Accuracy/Speed for IDPA and in general

[Wwrhodes91]

Hello everyone,
I haven't shot handguns much in the last year or so due to price (and focusing on rifle), but I just got into reloading and I'm looking into doing some local IDPA matches. I went out to the range and shot 60 9mm (Didn't load any more since it was my first time loading 9mm and I didn't want to load much until I knew it worked) and about 200 .22 rounds. I tried to go at about 2 shots/sec pace from 15 and 20 yards. Here is my second target. I have no idea what kind of accuracy is considered good for handguns. Do you guys think I should try to focus more on tightening groups or working on speed? The extreme spread for the 9mm holes is 5". Thanks.

 

[pete2]

Shoot for accuracy, speed will come. The head area is about 5"X5", center circle is about 8". You need to make all the head shots, keep 90% of the center shots in the 0 zone. Most targets at our club are under 15yds. Check out the rules at the web site.

 

[MrBorland]

Shoot as fast as you need to to be able to hit the upper and lower score zones well.

A funny thing about practical shooting such as IDPA and USPSA is that fast and efficient movement (reloads included) is more important than fast shooting. Get your good hits, then move.

 

[Wwrhodes91]

I've spent many more hours working on magazine changes than actual shooting. I'm only 22 and I play basketball 4-5 times a week. I've been hoping that movement and reloading would make up for some below average shooting while I figure things out

 

[Aguila Blanca]

A miss hurts your score a lot more than losing a tenth (or a hundredth) of a second or two on a shot that's a hit ...

 

[Jim Watson]

If you can hold the black on that bullseye target, you are accurate enough to start.
The best thing is to shoot some matches and find out where you come up short. Saying "I have to practice to get good enough to start going to matches." makes no sense.

 

[Noreaster]

Take your time and make the shot count, do everything else as fast as you can.

 

[Destructo6]

The biggest thing is: go out and shoot a match.

While shooting, try to pay attention to what works and what doesn't work.

Your technique and equipment will evolve as you go.

 

[Don P]

The best thing is to shoot some matches and find out where you come up short. Saying "I have to practice to get good enough to start going to matches." makes no sense.

Nicely put, simple and right to the point.

 

[RickB]

Points are always worth a half-second. Up close, you want to drop no points as quickly as possible.
As distance and difficulty increases, you have to figure in how much additional time it takes to get your hits.
If it takes you one second to get -1/-0 on a target, and two seconds to get -0/-0, you don't want to spend a second to save only a half-second.
A swinging target that takes one second to appear, disappear, then reappear; do you fire two shots on one exposure, or fire one, wait for the swinger to cycle back and fire another? At fifteen feet you want to fire two shots on a single exposure, but at fifteen yards, it might be worth waiting for a second exposure for the second shot, rather than risk a -3 or a miss.
Two shots, one in the -1 zone and one in the -0 zone (a center hit, and a hit 5" away), in one second, at 20 yards, is an excellent balance of speed and accuracy.

 

[MrBorland]

As a general rule, a good balance of speed and accuracy in a match would be to keep your overall time added from points down (PDs) to about 10% of your raw time. Much over this, and you're shooting beyond your control, and would do better to slow down if necessary. It's no coincidence that master-level shooters in big matches tend to be among the more accurate. They're fast, but they also tend to not give too much time away, either.

If you have your own par timer and some IDPA targets, you can find that sweet spot by shooting some standards or even the classifier during your practice sessions.

 

[DT Guy]

Remember the equation:
Target size + distance = (inverse of) time required for shot.

Work to reduce misses by learning to shoot faster at close targets and slower at farther ones, even within the same string; that's the one thing most new folks struggle with.

Larry

 

[Jim Watson]

All of which is true, but too much to try to handle in first exposure.
Concentrate on getting through the match safely and correctly.
Priority 1: Be safe. Don't hurt anybody, don't scare anybody, don't get disqualified for a safety violation.
Priority 2: Pay attention. Perform the course of fire as described and avoid procedural penalties.
Priority 3: Hit the target. Hit it in the middle, the right number of times.
Priority 4: Move along, your time is your score. BUT don't run before you walk LITERALLY. You have a loaded gun in your hand.

 

[Nathan]

I think Jim hit the nail on the head. Get out and do it with a gun you shoot reasonably well.

I have a G21 that I shot my first match with. I can shoot pretty fast/accurate, but IDPA is so much more. Moving fast is really about taking the right steps. Before you shoot, think about how you will shoot, how you will use cover and how you will movee from position to position.

It might actually improve your score to shoot methodically and move slow.