Allow me first to start with this:

The Founding Concepts of IDPA
Founded in 1996 the International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) is the international governing body for IDPA competition, a handgun-centric shooting sport based on simulated self-defense scenarios.
The IDPA competition format was designed to be enjoyable to all shooters of all skill levels, with a premium put on the social interaction and camaraderie of the members. Participation in IDPA matches requires the use of handguns, holsters and other equipment suitable for concealed carry self-defense. With that in mind, and keeping the shooters’ best interests in mind, IDPA’s founders established equipment requirements that remain based on commonly available firearms and gear allowing individuals the opportunity to compete with minimal investment.

And about IDPA’s Fundamental Principles: Provide a level playing field for all competitors that solely tests the skill and ability of each individual, not their equipment.

I already ranted about the “touching” and the safe muzzle points so n ow I am going after the last cheese-less whine: “Why Can’t I have a special (Name) Division where I can use  (name the gadget/add-on thingie) in my gun?

IDPA as any organization is bound to screw the pooch sometimes. It has allowed to be deviated from its original principles or maybe decided to be a bit flexible, but now the sport is basically run by a Glock 34 with a 2 to 1.5lbs trigger and Lord knows what internals and other externals plus pretty much ignoring paper-bouncing reloads in 147 grains worth of bullet (Power Factor? wink-wink unless shooting at a sanctioned match with chrony somewhere) all encased in a super-slick Kydex holster. It is a gun that does not get carried, a Safe Queen mostly owned by shooters that perform the traditional tactical strip tease at the Safe Area (undoing the belt, installing tactical “IDPA legal” tactical kydek holster & pouches), extracting the Most Appreciated Gun from its special case and lovingly dry fire it and holstering it. Some are at least true enough that will actually carry a Glock 19 every day or even one of the Baby Glocks, but I have seen a lot of G34 shooters that carry a different type of weapon altogether like a snubbie inside the tube socks or even they don’t even carry at all,

For a while now, we had the clamoring of the people with lasers and lights trying to convince everybody that it is going to be “the next thing” in carry and self-defense. And even now we have a decent variety of firearms offering a rail, most of the owners do not hang stuff on it for one simple reason: It is too damn expensive, to annoying and there so many varieties and flavors of gun mounted laser and lights that very few people or companies offer holsters for the darn things and you have to go the way of the custom holster maker which ain’t cheap.

And now we have the RMR fan club that assure us over a stack of recycled bibles it will be the sure future thing in concealed carry. That so far I only know of one gun manufacturer that offers one gun ready out of the box (more or less) for RMR and any other gun will have to either get an after-market slide or a trip to a gunsmith for an expensive retrofit.

The cost of all of the above goes in direct contradiction with the basic principles of IDPA. Yes, adding laser and gun mounted lights and RMRs and whisper-sensitive triggers and rail-capable Keurig with amaretto coffee drip is nothing more than an equipment race which is NOT the idea behind IDPA even if HQ itself may have forgotten somewhat.

And to close, I do want to propose a change in the new rulebook: Bring back the old Classifier times…… and assign every modern striker-fired pistol (Glock, XD, M&P, etc.) to ESP.

I know, fat chance, but imagine the crapstorm if it would happen. Worth of selling PPV and hot popcorn full of real butter.  Let’s face it: the striker fired guns are closer to a 9mm 1911 than a double action/single action or Double Action Only semi auto. It makes more sense to send them with the slick boys!

OK, that’s it. I haven’t slept in 2 days so I am punchy and probably this post won’t make a bunch of sense.

Laterz! (That’s french accent)