Classification & Scoring
Classification: All shooters belonging to USPSA can earn a Classification which ranks them nationally among the shooters throughout the organization. You can earn a Classification in each of the Divisions so that you are always competing against your peers. The Classification system also let your see your progress as you move from new shooter on through the ranks to possibly even earn your Grand Master Classification. The classification system relies on all shooters in USPSA competing on a number of predefined and standardized stages calls Classifiers. GPSL shoots a classifier stage on the first match of every month to ensure we keep our membership always working on their classifications. These scores from the Classifiers are uploaded to the USPSA where they are entered into a database and once a month are tallied to determine everyone's classification. Only USPSA members in good standing are entered into this database so this is a very important benefit of your USPSA membership.
Classifications start out with you listed as a U (unclassified) shooter and move through D, C, B, and A classes. Beyond the lettered classifications is the jump to Master class and ultimately to Grand Master class. Grand Master class is achieved when you are consistently in the top 5% of all shooters for that division throughout the USPSA organization. These are some of the best handgun shooters in the world as the multiple World Championship titles attest. There is even an upper echelon of shooters that have achieved Grand Master classification in multiple divisions.
Targets: There are three main types of targets that we shoot in USPSA competitions. The first two are different variants of a silhouette style cardboard target called the Metric and the Classic target. The Metric is vastly more popular in the United States where the Classic target holds sway in the rest of the world. They are scored similarly with each target having specific scoring zones, labeled A, B, C, and D. Each is worth a decreasing point value respectively but note that while the Metric target has a B zone, the Classic target does not. This isn't so much of an issue when you realize that the B zone and the C zone are both scored with the same value. The last type of target is a steel reactive target that must fall to score. These may take the form of a hinged "popper" style target or may be a simple round or square plate that must be knocked over to score. All steel scores as an A zone hit when it is successfully knocked over.
Scoring is based on the hole in the target caused by the bullet and scoring is in the favor of the shooter. By that I mean all you have to do is touch the line of a scoring zone to be awarded that point value. There is also a scoring line surrounding the entire target edge that identically defines each target's maximum outer dimensions. This allows target manufacturers to be less specific on the actual cutout of the target as the scoring lines are perforated into the cardboard and at a fixed size. Be aware that clipping the edge of the target won't score a D zone hit unless you touch this outer edge perforation.
|Metric Target||Classic Target|
Power Factor: Speed, Accuracy and Power are the three legs of the motto of USPSA. This is where the Power leg comes into play. Heavier recoiling ammunition is harder to shoot quickly and accurately. The idea is that this heavier recoiling ammunition should have a leveling factor applied to it so that those shooting a heavy recoiling .45ACP round aren't at a disadvantage to those shooting light recoiling 9mm rounds. The idea of a power factor uses a simple formula relating the weight of the bullet and the muzzle velocity to determine an energy rating for that particular round out of that particular handgun.
(Bullet Weight in grains * Muzzle Velocity in feet per second) / 1,000 = Power Factor
(180gr bullet * 950fps) / 1,000 = 171 Power Factor
This number is then used to determine if you are able to make Major or Minor Power Factor for your scoring. Minor Power Factor is 125 and Major is 165 in USPSA competition. Production Division is the only division that forces all competitors to be scored minor power factor so all the other divisions are acutely aware of making sure they get the scoring advantage of this higher recoiling ammunition. You can see in the table above how "making Major" adds a full point difference on each shot that isn't an A zone hit. But also notice that Accuracy trumps them all in the end. If you can shoot A zone hits, it doesn't matter what power factor you score as you will always make 5 points for every hit.
Now an important note! Failing to make Minor results in your match not being scored. Basically if you run too close to the ragged lower edge and fail to make 125 power factor, you are basically shooting for fun that day and will not be scored in your chosen division. This is where a chronograph becomes a good friend in your load development. Most local matches do not require a chronograph stage to check your ammunition, but every major match from a state, section, region, national or international level will.
Mikes and No-Shoots: Missing a target is referred to as a Mike (miss) and results in a penalty of -10 points. Hitting a white "No-Shoot" target is worth the same -10 penalty but scores the penalty for each time you hit the No-Shoot. Mikes and No-Shoots are the most common scoring penalties and some of the easiest to avoid. Shoot as fast as your sights allow you to shoot and be sure of every shot you break. Being a little slower with good hits and no Mike or No-Shoot penalties is a great way to do very well at a match. It's very easy to get caught up in watching the higher class, more experienced shooters running through the stages at warp speed but remember that they were beginners at this sport once and took the same slow approach you will need to in the beginning. There is an old adage in USPSA shooting in that it's really hard to outrun a Mike or a No-Shoot.
Procedurals: These happen when you make a procedural mistake such as failing to engage a target, failing to follow the course description (missing a mandatory reload for example), or engaging a target while having stepped over a fault line. Many times these are the mental mistakes that can hurt you when you aren't paying close enough attention. This is a thinking sport as well as a physical one so keep your head in the game or you may receive one of these -10 point penalties.
Stage & Match Scoring
Okay, so we've discussed target scoring and how point values are affected by your Power Factor. When you've finished a stage of a match, how is your score totaled and how is it compared against the other shooters to determine your placement?
Stages: A USPSA match consists of some number of Stages or courses of fire. These Stages are composed of targets arrayed in a shooting scenario that you are challenged to shoot in the best freestyle manor you can figure out. The number of targets available on that stage and the number of rounds scored for each of those targets come together to determine a point value for that stage. Typically the round count will simply be multiplied by the highest single round score you can get (an A Zone Hit) to give you a number. This number is what is on the line for winning that stage so higher round count courses are worth more points than lower round count courses.
Hit Factor: The score you receive on a Stage is your total points (minus any penalties) divided by your time to complete that stage. This is referred to as your Hit Factor for that stage and it is what determines your place when scoring that stage.
Stage Points: The person shooting the highest Hit Factor for a stage earns 100% of the points available for that stage. Everyone else determines the number of points they earned as a percentage of that high hit factor. If you shot 68.36% of the top shooter for stage 3 then you would earn 68.36% of the points available for that stage. This is referred to as your Stage Points. Remember that you only compete against those in your Division so the high hit factor for a shooter in another division doesn't make any difference on your stage points earned.
Match Points: Adding up all of your Stage Points, you can determine the total Match Points you earned for that match and this is what determines your overall score. The person in your division with the highest total match points wins that division. Individual classes are broken out as well so you can see how you did against your peers as well as overall.