International Defensive Pistol Association
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The International Defensive Pistol Association promotes defensive pistol shooting as a sport, using equipment including full-charge service ammunition to solve simulated "real world" self-defense scenarios. Shooters competing in defensive pistol events are required to use practical handguns and holsters that are deemed suitable for self-defense use. The sport came about as a response to many perceived shortcomings of competitions organized by the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC). It was decided by the founders of IDPA, which included some of the founders of IPSC, that IPSC competitions had become too far removed from the reality of defensive shooting situations. The IDPA founders believed that IPSC matches had become "gun races," which were heavily dependent on equipment. That is, you had to have the latest gun, sighting equipment and competition holster to be competitive. Since alterations to the sidearm are heavily restricted in IDPA, and magazine capacity is limited to 10 rounds, it is possible to be competitive in IDPA with a greatly reduced outlay of money.
IDPA matches are based on tactical reality in self-defense shooting scenarios. Each match is supervised by Range Safety Officers (SO) and Match Directors (MD) who ensure that safety is paramount and that each match is conducted appropriately within the subjective competition rules of the International Defensive Pistol Association. According to the IDPA rule book, "Certified Safety Officers are the people whose purpose and goal is for all the shooters at the match to have a safe and enjoyable day at the range by directing the shooter through the course of fire. Safety Officers must be at least 21 to be IDPA certified. To become a certified Safety Officer, you must participate in a safety officer class taught by one of the safety officer instructors listed on the IDPA web site or an area coordinator." IPSC/USPSA is the only "action" shooting sport that actually runs a training and annual certification process for every IPSC/USPSA Range Officer (RO).
