Before shooting commences on your first stage of a match, the squad Safety Officer(s) will conduct an equipment check in accordance with IDPA Equipment Rules. Here’s a quick primer on they key things they are looking for:

Concealment Garment – concealment garments hide the holster, firearm, ammunition carriers and loading devices from view. To see if the garment is “IDPA legal”, the competitor stands with their arms straight out to their sides, parallel to the ground. If the standing Safety Officer can not see the listed equipment from the front, sides or rear, then the concealment garment is acceptable.

Belts – belts must be no wider than 1 3/4 inches or thicker than 5/16 inches and must pass through a minimum of all but two of the pants loops.

Holsters – See IDPA Rule Book Section 8.5 for complete details.

• Must carry the firearm in a neutral (vertical) or muzzle rear cant.
• Must hold the firearm with enough tension to prevent losing the firearm.
• For male shooters, holster must carry firearm so that the entire front strap (to the trigger guard) is at or above the top of the belt. IWB holsters are exempt from this rule.
• Must be positioned on the belt so that the center of the trigger pad is behind the center line of the body (originates at the armpit straight down).
• For male shooters, holsters must fit the shooter’s body such that a 3/4 inch dowel placed between the shooter and the firearm anywhere above the belt contacts both the shooter and firearm simultaneously. Basically, it can’t sag or tilt away from the body.
• Women shooters may use dropped or offset holsters. Concealment, cant and tilt requirements apply.
• See Local Holster Restrictions HERE.

Ammunition Carriers – See IDPA Rule Book Section 8.6 for complete details.

• Ammunition carriers are not required. Shooters may carry spare loading devices in their pockets or mix carry in pocket/ammunition carrier.
• Must cover 2″ of the magazine as measured from the top of the cartridge run down the back flat of the magazine tube.
• Must be worn in a location on the belt so that the front edge of the carrier or magazine is behind the shooter’s hipbone.
• Bullets out magazine pouches are not allowed.
• See IDPA Rule Book for details on speed loaders and moon clips.

Firearm safety is one of the key tenets at Eustis Gun Club. Your commitment to firearm safety protects not only you, but your entire family and those around you.

4 Rules of Firearm Safety

REMEMBER:

1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
3. ALWAYS keep your gun unloaded until you are ready to use it.
4. ALWAYS know your target and what’s behind it.

ADDITIONAL GUN SAFETY GUIDELINES:

• Know how to use the gun safely – Read the Owner’s Manual to familiarize yourself with the action, how to safely load and unload and all the safety features on the gun.
• Always assume every firearm is loaded.
• Use only the correct ammunition for your gun – Only cartridges designed for a particular gun can be fired safely in that gun.
• Wear appropriate eye and ear protection – CCFG ranges require all participants on a range to wear appropriate eye and ear protection.
• Never use drugs or alcohol before or while shooting.
• Secure all firearms to prevent unauthorized use. 70% of accidental firearm injuries involve children ages 10-14

Take an approved firearms safety course such as NRA Basic Pistol

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Before – During – After Match Safety

EGC member IDPA classified shooters arriving at EGC may have a holstered firearm on his/her person as long as the firearm is unloaded (magazine out, hammer down, slide forward or cylinder empty and closed). IDPA shooters MUST wear a cover garment to the match venue.

This means you now have the following options showing up to the match:

* DO NOT show up to the range with a loaded firearm. Before you enter the gate to EGC, your weapon MUST be unloaded and holstered at all times.

* DO NOT show up to the range and gear up or touch your weapon at your vehicle.

* You may show up to the range and gear up at the Safe Table (observing the Safe Table rules) as we have been doing.
Do not handle ammunition at any time at the safe table.

* You may gear up at the convenience of home and show up to the range IDPA match ready, exit your vehicle, grab your range bag, and walk to the berms.

* We still operate as a “cold range.” The ONLY time our weapon comes out of the holster is either at the safe table or on the firing line under the direction of the Safety Officer.

* Other than at the designated safe tables, there will be NO handling/unholstering of firearms unless on the firing line and directed by the SO to “load and make ready”. ALL shooters, not just SO’s, need to monitor members for compliance.

* AFTER the match is over, you may continue with your UNLOADED weapon holstered (cover garment on) if you desire and AFTER you have got in your vehicle and exited EGC property, you may make your weapon hot if you are a CCW permit holder. Or you may gear down at the safe table (observing all safe table rules) as we have done in the past.

* If you are not a CCW permit holder, it is your responsibility to transport your weapon in your vehicle or on your person in accordance with Florida Statutes 790.

* This notice only applies to our IDPA shooters ON THE DAY OF THE MATCH.

We hope this makes our pre-match preparations better for all.

For safety reasons, if you have any of the following types of holsters, you must have something else before the next IDPA match at Lake County IDPA.

Effective immediately, the following holsters will NOT be allowed at Lake County IDPA matches:

• The Serpa Holster (the one with the index finger button release).
• Generic type holsters that the pistol just drops in to (Some of the Uncle Mikes nylon types are an example). The ONLY exception is that these types of holsters MUST utilize a thumb break strap to maintain the weapon and utilized throughout the match. IDPA rules states that a holster must have sufficient means or friction to maintain the weapon, it cant just fall out of the holster.
• Generic sock type holsters that collapse after the weapon has been drawn. These types of holsters usually require the support hand to reach around and open the holster mouth in order to re-holster. This usually is accompanied by the shooter sweeping one’s own self (support hand) because a 2 handed re-holster is needed.Please check the IDPA Rule Book section on holsters (Section 8.5) and ammunition carrier (Section 8.6) requirements. Includes pictures.