USPSA or IDPA?

[The Virus]

Which do you prefer and WHY?
I personally do not like that IDPA basically tells you how YOU have to shoot a stage, you HAVE to TAC reload here, you HAVE to shoot this target first, you HAVE to etc....
USPSA basically let's you problem solve and decide how you want to shoot a stage.

Before anyone says IDPA is based on reality or what not, NO its not.

[Bladewurk]

USPSA of course! I.D.ontP.racticeA.nymore is dominated constantly by USPSA GMs while the reverse is not possible..

[Brian1979]

I don't like idpa because people think its practical and tactical but not hardly. It's slow paced and low round count. Shooters all argue rules and who broke them and who followed them resulting in lots of crying.

In uspsa I shoot from concealment for practice because its what I do. If I am safe I am not yelled at for not following a set of rules of how I was supposed to engage the targets. I also feel its much more challenging and makes you a better shooter for both speed and accuracy.

Not using cover because its not required doesn't mean there are bad habits learned and using cover in idpa doesn't mean you are more tactical because of it. Shooting slow and in the order you were told doesn't challenge shooters and allow for you to create your own plan which in my opinion is more essential in real life to survive.

[Eljay]

I intended to try both. I bought a holster and other gear that should have been fine in both sports. Shot a USPSA match in Production and loved it. Still wanted to try IDPA just in case I liked that better. And then they changed the rules on what holsters they allowed, so I never did try it. It's something like eight years later and I'm still using that holster in USPSA (it's just a generic Kydex holster).

At this point watching IDPA videos on YouTube... it just looks dull. Very slow paced.

In terms of how "practical" any of this is - I see USPSA as primarily a fun game, but it does also help promote excellent weapon handling skills. If you want to learn tactical shooting that's best done as an add-on. But I don't see IDPA as being any better.

[speedrrracer]

[joefreas]

They are both good stuff. I do like the IDPA classification system. It is nice to see new shooters win in the novice or marksman class.

[Gryff]

I personally do not like that IDPA basically tells you how YOU have to shoot a stage, you HAVE to TAC reload here, you HAVE to shoot this target first, you HAVE to etc.....

Only poor stage design, which, unfortunately, is quite common. If you ever look at one of my IDPA stages, it basically says, "Here is the environment. Here are the goals. Complete the tasks while following the rules of the game (i.e. shoot from cover, don't expose yourself to un-engaged targets, don't walk away from live ammo, etc.)."

BTW, HQ frowns on the use of retention reloads in scenario stages because they acknowledge that it is not a universally accepted tactic in self-defense situations.

And remember that IDPA doesn't consider itself tactical or training. It is a game created with a basis of self-defense principles. But because self-defense and game are guaranteed to have some contradictory goals/processes, the game has to deviate away from pure self-defense tactics in many ways. But guess what, it's a game. Everybody plays by the same rules.

But the real question is, WHY do you care which people like? Does it need to be one or the other? Is the future of one of the sports threatened by the other? Is a USPSA or IDPA shooter's manhood at risk because the other sport exists?

I started in IDPA, but have started shooting a fair amount of USPSA because I find the overall stages more challenging, and there is generally more rounds down range than at an IDPA match. But I also find that there are far more *** hats talking **** about IDPA at a USPSA match than the reverse at an IDPA match. Not sure why IDPA threatens many USPSA shooters, but it certainly sets a lot of them off.

They're both gun games. That makes them freakin' great. Who gives a **** which you prefer, or which I prefer? Try them both. Pick the one you like better, or...gasp...shoot them both.

[The Virus]

Actually The real question is the one I posted. Why do I care? I want to hear input from people who shoot both. I probably do equal amounts of each. If you read the very first line of my post it reads, which do you PREFER and why?

[Scotty]

Can't we all just get along? Each one of the shooting events has their pluses and minuses. If you shoot all the different disciplines, you'll find that you will improve overall in all disciplines.

Why limit yourself to just USPSA and IDPA? Try shooting Steel Challenge, I know it's part of USPSA. Sure, you only shoot 5 shots on each string, but with 8 stages, that's 39 draws, 156 transitions between targets, 195 round match. With the same stages each time, you can actually see if you are improving or not.

[The Virus]

5 shots? I was thinking of going this weekend, but 5 shots. Could you break it down?
How many strings per stage, etc. how do you end up shooting 195 rds.?
Thx.

[TempleKnight]

5 shots? I was thinking of going this weekend, but 5 shots. Could you break it down?
How many strings per stage, etc. how do you end up shooting 195 rds.?
Thx.

You shoot 8 stages 5 times, except for one stage that only requires 4 runs.

The attached Wiki has more detail, including the stage diagrams.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel_Challenge

[HighLander51]

Steel Challenge has 8 stages of 5 plates each, 7 stages have 5 runs, one stage has 4 runs, hence 195 rounds, clean, that is. There is also a rimfire division.

http://steelchallenge.com/

[HighLander51]

3 gun is better than USPA,IDPA and Steel Challenge (not to mention more expensive)

[cindynles]

I've tried both and I prefer USPSA. I just find USPSA to be more fun because of the use of reactive steel targets, drop turners, swinger, etc. and the higher round count. I want to shoot more than 3 mags after standing around for 30 - 40 minutes waiting for my turn to shoot.

If I were able to get a LTC, I would probably shoot IDPA on a pretty regular basis for practice.

[not-fishing]

IDPA with wheelguns because it's not about how many times I miss.

I hate messing with safeties, trigger resets, stovepipes, failures to feed and double-feeds. (semi's also are more temperamental with reloads)

Also since I've competed with two of my boys and I'm now starting one of my youngest son's friends in IDPA, I spend enough time reloading on my single stage. (the boy's do use a manual turret for decap/reshape and bell)