Misplaced Pages

#790209

90-506: If correct precautions are taken, the chance of ricochets when shooting at steel targets are minimal. The materials of which both the target and bullets are constructed should be chosen to cause the bullets to pulverize on impact, and therefore hardened steel targets and regular lead core bullets or copper jacketed bullets should be used. Unhardened steel should be avoided for use in targets, and ammunition with armor-piercing properties (i.e. steel cores) should also be avoided. Furthermore, it

180-471: A BB gun or steel pellets fired from a shotgun , but inelastic collisions between the various shapes and materials of high-velocity bullets and the objects they may strike make bullet ricochets less predictable than the intuitive symmetry of low-velocity game spheres. The problem with unintentional ricochets is potential damage caused to objects outside the intended path of the bullet. A responsible shooter anticipates potential bullet interactions within

270-518: A cone of space around the aim point. The shooter is at the apex of the cone, and the cone is symmetrical around the intended bullet path. The angle of that cone may initially be defined by the accuracy of the firearm and the skill of the shooter; but any ricochet potential within the cone becomes the apex of a ricochet cone with a broader angle. The ground surface is a frequent source of ricochets. A bullet may be deflected more than once before it comes to rest. Damage potential of ricochets, like bullets,

360-430: A Standard division for iron sights. Open and Standard were the only two rifle divisions until the 2004 season when similar divisions were introduced for manually operated mechanisms. The Open and Standard division was then renamed to Semi Auto Open and Semi Auto Standard, while the new manual divisions was named Manual Action Open and Manual Action Standard. Around 2011 a provisional division named "Manual Action Standard 10"

450-468: A downside in that shooters should only shoot at targets that are not moving to avoid accidentally reducing the angle of impact and thus possibly causing ricochets. As a safety precaution, steel targets must be made out of hardened steel, which is more resistant to plastic deformation than regular, soft steel. For steel targets, the steel should have a Brinell value of 500 or slightly more. One American producer of steel targets claims to use only steel with

540-457: A hardness greater than 500, most often between 515 and 540. They also claim that the steel gets too brittle if higher Brinell values are used. Hardened steel is available in different Brinell values or thicknesses, and stainless variants are also available. A common trademark in the United States for hardened steel is AR500. Regular steel is too soft, resulting in bullets either punching through

630-500: A large exit pupil. Some other important scope qualities are weight and stray light performance. To avoid having to adjust magnification up and down when transitioning between several long and short-range targets during the same stage, some combine a scope with a 45-degree side-mounted red dot optic, but the effectiveness of this is debated, and there are both top competitors who use it and not. For instance, Raine Peltokoski uses only one optical sight, and in such situations instead uses

720-400: A long time are the inner tubes of tires. In practical shooting, administered by IPSC , both cardboard and steel targets are used. Standardized steel targets, called "poppers", are often used, but other forms and shapes can be used as long as they comply with the rules. The smallest sizes for respectively circular and square targets, both for rifle and pistols, are 15 cm Ø/ 15x15 cm, while

810-434: A longer recoil impulse, but have the advantage of better ballistics at long range targets. Major scoring may be more competitive in the manual divisions since normally only one hit is required per target, lessening the importance of a small recoil impulse. In the beginning, competitions were fired with whatever rifle the competitors chose, and while the type of rifles mostly has remained the same sighting systems have changed

900-567: A lot. In 1990, Sverre Idland won the Norwegian rifle championship using an Elbit Falcon red dot sight . Low-power scope sights have been used in competitions since at least 1994, when Bengt Larsson used a Schmidt & Bender 1.1–4x20 mm to win the Norwegian Championship. For a while rifles equipped with optics and iron sights competed side by side, but were divided somewhere around the 2000s into an Open division for optic sights and

990-430: A magnet to check for the presence of a ferromagnetic core. Copper jacketed bullets work fine with steel targets, provided that minimal distance guidelines are followed. Chains and shackles make the most sound and are the most popular methods for fixing hanging targets. Sections of old fire department hose are also popular, for reasons of longevity. Ropes are quickly torn, but another alternative that lasts for quite

SECTION 10

#1732855555791

1080-417: A material intended to stop and capture the bullets. Cannonballs were often fired to strike the ground or water in front of their target in anticipation of ricochets which would keep the projectile at an effective distance above the ground or water surface through massed troops or ships. The behavior of iron cannonballs documented during the era of muzzle-loading cannon may be a useful approximation for

1170-539: A maximum of 6 rounds can be fired before a reload is required. From 2017, there is no limit on the number of rounds fired before a reload is required, but revolvers with a capacity of 7 rounds or more will automatically be scored as Minor power factor. It is common to use moon clips for faster reloads. The Revolver division was introduced at the General Assembly after the 1999 Handgun World Shoot in Cebu , Philippines , and

1260-421: A ricochet can occur from irregular surfaces within heterogeneous materials including soil and vegetation. Uniformly soft, flexible materials like sand have a lower incidence of ricochet. Though it may not be intuitive, bullets easily ricochet off water; compare stone skipping . The angle of departure, both vertically and horizontally, is difficult to calculate or predict due to the many variables involved, not

1350-423: A simple dot and crosshair and choose to dial long-range adjustments on the turrets instead. Turrets are often exposed and lockable, having ballistic drop compensation (BDC) and a zero stop, while some competitors choose to use capped turrets for the wind adjustment. Important optical characteristics are true 1x or 1.1x low-end magnification, while on higher magnification it is important with a large field of view and

1440-413: A stage is the measure for all other Open competitors, the best Standard competitor is the measure for all other Standard competitors and likewise for all other divisions. In handgun, there is currently one division for optical sights and four divisions for iron sights. The minimum caliber is 9×19mm for all handgun divisions. During the competition the handgun must be worn in a holster securely attached to

1530-437: A stage, and on some stages, it can even be advantageous to switch between different bipod sizes. Many top competitors use rifles with 46 cm (18-inch) barrels to run the longer rifle length gas system and achieve a softer recoil impulse. An adjustable gas system is popular. Some also use low-mass bolt carriers and buffer weights, which may, however, cause reliability issues if not tuned correctly. Low-power scope sights with

1620-635: A target. Manufacturers recommends at least 1/4" thickness (6.35 mm) with 500 Brinell value for pistol shooting with common calibres such as 9 mm , .40 S&W and .45 ACP , with a safety distance of 10 yards (approx. 10 m). For rifle shooting, manufacturers recommend at least 3/8" (9.525 mm) 500 Brinell steel, and different distances according to what caliber is used. For calibers like .223 and .308 at least 100 yards are required for long target life. For larger and faster calibers such as 22-250 , 30-06 , 300 Win Mag or .338 Lapua 200 yards or farther

1710-511: A technique called " Occluded Eye Aiming ", where one blocks the objective (i.e. with a lens cover or by hand) so that one only sees the illuminated dot with one eye and the target with the other eye. Rifles with non-magnified red dot sights as the primary optic also compete in Open and are very competitive at short ranges, but the lack of magnification is a big disadvantage at longer ranges. The Semi Auto Standard division usually simply referred to as

1800-458: A thumb rest. Cosmetic modifications are permitted. Prohibited modifications / parts are slide lightening cuts, weak hand thumb rests and slide rackers. In the Revolver division double action revolvers in caliber 9×19mm or larger of any capacity can be used. Muzzle brakes or optical sights are not permitted. Competitors may declare major with a 9mm (.355") bullet loaded to a power factor of 170, but

1890-399: A tolerance of +1 mm, −0 mm (approximately 8.86 × 5.91 × 1.77 inches). The handgun must fit with the slide parallel to the longest side of the box and hammer cocked if applicable. The handgun must fit the box with any of its magazines inserted, which means that for instance on 2011 pattern pistols either 124 or 126 mm magazines usually will give the maximum capacity and still fit

SECTION 20

#1732855555791

1980-419: A variable magnification starting at 1x (called low-power variable optics , or LPVOs) are popular, with magnifications of 1–6x or 1–8x and daytime bright illuminated reticles are the most popular. Usually, only the center of the reticle is illuminated. Some reticles have milliradian -based wind holds or holdover marks to compensate for wind and bullet drop on long-range targets, while others prefer reticles with

2070-446: Is 127 mm (5 inches). The handgun must be double-action ( DA/ SA , DAO or striker fired), and is required to have a minimum trigger pull weight. Striker fired handguns have a minimum trigger pull of 1.36 kg for every trigger pull, while DA/SA handguns are required to have a minimum trigger pull of 2.27 kg only for the first double action trigger pull (no weight limit for subsequent single action trigger pulls). Production

2160-510: Is a common belief that major scoring using the .40 S&W will give better scores for most competitors over the 9×19mm, but at the cost of more expensive ammunition. The Standard division was formally adopted at the General Assembly following the 1992 European Handgun Championship in Barcelona, Spain, and became a recognized division starting in 1993. One of the intentions of the Standard division

2250-463: Is based on the Production rules, but with an optical sight mandated. The optical sight can only be mounted to the un-modified slide. Racking handles or other protuberances from the optical sight or its mounting is not permitted. Production Optics Lite is similar, except that the complete handgun must satisfy a weight limit of 1000 grams The Production division was introduced at the General Assembly after

2340-459: Is calculated by measuring the bullet speed using a chronograph and measuring another of the competitor's bullets on a weighing scale to find the bullet mass , thereafter calculating the power factor by the formula: The official unit used for the power factor is the imperial unit "kilo grain feet per second" (kgr·ft/s), while newton-seconds (Ns) would be the metric equivalent. "Grain feet per second" (gr·ft/s) can be obtained by measuring

2430-419: Is evened out by limiting competitors to load their magazines to a maximum of 15 rounds (15 in each magazine plus 1 in the chamber). Permitted modifications are limited to the application of grip tape in limited areas around the grip, replacement of sights that do not require gunsmithing to be installed (i.e. milling to the slide) and the replacement of internal components only available as a factory option from

2520-509: Is five points, but hits in lesser scoring areas are rewarded more for major than minor with the A-C-D zones being scored 5–4–2 for major and 5–3–1 for minor (see table below). A competitor who has declared minor must therefore either shoot more "A" hits or shoot faster than one who has declared major to make up the scoring disadvantage. Some typical examples of moving target setups are swingers, bobbers, clamshells, movers, and drop turners. Scoring of

2610-461: Is important always to shoot steel targets at an angle in both vertical and horizontal direction so any ricochet immediately strikes the ground away from the shooter. This angling of the target also reduces distortion of the steel target and prolongs its lifetime. Localized heating, causing loss of hardness, is also reduced. Additionally, not mounting the targets solidly but allowing swinging or moving when shot reduces stress on impact. However, it has

2700-426: Is normally required, rifles with minor power factor calibers dominate on the shorter ranges in most of the divisions due to less recoil and shorter recoil impulse. Minor ammunition being most common means that anyone can be competitive with affordable and readily available .223 Remington factory ammunition, without having to worry about handloading to make major. Ammunition loaded to major power factor has more recoil and

2790-624: Is proportional to the mass of the bullet fragment and the square of its velocity. Ricochet velocity is always lower than collision velocity, but may be close to collision velocity for small angles of deflection. Ricochet mass may be similarly close to original bullet mass for full metal jacket bullets or green bullets replacing soft lead with solid copper or a steel core. Frangible bullets or lead core varmint hunting bullets are more susceptible to collision damage, and produce smaller ricochet fragments. Lower initial mass gives small fragment ricochets less damage potential, and distance of travel

Steel target - Misplaced Pages Continue

2880-528: Is recommended. Nevertheless, the targets can often been shot at from much closer without any problems, provided proper angles are maintained. Lead core or frangible bullets are preferred, since they are pulverized upon high-velocity impact, and the dust will then be spread out to the sides of the target. However, bullets with hard cores (like steel, or "bi-metal") are not pulverized and can either penetrate or ricochet, causing them to be potentially dangerous. Since lead isn't magnetic, competition organizers may use

2970-424: Is reduced by as much as 35% by each ricochet deflection, and velocity is further reduced by air resistance as cohesive bullet fragments often produce an audible whine tumbling after losing stability. Comparative hardness and density determine the results of collisions with bullets. Bullets tend to penetrate low density materials like air with little deflection, although friction causes rotated projectiles to drift in

3060-538: Is reduced by more rapid loss of velocity from air resistance. Reduced ricochet range is one of the reasons the newer .17 HMR round with its frangible bullet has gained popularity against the older non-fragmenting .22 WMR . Ricochets can be lethal. A notable death caused by ricochet was the hostage Katrina Dawson during the Lindt cafe siege in December 2014, killed by a ricochet from a police bullet when tactical officers stormed

3150-411: Is reflected by the minimum power factor requirement. Competitors fire the stages one at a time, and the scoring system is based on achieving most possible points in the shortest time. The scoring method is called comstock, named after its inventor Walt Comstock, which means that the competitor has unlimited time to complete the stage and can fire an unlimited number of rounds. The time is measured from

3240-417: Is seen as a much better alternative scoring-wise, but is more expensive than regular minor-scoring 9×19mm (price difference varies, but usually 50–60% more expensive ). Also, from a practical standpoint, the .40 S&W round can be difficult to obtain when travelling to international matches, while the 9×19mm round, on the contrary, is perceived as affordable and available all around the world. This made way for

3330-712: Is sometimes observed when hardened armor-piercing bullet cores fail to completely penetrate steel plate. The United States Army noted increased ricochet range after adopting the M855A1 green bullet with a larger steel core than the M855 bullet it replaced. Buckshot and subsonic bullets may be similarly reflected from rubber vehicle tires. Not all ricochets are accidental. Some bullets are fired to intentionally ricochet, just as in ricochets of some ball games like basketball and pool . Bullet traps at indoor shooting ranges often include durable steel plates to deflect bullets downward into

3420-404: Is the only division with minor scoring only, which means that anyone can be competitive with affordable and readily available 9×19mm factory ammunition, without having to worry about handloading to provide significant savings. Together with (in general) affordable handguns, Production, therefore, makes for a popular division. Different models of handguns have variance in magazine capacity, but this

3510-492: Is the ratio of points per second. The hit factor is calculated by summing the points (target scores minus penalties) and dividing by the time used. h i t   f a c t o r = p o i n t s s e c o n d s {\displaystyle hit\ factor={points \over seconds}} For example, if a stage has 12 paper targets, requires two scoring hits per paper target, and since an A-hit gives 5 points,

3600-874: Is used throughout all the disciplines, and a ⅔ scaled-down IPSC Mini Target is used to simulate a full size target placed at a greater distance. Additionally, the Universal Target can be used for rifle or shotgun, while the A3 and A4 paper targets are approved for shotgun matches only. For steel targets, there are two standardized knock down targets, the IPSC Popper (85 cm tall) and the ⅔ scaled-down IPSC Mini Popper (56 cm tall). Metal plates are often circles between 20–30 cm in diameter or squares between 15×15 cm to 30×30 cm for handgun, and circles between 15–30 cm in diameter or squares between 15×15 cm to 30×45 cm for rifle and shotgun. For many years IPSC

3690-448: Is usually with the butt of the rifle touching the hip. Knowledge of the firearms ballistics is a key element to succeed at the long range targets. The recommended balance of target distances is that 30 percent of the targets are placed closer than 60 meters, 50 percent of the targets between 60 and 150 meters and 20 percent of the targets between 150 and 300 meters. Most competitors zero their sights at 200 meters. Being an outdoor sport,

Steel target - Misplaced Pages Continue

3780-649: The 1999 Handgun World Shoot in Cebu, Philippines, and became a recognized division starting in 2000. Production Optics was accepted as a trial division in 2017, and both Production Optics and Production Optics Lite were definitively accepted in 2018. Introduced in 2011, the Classic division was modelled after the USPSA Single Stack division and is limited to handguns visually resembling the single stack 1911 form. The handgun with any of its magazines inserted has to fit inside

3870-598: The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine , the IPSC cancelled all scheduled and future level 3 and above international competitions in Russia. The sport of practical shooting originated from competitions in California in the 1950s intending to develop handgun skills for defensive use, but quickly evolved into a pure sport with little grounding in the original purpose. The sport soon expanded to Europe, Australia, South America, and Africa. IPSC

3960-639: The dust cover (with or without an accessory rail ) can have a maximum length of 75 mm from the leading edge to the rear of the slide stop pin. Magazine wells cannot exceed a maximum outside width of 35 mm. Permitted modifications are shaped slides (i.e. flat-top or tri-top), shaped trigger guards (i.e. squared or undercut), bob-tail backstraps, bull or coned barrels, external extractors, finger-grooves (machined, add-on, wrap-around, etc.), custom magazine release buttons, triggers, hammers, single/ ambidextrous thumb safeties, any iron sights, extended slide lock levers and thumb shields provided they do not act as

4050-504: The mass in grain (gr) (equal to 1 ⁄ 7000 pound ), and velocity in feet per second (ft/s) , but since their product yields a very large number it is common to multiply by a factor of 1 ⁄ 1000 , obtaining the power factor in " kilo grain feet per second" instead. To measure the muzzle velocity the competitor's ammunition must be fired in the competitor's firearm, since velocities can vary slightly from one firearm to another. In for instance handgun competitions,

4140-460: The "Manual Open division", allows optical sights, muzzle brakes and bipods. Turn bolt actions require the competitor to perform both rotational and linear motions during the loading cycle, while pump- and straight-pull actions can be cycled back and forward without rotation of the bolt handle by the competitor. This reduces the number of movements from four to two, but comes at the cost of often having either poor or no primary extraction . increasing

4230-442: The "Standard division", tests the added skill of using iron sights only. Also, bipods are not allowed and muzzle brakes have to be within the maximum dimensions of 30x90 mm (approx. 1x3.5 inches). A long sight radius is desirable as it helps even target and sight focus due to larger depth of field , and thus iron-sighted rifles often have longer barrels with the front sight attached to the end of it. Many Standard top competitors use

4320-448: The 170 mm maximum length was introduced. Standard division allows any handgun that fits inside the IPSC box, and most modifications are permitted (except optical sights or compensators). Light match triggers are common, and modifications such as slide rackers, thumb rests ("gas pedals") and grip tape on the slide can sometimes also be seen. The IPSC box has internal dimensions of 225 x 150 x 45 mm in length × height × depth with

4410-507: The 1992 European Handgun Championship in Barcelona, Spain, and became a recognized division starting in 1993. The division saw some use in southern Europe, but was otherwise not very widespread, and was retired after the 2011 World Shoot XVI in Rhodes , Greece. Competitors with Modified handguns would then afterwards compete in Open. Important elements in rifle include the use of prone , off hand and supported shooting positions. Starting position

4500-408: The IPSC box. The competitor can choose between maximum 8 rounds per magazine for major scoring or 10 rounds per magazine for minor scoring. Minor scoring can be achieved with a 9mm projectile loaded to a power factor of 125 kgr·ft/s, while major scoring requires a 10mm or larger projectile loaded to a power factor of 170 kgr·ft/s. Handguns must have a one-piece metal frame, slide with stirrup cuts and

4590-493: The Production division starting in 2000, which has minor scoring only, allows fewer modifications and has a common magazine limit of 15 rounds. The Production division is the most popular division as of 2016. The division allows very few modifications and is limited to typical "off the shelf" service pistols which has to be explicitly approved and listed on the IPSC Production Division List. Maximum barrel length

SECTION 50

#1732855555791

4680-501: The WinMSS Electronic Score Sheet (ESS) app or third party scoring systems like Shoot'n Score It or PractiScore. The power factor is the momentum of the fired bullet as it's moving through the air, which contribute to the recoil of the firearm (together with the propellant gases stemming from the amount of gunpowder). Thus, the power factor in a way reflects recoil. The power factor must exceed certain thresholds, and

4770-415: The ammunition must exceed 125 kgr·ft/s ((2.47 Ns)) for minor scoring, and at least 160 or 170 kgr·ft/s (3.16 or 3.36 Ns) for major scoring (depending on division). Extra scoring is not given for exceeding the threshold. A competitor declaring major, but who fails the threshold, have their score re-calculated at minor. A competitor who fails the threshold of minor is given a score of zero for

4860-513: The box. Minimum caliber for minor scoring is 9×19mm loaded to a power factor of 125 kgr·ft/s while minimum caliber for major scoring is a 10mm (.40") cartridge loaded to a power factor of 170 kgr·ft/s, making for an interesting choice between minor and major scoring taken in mind the differences in recoil, magazine capacity and scoring points. An example of differences in magazine capacity depending on caliber can be seen when comparing stock 126 mm STI 2011 double-stack magazines, which according to

4950-513: The building. International Practical Shooting Confederation The International Practical Shooting Confederation ( IPSC ) is the world's largest shooting sport association, and the largest and oldest within practical shooting . Founded in 1976, the IPSC nowadays affiliates over 100 regions from Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania. Competitions are held with pistols , revolvers , rifles , and shotguns , and

5040-409: The bullet divided by the frontal area of the bullet, increases penetration of resistant surfaces. Elongated, spin-stabilized bullets fired from rifled firearms have greater sectional density than spherical bullets of the same diameter made from the same material; and elongated rifle cartridge bullets have greater sectional density than short bullets of the same diameter handgun cartridges. Bullet velocity

5130-567: The competitor a choice of equipment according to the stage at hand. Open and Revolver are the only two divisions where 9mm bullets (.355") can be used to achieve major scoring, and hence .38 Super (or some variant) or 9×19mm loaded to major power factor of 160 kgr·ft/s are popular cartridges for the pistols in Open. The 9mm caliber cartridges provides higher gas pressures and better magazine capacity over 10 mm calibers . Open handguns are often expensive custom builds with parts and features specifically designed for competition, and with

5220-404: The competitor's belt . The holster needs to cover the trigger guard , the heel of the gun needs to be above the top of the belt and the belt has to be attached through at least three belt loops. Men must wear the holster, magazine holders, etc. in the belt at waist level, while female competitors may choose to wear their equipment either at hip or waist level. During the competition the position of

5310-453: The competitors are divided into different divisions based on firearm and equipment features. While everyone in a division competes in the Overall category, there are also separate awards for the categories Lady (female competitors), Super Junior (under 16 years), Junior (under 18 years), Senior (over 50 years), and Super Senior (over 60 years). IPSC's activities include international regulation of

5400-467: The direction of rifling twist as the bullet falls through the atmosphere under the influence of gravity. Ricochets may be similarly deflected in the direction of rotation of the side of a spin-stabilized bullet contacting a resistant surface. Dense objects tend to prevail in collisions with less dense objects; so dense bullets tend to penetrate less dense materials, and dense materials tend to deflect light bullets. Resistance to penetration can be evaluated as

5490-442: The hardening. Hardened drill bits with floods of cooling medium, laser or water jets are needed to cut holes in hardened steel targets. The required thickness of the target depends on the distance intended for shooting, steel quality, caliber, bullet type, and bullet speed. High velocity rounds more easily penetrate steel targets, meaning that faster bullets even of relatively small calibers or diameter are more likely to punch through

SECTION 60

#1732855555791

5580-473: The holster, magazine holders etc. can not be moved or adjusted from stage to stage. For all divisions except Open and Revolver the foremost portion of the handgun and all magazines must be placed behind the hip bone. Race holsters are permitted in all divisions. The Open division is the handgun equivalent to the Formula 1 race car where most modifications are permitted to achieve a faster and more accurate gun. It's

5670-425: The largest targets allowed for pistols are 30 cm Ø/ 30x30 cm and for rifles 30 cm Ø/ 45x30 cm. In biathlon , self-indicating steel targets are used that flip from black to white when hit, giving both the biathlete and spectators instant visual feedback for each shot fired. The target is placed at 50 meters, and has a diameter is 45 mm when shooting in the prone position, and 115 mm when shooting in

5760-420: The least of which is the deformation of the bullet caused by its impact with the surface it strikes. Probability of ricochet is highest from surfaces approximately parallel to the axis of bullet movement, and grazing ricochets typically depart the surface at a smaller angle than the angle of incidence (or approach). Probability of bullet penetration increases as the axis of bullet movement becomes perpendicular to

5850-494: The longer 50 cm (20") barrel over the 46 cm (18") to achieve longer sight radius. Any iron sights can be used, and both " globe " and "post" front sights are popular, as well as aperture , ghost ring or diopter rear sights. The manual divisions test the added skill of using a manual action, meaning that the rifles must be operated by physical manipulation, with some examples being bolt , pump or straight pull actions. Manual Action Open, usually simply referred to as

5940-454: The manufacturer yields a capacity of either 12 rounds for .45 ACP , 14 rounds for .40 S&W or 17 rounds for 9×19mm . Magazine capacity can be further increased using aftermarket springs, followers and basepads as long as they still fit the box. For a 2011 pattern handgun, aftermarket parts and magazine tuning can increase capacity from 12 to 16 rounds for .45 ACP, from 14 to 19 rounds for .40 S&W and from 17 to 21 rounds for 9×x19 mm. It

6030-483: The match. To achieve a varied, challenging and exciting sport there are no fixed target arrangements, distances or shooting programs, making every match unique. Paper and steel targets can be mixed in the same stage, and may be static, moving or partially covered by targets called no-shoots that give minus points if hit. Paper targets have the three scoring zones A, C, and D with points per hit varying slightly depending on power factor. A center hit for both minor or major

6120-444: The maximum magazine length of 170 mm some 9mm/ .38 Super magazines can hold up to 28 or 29 rounds. The Open division was formally adopted at the General Assembly following the 1992 European Handgun Championship in Barcelona, Spain, and became a recognized division starting in 1993. Any handguns complying with the previous rules were included, for instance, there was no restriction placed on handgun size or type of sights. Later

6210-429: The only division which permits optical and electronic sights (such as red dot sights ) and recoil reducing muzzle brakes (also called compensators). The division facilitates the highest magazine capacity, placing a restriction of 170 mm maximum overall length measured at the rear of any magazine. Shorter magazines, i.e. 140 mm, are also popular because of easier handling and often more reliable feeding, leaving

6300-541: The original manufacturer. After-market magazines are allowed. Minor polishing and fitting of trigger components is permitted. Note that there are differences in approved handguns for the IPSC Production division and the USPSA Production division, as well as permitted modifications. From 2019, the Production division has been divided into Production , Production Optics and Production Optics Lite . Production Optics

6390-478: The person who fired the shot. Ricochets occur when a bullet or bullet fragment is deflected by an object rather than penetrating and becoming embedded in that object. Ricochet behavior may vary with bullet shape, bullet material, spin, velocity (and distance), target material and the angle of incidence. High-velocity rifle cartridges have higher probability of bullet penetration, because increased energy released by an identical bullet may fracture or temporarily melt

6480-573: The projectile, it can still be energetic and almost as dangerous as before the deflection. The possibility of ricochet is one of the reasons for the common firearms safety rule "Never shoot a bullet at a flat, hard surface." Ricochets can occur with any caliber, but short or round ricocheting bullets may not produce the audible whine caused by tumbling irregular shapes. Ricochets are a hazard of shooting because, for as long as they retain sufficient velocity , ricocheting bullets or bullet fragments may cause collateral damage to animals, objects, or even

6570-479: The risk of malfunctions. A turn bolt action on the other hand has a mechanical advantage used during chambering and primary extraction, which makes for more reliable feeding and extraction. Both types of mechanisms have won championships. Bolt action rifles usually also have a much shorter lock time than hammer fired pump and straight-pull actions, which can play a significant role in accuracy on long-range targets. Manual Action Standard, usually simply referred to as

6660-409: The sectional density of the target material along the axis of bullet movement in front of the bullet. Metallic foil will be more easily penetrated than metal ingots, and sectional density of sheet metal increases as orientation of the sheet diverges from perpendicular to, toward parallel with, the bullet path. Bullets are more likely to ricochet off flat, hard surfaces such as concrete, rock or steel, but

6750-673: The sport by approving firearms and equipment for various divisions, administering competition rules, and educating range officials (referees) through the International Range Officers Association who are responsible for conducting matches safely, fairly, and according to the rules. IPSC organizes the World Championships called the Handgun World Shoot , Rifle World Shoot , and Shotgun World Shoot with three-year intervals for each discipline. In reaction to

6840-419: The stage will have 12 × 2 × 5 = 120 points available. If a competitor scores 115 points and uses 25.00 seconds he will get a hit factor for that stage of 115 points ⁄ 25.00 s = 4.6. The competitor with the highest hit factor wins the stage and gets all the available stage points (in this case 120 stage points), while other competitors are given stage points based on their hit factor percentage compared to

6930-402: The standing position. This translates to angular target sizes of about 1 and 2.5  mrad respectively. Ricochet A ricochet ( / ˈ r ɪ k ə ʃ eɪ / RIK -ə-shay ; French: [ʁikɔʃɛ] ) is a rebound, bounce, or skip off a surface, particularly in the case of a projectile . Most ricochets are caused by accident and while the force of the deflection decelerates

7020-419: The start signal until the last shot fired using special shot timers with microphones, and this way the competitor can influence the total stage time. Since the number of rounds is unlimited, the competitor can re-engage the same target to get more points, but at the cost of using more time. Usually, the two best scoring hits count for each target. Competitors are ranked for each stage by their hit factor, which

7110-473: The target at the point of impact. Alternatively, the same energy release may melt and/or disintegrate the bullet to reduce size and range of deflected particles. Ricochets are more likely with handgun cartridges and low velocity rifle cartridges such as .22 Long Rifle . Buckshot and shotgun slugs have similarly high ricochet probability, but ricochet range of smaller shot is lower than intact rifle or handgun bullet ricochets. Sectional density , or mass of

7200-502: The target or making a crater whereupon subsequent bullets may bounce back toward the shooter or spectators, often with great force. Even thick plates quickly get holes and craters if they are made of regular steel. Many workshops have the tools to manufacture steel targets out of hardened steel, but it is important that it be done correctly. For instance, water jet cutters or laser cutters are preferred, but plasma cutters can be used. In contrast, angle grinders or normal welding damages

7290-419: The target surface; but penetration may create a depression or crater within which the bullet may ricochet more than once, possibly following the arc of the crater floor to depart the crater at a greater angle from the original surface than the angle of incidence. In an extreme case, a strong, cohesive bullet striking a nearly perpendicular elastic surface may ricochet directly back at the shooter. This situation

7380-481: The targets is done by the Range Officer. For the competitor to get the relevant scoring value or penalty points, the bullet hole must at least touch the line of the scoring area. (Breaking the relevant scoring line is thus not necessary.) Steel targets score 5 points and must fall to be scored. (For rifle some steel targets may score 10 points). For paper targets, the octagonal IPSC Target in typical cardboard color

7470-415: The three elements of precision, power, and speed, which is also the motto of IPSC that is Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas (DVC), Latin for "precision, power, speed". Only full-caliber firearms are used, i.e. for handguns 9×19mm is the smallest caliber, and the competitors try to achieve the most points in the shortest time possible. Accuracy and speed is reflected by the comstock scoring method, while power

7560-452: The weather can have a profound effect on competitor scores due to wind or different lighting conditions, especially on long range targets. Therefore, top-ranked competitors are often squadded together to achieve the most similar conditions. There is no minimum caliber, but the ammunition has to make a power factor of 150 kgr·ft/s for minor or 320 kgr·ft/s for major scoring (formerly 160 and 340 kgr·ft/s respectively). Since two hits per target

7650-515: The winner. For the overall match score, stage points are added for all stages, which means that each stage is weighted by how many stage points that are available. The scoring method allows for a precise gradation of performances across the match, but requires a computer and software to do in a timely fashion. Matches can either be scored on paper and manually transferred to the official IPSC Match Scoring System (WinMSS), or can be scored directly on electronic devices like smartphones and tablets with

7740-480: Was a recognized division starting in 2000, initially under the name "Revolver Standard" before it was renamed to "Revolver" around 2009. Now obsolete, the Modified division was a mix between Open and Standard. Handguns were allowed to have compensators and optical sights as long as they would fit in the IPSC box with any of its magazine inserted. The Modified division was formally adopted at the General Assembly following

7830-558: Was approved for evaluation as a testing ground for development of the Manual divisions. Self-loading rifles are used in the Semi Auto Open and Semi Auto Standard division, while the manual divisions are limited to manual action types . Semi Auto Open, usually simply referred to as the "Open division", is the most popular rifle division. Optical sights are allowed together with bipods and muzzle brakes. Bipods can be taken on and off during

7920-413: Was fired with whatever firearm the competitors chose, but as equipment became more and more specialized various equipment classes were introduced. The equipment classes in IPSC are called "divisions". All divisions fire the same stages, on the same days, as all other divisions, in a match. However, when calculating match standings, only divisional stage scores are compared. Thus, the top competitor in Open on

8010-608: Was founded in May 1976 when practical shooting enthusiasts from around the world participated at a conference held in Columbia, Missouri , creating a constitution and establishing the rules governing the sport. Jeff Cooper served as the first IPSC President. Today there are over 100 active IPSC regions, making practical shooting a major international sport that emphasizes firearms safety highly. Through international rules concerning firearms, equipment, and organizing of matches one tries to unite

8100-449: Was to create a division for more "stock" firearms, which up until then had been no equipment divisions, and the sport had started to become dominated by custom-built race guns with compensators and optical sights. However, the Standard division was later criticized for also having become a "race division" somewhat like the Open division, which was dominated by custom built guns and specialized gear. Major caliber .40 S&W dominates, since it

#790209