IDPA: Practice for a Classifier on a Square Range
Introduction: Practicing for an International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) classifier takes
a little thought. If you have a gun range that allows movement and multiple targets, you are
pretty lucky. My range has single lanes with varying target distance. We can only shoot the
target in our lane and movement is not allowed. The same is true for every indoor range I have
ever used.
In order to practice for my upcoming IDPA classifier (to be shot under new 2017 IDPA rules), I
devised some homemade targets and procedures which allow me to simulate the stages and
strings of fire required in the IDPA classifier.
Also, Draw, and reload from slide lock, are excellent for home dry-fire practice. Follow dry-fire
recommendations for triple checking your gun and not dry-firing in the same room where live
ammo may be found. Good Snap Caps (which I made for my 9mm with 7 ½ shot to replace the
weight of the real bullet) should be used in your reload magazine to give you a feel for the same
weight of magazine you will use on the square range and the actual classifier.
Homemade Targets: Last year, I bought 100 paper targets which turned out to be too large to
use on my home range. By cutting the targets in half, I ended up with 200 pieces of paper 19”
wide X 25” tall (a legal size for my range). If you start with butcher paper, you can cut the paper
to the size allowed by your pistol range and possibly put more aiming circles on each target. I
say “circles”, because the two aim points on a legal IDPA target are an eight inch circle on the
chest and a 4 inch circle on the head (the 4 inch circle on the head is new for 2017). Below are
examples of an IDPA target and the two targets I use to simulate multiple targets and different
ranges in an IDPA qualifier:
-1
19”
19”
-0
-1
-3
-0
-3
25”
-1
-3
IDPA
Target 1
Target 2
I will describe each Stage and String of fire by using the IDPA Classification Rules found at
http://www.idpa.com/compete/rules, then describe how I use each homemade target to
simulate multiple targets and movement in an IDPA Qualifier.
STAGE 1 Of 3
STAGE 1 – STRING 1: IDPA Description:
START POSITION
 Shooter Position P1 (7 Yards)
 12 rounds total. All Shot from P1 (7Yards).
STRING 1 PROCEDURE
 (12 shots): Load exactly 6 rounds in the firearm. Draw and fire 2 shots to each body, reload from slide-lock and fire 2 shots at each head.
STAGE 1 – STRING 1: My Simulation:
Note: You will want a shot timer with random start to begin your draw and measure the time
for each string. By recording your split times, you may be able to identify areas for
improvement. Draw and reload from slide lock are good opportunities to shave a couple of
seconds.
START POSITION
 Shooter in 7 Yard lane or position target at 7 yards at indoor range
19”
STRING 1 PROCEDURE (12 shots)

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
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
Load 6 rounds in two magazines
Load and Make Ready
Start Random Timer
Draw on Beep and fire 2 shots into each large
circle (3 circles)
Reload from slide lock
Fire 2 shots into each small circle (3 circles)
Make safe
Holster and record results
25”
STAGE 1 – STRING 2: IDPA Description:
START POSITION
 Shooter Position P1 (7 Yards)
STRING 2 PROCEDURE
 (6 shots): Draw and fire 2 shots at each target strong hand only.
STAGE 1 – STRING 2: My Simulation:
19”
START POSITION
 Shooter in 7 yard lane or position target at 7
yards at indoor range
STRING 2 PROCEDURE (6 shots)


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
Load 12 rounds in one magazine
Load and Make Ready
Use Strong hand only
Start Random Timer
Draw on Beep and fire 2 shots into each large
circle (3 circles)
Make safe
Holster and record results
25”
STAGE 1 – STRING 3: IDPA Description:
START POSITION
 Shooter Position P1 (7 yards)
STRING 3 PROCEDURE
 (6 shots): Start with firearm in weak hand, pointed down range at a 45 degree down
angle, safety may be off but the trigger finger must be out of trigger guard. Fire 2 shots
at each target weak hand only.
STAGE 1 – STRING 3: My Simulation:
19”
START POSITION
 Shooter in 7 yard lane or position target at 7 yards
at indoor range
STRING 3 PROCEDURE (6 shots)





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
Magazine is still loaded with 6 rounds from string 2
Move firearm to weak hand
Keep finger out of trigger guard
Point down range at a 45-degree down angle
Start Random Timer
Aim on Beep and fire 2 shots into each large circle
(3 circles)
Make safe
Holster and record results
25”
Note: At this point, I use the small circles to practice sight
alignment and trigger press until I need to replace the
target for the next stage.
STAGE 2 Of 3
STAGE 2 – STRING 1: IDPA Description:
START POSITION
 Shooter Position P2 (10 yards)
 The start position for all strings is standing erect with hands naturally at sides
STRING 1 PROCEDURE
 (12 shots): Load exactly 6 rounds total in the firearm at P2. Start back to the target, turn,
draw and fire 2 rounds to each target, re-load from slide-lock and fire 2 more shots at
each target.
Turn
Fire
Fire
Reload
STAGE 2 – STRING 1: My Simulation:
19”
START POSITION
 Shooter in 10 yard lane or position target at
10 yards at indoor range
STRING 1 PROCEDURE (12 shots)










Load exactly 6 rounds in two magazines
Load and Make Ready
Turn up-range
Start Random Timer
Turn down-range on Beep
Draw and fire 2 shots into each large circle (3
circles)
Reload from slide lock
Fire 2 shots into each large circle (3 circles)
Make safe
Holster and record results
STAGE 2 – STRING 2: IDPA Description:
START POSITION
 Shooter Position P2 (10 yards)
25”
STRING 2 PROCEDURE
 (6 shots): From the 10-yard line (P2), draw and fire 2 shots at each target while moving
forward. Do not cross the line at P3.
STAGE 2 – STRING 2: My Simulation:
19”
START POSITION
 Shooter in 10 yard lane, or position target at 10
yards at indoor range
 This string simulates the target appearing to get
larger as the shooter moves from 10 yards to 5
yards during IDPA classifier.
STRING 2 PROCEDURE (6 shots)
25”






Load exactly 12 rounds in one magazine
Load and Make Ready
Start Random Timer
Draw on Beep and fire 2 shots into each of 3
circles – Small to Large.
Make safe
Holster and record results
STAGE 2 – STRING 3: IDPA Description:
START POSITION
 Shooter Position P3 (5 yards)
STRING 3 PROCEDURE
 (6 shots): From the 5-yard line (P3), draw and fire 2 shots at each target while retreating
from the targets.
STAGE 2 – STRING 3: My Simulation:
19”
START POSITION
 Shooter in 10 yard lane, or position target at 10
yards at indoor range
 This string simulates the target appearing to get
smaller as the shooter moves from 5 yards to 10
yards during IDPA classifier.
STRING 2 PROCEDURE (6 shots)
25”





Magazine still has 6 rounds left
Start Random Timer
Draw on Beep and fire 2 shots into each of 3
circles – Large to Small
Make safe
Holster and record results
STAGE 3 Of 3
STAGE 3 – STRING 1: IDPA Description:
START POSITION
 Shooter Position P4 (20 yard barricade)
STRING 1 PROCEDURE
 (12 shots): Load exactly 6 rounds total in the firearm at P4. Draw and fire 2 shots at each
target using either side of the barricade, re-load from slide-lock using cover, advance to
barrels at the 15 yard line (P5) and fire 2 shots at each target using cover shooting inside
of the barrels on either side. Shooters choice. Shooter may not shoot around outside of
barrels without incurring a penalty Per 5.1
STAGE 3 – STRING 1: My Simulation:
19”
START POSITION
 Shooter in 20-yard lane, or position target at
20 yards at indoor range
 This string simulates the target appearing to
get larger as the shooter moves from 20 yards
to 15 yards during IDPA classifier.
STRING 2 PROCEDURE (12 shots)








25”
Load exactly 6 rounds in 2 magazines
Load and make ready
Start Random Timer
Draw on Beep and fire 2 shots into each of
three 4-inch circles
Reload from slide lock
Fire 2 shots into each 8-inch circle
Make safe
Holster and record results
Note: The perceived circles at simulated 20 yards would really be about 5.5 inches, but I did
not want to make more targets than necessary. If you miss a 4 inch circle by less than 1.5
inches, don’t score it as a miss.
STAGE 3 – STRING 2: IDPA Description:
START POSITION
 Shooter Position P4 (15 yard barrel)
STRING 1 PROCEDURE
 (12 shots): Load exactly 6 rounds total in the firearm at P5. Draw and fire 2 shots at each
target using cover from inside of the barrels, re-load from slide-lock using cover, move
to the opposite barrels and fire 2 shots at each target using cover from inside the
barrels. Shooter may not shoot around outside of barrels without incurring a penalty Per
5.1
19”
STAGE 3 – STRING 2: My Simulation:
START POSITION
 Shooter in 15-yard lane, or position target at 15
yards at indoor range
STRING 2 PROCEDURE (12 shots)








Load exactly 6 rounds in 2 magazines
Load and make ready
Start Random Timer
Draw on Beep and fire 2 shots into each of
three 8-inch circles
Reload from slide lock
Fire 2 more shots into each 8-inch circle
Make safe
Holster and record results
25”
Note: At this point, I use the small circles to practice
sight alignment and trigger press until I need to replace the target.