Caleb over at Gun Nuts Media has a great post dealing with the old argument that IDPA and/or IPSC will get you killed. I agree with his post entirely. His post states that no IDPA and IPSC are not going to teach you tactical skills, they are going to give you practice at handling a firearm under stress. I think that kind of skill is far more important for your average armed citizen than learning how to enter a house while coordination with fellow team mates. I may have to defend myself some day but chances are I’m never joining the SWAT team.
I think it was Massad Ayoob that said IDPA isn’t good training, it’s good practice.
When a friend and I held orientation classes for a USPSA type league, one of the first things we tell the class is that this is a game. Use of the tactics from these games on the street can be fatal. Some dropped out, but not many.
I would hope most people going into a game such as USPSA would realize that it is a game from the get go. I’m actually rather shocked anybody dropped out but at the same time I realize it’s best that they did. You probably don’t want people who don’t realize it’s a game playing.