Smith & Wesson IDPA Winter Championship
International Defensive Pistol Competition is the sport that grew out of the training for real-world concealed carry. The S&W indoor championship is the gathering of top shooters that begins each season of competition. Its a Championship Series event with full coverage of rapid action defensive shooting. Plus the inside story of the surprising new 1911 from Smith & Wesson.
The success of IDPA shooting has become a surprise to even the founding directors who wanted to get back to basics in a competitive environment. The idea was to help concealed carry permit holders perfect and practice the skills that would be needed in a life-threatening emergency. So the rules require handguns with little or no modification from stock. Holsters must be approved as those that would be realistic for concealed carry. And many stages of fire require drawing from concealment. Competitors must wear jackets or vests that fully hide the firearm and spare ammo loads prior to the start of a timed run.
The match stages are most often some scenario that might occur in real life - defending your family at home, repelling car-jackers, or defending your life and property at an ATM. All stages are intended as training to reinforce quick decisions and quick action in the case of a real event.
IDPA Competitors shoot in one of four divisions based on gun choice:
- Stock Service Revolver for popular service revolvers
- Stock Service Pistol Stock Double Action / Safe Action factory pistols such as Glock, Beretta, S&W, Ruger, Browning and Sig.
- Enhanced Service Pistol for Single Action 9mm / 38 Super / 40 S&W service pistols, such as the Browning HP, EAA Witness, and 1911 pattern pistols.
- Custom Defensive Pistol 45 Auto single stack pistols and Hi Cap models in 45 such as Para, STI, SVI and Glock 20 / 21 models.
Competitors are ranked by classification in skill level and compete in their classes for match awards: Novice, Marksman, Sharpshooter, Expert, and Master.
