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80-669: Steel Challenge has many similarities with IPSC , but has a more TV- and spectator friendly format because of simpler rules and the stages being the same from year to year. Because of this, Steel Challenge has become a place where speed records are set and broken. The annual World Championship called the World Speed Shooting Championships ( WSSC ) was held in Frostproof, Florida (2012 and 2013), St. George, Utah (2014), San Luis Obispo, California (2015 - 2017), Talladega, Alabama (2018 - 2023) and draws shooters from around

160-430: 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"

240-469: 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 the winner. For the overall match score, stage points are added for all stages, which means that each stage

320-492: 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 the sport by approving firearms and equipment for various divisions, administering competition rules, and educating range officials (referees) through

400-500: 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

480-434: 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

560-567: 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

640-539: 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

720-451: A right handed shooter, the procedure is to start in the leftmost box from where they are to engage the leftmost 12 in (30.48 cm) plate at 20 yd (18.29 m) and the leftmost 18×24 in plate (45.7×60.9 cm) plate at 35 yards (32 m). Thereafter the shooter is to move to the center box and engage the two similar plates on their stronghand side, before engaging the stop plate. Every stage consists of 5 steel targets, giving

800-595: A run is 30 seconds and a competitor will be stopped and asked to reload if they reach the 30 second limit. The Steel Challenge comprises eight courses of fire called 'stages.' They are: All stages have competitors fire from square boxes. In the American Steel Challenge, the boxes have side lengths of 3 ft (91.44 cm), except the stage Outer Limits where the boxes' sides are 4 ft (1.22 m). The European Steel Challenge has used boxes of 1×1 meter on all stages. Showdown has two boxes, and requires

880-423: 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

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960-413: 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

1040-437: 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

1120-511: 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

1200-458: 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

1280-399: 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

1360-534: A total of 40 targets for a match with all eight official World Championship stages. A World Championship will therefore consist of minimum 195 rounds to complete, since all stages are shot five times except Outer Limits which is only shot four times. The targets must be made of hardened steel. It is recommended that the targets have a completely flat front surface and a pole attachment at the rear, but targets with holes for attachment are also permitted. All targets must be painted with white color before each new shooter, but

1440-419: 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

1520-400: 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 is reflected by the minimum power factor requirement. Competitors fire

1600-446: 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

1680-510: 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

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1760-407: Is also the only stage with movement. Contrary to the other stages, Outer Limits only has four runs (instead of five), which with one throwaway run makes for three counting runs in the aggregate score. In the American Steel Challenge the shooting boxes on Outer Limits are larger than those on the other stages. The stage has three boxes, and the competitor starts on their weakhand side. For example, for

1840-1161: Is available to approximately 17,000,000 pay television households in the United States-down from its 2016 peak of 40,000,000 households. In December 2013, the Outdoor Channel was planned to relocate to Colorado from its current location of Temecula, California , supported by Colorado Economic Development Commission. In March 2019, the channel became available in Australia via the ad-supported streaming service 7plus . On January 1, 2019, Outdoor Channel ceased broadcasting in Malaysia due to low popularity, then relaunch in March 2021 on different TV provider, Sirius TV. On August 1, 2021, Outdoor Channel ceased broadcasting in EMEA. On June 1, 2024 , Outdoor Channel ceased broadcasting in Thailand. The programming in Asia

1920-463: 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

2000-459: 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

2080-499: Is carried by most subscription providers. It was the first outdoor pay-TV network in June 2010 to offer a schedule solely made up of HD-filmed content. Outdoor Channel mobilized 2,500 volunteers in September 2010 as part of its Conservation Tour of Duty for its Outdoor Channel Corps initiative. It is a philanthropic program that aims to improve public lands and spaces in order to ensure that

2160-419: 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

2240-622: Is fairly different from the U.S. and it has lesser hunting content and more travel and adventure series. The most popular survival series are Running Wild with Bear Grylls, Beyond Survival with Les Stroud, Could You Survive, and So You Think You Could Survive. In April 2022, Outdoor Channel had partnered with Water Bear Network on the Earth Day to bring in some exclusive environmental protection content in Asia. It also aired various ocean documentaries like A Plastic Ocean, Ocean Secrets and Ocean Plastic Cleanup Trainee. The network's primetime lineup

2320-509: 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

2400-426: 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

2480-417: 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

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2560-484: Is the US sanctioning body of IPSC . Since 2007, USPSA has been organizing US National Steel Championship every year in US. There are 8 stages with 5 steel targets on each. Shooters get five runs on each stage. Each competitor shoots each stage five times, with their slowest run dropped, excluding the stage Outer Limits where only four runs are shot and the top three counted. The counting times are totaled for their stage score, and

2640-404: 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

2720-533: 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 the competitors are divided into different divisions based on firearm and equipment features. While everyone in

2800-536: Is themed with each evening; fishing is featured on Mondays, with hunting on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, gun-specific programming on Wednesdays, and Hollywood films on Friday and Saturday nights. An HD feed of the channel was launched in 2004, with the name of Outdoor Channel 2 HD; it used to broadcast different programming in contrast with the SD channel, until it turned into a simulcast feed and rebranded simply to "Outdoor Channel HD". It currently broadcasts at 1080i and it

2880-874: 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

2960-448: 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,

3040-407: 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

3120-649: 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

3200-846: 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 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

3280-639: 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

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3360-504: 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,

3440-460: 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

3520-430: The "Manual Standard division", is limited to iron sights only, and no muzzle brakes or bipods are allowed. Manual Action Standard 10 (MAS10) (between 2012 and 2017) was a trial division that allowed iron sights only, a magazine capacity of 11 rounds (10 in the magazine plus 1 in the chamber) and factory-fitted muzzle brakes only. Outdoor Channel Outdoor Channel is an American pay television channel focused on

3600-442: 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

3680-546: The $ 390,000 in cash and prizes - the largest purse in competitive pistol shooting. Seventy shooters competed in the first Steel Challenge in 1981. John Shaw claimed the first ‘World’s Fastest Shooter’ title along with his share of the $ 20,000 in cash and prizes. In the winter of 2007, Dalton and Fichman sold the Steel Challenge to the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) which

3760-448: 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

3840-505: 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 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

3920-507: 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

4000-408: 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

4080-493: 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

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4160-501: 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

4240-415: 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

4320-513: 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

4400-567: 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

4480-451: 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 is the ratio of points per second. The hit factor is calculated by summing the points (target scores minus penalties) and dividing by

4560-400: The competitor to make the first two runs from one of the boxes, and the two following runs from the other box. On the fifth and final run the competitor can choose which box to shoot from. There is no movement, so each run is to be shot from one box only. The competitor can choose whether to make the two first runs from the left or right box. Outer Limits has the longest shots in the match, and

4640-404: 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

4720-405: The eight stage scores are added together to establish the competitor's match score. For each run, one hit per target is required, with an unlimited number of rounds. The last target to be shot is known as the "stop plate", which stops the timer. Any primary targets that have not been hit after the stop plate has been struck, will be scored with a 3-second penalty each. The maximum time permitted for

4800-641: The following divisions: To be considered a world record, the run must come during the annual World Speed Shooting Championship. Since at least 2003, the Shooting Gallery show on the nationally syndicated Outdoor Channel has covered each Steel Challenge championship. It has also been covered in other press, including notable articles in American Handgunner , GunWeek, and Outdoor Life. International Practical Shooting Confederation The International Practical Shooting Confederation ( IPSC )

4880-473: 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

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4960-494: 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

5040-454: 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

5120-403: The match organizer may choose to use another single color due to weather conditions (e.g. snow). Unofficial stages at club matches may be painted in another single color. It is recommended that the target stands of the stop plates are painted in a distinct color, for instance red. The equipment divisions in Steel Challenge have varied past the years. The 2017 Steel Challenge World Championship had

5200-483: 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

5280-444: 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

5360-429: 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

5440-541: 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

5520-417: The outdoors, offering programming that includes hunting, fishing, western lifestyle, off-road motorsports and adventure. It was launched on April Fool's Day (April 1st) 1994. The network can be viewed on multiple platforms including high definition, video on demand as well as on its own website. In 2013, Outdoor Channel was acquired by Kroenke Sports Enterprises . As of November 2023 , Outdoor Channel

5600-479: 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

5680-418: 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 the three elements of precision, power, and speed, which is also the motto of IPSC that

5760-440: 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 the start signal until the last shot fired using special shot timers with microphones, and this way

5840-481: 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

5920-416: 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, the stage will have 12 × 2 × 5 = 120 points available. If

6000-452: 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

6080-618: The world. Up until 2011 the World Championship used to be held in Piru, California each year. The competition was founded in 1981 by Mike Dalton and Mike Fichman. The Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championships have grown to one of the largest professional pistol competitions in America. In 2007, more than 220 competitors from the United States and around the world competed for a portion of

6160-480: 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

6240-558: 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

6320-413: 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

6400-449: 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

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