One of the things every stage designer and match director needs to keep in mind is that USPSA is a shooting sport. Our sport is supposed to test accuracy, power, and speed (Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas – DVC). Are your stages testing those things? Are they testing in a way that separates the skilled marksmen from the rest of the crowd? Let’s look at each of these and discuss how to test them.
[Read more…] about This is a shooting sportIs that a penalty?
Speed Shoots have specific procedures as well as elements dictated by freestyle. This Question of the Month was inspired by a real match and requires reading of the rulebook. Did you get it right? Let’s find out!
[Read more…] about Is that a penalty?Does that safety work?
Chronograph is the place where multiple things are checked. Bullet velocity is the primary duty of chrono, but other things such as magazine length and handgun weight are also checked. The chrono officer also has the opportunity to check primary safeties to ensure they are functioning properly. Let’s discuss why that is important in this Question of the Month.
[Read more…] about Does that safety work?Simplifying stacking
In May 2023 we did some revisions to the wording of the rule dealing with stacked shots. We recently received some questions about stacked shots and even though it’s been awhile since the revision, this is a topic that is often confusing so let’s take a closer look.
[Read more…] about Simplifying stackingDid you do your function check?
One of the things you should always do after cleaning or any other disassembly of your firearm is to perform a safety check once it’s back together. We put a lot of rounds through our firearms and over time pieces wear or break. One of the things you should always check is if the primary safety, if your firearm came from the factory with one, is working properly.
[Read more…] about Did you do your function check?Timer settings for Fixed Time
One of the most important things for running a Fixed Time scored stage is having the timer configured properly to beep when the par time ends. The timers from Competition Electronics and CED are easy to configure and have been used without issue for Fixed Time for years. However, there are a couple settings that need to be changed to use the AMG Lab Commander Timer to time a Fixed Time stage without issues.
[Read more…] about Timer settings for Fixed TimeFixed Time Frustration
The May Question of the Month probably caused some frustration, but I hope that after reading this post there is no frustration when scoring Fixed Time stages. Let’s review the question and see what the answer is, and why!
[Read more…] about Fixed Time FrustrationMake Ready vs Start Position
In the 2025 Competition Rules update, there was a small change to the wording of a couple rules. This change was done to reflect what actually happens at matches and what NROI has been teaching in the RO class for years. Let’s discuss why the change was made.
[Read more…] about Make Ready vs Start Position