Front Range IDPA Requirements

In order to participate in Front Range IDPA ©  matches, shooters will need to have:

Attended and passed a MATCH CONDUCT SAFETY COURSE©,

MANDATORY

Match Conduct Safety Course©

OR hold a current USPSA (IPSC) classification (IPSC/USPSA Safe Shooter course will now be accepted if your card is dated AFTER May 1st, 2000),

OR has shot IDPA matches elsewhere that has a safety program acceptable to Front Range IDPA©  and the Range Master there could be contacted for verification.

 We do require that ALL shooters who have never shot Front Range IDPA© matches take and pass a quick shooting "safety check COF" after they've met the requirement above.

COLD RANGE

All matches at FRIDPA are conducted using a COLD RANGE.

Firearms must be:

1.      unloaded

2.      holstered or bagged at all times

3.      hammer/striker down on a empty chamber/empty cylinder

4.      no magazine inserted

You may only handle your firearm at the direction of a Safety Officer (SO) or in the designated Safe Area. You may not handle any ammunition or loaded magazines in the Safe Area.

Match Disqualification

Safety is first, last and always!

When in the rare event a shooter is disqualified from a match they cannot finish that match; their match scores are not posted; they are required to attend a  Match Conduct Safety Course©; however to promote their return to safe shooting their next match is free.

Front Range IDPA Club

Club membership is calendar year based and dues are prorated.*  You also must be a member of national IDPA.

• $30 individual (recover your membership dues by shooting 6 matches)

• $30 family for 1st member, $15 for each additional family member

• $15 junior, nonvoting member (under the age of 18)

Match fee per gun/shooter:

• $15 non-member

• $10 member of FRIDPA, FRIDPA Membership Application Form

• $5 individual helping setup

*Prorated dues:

Individual/1st family member $30 if they join January - July, $15 August-December.

Additional family/Junior members $15 January – July, $5 August - December

IDPA Overview

IDPA shooting is a fun and safe way to learn defensive pistol skills and sharpen your gun handling and shooting abilities. IDPA’s safety rules are easy to learn and follow. Please read this material to familiarize yourself before your range safety orientation and test.

IDPA Rule Book

The 4 Rules of Gun Safety

   1.) The gun is always loaded
   2.) Never Point A Gun At Something You're Not Prepared To Destroy!
   3.) Keep Your Finger Off The Trigger Until Your Sights Are On The Target! 
   4.) Always Be Sure Of Your Target And What Is Behind It!

If these simple rules are always followed, most firearms accidents would never happen. Pay considerable attention to rules 2 and 3. When shooting IDPA your finger should never be inside of the trigger guard until you are on target and ready to shoot. Always get your finger out of the trigger guard before moving. Always be aware of your muzzle’s direction and keep it safely downrange. Muzzle Safe Points are the limits that a shooter’s muzzle can travel without being unsafe. Be sure to know where these limits are and always keep within them. Certain IDPA courses of fire may test your skills of keeping the muzzle in a safe direction. Be mindful of your muzzle and trigger, and you will always shoot safely.
 

Range Commands

It is important to learn the IDPA range commands and the proper response.

Load and Make Ready: This is the command to load up and get ready. It is covered deeply in the next section

Finger: You will hear this if your finger is in the trigger guard while moving. Failure to immediately comply will result in a 3 second procedural penalty. Repeated offenses will earn a match disqualification

Muzzle: If you hear this, immediately check yourself as your muzzle is getting near a muzzle safe point. Do not take muzzle safe points lightly.

Stop: If a shooter is being grossly unsafe or is disqualified the Safety Officer will give this command. Upon hearing this, the shooter is to stop shooting, point the muzzle in a safe direction, and await further range commands.

Cover: If a shooter is not 50% behind cover while shooting or is reloading when not under cover, the Safety Officer will issue this command. Failure to immediately comply will receive a 3 second procedural penalty.

Unload and Show Clear: This is the command to unload your gun at the end of the stage. This will be explained in great detail in a later section.
 

Penalties

For the most part, a new shooter who shoots carefully and deliberately will avoid most penalties. Penalties are given out for various rule infractions, but in IDPA penalties are used only when truly necessary. Safety Officers are here to help you have a fun and safe time, not to nitpick.

Procedural: Procedural penalties are given for
   1.)The first non-dangerous “FINGER" violation.
   2.) Not using Cover properly.
   3.) Not shooting while moving as required.
   4.) Not reloading as required.
   5.) Not following other Course of fire rules as required.

Failure to Neutralize: is given when less than four points are scored on a target.

Hits on Non-Threats: Is a five second penalty no matter how many hits. Rounds that pass through a non threat and hit a threat target are counted.

Failure to Do Right: This is a seldom given penalty only dished out to shooters not following the spirit or rationale of any stage. If you shoot the Course of fire as outlined and do not try to “game” out the stage, this will never be a problem.

If you wind up earning a procedural, non threat penalty, or failure to neutralize penalty, do not get upset. This sport is all about learning and the only one who will remember next month is you. Learn from your mistakes and have fun!
 

Loading and Unloading

“Load and make ready!”
For new shooters, the first time they make ready for a stage can be stressful. It should not be. When the Safety Officer gives the command to “load and make ready” slowly draw your unloaded pistol, (finger off the trigger) insert a loaded magazine, and “slingshot” load the gun. “Slingshot” is to pull the slide back and then release it. Do not follow the slide back as it can create jamming problems. Set the safety if your pistol has that option.

Most IDPA courses of fire require the gun be fully loaded. To fully load the gun it is best to replace the magazine currently in the gun with a fresh magazine. This gives good tactical reload practice too. Re-holster the gun and then top off the magazine and replace it in your pouch. This is the safest way to load your self loading handgun.

Another safe way to “top off” your handgun is the administrative reload. To do this you load the gun, set the safety (if applicable) and holster. Reach over the gun and eject the magazine (without drawing the pistol) and remove the magazine. Top off the magazine and re-insert it into the pistol. This works well for multiple start strings, especially the classifier.

Revolver shooters need to draw the pistol, load the chambers, close the cylinder and holster.

“Unload and show clear!”

After a course of fire has been completed, the Safety Officer will ask you to “unload and show clear.” For self loading pistols you should remove the magazine, pull the slide fully back ,(let the cartridge fall to the ground) and allow the Safety Officer to visually check the chamber to see it is empty. The Safety Officer will then say “slide down, hammer forward.” Let go of the slide, point the gun at the backstop, and pull the trigger, dropping the hammer. Shooters with double action automatics that have magazine safeties may use the decocker. You may then holster the unloaded pistol.

Revolver shooters need to open the cylinder, empty the gun, and show the empty cylinder to the Safety Officer. Close the cylinder and holster.
 

Movement

Movement with a drawn pistol is easy if you follow the basics. First, always move only when your finger is outside the trigger guard. Second, be mindful of the muzzle at all times. You must keep the muzzle in a safe direction (which will mostly be downrange) at all times. Third, take your time. You will see experienced shooters moving very quickly, but they started out moving slowly as should you. Take your time, move and shoot carefully.

Be sure to listen to the safety Officer for any special instructions related to a particular course of fire.

Malfunctions

If your firearm fails to fire do not panic. Keep the muzzle downrange. Most of the time the problem is due to a bad round or improperly seated magazine. In this case: Tap the bottom of the magazine, Rack the slide back to chamber a new round, and Bang (fire if needed). This is called the Tap-Rack-Bang method.

Professional training will help you diagnose and quickly cure malfunctions and a small pamphlet cannot give you all the information you need. If a Tap-Rack-Bang does not work it is best to stop and get help from the Safety Officer.

Another malfunction with a dangerous potential is the squib load, caused by a primer but no powder in the cartridge. What usually happens is a “pfft” noise with no recoil. If this happens, stop and get help from the Safety Officer. Remember to keep the muzzle downrange.


Reloading

In IDPA there are two kinds of reloads; the emergency or slide-lock reload, and the tactical reload/reload with retention. There are no provisions for the USPSA type speed reload.

In most IDPA stages the shooter will have the option to either reload when the slide locks back, or to tactical reload/reload with retention. Both of these reloads are to be done behind cover. The general principle is that no loaded magazine is to be left behind. The speed load (even if the magazine is empty) is not permitted. You need not argue a case for it.

Emergency Reload: When the slide locks back the shooter is to seek cover, eject the spent magazine, insert a fresh magazine and release the slide.

Tactical Reload: The shooter is behind cover and removes a fresh magazine, and with the fresh magazine in hand the shooter removes and retains the spent magazine, inserts the fresh magazine, and places the spent magazine in a pocket. The magazine must be stored before resuming shooting. Shooting before storing the magazine will earn a procedural.

Reloading with Retention: While the shooter is behind cover: remove the spent magazine and place it in a pocket. The shooter then inserts a fresh magazine in the pistol and resumes shooting.

Reloading Revolvers: Revolvers can be emergency reloaded or tactical reloaded.

Revolver Emergency Load: Open cylinder, eject shells to ground, and reload using speedloader, speed strip, or loose cartridges.

Revolver Tactical Reload: Open cylinder, eject shells into hand, pocket both brass and fresh cartridges, reload using speedloader, speed strip, or loose cartridges.
 

Scoring

Scoring in IDPA is easy. After shooing a course of fire the time is recorded. Hits are counted and any misses are noted at -5pts each. The scoring rings are looked over; all head and 8” center ring hits are -0 points. Hits on the next ring count as -1 point each. Hits on the last scoring ring are -3 points each. Any hits on the edge of the target count as misses. All the points are totaled multiplied by 0.5 seconds and recorded. All penalties (which are all in the form of a time penalty) are calculated and recorded. The sum of the stage time, points down, and penalties is the shooters score given in seconds. Lowest Score wins.
 

Tips

This sport rewards accuracy over time. Take the time to place your shots properly. Remember you will loose 1/2 second for each point down. This adds up more quickly than you would think.

Do not crowd the cover. Staying back from the cover will make you less a target (in the real world) but will help you move from target to target

Adapted from an article written by William E. Clay, Jr. of South River IDPA

Used with permission