Customer Reviews

Practically Speaking: An Illustrated Guide; the Game, Guns and Gear of the International Defensive Pistol Association

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The sport of IDPA (International Defensive Pistol Association) grew out of a dissatisfaction with the "equipment race" into which many had felt the enormously popular International Practical Shooting Association had evolved. (Some even suggested that "Playtime" replace the "Practical" in that global organization's name.)

IPSC was founded in 1976 in an effort to codify the burgeoning but loosely knit discipline of "combat shooting," and was conceived more as a form of martial art than the "run `n' gun" sport with $3000-$5000 highly specialized handguns and factory-sponsored shooters that dominated a decade later.

Some of IPSC's founders and early movers & shakers branched out in the mid-`90s by establishing IDPA in which the basic tenet was that anyone could compete with an ordinary off-the-shelf handgun and an inexpensive nylon holster... i.e., a Ruger P90 and an Uncle Mike's "Sidekick." The real test would, as with the Olympic ideal, be of the individuals' skill against a timing device, not who has the highest-priced toys.

Integral to the success of this new discipline was having the right people to establish the organization, individuals with the necessary experience and, what is of critical import, credibility.

Walt Rauch is on every count one of those "right people." A former Federal and municipal law enforcement professional, a street-savvy urban survival guru, and an active participant in IPSC from the very start, Rauch, as one of the more prolific writers in the gunzines over the past 15 years, not only had the name recognition a fledgling operation like IDPA required, but, remarkably, still had his credibility intact, no mean feat in a realm too regularly staffed by churn-`em-out hacks and desperate wannabees.

With men like Rauch, Ken Hackathorn, Dick Thomas and John Sayles helping to launch IDPA, it hit the ground running and has become a very popular "action shooting" discipline, and, ironically but very much by design, truer to the original principles of IPSC than even IPSC is today.

It is uniquely appropriate that Rauch has authored the first book about IDPA. No one who has any skill with words knows more about the discipline than Walt. And even if he wasn't one of the Directors, he would still have full access to the type of information that those with an interest in truly practical handgunnery, want to know, so easily does he travel in that world. He is supremely confident in his knowledge of the subject, without arrogance or condescension... a rare ability.

Profusely illustrated in full-color, PRACTICALLY SPEAKING: AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO IDPA AND DEFENSIVE HANDGUN SHOOTING is a must read for those interested in learning about IDPA, and a valuable reference for those already involved in this exciting discipline.

I felt this book was very overpriced for what is basically a large format promotional pamphlet for the IDPA. It is a very basic book aimed solely at the IDPA newbie and won't be of any use to the shooter who has been through at least a handful of matches and is on the IDPA email list.

It had no information on practice drills or stances. Any technique information was very skimpy.

Since it's a 2004 book, it has no information on the 2005 rules changes and the resulting brouhaha.

There are better competition shooting technique books out there.

Practically Speaking promises to be an illustrated guide to IDPA shooting-and it delivers. It is a book that would be a great help for someone interested in IDPA (The International Defensive Pistol Association) who doesn't know where to start. This book has the answers for you. At the same time, those who are already experienced shooters will find this book useful as well. There is a lot of history of the sport inside, along with tips and tricks most shooters are probably not aware of.

The book starts with the basics. What is IDPA, where its place within the real world use of the handgun falls, and how to get started. Readers are exposed to the philosophy and beliefs behind the sport, along with its rules and background.

After that it goes into the guns and gear of the sport, what works and what doesn't. Readers learn about holster choices, guns and belts. The advice on equipment works not only for IDPA, but also for the street.

Next is the lowdown on the mechanics of IDPA shooting and tactics for handling the sport. Readers also learn about the various techniques and shooting positions they will encounter when shooting IDPA. Reloads, moving, use of cover, even dim light applications are encountered. Shooters reading this book will know what to expect when they strap on their gun and go shoot IDPA.

Lastly, the book delves into the subject of IDPA courses of fire, the stages shot during matches. Readers see how stages are put together, then are shown several examples of good IDPA stages. The scoring system used by IDPA is also explained here, which will be appreciated by newcomers to the sport who are interested in learning how their results are measured.

The book is well written and the color photographs work well to illustrate points and describe equipment. It's easy to read and laid out in a logical manner. Add to that some of the funny shooting stories and the writer's witty remarks, and you have a very fun book to read.

Ted Murphy A02127

Walt Rauch was a founding member of International Defensive Pistol Association and as such he speaks with an authority that few can match on the subject of IDPA competition. Rauch's book "PRACTICALLY SPEAKING" An Illustrated Guide contains eighteen chapters and covers subjects like "What Is IDPA?", "The 'Game' and Self-Defense" as well as defines and explains the equipment, the rules and shooting techniques necessary for this increasingly popular venue for handgun competition.

Rauch explains how to engage targets in priority and sequence. He explains and illustrates how to use cover and he goes into detail on how one should 'slice the pie'. If some of these terms sound like Greek language to you, but you are interested in learning more about IDPA handgun competition then you are probably in the "Must Buy" groups of information consumers. If you are not interested in learning anything about IDPA competition but have recently acquired a concealed carry permit for a handgun, then this book should still be on your list of recommended titles.

Rauch ends this work with a conclusion and following that a 28 item list entitled "Rauch's Rules for the Real World". Any one charged with the responsibility of protecting their family, their home or themselves against human predators would do well to study each item on this list and absorb the lessons each item teaches.

I highly recommend PRACTICALLY SPEAKING by Walt Rauch to anyone seeking informed guidance and information on the subject of a self-defense handgun.

Frank W. James

This is a very well written, informative and illustrated book by a man who has 'been there - done that'.

However it is far too expensive for its content and size. A much more reasonable price would be about half of the current price.

It is an enjoyable book for anyone interested in IDPA but I would not recommend it unless you don't mind overspending for a product.

Anyone interested in IDPA, this is a must buy. I wish is was more indepth and longer. However, for casual interest might want to skip it. It is too short.

I am new to IDPA so this is a good book for me to familiarize myself with the rules and techniques.