The Phoenix IDPA

We've been looking forward to participating in a Phoenix Rod & Gun Club IDPA match.  Their club is awesome.  Some of the top IDPA shooters in America call this club home.  Twenty of the 25 shooters in the November 19th match were ranked as marksmen or higher by the IDPA Classifier.  Twelve of the shooters were ranked as Sharpshooter or Expert.  The Experts really are experts and it was a delight to watch them shoot.  My shooting time was 120.67 seconds for the four-stage match.  The fastest expert time was 51.88 seconds! It's really incredible to see someone shoot an IDPA stage that fast.

The R&G Club IDPA is a very well established outfit.  Their stage designs were totally pro and well run.  The club has all sorts of props with which to set up creative stages.  Everything's extraordinarily organized and tidy as can be.  There's a roomy shade ramada and nice tables and chairs and the whole place exudes a real "clubby" atmosphere.  The club members were very hospitable to me as well as to each other.  They even sang Happy Birthday to one of their members.

I enjoyed a big surprise during the match.  A man I met online via a firearms forum actually came out to watch me shoot.  We enjoyed gabbing  all morning and it sure was fun. Between the hospitality of the local shooters and Justin's visit, I felt right at home. THANKS, Justin!  (Justin took the photo at the top of this post.)

All-in-all, I felt my time was OK.  I had a couple of glitches with the S&W M&P 9mm.  After two reloads it didn't load a round from slide lock so I lost some time dealing with those minor malfunctions. In the photo above, take a look at my right leg.  It's where it is supposed to be.  Apparently, though, it was sticking out past the right barrel when I first ran over there.  They gave me a procedural penalty for the exposure of that leg.  That adds 3 seconds.  There was another procedural penalty that added 3 seconds, too. So, if the pistol would have function properly and I could have avoided those two penalties, I think my time would have been around 105-110 seconds.

Interestingly, I ranked 7th overall in terms of accuracy--which is known as "Points Down" in IDPA parlance.
I had 12 points down.  There were only 6 shooters with fewer "Points Down" than me.  As Bill O. up in Idaho Falls like to say, "Work on accuracy first and then worry about your speed and time."  If I can't be fast, at least I like to think I can be accurate!

I learned a lot of interesting new perspectives at the Phoenix R&G Club IDPA.  I will be going back there November 26th to shoot in the monthly IDPA Classifier.  We will take the Bonomo Custom 1911 and see if we can get classified as a Marksman.  Currently, we are listed as "UNC" in the CDP Division.  By participating in the Classifier match the very least we will be is an official "Novice."  Frankly, after watching those Experts & Sharpshooters yesterday we will be a novice forever compared to those guys and gals. 

Happy Shooting, jp