Yesterday, I was restoring old posts that had been lost during the great and terrible hack of 2013, and I found and restored one of my all-time favorite posts, What your USPSA division says about you. This was a little tongue in cheek fun I had with the USPSA divisions, and it was quite popular back then (and seems to be popular again now). By popular request, here is the obvious follow-up piece, What your IDPA Division says about you.
Custom Defensive Pistol
What you think it says: I am the defender of IDPA’s great tradition and history, shooting the division that the sport was originally created for. My pistol is blessed by Jeff Cooper and John Moses Browning and is the pinnacle of crastmanship and engineering.
What other people think: You know they make guns that hold more than 8 bullets, right? And firearms technology has advanced somewhat in the last hundred years.
Note on CDP: The definition above is only true if you’re shooting a 1911 in CDP, if you’re shooting a Glock/XD/M&P in CDP you’re probably doing it specifically to troll those guys.
Enhanced Service Pistol
What you think it says: Yes, I am truly the king of IDPA here in the closest thing we have to a racegun division. I will take my gear to the max, on the bleeding edge of IDPA technology while I use that technology to improve my shooting and stage times.
What other people think: That guy is shooting ESP because he’s tired of getting his s*** pushed in by Bob Vogel in SSP.
Stock Service Pistol
What you think it says: This is practical shooting at its finest. Practical guns, practical gear – a division where you can truly be competitive with your carry gun.
What other people think: “Competitive with your carry gear?” You carry an LCP in a pocket holster, but you’re shooting a Glock 34 in a Blade-Tech holster under a Woolrich vest that you literally NEVER WEAR outside of this match. Tell me another one, brah.
Enhanced Service Revolver
What you think it says: I blend old school technology and new thinking with my mastery of the art of the wheelgun. Using these moonclips, I can reload as fast as a semi-auto and compete with the “bottom-feeders.”
What other people think: Is your name Jerry? It isn’t? Okay, have fun over there with the other two guys in your division.
Stock Service Revolver
What you think it says: IDPA is the last bastion of true shooting – if a Model 19 and 158 grain LSWC was good enough for my dad on the force, then it’s good enough for me. Six for sure beats clearing malfs any day!
What other people think: Hey, there goes Sandbagger McGavin, just trying to pad his “State Championship” count by beating up on marksmen and sharpshooters in SSR again.
That’s it for IDPA! I need to shoot more 3-gun so I can do one for that, or I could just do one for all the shooting sports, like “what your shooting sport of choice says about you.” Let me know what you think in the comments.
That SSP one makes me wonder, why aren’t there pocket pistol and pocket revolver divisions?
IDPA is actually have their first ever BUG (Backup gun) Nationals this year specifically for those guns.
I actually DO shoot my Glock 21 in CDP for that specific reason!
I did much the same thing a couple of years ago.
3-Gun, Open Division:
-What you think: I’m on the cutting edge and I don’t want to be limited by my equipment.
-What everyone else thinks: You just hate reloading shotgun.