Equipment

by Vern Walls

So You'Re Thinking About Trying IPSC?

Here's Some Beginners' Equipment Tips!

I get approached several times a month by folks who are thinking about giving 
this practical shooting business a try. One of the very first questions almost 
every one of them asks is: "What kind of equipment do I need?" Believe it or 
not, the best answer really is "What have you got?"

You do not need a bunch of fancy "super high tech" equipment to try your hand at 
IPSC practical style shooting. The United States Practical Shooting Association 
(USPSA), which is the U.S. branch of the International Practical Shooting 
Confederation (IPSC), has an equipment division called "Limited" where you can 
use almost any open-sighted, non-compensated fairly stock handgun and still be 
relatively competitive --- and have a blast doing it! To make matters even 
simpler, you will be assigned a classification after your first few matches and 
will only have to compete against other shooters who typically shoot around the 
same scores that you do (regardless of the type of equipment used).

All you need to bring to shoot your first few USPSA/IPSC matches (besides your 
USPSA membership card) is:

  hearing protection 
  eye protection 
  holster 
  extra magazines and/or speed loaders 
  plenty of ammo 
  handgun 

Let's look a little closer at each of these items individually.

HEARING PROTECTION:

While this is not always required by all ranges, it should be. Shooting any 
firearm, or being around others who are shooting, is very noisy and loud. Loud 
enough to do permanent damage to your ears and hearing ability very quickly if 
you do not wear some kind of protection. Damage like Tinitus (ringing in the 
ears) and diminished hearing is inevitable. Hearing losses are permanent and can 
be bad enough to require wearing hearing aids. Consequently, some sort of 
hearing protection is usually considered mandatory by most shooters.

So what kind do you need? Any kind of hearing protection is better than nothing. 
In terms of effectiveness, most folks seem to feel that muffs are more effective 
than plugs, but they cost more, too. Plugs can run from as low as $1 a pair for 
foam plugs, to $30-$40 for a set of the custom made soft rubber types. Shooting 
muffs are available from as low as $10 per pair to almost $200 for the 
electronic styles. A shooter definitely doesn't "need" the high dollar stuff to 
start out, that's something they can upgrade to later on if the mood strikes 
them. The electronic muffs also make great Christmas, birthday, and anniversary 
presents. Generally, the more you pay for your hearing protection, the more 
convenient and effective it is. Just make sure you wear something!

EYE PROTECTION:

Many ranges require some sort of eye protection for everyone, both shooters and 
spectators alike. In my opinion, those that don't should. It only takes one 
small bullet fragment bouncing off of a steel target like a "pepper popper" or a 
hard target frame to seriously damage an eye. Plus you can't rule out a gun or 
ammo malfunction that could send hot gas or powder fragments towards an eye. The 
best thing to wear is some sort of "safety glasses". These can be safety rated 
sunglasses, actual shooting glasses, or even prescription glasses for those 
among us who don't see as well as we used to.

Typically a shooter's glasses should have lenses made out of some sort of 
polycarbonate (plastic) material so that they are not heavy. If they are the 
"wrap-around" style, or can (or do) have side guards along the ear pieces, that 
is even better. I've also seen some recently introduced styles of wrap-around 
shooting glasses with interchangeable colored front lens pieces (for varying 
light conditions) and prescription lenses behind them for the visually 
challenged among us.

As with anything else, you get what you pay for when it comes to eye protection. 
Some shooting glasses are made to withstand the impact of a .22 LR round at just 
a few feet. Less expensive models may provide less protection but are still 
considered to be adequate by many folks. Again, just be sure you use something!

HOLSTER:

USPSA requires a holster that covers the trigger guard (Rule 7.17) of your 
handgun and safely retains the gun. Since almost every commercially available 
holster meets the safety retention requirement, we won't waste a lot of time on 
that subject. Just remember that retention in this case does NOT necessarily 
mean the holster must have a retaining strap of some kind. However, if your 
holster does have a retention strap you will be required to use it at all times. 
To avoid this, some shooters cut off the strap and that's legal, too. Almost all 
commercial open top holsters work fine.

Having said that, let's talk about the "covering the trigger guard" part. While 
many holsters, particularly those made for semiautomatics, already cover the 
trigger guard, many styles do not. So what do you do if your holster doesn't? 
(Besides going out and buying another holster?) Improvise! There is nothing in 
the rules that prevents you from using duct tape to attach a bent piece of 
cardboard to your existing holster so that the trigger guard is covered. It may 
not look pretty, but it would work. As far as buying a holster is concerned, you 
can spend anywhere from $15 for a belt holster from somewhere like Uncle Mikes 
to around $200 for a strictly competition "speed rig" like those from Bianchi, 
Safariland, and others. But the Uncle Mikes rig will work. Will it be just as 
fast to use or as fancy looking at as some of the others? Probably not, but it 
will work just the same.

The location of the holster on your body is another important topic. You will 
rarely see anyone use a shoulder holster: (rule 7.18) They are slow to draw 
from, and scary to folks behind you when you put in a loaded gun (especially if 
it is one of the horizontal versions). Plus, pointing any gun at any person or 
in any unsafe direction will get you a disqualification from the match and an 
escorted trip to the nearest exit at most ranges: No one likes a loaded weapon 
pointed at them. Safety always comes first! Cross-draw belt rigs (rule 7.18) are 
slightly more useful; they will work from a safety standpoint but are still 
slow. The same problem exists for the inside-the-waistband style of holster: It 
works, but it is slow to draw from and it is also hard to reholster your 
handgun. By at least a 50 to 1 ratio, the most common holster you're going to 
see is the outside-the-belt style holster on the side of your body that has the 
hand that you write with (often referred to as your "strong side").

Since practical shooting requires drawing the gun from the holster for most of 
the match stages, the holster must be easy to get to, relatively quick to get 
the gun out of, and safe to place a loaded gun into. My recommendation to new 
shooters is use what you've got if it is a strong side belt holster. If you 
don't have one of those, go pick up a "cheapie" and use it. There will always be 
time to move up to a competition-only "speed holster" later on if you so desire, 
and the "cheapie" can always be used for other times. Competition holsters also 
make excellent presents from loved ones.

EXTRA MAGAZINES AND/OR SPEED LOADERS:

It is not too uncommon for a stage in a USPSA match to require a minimum of 20 
or 25 rounds to be fired, occasionally even more. Unless you have a handgun with 
that much capacity, you'll usually have to do like the rest of us and do a 
reload or two during the stage. Realize that nobody "needs" the high capacity 
(over 10 round) magazines that are no longer legal to manufacture for civilian 
use. They're really nice to have and use, but not mandatory. If you have some 
high capacity magazines, great, by all means use them. If you don't, you don't 
need to rush out and pay ridiculous prices for some. On some stages you might 
have to make an extra reload or two with 10 round mags, but with practice 
reloads can be done in a second or less --- often while you are moving from one 
firing position to another in the stage and thus not "costing" you any extra 
time at all. Obviously, if you are shooting a revolver the fastest way to reload 
is by using speed loaders.

I always recommend you have enough speed loaders or extra magazines to be able 
to fire around forty rounds in a stage. That way, if you drop one, you don't 
have to stop and pick it up because you've got another one ready to go. It also 
gives you a little more flexibility while planning when you will do your 
reloads. There is no reason to shoot a gun empty before you do a reload. Plan 
ahead so that reloads can be done while moving and not cost you any extra time. 
Since your final score for the stage is the points added up for your hits on the 
targets divided by how long it took you to get them, both accuracy and speed are 
important. By the same token, neither one stands alone. You have to score the 
most points possible in the shortest amount of time to succeed; hence, don't 
waste time by standing still while reloading. If you can safely reload while 
moving between positions, there is little or no penalty for having to do more 
reloads than someone else.

You'll also need some way to carry these reloads. You can buy the "fast to use" 
high dollar competition magazine pouches for $30-$45 dollars each, or you can 
start out with the $20 dual pouch designs like those from Uncle Mikes. Both will 
work. I've even seen shooters stick their extra mags in their belt or hip pocket 
and not use any pouches at all, but don't recommend it. The initial investment 
does not have to break your piggy bank or family budget, but don't o to that 
extreme either. You may not have any mags left when you get to the reload; 
they'll all be in the dirt somewhere behind you. And don't forget that 
competition mag holders make great gift ideas, too!

AMMO:

Use whatever ammo you have on hand (or can get at a reasonable price) as long as 
it is reliable and accurate in your handgun. Many new shooters will get three or 
four boxes of the lower cost factory ammo or commercially reloaded ammo to start 
out. You don't need high performance hollowpoint or self-defense loads for these 
matches. As long as it's reliable, consistent, accurate in your handgun, and 
goes bang every time you pull the trigger, it'll do just fine. The one 
recommendation I do have is find out the minimum number of rounds the match is 
advertised to require and take twice that amount. It is always better to have 
fifty or seventy-five rounds left over than to end up five rounds short of 
finishing a match.

If you stick with this sport, you'll probably end up reloading your own ammo 
because it is so much cheaper. But that is not required, especially when you're 
just starting. If you already reload your own ammo, great - you're way ahead of 
the game. Any ammo that is .38 or 9mm caliber (or larger) can be legal for USPSA 
competition if it meets certain requirements. Since the ammo you use is directly 
related to how your shooting is scored, it just has to meet the minimum power 
requirement.

YOUR HANDGUN:

Obviously, you want to use whatever you've already got. If you have a choice, 
you'll probably be more competitive and get less discouraged initially if you 
use a semiautomatic pistol versus a revolver. While some folks prefer a 
revolver, they are not commonly seen in USPSA competition. This is probably due 
to their relatively slow reloading speed and how much ammo they hold.

What type of auto is best? The one you already own. If you have a choice, the 
most commonly used pistol is a variation of John Browning's time tested single 
action 1911-type semi-automatic (or "auto"). Does it "have" to be one of these 
types? Definitely not! You will also see quite a few double action autos from 
makers like Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Browning, Taurus etc. Another commonly used 
handgun is one of the models from Glock. Use what you've got and feel 
comfortable with, at least initially. The whole idea is to try out this new 
sport with a minimum of investment. You don't need to buy a new gun right off 
the bat (although it may be a good enough excuse for some to have to go out and 
buy another handgun: "Honey, this is the only kind that will work!")
If you don't have an auto you want to use for this, what should you get? I 
always think a wise approach is to check out what everybody else is using and 
then weigh the disadvantages and advantages of each as they pertain to me. For 
example: You may want to also use this new handgun for personal protection and 
you just don't feel comfortable with a 1911-style auto lying around (or on your 
person) in a "cocked and locked" state, regardless of how safe this really is. 
Under those conditions, one of the double action autos may be a better choice 
for you. You'd get the feeling of comfort in not seeing a hammer back, still 
have safeties (on some models), the initial double action trigger pull is long 
and hard enough to help avoid "accidental discharges" through the TV set, and 
it's still a safe way to keep the weapon "ready". Would there be any major 
disadvantages to using this style gun for USPSA Limited competition? Perhaps in 
some people's minds, but not if that's what you like.

Many shooters feel that the heavier double action trigger pull is harder to 
operate quickly and accurately for that all-important first shot. And if yours 
is one of the "double action only" versions, every trigger pull is going to be 
that heavy (and hence more difficult to shoot accurately). Another thing to 
remember is that USPSA rules require a pistol to be "on safe" at the start of 
the stage. Many double action autos actually lower the hammer (or "decock") as 
part of their safety, thus assuring you of the heavier trigger pull for the 
first shot. But is that all bad? Not for some folks. Some people get nervous 
about the idea of a 2-3 lb. single action trigger pull like you will see on some 
of the 1911-style pistols used in this sport. I seriously doubt that many new 
shooters would be too severely impaired with a double action auto the first few 
months, possibly even their first year, of shooting IPSC.

Another consideration is the "safe action" autos like the Glock and S&W Sigma 
models. The gun is reportedly completely safe and cannot fire unless you pull 
the trigger. The only external safety on these models is built into the trigger 
itself. You disengage this safety merely by pulling the trigger. Many a shooter 
has used Glock-style handguns in USPSA matches (both in Limited and Open 
divisions) for many years and not felt the least bit disadvantaged. They have 
placed in the "top 10" finishes in just about every major match at one time or 
another. To some folks, their relatively simple operation, reliability, light 
weight, and decent "out of the box" accuracy is just the ticket they need. They 
are considered by many to also be very good "carry" and defensive handguns as 
well. These make another good choice for a dual-use handgun.

But, if I was selecting a gun strictly to use for competition, I would look to 
the top shooters in this sport and see what they use. While that is not a 
guarantee of what would be best for me, it's still an indication of what usually 
works out the best for most people. Only a couple of Glock handguns have placed 
in the top 20 finishes in the national or international championships in the 
last several years, and none of the double action only autos that I'm aware of 
have ever finished that high. Almost all of the top finishers have used one of 
the various manufacturer's versions of the 1911 single action auto.

SUMMARY:

So, what's the best course of action? USE WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY GOT! The whole 
point of USPSA and IPSC competition is to relax, enjoy yourself, have some fun, 
and maybe hone some pistol skills while you're at it. Don't rush out and buy a 
new gun the first week, not even during the first few months. Use your money for 
lots of practice, and maybe even some training, instead. Look around at what 
other folks have and like. Many shooters I know will gladly let you look at 
their equipment, and most will even let you fire it a few times to see how you 
like the feel of it. Many ranges also offer rental guns, which is another 
excellent way to see what feels best to you by trying out several different 
styles of handgun.

Don't be afraid to ask questions: The only dumb question is the one you decided 
not to ask. We all have to learn sometime, and I think you'll find that 
USPSA/IPSC shooters are some of the best, friendliest, and most helpful people 
around. Most of us also enjoy helping others get started in this sport. And the 
smarter shooters will admit that they're always learning, it never stops.
As far as the equipment goes, any decent quality semiautomatic that is reliable, 
fairly accurate, and feels good to you will work just fine for the first few 
months, maybe even years. The support/accessory equipment, like mags, mag 
pouches, and a holster can all be acquired in sufficient quantities for a total 
of under a hundred bucks to get you started. If you're a frequent shooter, 
you've probably already got eye and ear protection. If not, you can get set up 
pretty well on those for another forty or fifty bucks, tops. There is no reason 
to have to spend more than that just to see how you like it.

In fact, finding a local match and just going out to watch and talk to folks is 
usually very informative and fun. You can learn a lot by just watching others 
and asking questions. But above all, remember this is supposed to be recreation 
--- very few of us will ever make a living from our shooting skills. So, keeping 
that in mind, 

RELAX, BE SAFE, & HAVE FUN!