A flash of an idea came to my fertile or is that feeble mind. Is it time to have a World Championship IDPA match? The IDPA National Championship match that is held in the United States has been the World Championship match by default simply because it is the largest and attracts the most international competitors. My thought would be to hold a World Championship match in each of the member countries on a rotational basis. We have at least nine countries around the world that have IDPA clubs. There would be a lot of obstacles to overcome because of the different laws in the member countries. But then it might be easy to get some special treatment for competitors due to the publicity that counties outside of the US would receive for hosting a World Championship match.

Some criteria would have to be established for competitors to be eligible for the World Championship match. Just for argument sake let’s say we use a system where top shooters in each division and classification gain points at a regional, state or national match. We could award 5 points for first place, 4 points for second place and so on. And when a shooter accumulates at least 15 points then they would be eligible for the World Championship match.

The Match Director for a World Championship match would need to be someone from the host country. There are a lot of practical reasons for this choice. He would have no language problems and he may know government officials that would smooth the process of receiving competitors from other lands.

Safety Officers would have to be top notch with a lot of practical experience in national matches. Or maybe they should come from the ranks of certified Safety Officer Instructors. I would volunteer.

I would let the staff shoot the match. However, in order to be an actual competitor and shoot for score they would have to qualify just like other competitors. I see this as more of a check of the scenarios for safety and suitability for a match of this significance.

I don’t honestly believe that something like this will ever happen. But it is kind of fun to fantasize about.

H. R. 1022
To reauthorize the assault weapons ban, and for other purposes.

This bill is in the first stage of the legislative process where the bill is considered in committee and may undergo significant changes in markup sessions. The bill has been referred to the House Judiciary committee. Many times these bills die in committee and my hope is that this bill will die there. I have included a list of the members of the Judiciary committee at the end of this text of the bill. I encourage you to contact members of the committee and express your feelings about this new assault on the Second Amendment to our Constitution. See complete text of the proposed reauthorization of the assault weapons ban below.

110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1022
To reauthorize the assault weapons ban, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 13, 2007

Mrs. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________
A BILL
To reauthorize the assault weapons ban, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Assault Weapons Ban and Law Enforcement Protection Act of 2007'.

SEC. 2. REINSTATEMENT FOR 10 YEARS OF REPEALED CRIMINAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO ASSAULT WEAPONS AND LARGE CAPACITY AMMUNITION FEEDING DEVICES.
(a) Reinstatement of Provisions Wholly Repealed- Paragraphs (30) and (31) of section 921(a), subsections (v) and (w) and Appendix A of section 922, and the last 2 sentences of section 923(i) of title 18, United States Code, as in effect just before the repeal made by section 110105(2) of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, are hereby enacted into law.
(b) Reinstatement of Provisions Partially Repealed- Section 924 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the following:
`(B) knowingly violates subsection (a)(4), (f), (k), (r), (v), or (w) of section 922;'; and
(2) in subsection (c)(1)(B), by striking clause (i) and inserting the following:
`(i) is a short-barreled rifle, short-barreled shotgun, or semiautomatic assault weapon, the person shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not less than 10 years; or'.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
(a) In General- Section 921(a)(30) of title 18, United States Code, as added by section 2(a) of this Act, is amended to read as follows:
`(30) The term `semiautomatic assault weapon' means any of the following:
`(A) The following rifles or copies or duplicates thereof:
`(i) AK, AKM, AKS, AK-47, AK-74, ARM, MAK90, Misr, NHM 90, NHM 91, SA 85, SA 93, VEPR;
`(ii) AR-10;
`(iii) AR-15, Bushmaster XM15, Armalite M15, or Olympic Arms PCR;
`(iv) AR70;
`(v) Calico Liberty;
`(vi) Dragunov SVD Sniper Rifle or Dragunov SVU;
`(vii) Fabrique National FN/FAL, FN/LAR, or FNC;
`(viii) Hi-Point Carbine;
`(ix) HK-91, HK-93, HK-94, or HK-PSG-1;
`(x) Kel-Tec Sub Rifle;
`(xi) M1 Carbine;
`(xii) Saiga;
`(xiii) SAR-8, SAR-4800;
`(xiv) SKS with detachable magazine;
`(xv) SLG 95;
`(xvi) SLR 95 or 96;
`(xvii) Steyr AUG;
`(xviii) Sturm, Ruger Mini-14;
`(xix) Tavor;
`(xx) Thompson 1927, Thompson M1, or Thompson 1927 Commando; or
`(xxi) Uzi, Galil and Uzi Sporter, Galil Sporter, or Galil Sniper Rifle (Galatz).
`(B) The following pistols or copies or duplicates thereof:
`(i) Calico M-110;
`(ii) MAC-10, MAC-11, or MPA3;
`(iii) Olympic Arms OA;
`(iv) TEC-9, TEC-DC9, TEC-22 Scorpion, or AB-10; or
`(v) Uzi.
`(C) The following shotguns or copies or duplicates thereof:
`(i) Armscor 30 BG;
`(ii) SPAS 12 or LAW 12;
`(iii) Striker 12; or
`(iv) Streetsweeper.
`(D) A semiautomatic rifle that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine, and that has--
`(i) a folding or telescoping stock;
`(ii) a threaded barrel;
`(iii) a pistol grip;
`(iv) a forward grip; or
`(v) a barrel shroud.
`(E)(i) Except as provided in clause (ii), a semiautomatic rifle that has a fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds.
`(ii) Clause (i) shall not apply to an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition.
`(F) A semiautomatic pistol that has the ability to accept a detachable magazine, and has--
`(i) a second pistol grip;
`(ii) a threaded barrel;
`(iii) a barrel shroud; or
`(iv) the capacity to accept a detachable magazine at a location outside of the pistol grip.
`(G) A semiautomatic pistol with a fixed magazine that has the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds.
`(H) A semiautomatic shotgun that has--
`(i) a folding or telescoping stock;
`(ii) a pistol grip;
`(iii) the ability to accept a detachable magazine; or
`(iv) a fixed magazine capacity of more than 5 rounds.
`(I) A shotgun with a revolving cylinder.
`(J) A frame or receiver that is identical to, or based substantially on the frame or receiver of, a firearm described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (I) or (L).
`(K) A conversion kit.
`(L) A semiautomatic rifle or shotgun originally designed for military or law enforcement use, or a firearm based on the design of such a firearm, that is not particularly suitable for sporting purposes, as determined by the Attorney General. In making the determination, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that a firearm procured for use by the United States military or any Federal law enforcement agency is not particularly suitable for sporting purposes, and a firearm shall not be determined to be particularly suitable for sporting purposes solely because the firearm is suitable for use in a sporting event.'.
(b) Related Definitions- Section 921(a) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(36) Barrel Shroud- The term `barrel shroud' means a shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel of a firearm so that the shroud protects the user of the firearm from heat generated by the barrel, but does not include a slide that encloses the barrel, and does not include an extension of the stock along the bottom of the barrel which does not encircle or substantially encircle the barrel.
`(37) Conversion Kit- The term `conversion kit' means any part or combination of parts designed and intended for use in converting a firearm into a semiautomatic assault weapon, and any combination of parts from which a semiautomatic assault weapon can be assembled if the parts are in the possession or under the control of a person.
`(38) Detachable Magazine- The term `detachable magazine' means an ammunition feeding device that can readily be inserted into a firearm.
`(39) Fixed Magazine- The term `fixed magazine' means an ammunition feeding device contained in, or permanently attached to, a firearm.
`(40) Folding or Telescoping Stock- The term `folding or telescoping stock' means a stock that folds, telescopes, or otherwise operates to reduce the length, size, or any other dimension, or otherwise enhances the concealability, of a firearm.
`(41) Forward Grip- The term `forward grip' means a grip located forward of the trigger that functions as a pistol grip.
`(42) Pistol Grip- The term `pistol grip' means a grip, a thumbhole stock, or any other characteristic that can function as a grip.
`(43) Threaded Barrel- The term `threaded barrel' means a feature or characteristic that is designed in such a manner to allow for the attachment of a firearm as defined in section 5845(a) of the National Firearms Act (26 U.S.C. 5845(a)).'.

SEC. 4. GRANDFATHER PROVISION.
Section 922(v)(2) of title 18, United States Code, as added by section 2(a) of this Act, is amended--
(1) by inserting `(A)' after `(2)'; and
(2) by adding after and below the end the following:
`(B) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any firearm the possession or transfer of which would (but for this subparagraph) be unlawful by reason of this subsection, and which is otherwise lawfully possessed on the date of the enactment of this subparagraph.'.

SEC. 5. REPEAL OF CERTAIN EXEMPTIONS.
Section 922(v)(3) of title 18, United States Code, as added by section 2(a) of this Act, is amended by striking `(3)' and all that follows through the 1st sentence and inserting the following:
`(3) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any firearm that--
`(A) is manually operated by bolt, pump, level, or slide action;
`(B) has been rendered permanently inoperable; or
`(C) is an antique firearm.'.

SEC. 6. REQUIRING BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR THE TRANSFER OF LAWFULLY POSSESSED SEMIAUTOMATIC ASSAULT WEAPONS.
Section 922(v) of title 18, United States Code, as added by section 2(a) of this Act, is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(5) It shall be unlawful for any person to transfer a semiautomatic assault weapon to which paragraph (1) does not apply, except through--
`(A) a licensed dealer, and for purposes of subsection (t) in the case of such a transfer, the weapon shall be considered to be transferred from the business inventory of the licensed dealer and the dealer shall be considered to be the transferor; or
`(B) a State or local law enforcement agency if the transfer is made in accordance with the procedures provided for in subsection (t) of this section and section 923(g).
`(6) The Attorney General shall establish and maintain, in a timely manner, a record of the make, model, and date of manufacture of any semiautomatic assault weapon which the Attorney General is made aware has been used in relation to a crime under Federal or State law, and the nature and circumstances of the crime involved, including the outcome of relevant criminal investigations and proceedings. The Attorney General shall annually submit the record to the Congress and make the record available to the general public.'.

SEC. 7. STRENGTHENING THE BAN ON THE POSSESSION OR TRANSFER OF A LARGE CAPACITY AMMUNITION FEEDING DEVICE.
(a) Ban on Transfer of Semiautomatic Assault Weapon With Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device-
(1) IN GENERAL- Section 922 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after subsection (y) the following:
`(z) It shall be unlawful for any person to transfer any assault weapon with a large capacity ammunition feeding device.'.
(2) PENALTIES- Section 924(a) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(8) Whoever knowingly violates section 922(z) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.'.
(b) Certification Requirement-
(1) IN GENERAL- Section 922(w) of such title, as added by section 2(a) of this Act, is amended--
(A) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by adding `or' at the end of subparagraph (B); and
(ii) by striking subparagraph (C) and redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (C); and
(B) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
`(4) It shall be unlawful for a licensed manufacturer, licensed importer, or licensed dealer who transfers a large capacity ammunition feeding device that was manufactured on or before the date of the enactment of this subsection, to fail to certify to the Attorney General before the end of the 60-day period that begins with the date of the transfer, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Attorney General, that the device was manufactured on or before the date of the enactment of this subsection.'.
(2) PENALTIES- Section 924(a) of such title, as amended by subsection (a)(2) of this section, is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(9) Whoever knowingly violates section 922(w)(4) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.'.

SEC. 8. UNLAWFUL WEAPONS TRANSFERS TO JUVENILES.
Section 922(x) of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period and inserting a semicolon; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
`(C) a semiautomatic assault weapon; or
`(D) a large capacity ammunition feeding device.'; and
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period and inserting a semicolon; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
`(C) a semiautomatic assault weapon; or
`(D) a large capacity ammunition feeding device.'.

SEC. 9. BAN ON IMPORTATION OF LARGE CAPACITY AMMUNITION FEEDING DEVICE.
(a) In General- Section 922(w) of title 18, United States Code, as added by section 2(a) of this Act, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking `(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2)' and inserting `(1)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B)';
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking `(2) Paragraph (1)' and inserting `(B) Subparagraph (A)'; and
(3) by inserting before paragraph (3) the following:
`(2) It shall be unlawful for any person to import or bring into the United States a large capacity ammunition feeding device.'.
(b) Conforming Amendment- Section 921(a)(31)(A) of such title, as added by section 2(a) of this Act, is amended by striking `manufactured after the date of enactment of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994'.

Here are the members of the Judiciary committee:

Democrat
Hon. Berman(D) California, 28th
Hon. Boucher(D) Virginia, 9th
Hon. Nadler(D) New York, 8th
Hon. Scott(D) Virginia, 3rd
Hon. Watt(D) North Carolina, 12th
Hon. Lofgren(D) California, 16th
Hon. Jackson Lee(D) Texas, 18th
Hon. Waters(D) California, 35th
Hon. Meehan(D) Massachusetts, 5th
Hon. Delahunt(D) Massachusetts, 10th
Hon. Wexler(D) Florida, 19th
Hon. Sánchez(D) California, 39th
Hon. Cohen(D) Tennessee, 9th
Hon. Johnson(D) Georgia, 4th
Hon. Gutierrez(D) Illinois, 4th
Hon. Sherman(D) California, 27
Hon. Weiner(D) New York, 9th
Hon. Schiff(D) California, 29th
Hon. Davis(D) Alabama , 7th
Hon. Wasserman Schultz(D) Florida, 20th
Hon. Ellison(D) Minnesota, 5th

Republican

Hon. Sensenbrenner Jr.(R) Wisconsin, 5th
Hon. Coble(R) North Carolina, 6th
Hon. Gallegly(R) California, 24th
Hon. Goodlatte(R) Virginia, 6th
Hon. Chabot(R) Ohio, 1st
Hon. Lungren(R) California, 3rd
Hon. Cannon(R) Utah, 3rd
Hon. Keller(R) Florida, 8th
Hon. Issa(R) California, 49th
Hon. Pence(R) Indiana, 6th
Hon. Forbes(R) Virginia, 4th
Hon. King(R) Iowa, 5th
Hon. Feeney(R) Florida, 24th
Hon. Franks(R) Arizona, 2nd
Hon. Gohmert(R) Texas, 1st
Hon. Jordan(R) Ohio, 4th

Choosing the Wrong Handgun
By
Gary W. Burris

I really don’t like to give advice to anyone about what handgun is best for them. But so many people choose the wrong handgun that I’m going to do it anyway. As I’ve said before, selecting a handgun is much like buying a new pair of shoes. You need to try the fit and feel of several and find one that you like. I had one lady tell me not to use that analogy because women will buy shoes that look good verses what feels good. And that probably describes how a lot of folks purchase handguns. They buy a gun because it looks flashy or because some friend has suggested some kind of gun that the friend thinks will fit their needs.

So I’m going to express my opinion about how to choose a handgun in a way that someone unfamiliar with handguns can understand without taking a graduate course to become a gunsmith. I need to explore such things as size, action, caliber and reliability. What follows is the culmination of several years of competitive shooting, advanced handgun training, teaching handgun classes and personal observation.

One of the things to consider is what size of handgun to get. You need to think about how you plan to use the gun. For competitive shooting you will want to use a full-size gun. A small gun might be what you would use for concealed carry or as backup gun.

Here is an example of someone who chose the wrong gun. I had a lady (senior citizen) come to my ladies class wanting to practice before she took a concealed handgun license class. She had borrowed a Glock 26 from a friend and was totally unfamiliar with the firearm. I’m not saying that a Glock is a bad choice for a handgun. I’m a huge Glock fan and I sometimes carry a G26. What I am saying is that it was a bad choice for this lady. She had problems trying to operate the slide on the gun during loading and unloading. It is typical of small semi-automatic handguns that they require a fair amount of strength to operate the slide. She also had trouble holding the gun because of the small grip. I’ve put new base pads on my G26 magazines that give me a place for my little finger. A much better choice for this lady would have been a full sized pistol or perhaps a revolver. I don’t see the logic in borrowing a gun to take the CHL class anyway. But that’s another story.

Size does matter. And I’ve come to the conclusion that small handguns are not a good choice for novice or beginner shooters. Another reason for this conclusion is that small lightweight handguns tend to have a lot of recoil that novice and beginner shooters have trouble handling. This is why bigger and heavier guns make a lot of sense. My belief is that people should become proficient with a full size gun first. And later move to a smaller handgun if they feel the need.

The action of a handgun refers to the design of the gun in the way that it functions. For example, the action of a revolver includes a cylinder, a trigger and a hammer. Most modern revolvers are double action meaning that the trigger is used to rotate the cylinder and cock & release the hammer. They can also be used in the single action mode. Meaning that you can cock the hammer (this action also rotates the cylinder) and then the trigger is used only to release the hammer. And there are double action only revolvers like the hammerless or covered hammer type pocket revolvers. Many older types of revolvers are single action only.

Revolvers are a bit more difficult to learn how to shoot accurately because when used in the double action mode the trigger pull is long and the shooter tends to move the sights off target while pulling the trigger. Also, some revolvers have a very heavy trigger. This means that it takes a lot of force to pull the trigger. And again this contributes to reduced accuracy.

The semi-automatic pistol will have a trigger, hammer, moving slide, slide release, magazine release and safety that the shooter will need to manipulate in order to use the gun. There are several types of pistols and each type is unique in the way it operates. Some have a grip safety while others have a magazine safety and almost all have a thumb safety. The design of the magazine release and the slide release can be different depending on the gun manufacturer. Safe-Action designs might not have an exposed hammer or thumb safety. So you can see that the semi-automatic pistol is a little more complex to learn and to operate.

People are typically a bit more accurate with them. But, because they are more complex than revolvers the shooter needs to become proficient manipulating the gun. Pistols are more prone to jam and if the shooter plans to use it in a personal defense mode then the shooter needs to know how to clear a jam quickly and get the gun back into service.

The National Rifle Association has a class tailored to folks that get a new gun. This class is called the NRA First Steps Pistol Orientation and the goal of the class is to provide beginning shooters with an introduction to the knowledge, skills, and attitude necessary to own and use a specific pistol model safely. I highly recommend that people take advantage of this kind of training because the shooter will enjoy the gun a lot more if they learn to use it correctly from the beginning..

My recommendation for the kind of action a shooter should choose is based on the intended use of the gun. I guess I’d have to say that a revolver should be the gun of choice for a beginner shooter who plans to use it for recreational shooting. The revolver is easy to load and unload. It is not as likely to jam. And a revolver is a lot of fun to shoot.

If the intended use of the handgun is for home defense, personal protection or concealed carry, I would recommend a revolver to novice shooters for many of the reasons stated above. However, if the shooter is willing to get some training and practice with his handgun I would recommend a pistol. Pistols have the advantage of holding more ammunition than revolvers and are typically much faster reloading than revolvers.

I want to address the physical characteristics of handguns. I find that many styles of pistols are clunky and feel uncomfortable in my hand. I know this is a personal thing. And this is why I tell a person to try different guns until they find one that feels good in the hand. Pistols manufactured by Ruger and Heckler & Koch are fine handguns but some models don’t feel good in my hand. However, someone with larger hands would probably prefer these handguns. Also, I tend to shy away from guns that have sharp edges around the top side of the gun. Things like the rear sight, the thumb safety or slide release can cause injury if the edges are not smooth.

The 1911 frame style handgun seems to fit my hand. I have a couple of them and I’ve put thin grip panels on them because I found that I don’t have a problem engaging the grip safety with the thin grip panels. And I’m able to reach the magazine release and slide release buttons without shifting my grip. I’m a right handed shooter and I don’t like an ambidextrous safety on my gun. I prefer a full sized handgun. My thought is that I have better control and better shot placement with a full sized gun.

I didn’t like Glock pistols when I first tried them. They seemed too big for my hand. But after a couple of years of competitive shooting I tried one again and found that I liked the design. Now I have two of them. I guess the lesson here is that your preferences may change over time so never rule a particular gun design out. Also, it has been my experience that new shooters tend to have few problems manipulating a Glock verses about any other type of semi-automatic pistol.

When it comes to trigger pull I like a trigger that is within the 2 to 7 pounds range. Any lighter pull I consider unsafe and anything heavier causes me to forfeit accuracy. Also, I like a fairly short trigger pull and reset. Pistols with a double action first shot give me trouble with shot placement of the first shot but may be a safer choice for concealed carry. I’ve tried some of the double action only pistols and find the length of trigger pull to be unsuitable for my purposes. However, this type of trigger might be good for a backup gun. The only gun I use that I shoot double action only is my model 625 Smith and Wesson 45 ACP moon clip revolver. I shoot this gun in competition and have had extensive trigger work done on it so that the trigger pull is very smooth.

The kind of sights that you get on a handgun is largely a matter of personal preference. I like simple notch and post type sights. I know a lot of shooters who have spent a lot of money to have night sights put on their guns only to discover that there is very little practical need for them. Some of my handguns have night sights on them because that’s the way they were configured when I purchased them. I wouldn’t go out of my way to have them added. Basically I use night sights when it is dark to verify that my gun is on my night stand. I can understand if you plan to use your handgun as a competition only gun that you might want to add holographic sights, a red dot or laser to the gun. But I think a lot of shooters are sold a bill of goods by a crafty salesman at the gun shop. Some people just like to add whistles and bells to their guns. In my mind it is just something else that is likely to fail at the most inopportune time. I like the KISS principle, Keep It Simple Stupid.

The subject of caliber is one that you can study and read about until it becomes so convoluted that it is difficult to make an intelligent decision about which one is best for your particular needs. Stopping power, recoil, wall penetration, magnum, +P, hollow point, jacketed and so on are a lot of terms that confuse the issue.

Here again the choice of caliber is largely dependent on the purpose that you have for your gun. For purely recreational purposes it is hard to beat the .22 caliber gun. They are very inexpensive to shoot and even children can handle the recoil without problems. For other types of shooting I have found that 9mm is probably the best choice for shooters because it is cheaper and has less recoil that most other calibers.

My recommendation for caliber is to get the biggest caliber you can handle effectively. For most beginner shooters that will be 9mm. That’s what I started with and then moved up to a .45 caliber after developing my shooting skills.

Finally, I want to discuss reliability issues. If your intention is to use your handgun for personal protection, you will want the most reliable handgun you can have. Although not entirely true, the more you pay for a gun the more reliable it should be. Probably the most reliable type of handgun is a revolver. Police carried them for years because they would reliably work when the need arose. In recent years police have started to carry semi-automatic pistols. This is due to a number of factors including advances in design (reliability), more ammunition capacity, faster reloading and better training.

I carry either a Glock 9mm or a Kimber .45 most of the time. I have found both of these guns to be very reliable. I practice a lot and shoot a couple of times a week on average. Most people do not get that much trigger time. However, if your desire is to carry a pistol, I would encourage you to practice at least once a month so that you can become proficient with the gun and be able to clear a malfunction when it happens.

If you are not willing or able to spend the time to become proficient with a pistol then I recommend a revolver.

Women’s Introduction to IDPA
by
Gary W. Burris

The Tactical Shooters Club holds a weekly indoor IDPA match on Tuesday evenings at the Memorial Oaks Shooting Club and I’ve been working with the owners to put together something specifically for women. The idea of a women only IDPA match was suggested. I contacted IDPA headquarters and ran the idea by them. Their suggestion was to not call it a match but rather an introduction to IDPA. Basically, if you call it a match, then it should be open to any IDPA member regardless of gender. And thus the Women’s Introduction to IDPA was born in November of 2006 with the goal to get more women involved in IDPA shooting.

I began on Thursday evenings to teach a women’s only class the basics of defensive pistol shooting. My background as a Certified NRA Pistol and Personal Protection instructor is helpful, particularly when someone with limited shooting experience joins the group. The women are welcome to try it one time without joining the IDPA and if they want to continue to participate then they are required to join.

I’ve tried to create a non-stressful, non-competitive and safe environment for them to practice with their handguns. In the beginning most of the ladies do not even have holsters. I don’t turn anyone away for lack of proper equipment. In fact, I’ll loan them a gun if necessary. The shooting format is basically the same as our Tuesday evening IDPA matches but with scenarios designed to rehearse specific shooting skills. I found that women seem to like the relaxed atmosphere where there is no pressure to perform competitively even though we use a timer and follow IDPA rules for scoring.
Now my original four ladies, Andrea, Debra, Kelly and Kim are working on more advanced defensive pistol and competitive shooting skills. And they are regulars at our Tuesday IDPA matches. These ladies comprise what I call my core group and they do a lot to advance the whole idea of getting more women involved. They pitch in to make new shooters feel welcome. I was a little concerned that the group might not like it when I had to devote some extra time with new shooters to explain the basics of pistol shooting and safety. But my fears were alleviated when they told me that they enjoyed helping me by talking with new shooters and sharing how they felt the first few times they came. It sure makes my job easier if the new shooters are put at ease and are comfortable in the environment.

Debra gave me the following testimony: “I initially joined the Thursday night ladies IDPA because I wanted to get comfortable with my handgun. My handgun had spent two years in solitary confinement in my closet and I was no longer comfortable with it. The first class I attended was intimidating. I missed the target most of the time and jumped every time the timer went off. It was only the patience and support from our instructor that kept me coming back. It took about four classes for me to get comfortable shooting scenarios.

I continue IDPA mostly because it is fun. But I can’t dismiss the practical purpose. I can stand at the range all day and shoot a target but that will not prepare me to defend myself. In class, I shoot multiple targets, shoot while moving, learn to clear gun jams, shoot from cover and master reloads just to name a few. Thank you, Gary, for your continued support and training.”

Kim put in her two cents worth: “I started coming to the Ladies Introduction to IDPA because I grew up with rifles and shotguns, but knew nothing about hand guns. The thought of just going to the range bored me. I wanted something more challenging than just a CHL class or regularly scheduled target shooting at the range. The IDPA night seemed like a fun and challenging way to learn a little more about handguns.

Now I go every Thursday night when I'm not offshore because I find the different scenarios challenging and fun. I may not always shoot as well as I would like, but I always learn something new.

I can't think of any place I'd rather be than at the range shooting IDPA scenarios on Thursday night. My speed, accuracy and comfort with my Glock have increased far faster than I could have on my own. IDPA nights teach you to deal with four or five different things all while handling your gun safely and effectively. This sort of training means that when something does go wrong, you have the confidence and the comfort level to deal with it in a rational way.”

I must take a moment to acknowledge the support of Richard “Shorty” Shipp. Shorty is relatively new to IDPA shooting and when he heard that I was going to do this Thursday evening thing for ladies only, he volunteered to help. He and I are of similar age and I would never have pegged him to be a ladies man like me. Boy was I wrong. He is truly a babe magnet and at least three ladies from his office have begun shooting with us on Thursday evenings. I insisted that he become an IDPA Safety Officer and made him attend my SO class. Now he runs the timer while I observe the ladies and critique their performance. He has taken it upon himself to spend a few minutes with new shooters on the range before the regular Thursday evening session starts. In this way the new shooters receive some orientation and it saves valuable range time. Shorty, I can’t imagine doing this without your help.

I want to thank the management of the Memorial Oaks Shooting Club for their support. They took a chance and agreed to close the range to the public every Thursday evening so I could move out in front of the shooting booths and set up to teach the ladies. The range has already begun to see an increase in membership and business as word gets out and more ladies join the fun.

Thanks also to the folks at IDPA Headquarters for guiding me in the right direction.

The success of this program speaks for itself. Hopefully there are others around the country that can devote some of their time and talent to get more women involved by starting something similar. I can tell you that the ladies are very excited and enthusiastic once they get hooked on the sport. I have to admit that I get a huge thrill every time one of my students masters a new skill or steps up to the line in a shooting competition. Not to mention the fact that I get to hang out with a bunch of beautiful women every week.