The International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) was officially founded at the International Combat Pistol Conference held in Columbia, Missouri, in May 1976. Forty people from around the world were invited to attend this Conference to determine the nature and the future of practical marksmanship. Colonel Jeff Cooper was acting Chairman and was acclaimed as the first IPSC World President.
This new shooting sport was formulated to determine the ability to use a pistol in its primary intended purpose of self-defence. The promotion of accuracy, power, and speed as three equal elements was the prime objective of the Conference along with procedures and rules for safe gun handling. A constitution was established and the Confederation was born. The eight Principles of Practical Shooting were also developed and the motto- DVC -Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas (Accuracy, Power, Speed) was introduced to reflect this balanced objective.
Colonel Cooper said, "Let's find out what equipment and what techniques work best for self defence through organized competition", and today, the International Practical Shooting Confederation is promoted in over sixty countries (called IPSC Regions) from Argentina to Zimbabwe.
In practical shooting, the competitor must try to blend accuracy, power and speed into a winning combination. Targets are 75 centimetres by 45 centimetres with a 15 centimetre center representing the "A zone" or bullseye. Most shooting takes place at close range, with rare shots out to 15 meters. Hitting a 15 centimetre A zone at 45 meters or less might seem easy to an experienced pistol shooter, but in IPSC only full power pistols are allowed (9mm or larger). This power minimum reflects the practical heritage of this modern sport, and mastering a full power handgun is considerably more difficult than shooting a light recoiling target pistol especially when the competitor is trying to go as fast as possible. Time also plays a factor. In fixed time stages, very short times are allowed for shooting a prescribed number of rounds or, as in Comstock scored stages, the scores are divide by the time, adding to the challenge.
Multiple targets, moving targets, targets that react when hit, penalty carrying targets mixed-in or even partially covering scoring targets, obstacles, movement, competitive tactics, and, in general, any other relevant difficulty the course designer can dream up all combine to keep the competitors enthusiastic and the spectators entertained. While the rules state that diversity is to be encouraged, to keep the sport from becoming too formalized or standardized.
Although the roots are martial in origin, the sport matured from these practical or martial beginnings, just as karate, fencing, or archery developed from their origins. Now, practical shooting is an international sport, emphasizing safety and safe gun handling, accuracy, power, and speed, in major competitions around the globe.
IPSC Nova Scotia classifies all it's members based on their consistent shooting skills. When a member shoots at one of IPSC Nova Scotia's matches, his/her performance is entered into a database to help determine a class for that shooter. The classes are Master, A, B, C and D. Your classification is based on how you consistently shoot - similar to a golf handicap. As your performance improves you may be moved up (down is also possible) a class. At matches, while you are scored compared to all shooters for your division, awards are handed out to the best shooters in each classification. So, if you are a C Class shooter, your score is compared to all the other C Class shooters at the match for awards.
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Call Jim Smith, IPSC Nova Scotia Section Training Co-Ordinator at (902) 883-8503 (Enfield #) and he'll get you enrolled in a black badge course.
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Contact Sean Hansen, Regional Director IPSC Canada, IPSC Nova Scotia's Section Coordinator and Chief Range Officer (RO) Training Officer, at shansen@bellaliant.net.
You can also get more information on the sport of
IPSC
including detailed rules at the www.ipsc.org.