Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)


1. What are your match fees?

2. Do you offer any special discounts for ladies or youth?

3. What kind of equipment do I need to bring to shoot IDPA?

4. Can Taft IDPA provide equipment for loan?

5. What are the rules for IDPA?

6. What level of shooter can participate?

7. What does it mean that Taft Sportsmen's Club is a "cold range"?

8. What are the different classes and levels for IDPA matches?

9. Does Taft IDPA plan on shooting Defensive Multi Gun (DMG)?

1. What are your match fees?

Regular Match Fee: $25
TSC or IDPA Members: $20
TSC and IDPA Members or active duty military with ID: $15

2. Do you offer any special discounts for ladies or youth?

The Taft IDPA allows all youth and first time ladies shooters to shoot for free. For more details on the youth program, please see our Youth Shooting Program Page.

First time, adult ladies that come shoot our matches will shoot for free and are eligible to borrow our equipment and shoot our ammunition. After shooting your first match, the adult ladies will be expected to pay for their next match and ammo. We do not want new lady shooters to have any excuses not to come out to the range and no excuses for everyone else not to invite them. We are sure once you come out and enjoy a day of shooting with us, you will be back.

If you have a 9mm or .40 S&W pistol, this ammo will always be available while supplies last. However, the Club equipment is available on a first come, first served basis (and the equipment is also available for youth shooters too). Please arrive to the range early in order to make sure you are taken care of. No reservations can be made prior to match day registration.

3. What kind of equipment do I need to shoot IDPA?

You will need a 9mm (.355") or larger handgun or revolver, a gun holster, magazine or speed-loader holster, three magazines or speed loaders, some sort of concealment garment, and no more than 100 rounds of ammunition.

4. Can Taft IDPA provide equipment for loan?

Thanks to a grant provided by the Friends of NRA, the Taft IDPA does have four Glock 19, 9mm handguns for loan and all the necessary accessories. These firearms and accessories are available to youth and first time adult ladies shooters on a first come, first served basis. If any of the equipment is still available, we can loan it out for the match to other adults.

5. What are the rules for IDPA?

You can find the current IDPA rules on their main website. Be sure to note that the new rules addendums are also listed at the bottom of their main page.

6. What level of shooter can participate?

We encourage any level of shooter to come out and enjoy a safe, fun day of shooting with us. IDPA is uniquely designed in order to reduce the amount of equipment and experience needed to have an enjoyable day at the range. You do not need any special type of pistols and "race guns" (like a race car, specially designed pistols for performance and quite expensive) are not allowed in IDPA.

We find that IDPA is actually an excellent way to improve your pistol shooting skills and we have a variety of experienced shooters who are excited to pair up with new shooters and walk them through a fun and safe day at the range.

7. What does it mean that Taft Sportsmen's Club is a "cold range"?

In order to maximize safety, the Taft Sportsmen's Club is a cold range. This means that all guns should be unloaded at the range at all times when not at the firing line with a safety officer (SO) present.

This means when you show up to the range, your firearm should be unloaded and in a container, bag, or holster. All firearms handling should occur at a designated safe area. While in the designated safety area, no ammunition can be handled.

All shooters will know you are following these rules when your handgun is in its holster and with applicable semi-automatic handguns the magazine well is empty and your hammer is down.

Please watch this video for a visual demonstration. (coming soon)

8. What are the different divisions and classifications for IDPA matches?

IDPA has five different pistol divisions.

  • Custom Defensive Pistol (CDP)
    Handguns permitted for use in this division must:
    A. Be semi-automatic.
    B. Be .45 ACP caliber.
    C. Have a maximum unloaded weight of 41 oz., including an empty magazine.
    D. Fit in the IDPA gun test box measuring 8 3/4" x 6" x 1 5/8" with an empty magazine inserted.
    E. Be loaded to the division capacity of eight (8) rounds in the magazine plus one (1) round in the chamber. Should division capacity not be achievable because of lower magazine capacity, load should be to maximum mechanical capacity of magazine plus one (1) round in the chamber. Competitors must use the same capacity magazines through out the competition (Example: if you start with a 7 round magazine, you must use that capacity magazine throughout the match).
    High capacity pistols can be used as long as the pistol meets ALL division criteria.
    Pistols approved for SSP may also be used in ESP and CDP depending upon caliber, even if the pistol in question has a fulllength dust cover. However, should the pistol in question have a modification that removes it from SSP, it must meet all other division criteria for ESP or CDP, again depending upon caliber.
    Common examples of CDP handguns are: .45 Caliber 1911s

  • Enhanced Service Pistol (ESP)
    Handguns permitted for use in this division must:
    A. Be semi-automatic.
    B. Be 9mm (9x19) or larger caliber.
    C. Have a maximum unloaded weight of 43 oz., including an empty magazine.
    D. Fit in the IDPA gun test box measuring 8 3/4" x 6" x 1 5/8." with an empty magazine inserted.
    E. Be loaded to the division capacity of ten (10) rounds in the magazine plus one (1) round in the chamber. Should division capacity not be achievable because of lower magazine capacity, load should be to maximum mechanical capacity of magazine plus one (1) round in the chamber. Competitors must use the same capacity magazines through out the competition (Example: if you start with a 9 round magazine, you must use that capacity magazine throughout the match).
    Pistols approved for SSP may also be used in ESP and CDP depending upon caliber, even if the pistol in question has a fulllength dust cover. However, should the pistol in question have a modification that removes it from SSP, it must meet all other division criteria for ESP or CDP, again depending upon caliber.
    Common examples of ESP handguns are: Springfield Armory XDs, Browning Hi-Power, CZ-75, TZ-75 and 1911 styles less than .45 caliber

  • Stock Service Pistol (SSP)
    Handguns permitted for use in this division must:
    A. Be semi-automatic.
    B. Be double action, double action only, or safe action (when the trigger is pulled, the hammer/striker is cocked and then released).
    C. Be 9mm (9x19) or larger caliber.
    D. Have a maximum unloaded weight of 39oz., including an empty magazine. (Will be effective January 25, 2006)
    E. Have a minimum annual production of 2000 units; (discontinued models must have had a total production of 20,000 units).
    F. Fit in the IDPA gun test box measuring 8 3/4" x 6" x 1 5/8" with an empty magazine inserted.
    G. Be loaded to the division capacity of ten (10) rounds in the magazine plus one (1) round in the chamber. Should division capacity not be achievable because of lower magazine capacity, load to maximum mechanical capacity of magazine plus one (1) round in the chamber. Competitors must use the same capacity magazines through out the competition 20 (Example: if you start with a 9 round magazine, you must use that capacity magazine throughout the match).
    H. Begin hammer down for selective DA/SA pistols
    Common examples of SSP handguns are: Glocks, Sigs, S&W M&P, Berreta/Taurus 92s

  • Enhanced Service Revolver (ESR)
    Handguns permitted for use in this division must:
    A. Be any revolver of 9mm caliber (.355" or larger) or larger bore diameter utilizing rimmed or rimless cartridges, which may safely make a power factor of 165,000.
    B. Have a barrel length of 4.2" or less (as measured from the front of the cylinder).
    C. Have a maximum unloaded weight of 50 oz.
    D. Be loaded to the division capacity of six (6) rounds in the cylinder. Seven (7) and eight (8) shot revolvers are permitted, but may only load six (6) rounds.
    Revolver may be reloaded via speedloader or full moon clip.
    Common examples of ESR handguns are:

  • Stock Service Revolver (SSR)
    Handguns permitted for use in this division must be:
    A. Any revolver of .38 Caliber (.357" or larger) or larger that utilizes ammunition with a rimmed case and is not reloaded with a full moon clip.
    B. Barrel length of 4.2" or less (as measured from the front of the cylinder).
    C. Have a maximum unloaded weight of 42 oz.
    D. Be loaded to the division capacity of six (6) rounds in the cylinder. Seven (7) and eight (8) shot revolvers are permitted, but may only load six (6) rounds.
    Common examples of SSR handguns are:

    For a more detailed description of the different pistol divisions, please see the current IDPA rulebook.

    Additionally each pistol division is broken down into the following shooter classifications:

    All times longer than marksman (MM) are classified as novice.

    For more information on how the classification process works, please refer to the current IDPA rulebook. Taft IDPA will try to run a classifying match every 4 months or so. Please watch our Schedule/Results Page for exact dates.

    There are also IDPA sub-divisions.

  • Law Enforcement
  • Lady
  • Senior (ages 50 to 64)
  • Distinguished Senior (ages 65 and older)
  • Junior (ages 12 to 18)
  • Industry
  • Press
  • International
  • Military (Active Military)
  • Military Veteran (ex-military, retired or discharged)

    If you meet one of these sub-divisions, please send us an e-mail and let us know so we can properly classify you in our scoring software.

    9. Does Taft IDPA plan on shooting Defensive Multi Gun (DMG)?

    Yes we do! IDPA was created around the defensive use of a handgun. However, IDPA realized there are a lot of rifles and shotguns placed in closets, trunks, bedsides, etc. as defensive tools as well. In an effort to include the use of these tools, IDPA Defensive Multi Gun (DMG) was created. DMG was not created to replace existing IDPA matches. It is simply another format that Taft IDPA can use in addition to their regular IDPA matches. It can incorporate any combination of pistols, shotguns and rifles.

    There are 4 divisions for DMG. There is an iron sight and optic sight division for major caliber rifles and there are iron sight and optic sight divisions for pistol caliber carbines only. We feel that the pistol caliber divisions will bring out a whole new level of challenge and fun to an already exciting format.

    For a more detailed explanation of our DMG matches, please see our Defensive Multi-Gun Page.

    We will post any planned DMG matches on our Schedule/Results Page.