Which Matches to Compete In??

[pastprime]

I want to practice shooting in defensive situations...I see IDPA/USPS/IPSC as the most popular...my question is:

which would be better for a 63 year old, in reasonably good health, to compete in...I want to do something other than just stand in one spot and shoot at a bullseye when I go to the range...which is not likely to be the senerio if I ever have to defend myself...

But, I also don't want to have to join the Y to get in shape for a competition...just use what I have, practice, and see that practice pay off (or not)...

[Dinky]

Well I'm 60 and just started IDPA a few months ago. I have arthritus in my knees and bursitis in my shoulders and am overweight and I don't have any trouble with stages that we shoot. You can move as fast or as slow as you want and still have fun.

Find a local club in your area that does IDPA and go watch and talk to the shooters.

Good luck and have fun:seeya:

[Bogey]

Welcome, Pastprime!

Dinky is right.

I mostly shoot (read addicted to) IDPA. Movement is restricted by rule to allow seniors to compete. Round counts are lower than USPSA, so you might not feel as "beat up" at the end of a match.

Many older people, including one gentleman I know with Parkinson's Disease, shoot at our regular matches. They do well.

I have shot matches that are a cross between USPSA and IDPA....basically, we shoot USPSA but score Vickers (IDPA scoring system). There are also a number of men in their 60's that shoot those and seem to love it.

My suggestion is the same as Dinky's....go to a club and watch/ ask questions. Look at both. You never know what you'll like better.

[RustyFN]

Find a local club in your area that does IDPA and go watch and talk to the shooters.

Good luck and have fun:seeya:

Make sure you bring a gun and ammo because once you start to watch you will want to shoot. I enjoy shooting IDPA, you can take it as fast or slow as you want. I shoot like crap and still have a great time.
Rusty

[Dinky]

Make sure you bring a gun and ammo because once you start to watch you will want to shoot. I enjoy shooting IDPA, you can take it as fast or slow as you want. I shoot like crap and still have a great time.
Rusty


Rusty, can we start a shoot like crap board??? I bet we would get a lot of members:cheers2:

[Flexmoney]

IPSC in the USA is run under USPSA...so those are kinda the same thing (little differences).

IDPA and USPSA do a lot of the same stuff, with the same match supplies and props.

Steel Challenge and NRA Action Pistol are less prop intense and hardly any movement or gun reloads. Steel Challenge is more about target transitions. NRA-AP uses a fixed time and is about accuracy.

It really all depends on where you are and what is around you. Some clubs run better matches than others (regardless of the format). Most are usually populated with nice people, once you get to know them and what is going on.

Find a fun match and have at it.

Oh...if you ever run into somebody that is kinda being an a-hole...talk to the match director before you decide not to go back. A-holes are not the norm, but you hear about a few here and there. A good match director will help you get squared away.

[woolieworm]

I shoot at 3 clubs here in SE Ohio. One is IDPA and the other two are uspsa, I am 68 and way out of shape but have a lot of fun at all three. I would suggest you go out to hav fun, but if you like it then you can decide if you want to get serious of just continue to just have fun.

Bill