Chapter 1 · Course Design · p.7
1.1General Principles
Safety – USPSA matches must be designed, constructed and conducted with due consideration to safety.
Quality – The value of an USPSA match is determined by the quality of the challenge presented in the course design. Courses of fire must be designed primarily to test a competitor’s USPSA shooting skills, not their physical abilities.
Balance – Accuracy, Power and Speed are equivalent elements of USPSA shooting, and are expressed in the Latin words “Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas” (“DVC”). A properly balanced will depend largely upon the nature of the challenges presented therein, however, courses must be designed, and USPSA matches must be conducted in such a way, as to evaluate these elements equally.
Diversity – USPSA shooting challenges are diverse. While it is not necessary to construct new courses for each match, no single must be repeated to allow its use to be considered a definitive measure of USPSA shooting skills.
– USPSA matches are freestyle. Competitors must be permitted to solve the challenge presented in a freestyle manner, and to shoot targets on an “as and when visible” basis. (In a Multigun the course description must define which targets are to be shot with which type of firearm and may specify the order in which the different firearms must be used.) Courses of fire must not require mandatory reloads nor dictate a , stance or location, except as stated below. However, conditions may be created, and barriers or other physical limitations may be constructed, to compel a competitor into shooting positions, locations or stances.
Because of the physical difficulty making courses that involve long range rifle targets totally course designs may restrict where to engage and reengage long range targets. This must be done by a) requiring contact with a prop, b) requiring shooting through a specific port or c) requiring shooting from a designated area or location. Course designs may not dictate how these locations must be used. A long-range target is defined as a target 50 yards and further.
Level I matches may use shooting boxes and specify where or when specific target arrays may be engaged.
Speed shoots and Standard Exercises may include mandatory reloads and may dictate a , location or stance.
Speed shoots and Standard Exercises may specify shooting the handgun using the or unsupported. The specified hand must be used exclusively from the point stipulated for the remainder of the string or stage. Shotgun, Rifle, and Pistol Carbine Speed shoots and Standard Exercises may specify the use of the strong or weak shoulder.
Difficulty – USPSA matches present varied degrees of difficulty. No shooting challenge or time limit may be appealed as being prohibitive. This does not apply to non-shooting challenges, which should reasonably allow for differences in a competitor’s height and physical build.
Scenarios and Stage Props – The use of scenarios and reasonable stage props is encouraged. Care must be exercised, however, to avoid unrealistic non- shooting requirements which detract from the shooting challenge and/or may expose competitors to potentially unsafe conditions.