New IDPA Rulebook.....

[3gunner]

Anyone had a chance to look over the new IDPA Rulebook. It went into effect on 1-5-05. Looks like they are adding a new division for revolvers which will be the Enhanced Service Revolver. Seems to be several changes made as well with what holsters that are now allowed. Looks like they are trying to keep everything up close and tight to the body with no space at all between the gun and your body. And of course, the Wilson Combat holsters are used as examples of the perfect IDPA holster.


P.S.

I had no idea you guys had a Competition Shooting Forum over here. I should have checked this place out alot sooner. I'll be hanging around for a while.

[SouthernMoss]

Thanks for the heads up, 3gunner!

[pickenup]

I have not looked at the book yet, but from the sounds of it, my “drop and offset” holster will not be allowed anymore? Guess I will have to take a look see.

[3gunner]

Pickenup,

If you've been using a "drop & offset" holster, count your blessings. The MD's in my area have disallowed them for years at both local matches and sanctioned matches. The female shooters have only been allowed to use them. As I read the new rules, you are no longer allowed to use any holster that has an adjustable cant. Does'nt matter which cant direction you use, straight, forward, etc. Seems a little harse and over board to me. I've got a local IDPA match tomorrow can't wait to see what everyone else thinks.

[Marlin]

Glad to know about it, 3gunner. Thanks.

[3gunner]

Update.....

Just as I expected the confusion has already started. At a local IDPA match today most everyone was a little upset over the new rules set forth by IDPA HQ's. Why can't they just leave a good thing alone?

Here's something else I learned about the new rules today. A stainless Sig P220 (factory) is now illegal for IDPA. Seems they changed the allowable weight from 41 oz. to 39 oz's. Two ounces gets a very popular gun thrown out. What a shame. When will the madness end?

[pickenup]

Oops....was thinking IPSC...not IDPA.

[IShootBack]

I am on another board dedicated to IDPA in VA.

Several MD's have been chiming in and answering questions.

Many, many changes. Some make sence, some very confusing. I have not had time to read them yet. Our local MD's are going to enforce the rules 100%.

I have been a SO for 4 years. This will be a hard year for the sport.

[3gunner]

Another Update....

Mr. Bill Wilson, President of IDPA has responded to several concerns regarding the new IDPA rules. His letter can be seen on their website at
www.idpa.com.

It appears there are a few more changes or modifications to be made to the new rules. Apparently he has received numerous emails and complaints regarding the new rules. I hope all is worked out and everyone is happy. It is such a great shooting sport and I hate to see such controversy.

[3gunner]

Here's some interesting comments from Michael Bane who is the host of the "Shooting Gallery" on the Outdoor Channel.

Saturday, January 08, 2005
The "New" IDPA Rules...SSDD
I was going to do a long analysis of the new International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) rulebook, but quite honestly, it just makes me tired.

After reading through the new rulebook a couple of times, one major question comes to mind — stupidity or malicious intent?

IDPA, which was once one of the fastest growing and most respected practical shooting sport, has been showing the need for a mid-course correction for a couple of years now. Membership has been flat, and the existing membership base has been clamoring for an overhaul of the rules to clear up inconsistancies, define terms that were used and not defined, bring the rulebook into line with the real-world way matches were run and — in short — fixing the glitches that are inevitable with Version 1.0 of anything.

Amazingly, IDPA World Command took this opportunity — and it was an opportunity — to instead whip out their blaster and shoot themselves in not just one, but both feet...and probably other some parts as well.

Many of the rule changes are clearly designed to eliminate specific weapons from IDPA competition, or to slant the playing field in the direction of a different gun. Here's a couple of example:

• The stainless steel SIG-220 .45 and Sig-226 in .40 S&W and 9mm have been eliminated because of weight. Under the new rules, the stainless steel SIGs are too heavy by a couple of ounces. The apparent rationale for eliminating guns that have been approved for years is that the guns were originally designated "S," for "Sport" in Germany, which last time I checked my atlas, wasn't even a state. Now why IDPA World Command overlooked this fact when the guns were approved in the first place is a question for another day, but the guns were approved and many, many people bought them to use in IDPA competition. Tough noogies, maggots! Interestingly enough, SIG, which had never really been in the competition arena, became a major sponsor for IDPA. If I were the folks at World Command, I probably wouldn't be holding my breath waiting for the 2005 check!

Parenthetically, a stainless SIG-220 was used by Ernest Langdon in 2003 to defeat Rob Leatham, Bill Wilson, John Sayles and the other Bishops of the Holy Church of the 1911 in the IDPA Nationals, a little trick that was widely considered to be impossible, since the 1911 is the be-all and end-all of handguns, forever-and-ever amen! Langdon predicted to me after his victory that IDPA would find a way to ban the gun he used. Surprise, surprise!!!

• Oh yeah, the new all-steel Beretta 92/96 doesn't make the weight restriction either. Once again, the argument is that slimy scumbag cheating weasel non-tactical "gamers" — who, to hear World Command tell it, apparently make up the majority of IDPA shooters — are buying those all-steel guns in the thousands to gain competitive advantage! I pointed out to the person telling me this, a gun writer, that he and I and a lot of people had at various times and in print eschewed aluminum-framed guns as insufficiently durable, especially for competition use where thousands upon thousands of rounds were fired. Tough noogies, maggots! Ya spends yer money and you takes your chances, maggots!

• Which brings us to the revolver category, or rather, categories, where after much agonizing (I'm giving World Command the benefit of the doubt here; these rules show no apparent application of a thought process of any kind), they set a weight limit that bans the two best all-around "fighting" revolvers in the world — the S&W 625 .45 ACP and the S&W 610 10mm/.40 — because they're too easy to reload using moon clips! Well hell, why not just specify that all revolver shooters duct tape their left hand to the back of their head and hop on one foot if you want to make things harder?

In one of those amazing coincidences, the only large frame S&W revolver that meets the new improved IDPA rules in the drastically overpriced Thunder Ranch Special .44 Special. Suprise, surpise! And if you bought a 5-inch 625 or 610; then bought a 4-inch 625 or 610 when IDPA banned 5-inch guns as "non-tactical," well, tough noogies, maggots!!! You want to play our games, you play it wtih our guns, maggots!

I won't even get into the holster rule changes, which were apparently designed to:

1) Elminate any inexpensive holster that might make it easier for a new shooter

2) Try to keep Dave Sevigny from winning all the time


My favorite part of the new rulebook is the part where it reads, repeatedly, that IDPA wants to ban anything that"makes a travesty of the sport." Well guys, I'm pretty sure that nothing a shooter does in a match can make as much of a travesty of the sport has you already have.

By the way, my IDPA membership number (at least until World Command revokes it!) is A-00009. I though this was one heck of a sport! Travesty, indeed!





posted by Michael Bane at 9:47 AM



You can see his comment as well as several other comments from IDPA members at: http://michaelbane.blogspot.com/2005/01/new-idpa-rulesssdd.html

[Shooter45]

Instead of whining about the rule changes, adapt and improvise. IPSC has gone thru the same thing a couple of times. Any new sport will have rule changes, but I don't understand why the rule change should include choice of weapons. Mr Wilson and company have PO'd alot of competitors,old and new. Perhaps they should have put a little more thought into the changes.

This new season will tell.

[3gunner]

Ummmm, excuse if I came across wrong, but I'm not whining. I was just posting some info I thought may be of some interest to those that shoot IDPA. I'm sure most people, myself included, will adapt and improvise to continue enjoying the sport.

But, if "whining" is how you see it, well, so be it. It did manage to get some of the problems fixed in the new revised rule book.

[Shooter45]

3Gunner, I was speaking of Mr Bane. Sorry for the confussion.

And I agree, some of the problems with the rules being addressed is probably a good thing. Maybe it will open their eyes. The IDPA wants to keep the "gamers" out of their sport and most of the rule changes were for that reason. But, it hurt ALL their competitors.

[3gunner]

OK, I gotcha.........I just did'nt want you guys thinking I was some whining babbling idiot with nothing better to discuss.

This to shall pass and in a year from now we will continue to enjoy the sport, and all of this rule change mess will be less important. Doesn't look like anything will change anyway. Mr. Wilson has already said IDPA will remain a BoD driven organization and the members will never have any decision making abilities. Maybe there is some "good" hidden in that philosophy, who knows.

[Shooter45]

I sure hope so.