USPSA Targets and Scoring

by Arnie Christianson

You have decided to give USPSA competition a try. Great! Welcome to one of the 
greatest competitive shooting sports available in the world. After viewing a 
tape of a USPSA match, watching a match in person or perhaps even participating 
in a match or two, you might have some questions about targets, the scoring 
system or how the match winner is determined.

Generally, there are two types of targets: those which are supposed to be shot 
and those which are to be avoided, commonly called no-shoot targets. Targets 
approved for USPSA competition include the standard IPSC target made of brown 
cardboard with a white back and four reactive steel targets which must fall when 
struck by a full diameter bullet. These falling steel targets consist of the 
Pepper Popper (named after the inventor, John Pepper), the U.S. Popper (1/3 
smaller than a Pepper Popper), the 6" square plate and the 8" round plate. The 
following diagram, courtesy of the IPSC web site shows the full size and small 
poppers (the "US Popper" is captioned "Mini Popper" in this diagram): 
 
Any of the preceding targets may also be designated as no-shoot targets. 
Cardboard targets are the most common no-shoot targets although the steel 
targets may be used as no-shoot targets as well. It is common practice for a 
cardboard no-shoot target to be white with a contrasting "X" painted on the 
target. However, a contrasting "X" on a cardboard target is not mandatory, so 
any white cardboard target should be considered a no-shoot target unless it is 
specifically designated as a shoot target. Since steel targets may be painted 
any color but black, steel no-shoot targets should have a contrasting "X" 
painted on them. Additionally, steel no-shoot targets should be set so they will 
not fall when struck by a full diameter bullet and painted after the course of 
fire is completed if they are struck by a bullet.

How are points scored on targets? Each cardboard target has dashed scoring lines 
embedded in the cardboard. These scoring division lines are designed so they are 
not visible from a distance of 10 meters or more. The scoring divisions are 
divided into zones called A, B, C and D. The following diagram, courtesy of the 
IPSC web site, shows the target zones and scoring values for major (175 or 
higher) and minor (below 175 but at least 125) power factors. 
 
Thus, a more powerful round scores more points for marginal hits on the target 
than does a minor power factor round. If a hit touches a scoring line, the 
higher point value is received.

When knocked down, steel targets score 5 points or the equivalent of an "A" hit 
on a cardboard target. Occasionally, steel targets may be scored the equivalent 
of two "A" hits on a cardboard target or 10 points. If the steel target or 
targets are to be scored as 10 points, the course description will point out 
that fact. Steel targets are set so they can be knocked down by a bullet with 
the minimum power factor of 125.

Now that we know how many points are scored when the targets are hit, what 
happens if you miss the target or hit a no-shoot target? These two situations 
are to be avoided at all costs because the shooter is penalized twice the 
scoring value of a maximum single hit. This means that each miss and each 
no-shoot hit will result in 10 points being deducted from the points earned from 
hitting the proper targets. By the way, cardboard targets may also be painted 
with a solid color covering part of the target. This colored area simulates 
"hard cover" which is considered to be impenetrable. A hit in this portion of 
the target is considered to be a miss and is penalized 10 points. In the 
instance where a steel target is worth 10 points, a miss will result in a 20 
point penalty. Obviously, it pays to get one's hits on the correct targets. 
Additional procedural penalties will be assessed for other infractions committed 
while shooting the course the fire. Each procedural penalty carries a deduction 
of 10 points. Examples of these procedural penalties include: failing to engage, 
or shoot at, a target; failing to follow the written course description; 
faulting a shooting position while engaging targets; shooting extra shots at a 
target when the number of shots allowed is specified; extra hits on a target 
when the number of hits allowed on the target is specified; per shot fired for 
failing to perform a mandatory reload; using an "incapacitated" hand when the 
course description stipulates using only the strong or weak hand. When the 
course of fire requires the shooter to complete shooting the targets in a 
specified amount of time, each shot fired after time runs out will incur a 5 
point penalty.

Besides points scored by hits on the targets, the other major element in scoring 
a USPSA match is the amount of time required to complete the course of fire. All 
courses of fire are timed. Two scoring types, Comstock Count and Virginia Count 
are scored by the amount of time it takes the competitor to complete the course. 
Fixed Time courses specify the amount of time the competitor is able to engage 
the targets. Except for Fixed Time courses, a competitor's score on a course of 
fire is calculated by adding the points earned by hitting the targets, then 
subtracting penalty points for misses and no-shoot hits and any procedural 
penalties. The resulting point total is then divided by the length of time it 
took the competitor to complete the course of fire. This calculated result is 
called the competitor's hit factor. In Fixed Time courses, since each competitor 
has the same amount of time to complete the course of fire, only the actual 
points scored on the targets are counted. To recap, for Comstock Count and 
Virginia Count courses of fire, a competitor's hit factor equals total points 
divided by time.

Three types of courses were mentioned in the preceding paragraph: 

Comstock Count 
Virginia Count 
Fixed Time 

Each of those types of courses has differing methods for computing a shooter's 
score. 

Comstock Count courses of fire have no restrictions on the maximum number of 
shots that may be fired, no restrictions on the maximum number of times each 
target must be hit and no restriction on the amount of time required to complete 
the course. Each competitor may shoot at the targets until the competitor is 
satisfied with the hits on the target. Each target will require at least one hit 
on the target (usually two) and if there are more hits on the target than 
required, then the highest scoring hit/s are recorded on the score sheet. 
Penalties for misses, no-shoot hits and procedural penalties will be assessed. 
The shooter with the highest hit factor (points divided by time) wins that 
course of fire and receives all the possible stage points for that course of 
fire. Other shooters' stage points for that course of fire are based on the 
highest hit factor according to a percentage basis. For example, if the course 
of fire was worth 100 points (20 possible hits times 5 points for each "A" hit) 
and the highest hit factor was 10.000, and another shooter's hit factor was 
5.000, the shooter with the hit factor of 5.000 would receive 50.00 stage points 
for that course of fire (5.000 divided by 10.000 times 100 points).

Virginia Count courses of fire have restrictions on the number of shots that may 
be fired at the targets and on the number of hits allowed on the targets. The 
competitor can take as much time as is needed to obtain the proper number of 
shots fired and hits on the target. Shooting extra shots will cause a penalty of 
ten points for each extra shot fired. If those extra shots resulted in more than 
specified number of hits on a target, each extra hit on a target is penalized 
ten points. Penalties for misses, no-shoot hits and procedural errors will also 
be assessed. The shooter with the highest hit factor (points divided by time) 
wins that course of fire and receives all the possible stage points for that 
course of fire. Again, other shooters' stage points are based upon the highest 
hit factor, just like Comstock Count courses of fire.

Fixed Time courses of fire have restrictions on the amount of time the 
competitor has to complete the course of fire. There are also restrictions 
placed upon the number of shots fired and the number of hits allowed on each 
target. In most instances, not all competitors are expected to be able to 
complete the course of fire in the time allotted, so misses are not penalized. 
However, extra shots and extra hits are penalized as are no-shoot hits and 
procedural errors. Also, if a competitor fires after the amount of time to shoot 
the course has expired, each shot fired that is overtime earns a five point 
penalty. The exception to this occurs when the targets are turning targets, 
i.e., targets that turn away from the shooter and are no longer visible when the 
time expires. Since the shooter is not able to hit the target when the time runs 
out, no overtime penalty is assessed. Each competitor earns the actual number of 
stage points based on the hits on the targets, minus penalties, procedural 
errors and overtime shots.

How is the Match Winner determined? Each shooter's stage points are totaled to 
obtain match points and the shooter with the most match points wins the match. 
Order of finish for the rest of the competitors is simply in order of the number 
of match points earned, the more match points, the higher the finish. USPSA has 
provided each affiliated club with a copy of a computerized scoring program 
called EasyScore. Data from the score sheets is entered into the computer and 
the scoring program calculates stage points and determines the match winner and 
overall placement of the shooters.

Now that you have a basic understanding of the targets, scoring and how the 
winner of a match is determined, what are you waiting for? Get out to a range 
and enjoy competing in an exciting shooting sport with some of the nicest people 
you will ever meet.