Course of Fire Rules Part 1
The following is part of our effort to make sure we are abiding by the rules as listed in the IDPA rule book. I have added comments on a few of the rules to help clarify the rule. The entire rule book is available on www.IDPA.com. Part 2 next month.
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COF 1. All COF must either simulate a possible real life scenario or test skills that might reasonably be used in a real life self-defense confrontation. If you cannot honestly say “that could happen,” it probably won’t make a good IDPA stage.
COF 2. Seventy-five percent of all shots required in a match must be fifteen (15) yards or less. Occasional targets out to thirty-five (35) yards are to be encouraged.
COF 3. Shooter movement of more than ten (10) yards between firing points and fifteen (15) yards total movement in a string of fire is not permitted.
COF 4. Only one (1) non-threat target may be used per every three (3) threat targets in any string of fire. (jph – 1-2 targets = 0 non-threat, 3-5 = 1 non-threat, etc)
COF 5. Avoid designing courses of fire that will substantially disadvantage senior and mobility-challenged shooters.
COF 6. At least 5% of all shots required in a match are to be fired on the move. A combination of shooting on the move and the use of moving targets is even more realistic. Statistics show that most shootings involve movement on the part of both good and bad guys.
COF 7. Any COF that requires the shooter to re-engage a target in two (2) or more strings of fire MUST be scored Limited Vickers or scored and taped between strings. (jph – Vickers and Limited Vickers defined in Appendix Four)
COF 8. No threat target shall be located so that it can be hit by shooting through another threat target. (jph – This doesn’t mean that the non-threat target can’t be in the line of fire, it means the shoot target can’t be placed so that a shoot target can’t be engaged without hitting a non-threat target. It is OK to make the competitor change elevation or angle of fire to keep from hitting the non-threat target.)
COF 9. When cover is available, it MUST be used both when shooting and reloading.
COF 10. Targets must be engaged in tactical priority unless tactical sequence is specified. Targets within two (2) yards of each other relative to the distance from the shooter are considered to be equal in threat. (jph – tactical priority and tactical sequence is defined in Appendix Eleven – Glossary)
COF 11. On stages that have a minimum round count one (1) round higher than the capacity of a competitors firearm, emptying the firearm and failing to reload so as not to engage the last shot in order to gain a competitive advantage will result in an FTDR. (jph – FTDR or Failure to Do Right is defined in rule PC-1 in the Penalties section
jhewins on 11.25.11 @ 08:36 PM CST [link]