International Practical Shooting Confederation
IPSC shooters need to blend accuracy, power, and speed into a winning combination. IPSC uses multiple targets, moving targets, reactive targets, penalty targets, as well as partially covered targets. Obstacles, movement, competitive strategies, and other techniques are all a part of IPSC to keep shooters challenged and spectators engaged.
IPSC Competition
In IPSC shooting, no course of fire is ever the same from one competion to the next. Diversity is encouraged to keep the sport from becoming to formalized or standardized and typically, competitors do not know in advance what to expect in any given match.
Handgun
IPSC targets have a 15-centimeter center representing the A Zone or bullseye. Most shooting takes place at relatively close distances with rare shots out to 50 meters. In IPSC, only full power handguns are used (9mm or larger).
Mastering a full power handgun is considerably more difficult than shooting a light recoiling target pistol when trying to go as fast as possible. Time is a key factor. Target points are divided by the time taken to achieve them which adds to the challenge.
Handgun shooters may enter one of five different divisions, depending on the style of firearm used.
International Defense Pistol Association
Classification
In order for shooters to be able to compete with their peers, IDPA competitors are divided into classifications within each division based upon their skill level. IDPA has a very quick and easy method of classifying shooters. Only currently affiliated clubs may award classifications and only current IDPA members may shoot the classifier or be awarded a classification by a club.
Classification Scores by Division
Classifier matches are held by each affiliated club.
The matches consist of a 1 to 3 stage course of fire, depending on the classification method in use. Stage details including walk-through and videos are available.