do and where you are going to do reloads.

When shooting from the right side of a barricade have your right foot forward. When shooting from the left side of a barricade have your left foot forward.

When shooting from behind cover, none of your lower body can be exposed and no more than 50% of your upper body can be exposed. As part of the walkthrough your SO will show everyone where they will call cover for barricades.

After you shoot, make sure to walk the course with the SO as it gets scored to see how you did.

One safety tip, you are not on the clock to holster a loaded gun so be slow, safe, and deliberate and keep your finger clear of the trigger.

Any garment that covers your gun with your arms strait out to the side will work. I've seen people wear long Hawaiian shirts, fishing vests, and tactical vests and in the cooler weather jackets and winter coats.

What you will mostly see people wear is:

• 5.11 Tactical Vest http://www.511tactical.com/511-tactical-vest.html
• Armadillo Concealment http://www.armadilloconcealment.com

Thicker and/or stiffer vest material makes it easier to clear the garment from your gun. A thinner material could result in the shirt/vest wrapping around your hand as you try to clear your cover garment with a fast sweeping motion. Because of the hot Houston weather I had tried a vest with thin material and had problems with it wrapping around my hand as I swept it away. I'm sure if I changed my technique I could solve this problem, but I switched back to my 5.11 tactical vest instead.

Make sure your squad knows this is your first competition and they will be taken care of you. I've competed for more than 2.5 years and all the people are great.

The minimum equipment you will need for SSP or ESP is 3 magazines, your gun, a good gun holster and a good magazine pouch that hold 2 magazines.

If you want to shoot BUG you will need a gun that meets the size requirements and you will also need 4 magazines, a good gun holster, and magazine pouches that hold 3 or 4 magazines.

I highly recommend the Comp-Tac holsters http://www.comp-tac.com.

The Comp-Tac International Holster is a good choice for an IDPA legal gun holster http://www.comp-tac.com/competition-hol ... ster-10241. It can be setup as a paddle holster or as a belt holster. You won't be able to use the drop-offset mount unless you are a woman. I don't know if USPSA allows drop-offset mounts.

Since it will be your first competition you will not have to wear a cover garment. Also, I've had first timers in my squad show up with a loaded gun in their holster. Most ranges are cold ranges, which means no walking around with a loaded weapon. You may be sent home for this infraction. You can only load the gun under direct command from the Safety Officer in your squad right before you shoot the course of fire.

Go at your own pace and be safe. You will get faster and become a much better shot as you compete more.

Just remember to have fun and be safe.