United States Practical Shooting Association
Contents |
Organization
The United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) is a 501c(3) non-profit Delaware corporation that is currently headquartered in Sedro Woolley, Washington. USPSA is organized into 8 "Areas", each of which is represented by an Area Director at the board meetings of the organization. Each Area is divided into sections. Each section is represented by a Section Coordinator who is responsible for coordinating the activities of clubs within his/her section, and managing the nationals slot distribution process.
The Board of Directors comprises the President and the 8 Area Directors. The President is elected by all of the members to a 4 year term. Each Area Director is elected by the members in that Area to a three-year term. The Board of Directors' responsibilities include: financial strategy, including budget, planning and investment strategies, membership recruitment and retention strategies, marketing strategies, strategies for the format and location of National Championship matches, strategies for the establishment and/or management of relationships with other shooting organizations, including IPSC, drafting and revising the rules that USPSA matches are conducted under, and review and ratification of National Range Officer Institute (NROI) policies and procedures. Each member of the Board has an equal voice, with the President breaking any ties.
As of 2008, the Board is:[2]
- President - Michael Voigt
- Area 1 - Bruce Gary
- Area 2 - Chris Endersby
- Area 3 - Emanuel Bragg
- Area 4 - Kenneth Hicks
- Area 5 - Gary Stevens
- Area 6 - Charles V. Bond
- Area 7 - Rob Boudrie
- Area 8 - Alan Meek
History
IPSC was formed in 1976 at a meeting in Columbia, Missouri, lead by the late Jeff Cooper.[3] It was here that the sport of Practical Shooting was formally established after years of independent efforts around the country to build upon the handgun skills and training for self defense. The early days of the sport can be traced back to the 1950’s and the quick draw “leather slap” competitions that grew out of America's love affair with the TV westerns of that era.
Practical Shooting challenged the then accepted standards of technique, training practices and equipment. Its early pioneers developed scenario-based competitions to accurately measure the effectiveness of their own shooting techniques and equipment. The rapid shooting on-the-move style of Practical Shooting gave birth to the term “Run and Gun” so commonly used today to describe the sport.
For 30 years the sport has served as the test bed for new products and the unofficial R&D for the firearms industry. With some competitors annually shooting in excess of 100,000 rounds, no other venue offers a better in-service assessment of a firearm’s performance or the brutal gauntlet of high-level competition through which a gun must survive to be declared reliable.
USPSA's Competitive Divisions
As the governing body of IPSC shooting in the United States, USPSA provides a wide range of competitive opportunities for shooters with regulated competition in six distinct divisions. Each division within USPSA is determined by the kind of firearm used and ranges from production guns, the “stock cars” of the sport, to fully customized open guns that are the Formula 1 cars of Practical Shooting. The following is an explanation of the six divisions within USPSA.
Production Division
Production Division[4][5] is strictly limited to the use of production handguns with actions that are double-action-only, double-action/single-action or striker-fired – mostly in the caliber of 9mm. These are the “duty guns” available from nearly every pistol maker and each of the major manufacturers offers a wide variety of models that meet USPSA Production Division requirements. Stock revolvers may also be used, including the 7- and 8-shot variants. USPSA greatly restricts the level of modifications that can be performed on a Production gun.
While capacity is not uniform across model, caliber or manufacture, USPSA levels the playing field by limiting shooters to just 10 rounds per magazine. Regardless of the round used in Production, the division is scored as a minor power factor. Holsters and allied equipment must be “non-race-type” and be worn behind the forward most point of hip. Most shooters use a standard outside-the-waistband belted holster intended for daily wear, often made of kydex or plastic.
Revolver Division
The Revolver Division is intended for stock revolvers and shooters are restricted to only six rounds between reloads.[6] Modifications are limited and optical sights, porting and recoil compensators are prohibited. However, shooters may change grips, enlarge the cylinder release, change sights, chamfer cylinders and tune the action as they desire.
While .45 ACP is the most popular, shooters may score major using any cartridge that fires a .355 or larger bullet.
Single Stack Division
The Single Stack 1911 Division caters to the traditional 1911 fan.[7] USPSA introduced Single Stack as a provisional division in 2006, and based on its popularity made it a regular division in 2008. Only single-stack model 1911-pattern pistols are allowed in this division, and they must meet a maximum weight limit, as well as fit fully within a box of specific dimensions. The equipment rules are similar to Production Division, other than providing for 8 rounds for major calibers and 10 rounds for minor. As for holsters, Single Stack shooters must adhere to the Production Division guidelines. All equipment must be worn behind the hips and the holster must be a practical, non-race style such as those intended for daily wear.
Limited Division
Limited Division features both wide-body, or double-stack, 1911 pistols and single-stack 1911 pistols.[8] Additionally, non-1911 pistols are also permitted. Modifications allowed to the gun include those for the Limited-10 Division, plus shooters may use high-capacity magazines so long as the magazine is does not have an overall length greater than 141mm for double-stack pistols and 171mm for single-stack pistols.
As with Limited-10, shooters must use a .400 caliber or larger bullet in order to score a major power factor.
Limited-10 Division
The Limited-10 Division features both wide-body, or double-stack, 1911 pistols and single-stack 1911 pistols.[9] Additionally, non-1911 pistols are also permitted. The name, Limited-10, is a reference to the total number of rounds (10) a competitor can load in his/her magazine. This capacity limitation eliminates any capacity advantage one model pistol would have over another. It was developed in response to the 1994 Crime Bill, which limited the capacity of newly-made magazines to 10 rounds.
Competitors can make various minor modifications such as change sights, grips, slide stops, magazine releases and mainspring housings but optical sights, porting or a recoil compensator are strictly prohibited.
Calibers can be either minor (9mm, .38 Special, and down-loaded .40 S&W, for example) or major (.40S&W and larger). However, in order to score major, a Limited-10 (as well as Limited) pistol must use a .400 caliber or larger bullet.
Open Division
As its name implies, the Open Division allows for the greatest range of pistol and sight modification.[10] Pistols used in Open Division competition are the shooting equivalent to the Formula 1 race car. They are custom built with parts and features specifically designed for competition. The most notable modifications are the use of recoil compensators and red dot optical sighting systems. The overall length of the magazine is restricted to 170mm. While the most popular cartridge in the Open Division is one of several variants of the .38 Super, shooters may compete with a pistol chambered in any caliber that takes a .355 or larger bullet.
Range Safety / Match Officials
In conjunction with IPSC, USPSA has their own dedicated range offfcials, which is run by the National Range Officers Institute (NROI). The NROI is responsible for the training and certification of the Range Officials, firearm safety, good course design and advising the membership on the application of the rules as determined by the Board of Directors.
There are 5 different types of Range Officials:
- Range Officer (RO)
- Chief Range Officer (CRO)
- Range Master (RM)
- Tournament Director (TD)
- Range Master Instructor (RMI)
National Championship Matches
Each year, USPSA holds National Championship matches for Open, Limited, Limited 10, Production, Revolver and 3-Gun (now called Multi Gun). Sometimes, all of the pistol Nationals are held at the same time, other years, they have been broken up between different ranges. The 3-Gun/Multi-Gun Nationals are always held at a separate range and date from the pistol Nationals. In order to attend the one of the pistol Nationals, a competitor usually has to win a "slot", usually by placing well enough at various regional and Area Championship matches held throughout the year. Currently, anyone can participate in the 3-Gun/Multi-Gun Nationals on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Past USPSA Champions
| 2007 Nationals | Men's Champion | Women's Champion |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Max Michel, Jr. | Athena Lee |
| Limited | Rob Leatham | Lisa Munson |
| Limited-10 | Rob Leatham | Julie Goloski |
| Single Stack | Rob Leatham | Kippi Leatham |
| Production | Dave Sevigny | Jesse Abbate |
| Revolver | Jerry Miculek | N/A |
| Multi-Gun Open | Jerry Miculek | N/A |
| Multi-Gun Limited | Ted Puente | N/A |
| Multi-Gun Tactical | Daniel Horner | Jessie Abbate |
| 2006 Nationals | Men's Champion | Women's Champion |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Chris Tilley | Kay Miculek |
| Limited | Dave Sevigny | Lisa Munson |
| Limited-10 | Max Michel, Jr. | Julie Goloski |
| Single Stack | Rob Leatham | Julie Goloski |
| Production | Rob Leatham | Julie Goloski |
| Revolver | Jerry Miculek | N/A |
| Multi-Gun Open | Michael Voigt | N/A |
| Multi-Gun Limited | Ted Puente | N/A |
| Multi-Gun Tactical | Taran Butler | Cheryl Current |
| 2005 Nationals | Men's Champion | Women's Champion |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Max Michel, Jr. | Doni Spencer |
| Limited | Rob Leatham | Kay Miculek |
| Limited-10 | Dave Sevigny | Julie Goloski |
| Production | Dave Sevigny | Julie Goloski |
| Revolver | Jerry Miculek | N/A |
| Multi-Gun Open | Jerry Miculek | Kay Miculek |
| Multi-Gun Limited | Kelly Neal | N/A |
| Multi-Gun Tactical | Taran Butler | Denise Pearman |
| 2004 Nationals | Men's Champion | Women's Champion |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Max Michel, Jr. | Kay Miculek |
| Limited | Rob Leatham | Carina Randolph |
| Limited-10 | Steve Broom | Julie Huseby |
| Production | Dave Sevigny | Julie Goloski |
| Revolver | Jerry Miculek | N/A |
| Multi-Gun Open | Michael Voigt | Kay Miculek |
| Multi-Gun Limited | Bennie Cooley | N/A |
| Multi-Gun Tactical | Taran Butler | N/A |
| 2003 Nationals | Men's Champion | Women's Champion |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Todd Jarrett | Kay Miculek |
| Limited | Rob Leatham | Lisa Munson |
| Limited-10 | Todd Jarrett | Lisa Munson |
| Production | Dave Sevigny | Angi Kelley |
| Revolver | Jerry Miculek | N/A |
| 3-Gun Open | Jerry Miculek | Nancy Huspek |
| 3-Gun Limited | Taran Butler | N/A |
| 2002 Nationals | Men's Champion | Women's Champion |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Todd Jarrett | Lisa Munson |
| Limited | Rob Leatham | Renee Tyson |
| Limited-10 | Rob Leatham | Lisa Munson |
| Production | Todd Jarrett | Angi Kelley |
| Revolver | Jerry Miculek | N/A |
| 3-Gun Open | Michael Voigt | Debora Cheek |
| 3-Gun Limited | Bennie Cooley | Vicki Carlton |
| 2001 Nationals | Men's Champion | Women's Champion |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Jerry Barnhart | Kay Miculek |
| Limited | Rob Leatham | Lisa Munson |
| Limited-10 | Tom Campbell | N/A |
| Production | Dave Sevigny | N/A |
| 3-Gun Open | Michael Voigt | Kay Miculek |
| 3-Gun Limited | Bennie Cooley | Cheryl Current |
| 2000 Nationals | Men's Champion | Women's Champion |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Todd Jarrett | Kay Miculek |
| Limited | Rob Leatham | Lisa Munson |
| Limited-10 | Ron Avery | N/A |
| Production | Ernest Langdon | N/A |
| 1999 Nationals | Men's Champion | Women's Champion |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Jerry Barnhart | Julie Goloski |
| Limited | Jerry Barnhart | Julie Goloski |
| Limited-10 | Jerry Miculek | Kay Miculek |
| Production | Todd Salmon | N/A |
| 1998 Nationals | Men's Champion | Women's Champion |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Todd Jarrett | Kim Stroud |
| Limited | Rob Leatham | Sharon Zaffiro |
| Limited-10 | Jerry Miculek | Kay Miculek |
| Production | Todd Salmon | Kerri Richardson |
USPSA Purchases Steel Challenge
In December 2007, USPSA purchased the Steel Challenge and the Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA) from owners and creators Mike Dalton and Mike Fichman.[11] The Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championships are one of the crown jewels of the shooting circuit and the premier professional pistol competition in America. With more than 220 of the world’s fastest shooters competing for over $390,000 in cash and prizes in 2007, it has found a permanent place on the shooting schedules of every major competitive shooter.
The match design of Dalton and Fichman called for simple stages, or courses of fire, made up of just five steel plates. The steel plates are of differing sizes and placed at various distances and angles to create a variety of challenges. The shooter assumes his or her position in the shooting box and, upon the beep of the timer, draw their pistol and shoots each plate with the fifth being a stop plate synchronized to the timer. Each shooter shoots the stage five times with the slowest time dropped. The score is the combined time of the best four runs and that time added to the combined times of the other stages for a final match score.
The Steel Challenge is held in August in Piru, California. The 2008 Steel Challenge will be held Friday through Sunday, August 14-17, 2008.
References
- ↑ USPSA Membership Database Summary http://uspsa.org/cgi-bin/db_class_summary.cgi
- ↑ USPSA Staff Accessed 1/29/2008 http://www.uspsa.org/members/USPSAstaff.html
- ↑ Columbia Conference Minutes http://www.uspsa.org/document_library/IPSC%201976%20Columbia%20Conference%20Minutes.pdf
- ↑ USPSA approved Production gun list, accessed March 25, 2008 [1]
- ↑ USPSA 2008 Handgun Rules, Appendix D4 - Production Division Rules [2]
- ↑ USPSA 2008 Handgun Rules, Appendix D6, Revolver Division Rules [3]
- ↑ USPSA 2008 Handgun Rules, Appendix D5, Single Stack Division Rules [4]
- ↑ USPSA 2008 Handgun Rules, Appendix D2, Limited Division Rules [5]
- ↑ USPSA 2008 Handgun Rules, Appendix D3, Limited 10 Division Rules [6]
- ↑ USPSA 2008 Handgun Rules, Appendix D1, Open Division Rules [7]
- ↑ "USPSA Acquires Steel Challenge" December 14, 2007 http://www.steelchallenge.com/uspsa_acquires_scsa.html
