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IDPA Frequently Asked Questions

What you need to compete:

• Any stock service pistol or revolver
• Eye and ear protection
• Barrel 5 inches or shorter
• .38 Special, 9mm, or larger caliber
• Belt holster (basic simple holster for CCW)
• 2 speed laoders or 2 spare magazines
• About 50 rounds of ammunition per match

Note: If you do not currently hold a classification in either IDPA or IPSC, we require that you attend our short 'Pre-Match Safety Briefing' given one-half hour prior to every match. You will only need to attend once.

Note: Shoulder Rigs, Cross-draw, or Middle-of-the-back holseters are not permitted in IDPA.

We strive to create a safe and enjoyable IDPA match for our shooters. Fundamental to this we hold safety to be a number 1 priority and we need to make sure each of us makes safety our first concern. The ACM IDPA group is a friendly group of people but we do take safety very seriously, thus, if we see anyone doing something unsafe we will call it immediately - don't be alarmed, just stop what you are doing immediately and listen.

American Classic Marksman is a "cold" range. This means that your weapon must be unloaded at all times while on the premises, both in the shooting bay and in the retail area, and you only go "hot" under the instruction of the safety officer just prior to shooting the stage.

Please review the "4 Rules of Gun Safety"

Shooters typically arrive between 6:00pm and 7:00pm. New Shooters should arrive no later than 6:30pm so the Match Director or Range Safety Officer can go over a safety briefing at 6:45pm.

The Safety Officer will specifically guide you through loading, shooting and then unloading and holstering your firearm with clear commands in a safe manner at the firing line.

Required Skillset:
      Loading
      Unloading
      Reloading
      Drawing
      Reholstering
      Clearing malfunctions
      Shooting whilemoving
      Shooting from cover

Typical Match Structure:

1. Match Director goes over Course of Fire for the Stage. Depending on time we can run 2 or 3 stages per match.
2. Shooters run through first stage
3. Brief break while MD sets up next stage
4. Shooters run through 2nd stage
5. Scores usually posted in next couple of days at http://www.atlantaidpa.org/weeklyScores.html

Shooting a Stage: Procedure

1. Match Director calls you to the line
2. "Do you understand the Course of Fire?"
   - Ask any last minute questions here - on COF, safety, etc...
3. "Face downrange, load and make ready."
   - Load weapon. Top-off weapon if using semi-auto pistol. Then reholster.
4. "Is the shooter ready?"
   - Give a nod when ready
5. "Stand By..." - then timer beeps
   - Shoot the course of fire as instructed by briefing
6. "Unload and show clear"
   - Release and stow magazine, pull slide back, then show an empty chamber to Safety Officer. If using revolver, empty cylinder. Note: For shooters with autoloaders, when emptying chamber, do not worry about round expended you can police up the round after you have reholstered and Safety Officer has given the "Range is safe" command.
7. "Slide forward, hammer down"
   - Release the slide making sure your weapon is facing down range, then pull the trigger or decock.
8. "Reholster"
   - Reholster your weapon with one hand
9. "Range is safe"
   - You may now move down range for scoring and to paste targets.

Note: - You are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to slow down and move calmly and deliberately. Shoot cleanly, shoot for all good hits. Misses are added to your time and they get expensive fast, so don't miss! The number 1 mistake that new shooters make in this sport is shooting faster than they can make the hits.

• "Stop"
  - Immediately stop shooting. Make sure your muzzle is pointed down range and your finger is outside of the trigger guard. Listen the the instructions of the Safety Officer. You may be doing something unsafe or there may be something unsafe in the range area.
• "Muzzle"
  - Your weapon's muzzle is pointed in an unsafe direction. Get your weapon pointed in a safe direction (down range) immediately. While in the range and handling your weapon (under the direction of the Safety Officer) you must strictly adhere to the "180 degree rule". This means when facing down range there is a 180 degree plane both horizontal and vertical which you must not break. Your weapon's muzzle must not break these safety points. Doing do will be an automatic disqualification from the match.
• "Finger"
  - Remember Gun Safety Rule #4! "Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target!" Immediately remove your finger from the triggerguard! Your finger is in the trigger guard while moving, performing, reloading, drawing, or reholstering. Failure to comply immediately will result in a procedural penalty. Repeated violations will result in disqualification from the match.
• "Cover"
  - You are exposing yourself too much. Immediately seek more cover. You are required to keep at least 50% of your body behind cover. Failure to immediately comply will result a 3 second procedural penalty.

Terms you may hear:

• Mozambique - If a course of fire specifies that a threat target be shot "Mozambique" this simply means to engage the atrget with 2 shots to the body and 1 shot to the head.
• On Deck - If you hear you name during the roster call followed by "On deck" this simply means you are the next shooter.
• In the hole - If you hear your name during the roster call followed by "In the hole" this simply means that you are after the on deck shooter (next to next in line).
• DFL - If you hear your name during the roster call followed by "DFL" this simply means you are the last shooter for that stage (Dead F---ing Last).

Examples of Match Disqualifying Conditions:

• Trigger Finger Violations - 2nd Violation of having your finger inside the triggerguard when it should not be.
• Muzzle Direction Violations - Covering yourself or someone else or breaking the 180 degree plane, loaded or unloaded.
• Gunhandling - Any gunhandling performed inside the range area (remember, gunhandling is only allowed in the retail area).
• ND - Negligent discharge of any kind at any time.
• Endangering another person.

Additional Questions? Email here for more info