New Shooter Information
Prepare For Your First Match
First Match? Here’s what you need to know; Practical Shooting matches typically have 3-6 stages, with round counts of 8-32 rounds. Each stage will have a Written Stage Brief (WSB), which details the round count, number of targets, scoring type and any special conditions of the stage. All stages have ‘fault lines’ (we use red 2x2s) which designate where you are allowed to engage targets from. Targets are set at various distances, and can be steel or cardboard.
Important Safety Rules
180 Rule: When facing the back berm, there is a 180 degree plane that the muzzle of your firearm can never cross, be it up, down, left, right or otherwise. Doing so will result in a disqualification.
Cold Range: All matches will be run as a cold range, meaning until you are at the start position and the RO gives the “make ready” command, your firearm will be unloaded, holstered, and without a magazine. Violating this will result in a disqualification. There are safe tables at each bay where you may handle your firearm, check your optic, or do minor maintenance, but loading, pointing away from the berm the safe table is positioned against, or having ammo on the table is prohibited.
Trigger Discipline: During the course of fire, your finger must be visably outside of the trigger guard anytime you are not actively aiming at a target. Accidentally discharging a round when not pointing at a target will result in disqualification.
The Course of Fire
When it is your turn to shoot, proceed to the designated make ready position, and the Range Officer will give you the command:
“Make Ready” At this point you may load your firearm, take a sight picture, and when you are done, holster your firearm or place it in compliance with the WSB, and then position your hands as directed by the WSB. Different types of firearms have different safe conditions, it must be in a safe condition when you release it, be that in your holster, or staged on a table or barrel. For a DA/SA or DAO handgun, the hammer must be down or de-cocked, SAO must have the manual safety applied and safe action (striker) do not need an external safety. When you appear ready, the RO will say:
“Are You Ready” You may nod your head, or verbally express that you are ready. No response is assumed to mean that you are ready, if you are not, please speak up. The RO will then say:
“Standby” Do not move, in 1-4 seconds there will be an audible beep, as soon as you hear the beep, you may draw your firearm, and engage all the targets. Once you are finished, the RO will say:
“If You Are Finished, Unload and Show Clear” At this point, remove the magazine, then eject the chambered round, and visually inspect your chamber to verify there is no round in the chamber. This is your responsibility, your time has already been stopped, so do not rush and be safe. Once you have unloaded, the RO will say:
“If Clear, Hammer Down, and Holster (or Flag for PCC)” You will pull the trigger at this point to prove your gun is unloaded, stiker-fired guns will do the same, despite the lack of a hammer. Once you have pulled the trigger on an empty chamber, you will holster your gun, and the stage will be scored.
For all other competitors, once the RO has declared “Range is safe” please help reset the stage, be cautious not to tape any targets that have not been scored, and please help pickup brass.
What to Bring
- Eye and Ear Protection: Sidney Paul has these to borrow if you need some.
- A Function Tested Firearm: Most all firearms will fit in one division or another, so don’t stress if you don’t have a competition type gun. Please bring it unloaded, and in a bag or case.
- Ammunition: Most matches will require a minimum of 100 rounds, bring a little more, around 150, to account for misses or re-shoots
- Holster: Any safe holster works, iwb, appendix, owb. If you don’t have one, we’re happy to accommodate table starts at our fun match.
- Magazines: Bring 2 or more magazines, you should plan to have a total capacity of 35+ rounds. If you’re a little short, let us know and we will work around it.
- A Sturdy Belt: Anything that will support your gun and holster, you do not need a true competition belt.
- Water Sunscreen and Snacks: It can get hot out! Please do yourself a favor and stay hydrated.
- Cash: We don’t take online payment at this time, so please bring $20 cash for your match fee.
Bonus Items:
- Mag Pouches: It is totally fine to load from your pockets, but mag pouches make things a little smoother.
- Gloves: We really appreciate the help tearing down after the match, gloves will make the scorching metal tolerable.
Scoring and Hit Factor
In many practical shooting matches, such as USPSA, stages are scored using hit factor (HF), which is: HF = points / time. Points are earned by accurately engaging targets. Cardboard targets have 3 scoring zones, the A zone, the C Zone, and the D zone, (PCSL targets also have a special K zone). Steel targets are either a hit, or a miss, and is generally determined by the whether the steel target falls, and will be scored as an A if hit. Depending on your power factor, which will be overviewed later, you will earn:
Both Major and Minor
A zone = 5 points
K zone = 10 points (PCSL only)
Minor
C zone = 3 points
D zone = 1 point
Major
C zone = 4 points
D zone = 2 points
Your time will begin via an audible beep, or occasionally a visual start, and will end when you fire your last shot.
Stages will fall into one of three catagories:
- Comstock: Unlimited rounds, makeup missed shots, no time limit.
- Virginia: Designated number of shots allowed per target, penalties will be incurred for extra shots, no time limit.
- Fixed Time: Same as virginia, except there is also a maximum time, and you must complete as much of the stage as possible before the time ends.
Penalties: You can lose points for cetain actions as well, the most common are
- Foot Faults: Shooting while outside the designated fault lines.
- Failure to Reload: When a reload is mandated in the WSB, failing to do so will incure a per-shot penalty.
- Failure to Shoot at (FTSA): Failing to engage a target.
- No shoots and Hardcover:
- No Shoots: Brown targets are shoot targets, white targets are no-shoots, think of them as hostages, hitting them will incur a penalty
- Hardcover: Not a true penalty, but black targets/ targets partially painted indicate hardcover, consider it a wall, hitting hardcover will be scored as a miss.
- PCSL: A brown target is for pistols, a white target is for rifles, and a red target is a no-shoot. Black targets or painting still represent hardcover.
Note: Not all diciplines of practical shooting use hit factor, some use Time Plus, such as IDPA, however all OPSA matches save .22 NRL will be scored using Hit Factor.
Divisions and Power Factor
Certain divisions allow Major scoring, which is based off the power factor (PF) of the cartridge your gun uses. This is calculated by: PF = (bullet weight x FPS) / 1000. Above 165PF classifies for major, 125 is the minimum for minor, and anything below 125 is not permitted. In general, 9mm will be minor, .40 and .45 will be major. Below is a simplified explaination to help you choose your division in USPSA or our Fun Match:
- Open Division: Major allowed. Essentially anything goes, if your firearm has a compensator of any type, you will be here.
- Limited Optics: Minor only. “Open lite” optics must be slide mounted, and compensators are not permitted, otherwise, it is likely fair game.
- Limited: Major allowed. 2011s and anything with a magwell will fall here. Compensators and optics are not permitted.
- Limited 10: Major allowed. Oddball division, no compensators, but frame mounted optics are allowed, limited to 10 rounds per magazine.
- Carry Optics: Minor only. Must be a firearm on a designated production list (if you have anything that isn’t custom made, you’re probably fine) Optics are allowed, but magwells and compensators are not permitted.
- Production: Minor only. Same list of guns as carry optics, but optics, magwells and compensators are not permitted. Limited to 15 rounds per magazine.
- Single Stack: Major allowed. No optics, and your pistol must be a 1911 style.
- PCC: Minor only. Pistol caliber carbines, if you have an AR style rifle (or any rifle really) chambered in 9mm or another pistol caliber, sign up for PCC.
- Revolver: Major allowed. Self explainatory, this division is for revolvers, if you classify for major, only 6 rounds, if minor, up to 8. Optics are not allowed.
Divisions have a lot more rules than this, but for the most part, you should find yourself in the correct division if you follow the above guidance. Of note all divisions have some form of magazine length or capacity restrictions, I detailed the ones you’re most liable to have issues with, otherwise, with oem magazines, you will be within the rules. (30 round drums and other extreme extended magazines are not legal for any divisions)
The full USPSA rulebook can be found here: USPSA Rules
PCSL divisions are much simpler, for our 2 gun match:
Irons: If both your rifle and pistol have iron sights, this is the category for you.
Practical: If you do not have a compensator on your rifle or pistol, you will be in the Practical division.
Competition: If you do, you will be in the competition division.