IDPA – Great Shooting Fun and Training with Airsoft Pistols prior to an IDPA event

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The International Defensive Pistol Association Competition is here in New Hampshire. So what is all the hubbub about? Well, speaking for myself, I have owned a pistol, rifle and shotgun most of my life and took them to the local range to increase my shooting skills for hunting, shooting for fun, and for self-defense. The problem was that there were few clubs that had the know-how to help me build self-defense shooting skills and have fun doing it.

Enter IDPA!

From Wikipedia:

“The International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA), founded in 1996, is an organization based in Berryville, Arkansas, USA that has created a shooting sport based on defensive pistol techniques, using equipment including full-charge service ammunition to solve simulated “real world” self-defense scenarios. Shooters competing in defensive pistol events are required to use practical handguns and holsters that are deemed suitable for self-defense use.

How Cool is that!

This winter my nephew invited me to shoot one of his Airsoft Pistols indoors in training for live fire IDPA competition this spring. I am having a blast!! Pun Intended!

I have been practicing for IDPA Competition using Airsoft pistols that shoot plastic BB’s in the same scenario’s that you may find yourself in trying to defend yourself and family against intruders. Safety is paramount! Training and practice are necessary to build these home defense skill sets and all the while having great fun shooting your pistols at stationary and moving targets. A YouTube Airsoft primer is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7urnK5LTQQ

Range Commands are necessary for control of the shooting sequence and are initiated by  NRA qualified Range Safety Officers(RSO). As an example: Shooter to the Line Command -The shooter walks up to the Line with the Range Safety Officer. The RSO says;

LOAD AND MAKE READY -The shooter loads his/her firearm, racks the slide or closes the cylinder, applies the safety or decocks then holsters the firearm.

COURSE OF FIRE – Course of fire is explained to the shooter and how many shots to take.

So you can see that you must be able to follow instructions and Commands in order to participate whether in Airsoft or real live fire. Again Safety is Paramount.

In this type of training the shooter will be placed in situations where the bad guys don’t shoot back but you must demonstrate the use of cover such as a wall or barrier. Use prescribed techniques for drawing your firearm, extending it, keeping your finger out of the trigger guard until ready to shoot. There is a lot to this!! But you will learn confidence over time and speed comes with practice. I am a novice at it and have yet to compete but I am having great fun with friends doing the Airsoft training. Bring the wife and Teens too. Better than the TV for sure!

IDPA shoot Video’s – http://www.ccidpa.org/videos/ccidpa-demo.html

SHOOTER READY? More on this great shooting Fun is coming!!! Ed

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About Ed Hale

I am an avid hunter with rifle and Bow and have been hunting for more than 50 years. I have taken big game such as whitetail deer, red deer, elk, Moose and African Plains game such as Kudu, Gemsbok, Springbok, Blesbok, and Impala and wrote an ebook entitled African Safari -Rifle and Bow and Arrow on how to prepare for a first safari. Ed is a serious cartridge reloader and ballistics student. He has earned two degrees in science and has written hundreds of outdoor article on hunting with both bow and rifle.