Ok I want to get into this where do I start?

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I want to get into some competitive shooting (IDPA, steel plate challenges etc)
I've been shooting for a couple of years now and I'd love to "hone" my skills some more.
this seems like a great way to go, are there any clubs in MASS where you can go and learn
how these matches work and more importantly ....practice?
SInce I've never done anything like this before I'm kind of clueless about IDPA and USPSA
I know there are some matches at the Harvard sportsmans club, any others near by to Deham?
I've got an M&P PC9L red dot incoming and I'm most likely going to grab a Mark III or IV competition 22
MY club: Massapoag has pistol comps once a month. I walked into lasts month (unknowing it was going on I just hit the range to shoot) and the guys there were having a blast, so I'm going to start there but I'd like to do some steel plate etc
once I get accustomed to my new 9L. Are there any "intro to IDPA" type of classes ever run locally
I guess my real question sis "where can I train to do this locally"?
 
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If you are in Dedham you aren't that far from Bedford, MA. Woburn Sportsmen's Association in Bedford runs IDPA and USPSA matches and practices. Practices are a good way to get started. Woburn Sportsmen has practices on the second and fourth Sunday of every month at 4pm during the Summer months. Got to this link to see what you need. But even if you don't have everything just show up and people will help you get started.

Harvard Sportsmen's club is also a very good club for action shooting. They allow you to draw from a holster and do you own practicing in their action pits outside of organized practices. Though they do have organized IDPA/IPSIC practices on Wednesday nights, I think.
 
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Rob Boudrie and Ipscdrl here on the forum do this sort of stuff. Reach out to them.

they are among many other active competitive pistols shooters on this forum.

Your M&P core (I believe is what you are referring to) w/ optic will not fit into any of the IDPA divisions. There are however 2 USPSA divisions that it can be used in, 'carry optics' being the better suited division. We practice USPSA things at Hopkinton sportsmans on Wednesday evenings, the same at Harvard. We also host 2 day a intro to USPSA clinic each spring, info on last years clinic here https://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/threads/327272-Ever-wanted-to-try-USPSA-Shooting-(2017-Edition)
 
These guys are very friendly and helpful, don't hesitate to give them a try.

they are among many other active competitive pistols shooters on this forum.

Your M&P core (I believe is what you are referring to) w/ optic will not fit into any of the IDPA divisions. There are however 2 USPSA divisions that it can be used in, 'carry optics' being the better suited division. We practice USPSA things at Hopkinton sportsmans on Wednesday evenings, the same at Harvard. We also host 2 day a intro to USPSA clinic each spring, info on last years clinic here https://www.northeastshooters.com/v...r-wanted-to-try-USPSA-Shooting-(2017-Edition)
 
thanks guys!! I'm down the cape for the week but I'll be looking into all of this. Red Dot optics not allowed in Steelmatches?
I have to look into all of this
 
thanks guys!! I'm down the cape for the week but I'll be looking into all of this. Red Dot optics not allowed in Steelmatches?
I have to look into all of this

Official 'Steel challenge' divisions mimic those of USPSA, and include 4 rimfire divisions.

Various club organized plate shoots / falling steel matches or whatever they may be named, may or may not have a division for pistols with optics. -that will vary at each match.
 
thanks guys!! I'm down the cape for the week but I'll be looking into all of this. Red Dot optics not allowed in Steelmatches?
I have to look into all of this

PM me if you have time to come shoot while you're on Cape this week. I hit all the IDPA's around the Cape clubs, the steel shoots, etc... I really enjoy Old Colony IDPA but I don't go out there in the Summer months. Too much of a pain to get back on Cape in the middle of tourist season mid day on a Saturday. [wink]

This Saturday morning is IDPA @ Monument Beach but registration is already full. You can always come watch though. They won't charge you to be a spectator.
 
I want to get into some competitive shooting (IDPA, steel plate challenges etc)
I've been shooting for a couple of years now and I'd love to "hone" my skills some more.
this seems like a great way to go, are there any clubs in MASS where you can go and learn
how these matches work and more importantly ....practice?
SInce I've never done anything like this before I'm kind of clueless about IDPA and USPSA
I know there are some matches at the Harvard sportsmans club, any others near by to Deham?
I've got an M&P PC9L red dot incoming and I'm most likely going to grab a Mark III or IV competition 22
MY club: Massapoag has pistol comps once a month. I walked into lasts month (unknowing it was going on I just hit the range to shoot) and the guys there were having a blast, so I'm going to start there but I'd like to do some steel plate etc
once I get accustomed to my new 9L. Are there any "intro to IDPA" type of classes ever run locally
I guess my real question sis "where can I train to do this locally"?

If you are in Dedham you aren't that far from Bedford, MA. Woburn Sportsmen's Association in Bedford runs IDPA and USPSA matches and practices. Practices are a good way to get started. Woburn Sportsmen has practices on the second and fourth Sunday of every month at 4pm during the Summer months. Got to this link to see what you need. But even if you don't have everything just show up and people will help you get started.

Woburn has their August IDPA match this Saturday. This would be a great opportunity (fairly close to Dedham too) for you to try IDPA assuming you have a holster, at least 2 mag pouches, flashlight, and a cover/concealment garment. My first competition was at Woburn a couple years ago and I've been hooked ever since. Also shoot USPSA and steel challenge. So much fun meeting other gun guys who love to shoot and have a good time.
 
Woburn has their August IDPA match this Saturday. This would be a great opportunity (fairly close to Dedham too) for you to try IDPA assuming you have a holster, at least 2 mag pouches, flashlight, and a cover/concealment garment. My first competition was at Woburn a couple years ago and I've been hooked ever since. Also shoot USPSA and steel challenge. So much fun meeting other gun guys who love to shoot and have a good time.

If I'm back from the cape I may just come and watch. I have everything but a flashlight. I also currently don't have a FS piece. M&P shield 9C and an XDM 3.8C .45. I don't know if I can enter using any of those (probably would do pretty well with my 9C)
 
Steel Challenge is a good place to start.
You will learn to drawing from holster, shoot accurately at speed, transition from and to multiple targets.
 
If I'm back from the cape I may just come and watch. I have everything but a flashlight. I also currently don't have a FS piece. M&P shield 9C and an XDM 3.8C .45. I don't know if I can enter using any of those (probably would do pretty well with my 9C)

Of the guns listed, I'd run the 9C. And yes you can use any of those guns in IDPA.
 
I went to watch my first IDPA match at Worcester R&P a couple of years ago. At the second stage I watched, I had wished that I was a participant rather than just a spectator. Everyone is very helpful with newbies any place I have gone. Important thing to remember is just to be safe. Don't worry about your time for each stage. Ask questions, especially with IDPA in what order to engage the targets.
 
Myself along with a few other volunteers run an intro to competitive shooting class geared mainly for 3 gun but also introduce plate shooting and bowling pin shooting. We've run 3 classes this year and will most likely hold a 4th sometime in oct. Inbox me if you're interested. They're run at pine tree gun club in RI.
 
Worcester pistol and rifle has a practice every month. It is this Sunday evening. Then they have a match the following Saturday. I did my first practice then match with them this spring. Great club with lots of helpful people. You won't regret it.


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If you are in Dedham you aren't that far from Bedford, MA. Woburn Sportsmen's Association in Bedford runs IDPA and USPSA matches and practices. Practices are a good way to get started. Woburn Sportsmen has practices on the second and fourth Sunday of every month at 4pm during the Summer months. Got to this link to see what you need. But even if you don't have everything just show up and people will help you get started.

Harvard Sportsmen's club is also a very good club for action shooting. They allow you to draw from a holster and do you own practicing in their action pits outside of organized practices. Though they do have organized IDPA/IPSIC practices on Wednesday nights, I think.


I just got back from WSC, that linked said it starts at 7pm but the calendar on their website stated 4pm. I'm assuming their calendar is not up to date because I got there for 4pm and it was a ghost town, nobody was there and everything was locked. [thinking]
 
I just got back from WSC, that linked said it starts at 7pm but the calendar on their website stated 4pm. I'm assuming their calendar is not up to date because I got there for 4pm and it was a ghost town, nobody was there and everything was locked. [thinking]

I apologize, I had linked to that document for information about what you needed for practice. That document was created when we only ran practices at night. But we started running practices at 4pm during the summer a while back. Also, there was no practice today as we only run practice on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month as I stated in my post. I will have to get the Woburn Action Shooters Calendar corrected. Our club calendar was showing the correct information however. Sorry you wasted a ride over there!

So just to repeat Woburn Sportsmen's Club IDPA practices are 2nd and 4th Sunday of every month from 4-7 PM during the spring/summer and 7-10pm fall and winter. Also, we try to run the practices outside pistol range as much as possible but otherwise we default back to the indoor range.
 
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I apologize, I had linked to that document for information about what you needed for practice. That document was created when we only ran practices at night. But we started running practices at 4pm during the summer a while back. Also, there was no practice today as we only run practice on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month as I stated in my post. I will have to get the Woburn Action Shooters Calendar corrected. Our club calendar was showing the correct information however. Sorry you wasted a ride over there!

So just to repeat Woburn Sportsmen's Club IDPA practices are 2nd and 4th Sunday of every month from 4-7 PM during the spring/summer and 7-10pm fall and winter. Also, we try to run the practices outside pistol range as much as possible but otherwise we default back to the indoor range.


No worries! I just looked right now and there were a set of two calendars, one on Woburn action shooters and the other on WSC. Either way I'm still excited in getting into the sport. Thanks for the info!


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started to dial in with my new 9L PC core this weekend, Need to grab a good .22 and I am "going In"!!!

I have a Ruger MKIII stainless with bull barrel, Volquartsen sear/spring setup and a Bushnell TRS-25 red dot mounted on top. That gun is super fun for steel and plinking.
 
I have a Ruger MKIII stainless with bull barrel, Volquartsen sear/spring setup and a Bushnell TRS-25 red dot mounted on top. That gun is super fun for steel and plinking.

+1. I love my MKIII 22/45. Can't believe I waited this long to get one.
 
No worries! I just looked right now and there were a set of two calendars, one on Woburn action shooters and the other on WSC. Either way I'm still excited in getting into the sport. Thanks for the info!


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Yes, the main calendar on Woburn Sportsmen's Club site is the accurate and definitive one. We had created the IDPA only one on the IDPA site, but it had been incorrectly set to every two weeks for practices. It's fixed now.

Thanks!
 
well 6 months later and I've got a CZ Shadow 2, my M&P 9L and a Ruger Mark III Stainless Steel target model
with a Vortex Venom on it and all Volquartsen internals.
Been shooting steel plates with a buddy of mine on this forum down at Braintree
and with a coworker up in Andover (their steel plate pistol range is really nice)
To say I've got the bug is an understatement. Going through Orientation at Holbrook this Saturday, all signed up for the 2 day intro to USPSA at Hopkinton April 21,22. Definitely going to be doing as many competitions as I can squeeze in this season.
Maybe try for the next indoor Steel Plate match coming up at Hopkinton if I can steel away on a Wednesday night.
I'm driving my poor wife crazy dry firing all the time when I'm sitting around at home. She thinks I've completely lost it LOL!
thanks for all of input guys :) Looking forward to meeting up with you at some matches this year.
 
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