IDPA Divisions: Custom Defensive Pistol

Part 2 in the series on the competitive divisions of the International Defensive Pistol Association finds us examining the flagship division of IDPA - Custom Defensive Pistol. Many IDPA purists feel like this is "the" division that serious IDPA shooters run in, and from a historical sense that's reasonable. IDPA was originally founded by IPSC shooters (including some guy named Bill Wilson) who felt like IPSC had slipped too far from its roots as "practical" shooting sport. Most of the Founding Fathers of IDPA were 1911 shooters, who favored the handgun in its traditional .45 ACP chambering. As such, much of the original IDPA culture was built around the 1911 as a defensive pistol.

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 ¾” 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).

Additionally, on your CDP gun, there are certain modifications that you're allowed to make. .45 ACPs in Custom Defensive pistol are allowed to have expanded magazine wells, full length guide rods, internal accuracy work, and a few other items. Of course, with the modifications the gun must still fit in the IDPA box as mentioned above.

Note the magazine capacity restriction - 8 rounds mag in the magazine, which again comes from the division's original intent to be the home for .45 ACP 1911s. However, in recent years there has been a trend in the division at the competitive level towards polymer guns, as evidenced most recently by David Olhasso's victory at the Winter Nationals with an M&P in .45 ACP. While I don't think that Glocks, XDs, and M&Ps will ever supplant the 1911 in CDP, you see more and more of them at club, state, and national matches in this division.

Participation in CDP has been flagging lately. At last year's nationals, the division with the most shooters was Stock Service Pistol, with CDP taking 3rd for overall number of shooters behind Stock Service Pistol and Enhanced Service Pistol. I have noticed however that at the local level, a lot of shooters who start out in SSP or ESP eventually end up shooting CDP guns just for the fun of it. There is something that feels "right" about running a fullsize 1911 in .45 ACP. Call me irrational, but I wouldn't trade my CDP guns for any plastic fantastic. I like the feel of a heavy steel 1911.

Ultimately though, I feel that the introduction of high capacity guns like Glocks into Custom Defensive Pistol is a good thing. As long as people are showing up to shoot the match, and are shooting in different categories, then our sport is growing. Ultimately, that should be the goal for any competitive shooter - keep our sport strong.