IDPA Overview

IDPA Overview

The purpose of IDPA competition is to test the skill and ability of the individual in the use of practical equipment including full charge service ammunition to solve simulated "real world" self-defense scenarios. The national organization was formed around the following main principles:

To promote safe and proficient use of guns and equipment suitable for self-defense use.

To create a level playing field for all competitors to test the skill and ability of the individual, not their equipment.

Provide separate divisions fro equipment and classifications for shooters, such that guns with similar characteristics are grouped together and people wit similar skills compete against each other.

To provide shooters with practical and realistic courses of fire that simulate potentially life threating encounters or that test skills required to survive life-threatening encounters.

Offer a practical shooting sport responsive to the shooters and sponsors with unprecedented stability of equipment rules.

Offer a practical shooting sport that allows competitors to concentrate on developing skills and fellowship with like-minded shooters.

These pages contain a summary of IDPA rules and guidelines. More information is available at the IDPA Website. (www.ipda.com)

EQUIPMENT

Shooters competing in IDPA events are required to use practical handguns and holsters that are truly suitable for self-defense use.

Divisions:

Stock Service Pistol (SSP)

Standard service pistols in DAO, traditional DA/SA and striker fired actions in 9mm and .40. May use selective DA but must start with hammer down. Must fit in IDPA standard box. Limit 10 rounds.

Enhanced Service Pistol (ESP)

Single action or selective DA/SA pistols in 9mm and .40 that have been modified for carry (not competition). Must fit standard IDPA box, maximum weight 43 oz. Limit 10 rounds.

Custom Defensive Pistol (CDP)

Model 1911-style single stack .45 pistols that have been modified for carry (not competition). Must fit IDPA standard box, maximum weight 41 oz. Limit 8 rounds.

Enhanced Service Revolver (ESR)

Be any revolver of .38 caliber or larger. Have a barrel length of 4.2" or less (measured from the front of the cylinder. Have a maximum unloaded weight of 50 oz. Be loaded to division capacity of no more than ( rounds. Seven (7) and eight ( shot revolvers are permitted. Revolver may be reloaded via speedloader or full moon clip.

Stock Service Revolver (SSR)

Be any revolver of .38 caliber or larger that utilizes ammunition witha rimmed case and is not loaded with a full moon clip. Have a barrel length of 4" or less (measured from the front of the cylinder. Have a maximum unloaded weight of 42 oz. Be loaded to division capacity of no more than (6) rounds. Seven (7) and eight ( shot revolvers are permitted but only load to six (6) rounds.

Power Factors

Power factor = bullet weight x muzzle velocity.

Stock Service Pistol: 125,000
Enhanced Service Pistol: 125,000
Custom Defensive Pistol: 165,000
Enhanced Service Revoler: 165,000
Stock Service Revolver: 125,000

Modifications

Permitted Modifications

External sights to another convention notch and post type, grips and custom finishes
Internal accuracy and reliability as long as safety is maintained.
Chamfer the rear of the chambers
Shorting of factory barrels
Conversion from rimmed to rimless ammunition

Excluded Modifications For All Divisions

Compensators or ported barrels
Add on weights
Heavy and/or cone style barrels without barrel bushings
Non-standard sights (ghost rings, optics, etc.)
Disconnection or disabling of any safety deveice on any gun
Lights mounted on guns

Holster Guidelines

All equipment must be practical for self-defense use and suitable for continuous, all day concealed carry wear. Match director will disqualify a competitor using equipment not meeting these guidelines.

A. Must be designed for concealed carry and suitable for all day continuous wear.

B. Must be worn on a standard belt of no more than 1 ¾” width that must pass through the belt loops on the shooter’s pants.

C. Must fully cover the trigger of the firearm.

D. Must carry the firearm in a neutral (vertical) or muzzle rear cant, but have no adjustable cant backpieces. Holster cant that is adjustable by removing bolts and repositioning the backpiece is allowed. Exception: IWB style holsters do not have to meet this particular criterion.

E. Must hold the firearm with enough tension to allow the wearer to complete normal daily tasks without fear of losing the weapon.

F. Can have no offset backpieces and/or belt slots. The holster may not offset away from the belt and/or body. No gap is permitted in the following areas:

1. From the body to the inside of the belt.

2. From the outside of the belt to the inside of the backpiece and/or backside of the holster.

3. From the outside of the backpiece to the inside of the holster.

If you look through the belt slot area of the holster with it on the belt/body, you should not be able to see any daylight. If you can see through this belt tunnel area, the holster is not approved.

Holster/backpiece must be constructed of “normal thickness” common holster making materials, no filler is allowed to hide an offset. In simple terms, the back of the holster must be held tightly against the outside of the belt for proper concealed carry (for questions, refer to #1 above and re-read the “Purpose” section in the front of this rulebook).¹

G. Must be constructed of normal thickness common holster making materials (leather, Kydex, plastic, nylon, etc.).

H. May not position the firearm where the breech face (autos) or rear of the cylinder (revolvers) is below the center of the belt. NO drop loops are permitted.³ Holsters for females may position the breech face of a pistol or rear of the cylinder of a revolver up to 1 ½” below the center of the belt.

NOTE: IWB style holsters are exempt from this criterion.

I. Must hold the firearm positioned on the body so an object of ¾”width cannot pass between the shooter’s body and the inside of the firearm when the shooter is standing straight and upright.²

J. Must be positioned on the belt in a location that will keep the center of the trigger pad behind the centerline 4 of the body.

NOTE: Modification of current holsters and ammunition carriers to meet IDPA criteria is acceptable.

COMPETITION RULES

This is a summary of the Competition Rules. Check the IDPA Website for more.

Approved Reloads

No loaded ammunition carriers may be left behind if the shooter moves to another firing position. Firearm is considered LOADED when the fresh magazine is seated or revolver cylinder is closed. Retain magazine in pocket, waistband or magazine pouch before firing next shot. No speed reloads.

Tactical Reload - exchange magazines at gun, always acceptable.
Retention Reload - exchange magazines at belt, if allowed at stage.
Slide-Lock Reload - slide locked back on empty magazine, OK to drop.

Tactical Reloads & Reloads with Retention are interchangeable.

Proper Use of Cover

At least 50% of the shooter's upper torso and 100% of the shooter's legs must be behind cover while engaging threat targets. Single warning issued.
All reloads must be executed behind cover if available.

Order of Engagement

Tactical Priority - near to far in the open, as visible (slicing the pie) from cover.
Tactical Sequence - engage all with one round before engaging with additional rounds.

Courses Of Fire (CoF)
Courses of fire will simulate a potential real life self-defense scenario or test shooting and gun handling skills that would be necessary in a real life self-defense scenario.

Maximum # or rounds required for a course of fire is 18.
The majority of shots will be less than 15 yards.
Maximum distance will be 20 yards.
Courses will be 6 shot neutral.
Maximum number of rounds in a magazine will be 10.
Maximum movement required will be 15 yards.
Tactics will be enforced by use of vision barriers, barricades, etc.

Targets & Scoring

Targets

18 x 30 inch cardboard with three scoring zones: 5, 4 and 2.

Various steel including 8" plates and standard poppers.

Scoring

Scoring is based on time with POINTS DOWN from the possible. Add penalties for procedural errors and .5 second penalty for each point down. The competitor with the LOWEST SCORE WINS. Always award any question on scoring to the contestant.

5 Zone ¬ down 0, no penalty
4 Zone ¬ down 1 point, each shot counts 1 x.5 seconds
2 Zone ¬ down 3 points, each shot counts 3 x.5 seconds
Miss - down 5 points, each miss counts 5 x.5 seconds

Vickers Count
For use when shooting speed shoots and scenarios.

Fire as many shots as deemed necessary but only the highest scoring of the number specified will be scored.

Add .5 second for each point dropped for shots outside the 5 Zone.

Penalties:
Procedural error: Add 3 seconds per infraction.
Hits on non-threat target: Add 5 seconds per target, any number of hits.
FTN - Failure to neutralize: This penalty applies to any target that does not have at least one (1) four zone (minus 1) or higher value hit. Add 5 seconds.
Failure to do right (circumventing the spirit of the sport for a competitive advantage): Add 20 seconds.

Limited Vickers Count
For use when shooting standard exercises.

Fire number of shots specified in course description only.

Add .5 second for each point dropped for shots outside the 5 Zone.

Penalties:
Procedural error: + 3 seconds per infraction.
Hits on non-threat target: + 5 seconds per target, any number of hits.
Extra shots fired: +3 seconds and deduct highest scoring hit per extra shot.
Failure to do right: +20 seconds.

Par Time
For use in standards exercises.

Each string of fire has a fixed time limit.
Score will be in points, not time.

Penalties:
Shots fired in "overtime": -5 points per shot.
Procedural error: -5 points per infraction.
Hits on non-threat target: -10 points per hit.
Failure to do right: -200 points.

Procedural Penalties
A procedural penalty is assessed when the competitor does not follow the procedures set forth in the course description.

DNF (Did Not Finish)
Use whichever method gives the shooter the lowest time (best score)

Score will be based actual time up to the point at which the shooter could not continue plus 5 points down for each shot not fired plus failure to neutralize penalties.

The minimum number of shots for the course is multiplied by 3 seconds for a stage score.