The Pros and Cons of IDPA [2026]

Like many people who started in USPSA, I was very anti-IDPA for many years. It was for Boomers and Fudds, outdated and not at all relevant. There was a single IDPA club in my area back home, over an hour’s drive from my house. To participate, newcomers were required to attend a mandatory safety course which cost $100, and took place once a month on a Wednesday afternoon, no exceptions. As someone with a job, this wasn’t an option for me, and only contributed to my negative opinion on IDPA.

After moving out west, I found that IDPA had a large presence in my new town, with two clubs hosting monthly matches. These were much easier to get into than USPSA, so I decided to give it a try. It turned out that these clubs were great, and the matches were a ton of fun. That said, it’s a complex game; I can often be heard saying that I learn of a new penalty at each match. IDPA isn’t perfect, but it’s not the backward organization I initially thought it to be.

Pros of IDPA

I was surprised to find that I really liked IDPA, and continue to enjoy it today. While I understand why it isn’t for everyone, I think there are a few things that stand out as especially great.

Balance

“The balance of speed and accuracy” is a phrase you hear a lot in competitive shooting. This simply means how biased scoring is, whether speed or accuracy is rewarded more heavily (or punished). IDPA is generally known for having a heavier focus on accuracy than other matches, and I generally agree with that statement. You can’t be a tortoise and win, but IDPA significantly punishes bad hits and misses. As an example, I shot a Master level 5×5 classifier, but totally missed the single headshot due to a flinch. That dropped me from IDPA Master all the way down to Sharp Shooter, or two full rankings thanks to the penalties earned by that miss.

As someone who highly values accuracy, I understand and appreciate this balance, even though it drives me up a wall when I’m on the receiving end of penalties.

Concealment

Concealment is typically required for IDPA stages. I really like this as someone who conceal carries every day. While you can use concealment in other gun games, only IDPA is built around it, which plays a part in the rules and stage design.

While many people joke about the “shoot me first” vests worn by some competitors, those are not the majority of what I see at my local clubs. Many people shoot from AIWB in their street clothes, and having a more level playing field for this is awesome. Of course there’s still gaming of gear and garments, but you’ll always have people pushing the limit. Getting some sort of concealment is a start, and a welcome change from other gun games.

Round Count

In my experience, the round count for an IDPA match is typically quite a bit lower than in a USPSA or SCSA match. Usually we come in around 80 rounds, with 18 rounds being the maximum required on a stage per the IDPA rulebook. This makes these matches less expensive than some others, which is always welcome.

I’ve met more than one shooter who cited this as a major reason for transitioning to IDPA from other shooting sports. They want to compete, but have to keep things within their budget. Saving 50-100 rounds a match can make a difference, especially as ammunition prices continue to rise. The shorter stages also are easier to navigate for newcomers, without compromising on quality.

5×5 Classifier

I really like the IDPA 5×5 Classifier. This is a 25 round course of fire which gives shooters their rank within the organization. It covers several important skills, is easy to set up, takes a fairly small amount of ammunition, and is consistent. Since there’s one course of fire, that gives shooters something to practice. Add up your times, add your penalties (measured in seconds) and you know your rank.

I’ve shot four classifiers in matches, and they haven’t gotten old yet. Luckily there’s a wide variety of other stages that make up the remainder of a match, which helps to avoid monotony.

Cons of IDPA

IDPA is far from perfect. In fact I’ve actually been getting a little frustrated with some aspects of the game over the past few months of 2026. Here are some shortcomings that I’ve found in my time shooting IDPA.

Fake Tactics

The “D” in IDPA stands for “Defensive”. IDPA is supposed to be a more realistic or tactical shooting match than the IPSC/USPSA competitions it was created to compete with. Unfortunately this leads to a lot of silliness on the range. If you leave a magazine on the ground which still holds ammunition, that’s a penalty. If you perform a tactical reload while exposed to a target, even if you’re finishing the reload, that’s a penalty. You came around a corner and didn’t shoot the targets in order from left-to-right or vice versa, that’s a penalty.

A shooting match doesn’t teach tactics, nor should it try to measure them. IDPA is a game, and having a bunch of random people rules-lawyer some made up tactics takes away from the quality of the experience. You can still have a unique competition body without some of the more ridiculous rules.

Inconsistent Concealment

As a “realistic” shooting competition, IDPA typically requires shooters to begin with the pistol concealed. While it isn’t always a requirement for some stages, the majority of the time you’ll need to clear cover to access your gun. That is, unless you’re shooting the 5×5 Classifier. That’s right, the one stage that contributes to your ranking in IDPA does not require concealment.

This is such a logical inconsistency that it boggled my mind when I first learned of it. The explanation I got was that concealment can slow and potentially interfere with the draw. Obviously! To have the silly fake tactics in these matches, but not require concealment for the part that matters is a massive foul on IDPA. Make concealment mandatory for the entirety of the 5×5 Classifier, or do away with concealment entirely as a requirement.

Suspect Stage Descriptions

Virtually every IDPA stages features a Written Stage Brief (WSB) which explains the setup and parameters of the problem at hand. Part of this typically includes a brief scenario detailing how you found yourself in this situation. Being defensive focused, these usually mention some sort of robbery, terror attack, or other dramatic event.

I don’t have an issue with this inherently, other than the extra time it takes to read the narrative. However, many clubs end up writing things that are questionable at best. One example goes something like “Traitor Joes: You find yourself out shopping when suddenly some ANTIFA commies come in and start making a commotion. Show them the meaning of the Second Amendment.” Oof. That isn’t something I’d want read in front of a jury with my name on it.

Now this isn’t an indictment of IDPA, they’re not in control of what everyone writes at a local match. However these scenarios don’t really add much of value. Between the potential for getting yourself in trouble either legally, civilly, or socially, plus the added time from reading each description, I think it’s best to ditch the tactical scenario.

Restrictive Revolver Divisions

IDPA has grown a lot when it comes to authorized guns and gear. From optics to AIWB, IDPA is really moving into the modern age. One thing that is still stuck in the past is their revolver division. I don’t just mean the revolvers themselves. In simple terms, you’re either shooting a 38 Special gun with speed loaders, or a 40/45 using moon clips. While capacity great than 6 is allowed, only six rounds may be loaded. No optics, no porting or compensating.

All of this while increasing the capacity of some divisions, and creating a Carry Optics division. Give us a modernized revolver division that allows for at least a 7-shot gun, as is increasingly popular. Maintain barrel length restrictions to keep certain models out. Let a guy shoot his 686+ or 692EG in a match. Revolver division is a lonely place, so incentivize people to show up if you don’t want it to wither away.

Wrapping Up IDPA

While IDPA is far from perfect, it’s even further away from the Boomer wasteland that I’d been convinced it was. There’s a lot going for this sport that I truly like, and I generally really like IDPA. I’d love to see some revisions of the rules for cover and it’s “tactics”, along with a little modernization of the revolver division. My gripes are relatively minor, and certainly don’t keep me away from the local matches.

If there’s an IDPA match near you that you’ve been hesitant about, or totally avoiding, give it a chance! You may find that there’s a lot more to it than what you previously thought.

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