Frequently Asked Questions

Come watch a match first. Spectators are free, and everyone is happy to answer questions. Find a club near you on the Clubs page.

To shoot, bring:

• A concealable handgun and holster (stock, not race gear)
• Three magazines or speedloaders
• About 50 rounds of ammo for a local match
• Eye and ear protection
• A vest, jacket or shirt that fully covers your holster and spare magazines
• The match fee (typically $15 - 20)

The most important rule: do not handle your firearm unless a Safety Officer (SO) is supervising. This is the most common reason new shooters get disqualified. When you arrive, keep your gun holstered, bagged or cased and ask an SO what to do next.

SOs are certified match officials who run each stage and keep it safe, and they’re happy to answer questions. The Match Director (MD) runs the whole match.

IDPA clubs hold regular matches in Nebraska at ranges in Omaha, Papillion, Waterloo and Lincoln. See the Clubs page for addresses, contact details and each club’s PractiScore page, which lists upcoming match dates.

Pick the club nearest you, check its next match date, and come watch. Spectators are free.

IDPA stands for International Defensive Pistol Association, founded in 1996. It’s a practical shooting sport built around realistic self-defense situations, using the guns and gear people actually carry.

• Official IDPA Website
• Match Rules
• IDPA Rulebook

You don’t have to be. Most new shooters find that after watching a match they think, “Okay, maybe I can do that.”

Think of IDPA as training that happens to keep score. Each stage teaches a different skill, such as moving and shooting, reloading, or shooting from cover. You only compete against shooters in your own division and skill class, and most people care more about having fun than about the rankings.

You can shoot your first three matches without being a member. After that, you must join to keep shooting. Memberships are available at the official IDPA website. Enter your member number at match signup and your results and classification will be recorded at IDPA.com.

Higher-level matches (Tier 2 and above) require a current membership and a classification in your division. Local club matches (Tier 1) do not require a classification.

Follow the Four Rules of Gun Safety:

1. Treat every firearm as if it’s loaded.
2. Keep your finger off the trigger and out of the trigger guard until you are pointed at a target and have decided to fire.
3. Don’t point the muzzle at anything you don’t want to destroy.
4. Be aware of your target and what’s beyond it.

At a match, also:

• Keep your gun holstered, bagged or cased until the SO says “Load and Make Ready.” If you need to handle it at any other time, ask an SO first.
• Keep your muzzle pointed downrange (see “What is the 180 rule?”).
• After the SO calls “Range is hot!”, stay behind the stage boundary until you hear “Range is clear!”

At an IDPA match, firearms stay holstered, bagged or cased until an SO supervises you. Handling a gun without supervision gets you disqualified.

Some clubs have a designated safe area where you can handle your unloaded gun, for example to bag or unbag it or check a red dot. Ask the Match Director (MD) or an SO if there is one. Ammunition is never allowed in a safe area.

A DQ means you can’t finish that match. It doesn’t carry over to future matches, and you don’t have to go home. Stay, watch, learn and help reset targets.

Common causes: breaking the 180, dropping a firearm, handling a gun without SO supervision, or an unintended discharge. Learn from it and come back next time.

Your division is set by the type of gun you shoot. Divisions don’t compete against each other.

*Capacity is how many rounds you load into each magazine. A semi-auto also starts with one more round in the chamber. If your magazines hold different amounts, load all of them to the smallest.

Local matches may not offer every division, so check with your club. See the Equipment Appendices for details. A gun that doesn’t fit any division may be welcome in a Specialty Division, so ask your MD.

Yes, unless the stage says otherwise. A gun with a WML must pass equipment inspection with the light mounted, and must fit the weight and size limits of your division. Some stages are in low light, and a light may be recommended or required.

Handheld flashlights are allowed too. They must be concealed and turned off at the start of the stage.

Your score is your time plus penalties. Lower is better.

• Each point down on a target: +1 second
• Each Procedural Error: +3 seconds
• Each hit on a non-threat target: +5 seconds

If you’re new, focus on accuracy. Speed will come later.

Ask a Safety Officer if you want the scoring explained before your turn, or see Target Barn’s illustrated guide or the Official IDPA Rulebook.

A PE is a 3-second penalty for not following the stage instructions or a rule. PEs are common, and most shooters get some. Examples:

• Shooting targets out of order
• Crossing a fault line while firing
• Starting with the wrong number of rounds

The classifier is a short skill test that sets your skill class. You get a separate class in each division, so you could be a Sharpshooter in SSP and a Marksman in Revolver.

New members start as Unclassified. From lowest to highest, the classes are: Unclassified, Novice, Marksman, Sharpshooter, Expert, Master and Distinguished Master. At a local match you can still shoot while Unclassified.

IDPA recommends that members shoot a classifier at least once every 12 months (competing in a sanctioned match also counts). Many clubs run the 5x5 Classifier, which has four individually-timed strings and is easiest to shoot with five magazines of five rounds. The stage description and scoring are in IDPA 5x5 Classifier.

Scenario stages replicate a self-defense situation, such as a burglar, a carjacking, or even an alligator. Scenario stages typically use unlimited scoring.

Standards stages are skills drills that test a specific technique. Standards stages may use limited scoring.

A concealment garment is required on every stage unless the stage description says otherwise.

With unlimited scoring (all scenario stages), you may fire extra shots to make up for misses. Only your best hits count, but extra shots cost time.

With limited scoring (some standards stages), you may only fire the number of shots listed. Extra shots earn a Procedural Error, and your best hits are removed from the target. Slow down, aim, and make each shot count.

On scenario stages you must engage threats in a sensible order:

• Targets in the open: nearest to farthest. Targets within 2 yards of each other in distance count as equal.
• Targets behind vertical cover (like a wall or barricade): in the order they appear as you move around the edge (“slicing the pie”).
• Targets in the open come before targets you can only see from cover.

Not following tactical priority is a common cause of PEs. If you’re unsure, ask an SO and they’ll be happy to demonstrate.