I shot my first IDPA match Saturday.
The day started off at 28 degrees (F) but it warmed to 50 (F) pretty fast. We’d had rain in the area so mud was a problem once the frost melted. I didn’t want to slip and fall in the mud so movement was slow, and I didn’t drop any magazines to the ground. Other than that, the weather was sunny and clear and I really enjoyed myself. I’m a pretty good shot normally, but I’ve never combined shooting with movement before so the whole shooting experience was new. I did pretty good, most hits were zeros. In an IDPA match a low score is better. Any points on targets from not hitting center mass are added to your time. Time is where I sucked. I was slow. Very slow. Of course it was my first match, and I was more concerned with control and accuracy than speed. I suppose speed will happen, but there are definitely kinks to work out.
I used the Sig P245 with P220 magazines. The X-Grip extenders worked great, they even have Sig-Sauer printed on them so they look factory made. Using the P220 magazines gives me eight rounds, which is better than the standard P245 six, but eight is still a pretty significant handicap. Except for a few courses of fire where the magazines were downloaded to less than eight, I had to reload at least once more than most shooters. That extra reload along with the magazine retention (the mud) added three or four seconds. The reloading also brought up a big problem with the Sig P245. I’m left handed, but on the P245 the slide release is further back than the release on a 1911 model. I can’t release the slide with my left hand while still maintaining a good grip on the gun. I HAVE to use my right hand to release the slide or contort my left hand out of grip. It’s enough to make me question using the Sig as my carry gun. I’m going to use my Para-Ordinance P14-45 on the next match. The P14-45 loads up to 14 rounds in a magazine and it’s a standard 1911 pattern so I can release the slide with my left hand. Should speed things up a little.
