Action shooting
Encyclopedia
Action shooting is a term that encompasses target shooting events where the shooter's score is based on both the accuracy and elapsed time. Disciplines covered by the term include:
Scoring mechanisms differ. In some, reactive targets are used (targets that fall when hit) and the goal is to knock over all the targets with the minimum elapsed time. In others, paper targets are used, and the score is based on a mathematical formula. One commonly used formula, called Comstock Scoring by the IPSC
is (total points scored) / (elapsed time). With the given formula, the goal would be to maximize the points per second scored. Penalties may also be assessed for procedural errors, such as:
Action shooting using reactive targets requires shooters use ammunition with enough momentum
to knock over the targets reliably; the tradeoff is that the higher momentum ammunition also results in higher recoil
, which makes rapid and accurate shooting difficult. In disciplines that use paper targets, there is often a minimum required power, and use of rounds with less power may be penalized or forbidden.
- United States Practical Shooting AssociationUnited States Practical Shooting AssociationThe United States Practical Shooting Association, or USPSA, is the national governing body of one form of Practical shooting in the United States, and is the US Region of the International Practical Shooting Confederation...
- International Practical Shooting ConfederationInternational Practical Shooting ConfederationThe International Practical Shooting Confederation is a shooting sport based on the concept of practical shooting. Accuracy, power and speed are all required to achieve a maximum score.-Founding and organization:...
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- NRA Action Pistol, also known as The Bianchi CupThe Bianchi CupThe Bianchi Cup is the NRA National Action Pistol Championship, a major Action Pistol tournament held over three days in late May, in Columbia, Missouri at the Green Valley Rifle & Pistol Club. It has the largest purse of any tournament on the action pistol calendar and is the premier action...
Scoring mechanisms differ. In some, reactive targets are used (targets that fall when hit) and the goal is to knock over all the targets with the minimum elapsed time. In others, paper targets are used, and the score is based on a mathematical formula. One commonly used formula, called Comstock Scoring by the IPSC
IPSC
IPSC may refer to:* Induced pluripotent stem cell, a type of pluripotent stem cell* International Practical Shooting Confederation, a shooting sport based on the concept of practical shooting...
is (total points scored) / (elapsed time). With the given formula, the goal would be to maximize the points per second scored. Penalties may also be assessed for procedural errors, such as:
- not engaging all targets
- engaging targets in the wrong order
- firing more than the allowed number of shots
Action shooting using reactive targets requires shooters use ammunition with enough momentum
Momentum
In classical mechanics, linear momentum or translational momentum is the product of the mass and velocity of an object...
to knock over the targets reliably; the tradeoff is that the higher momentum ammunition also results in higher recoil
Recoil
Recoil is the backward momentum of a gun when it is discharged. In technical terms, the recoil caused by the gun exactly balances the forward momentum of the projectile and exhaust gasses, according to Newton's third law...
, which makes rapid and accurate shooting difficult. In disciplines that use paper targets, there is often a minimum required power, and use of rounds with less power may be penalized or forbidden.
External links
- 30 second video introduction to action pistol shooting, produced by the National Shooting Sports Foundation