USPSA matches being called IPSC matches

[CHA-LEE]

I am relatively new to Practical Shooting as I started in 2008. When I first started I heard a lot of local shooters, ranges, and retail stores talk about "IPSC" matches. I would go searching for more information about "IPSC" matches but was left more confused than anything. The more I dug into it I finally found out that there really wasn't any "IPSC" matches but there were a ton of "USPSA" matches. This initial confusion about IPSC and USPSA was mainly caused by the local usage of pretty much everyone calling a USPSA match an IPSC match instead. So here I am 5 years later and I have noticed that the same thing continues to happen, at least locally that is and usually when I travel out of state attending big matches. I have tried to correct my fellow shooters when I hear them calling a USPSA match an IPSC match, but it usually falls on deaf ears or they don't understand why they should change their ways.

How can we expect new shooters to easily come into the practical shooting sports when there is this constant misinformation being propagated on a regular basis? In the United States, we shoot USPSA matches, not IPSC matches. Obviously REAL IPSC matches should be called such. But 99% of the time when a shooter talks to someone about their local practical shooting match saying "The IPSC Match bla bla bla" they are usually wrong in doing so.

Maybe I am just being too anal about this but this is one of my pet peeves that gets on my nerves every time I hear it happen.

Here is my request. If you are a regularly referring to USPSA matches as IPSC matches, PLEASE make a concerted effort to change your ways. Help our sport grow by calling it by its proper name.

[Flexmoney]

Those ipsee shoots needs special gear !!!

[lumpygravy]

Unfortunately, as a practical matter, it's much easier to say "Ip-Sick" than "Us-P-Sa". I mean this in all seriousness.

I agree with making distinctions for purposes of clarity and not just in the shooting sports. Though not really a personal peeve, I certainly see the point in maintaining (and explaining to newbs) the distinction between IPSC and USPSA.

[Jerome]

I always thought USPSA was part of IPSC so why not use "IPSC". As above, "it's much easier to say "Ip-Sick" than "Us-P-Sa"".

" In 1984 USPSA was incorporated as the US Region of IPSC. Membership in USPSA automatically includes membership in IPSC.".

http://www.uspsa.org/uspsa-about-history.php

[Maksim]

All USPSA matches are IPSC matches.

Not all IPSC matches are USPSA matches. =)

there.

[ctay]

As a matter of course you can find many uspsa matches in the US but virtually no ipsc matches. Beginners should at least be given the benefit of the proper name to find matches shouldn't they?

[CHA-LEE]

I guess I will have to continue to fight this up hill battle on my own.

[CHA-LEE]

As a matter of course you can find many uspsa matches in the US but virtually no ipsc matches. Beginners should at least be given the benefit of the proper name to find matches shouldn't they?

This is my exact point.....

[CHA-LEE]

I think that the stance of being able to say "IP-SICK" is easier to say than "U-S-P-S-A" is a bunch of crap. If you really want to educate a new or potential shooter on practical shooting sports you are still forced to state the acronyms of these organizations one letter at a time (I-P-S-C or U-S-P-S-A) for them to understand what you are talking about. Rambling off a strange slang word like "IP-SICK" to a new or potential shooter does nothing but cause confusion. Try doing a Google search for "IP SICK" and see what you come up with. What you find isn't about practical shooting.

Edited April 6, 2013 by CHA-LEE

[Maksim]

Charlie,

Around here, I must say the new guys that I have introduced to USPSA via my forum, all call it USPSA.... is the older generation, and those who don't shoot USPSA.... they tend to call it IPSC. =P

[pskys2]

Been doing this since 1978, the difference only came into effect when there was a huge shift in the International Rules and the US Region opted to produce their own rule book. It was once being seriously considered to leave the International Organization. But the dual Rules sufficed, note USPSA stayed with a more traditional version than IPSC did they gave in to political pressures and their own internal political issues.

It was felt that USPSA was a large enough region that we could be a group unto our own and that the differences would actually only affect a relatively small group who travel internationally and compete. And face it those that do don't need their hands held to explain the differences.

Now that the World Shoot is coming it does complicate the issues and more will be exposed to those issues and if they are not careful will screw with them at the World Shoot.

All that being said, any USPSA match is a sub set of IPSC and can rightly be called IPSC (even though there are significant differences). Any IPSC match is not a USPSA match and should not be called such. Many different matches can be called Practical, or the old PC incorrect term of Combat, but not all are IPSC.

The newcomer has more issues to focus on than the name of the match and to make a big issue of it will only serve to confuse them more. Give them a few dozen matches before you start educating them on the differences.

[partyboy424]

This confused the hell out of me last year when I started shooting! My club calender said "every wednesday IPSC practice" I too Googled IPSC and read IPSC rules and researched IPSC matches. No one called it USPSA until my club's first match was coming around. At that point I didn't know wtf USPSA was. I never tell anyone IPSC anymore as by the time they find an IPSC match to actually go to, I'm sure they'll have found out what it is since they most likely will have shot plenty of matches.

[redwoods]

I call it USPSA when talking to shooters who don't compete or those guys who shoot IDPA and don't like "IPSC".

I agree, it should be called USPSA. I have friends who say they are going to shoot skeet this afternoon....There are no skeet ranges in Eagle County, Colorado! What they mean is they are going to bring a thrower out to the field and shoot trap!

[old506]

I think USPSA is a bad name myself. It doesn't say anything about what the sport is, you have to explain it.

I ask them if they have watched Shooting USA? I think that it should just be called "Practical Shooting". I am a Practical Shooter.........Practical Shooting Nationals, etc.

[Graham Smith]

I have been slowly trying to change the way it's referred at my range, but the matches have been called IPSC for so long that it's hard to change. If I say USPSA, people think it's something different/new/other.

[old506]

Using USPSA/IPSC/IDPA is like saying, "let's go play some NFL", or, "I play MLB". It really doesn't make sense and isn't descriptive to those who don't know about it.

Lots of people play football but the NFL is the top. Lot's of people are involved in practical shooting but then there is USPSA at the top.

I think it starts with the T.V. shows myself.

[smiley1]

I guess for once it's nice to live in Canada where we do have IPSC matches and can avoid this confusion.

[Guest]

A rose is a rose.....

I know USPSA is technically correct, but I still have to remind myself to call it USPSA. When I hear folks call it "IPSICK" it isn't uncommon for them to have three digit numbers and I feel like giving them a hug.

Edited April 6, 2013 by Bamboo

[sperman]

A co-worker was going to start shooting our local matches a couple of years ago. The Section web site listed the matches as IPSC matches, so my friend looked up and read the IPSC rulebook. Fortunately we were talking about the match a few days beforehand and I straightened him out on the differences, otherwise I'm sure he would have put 15 rounds in his mags, even though he was shooting production. At my request, the web master updated the web site to replace all the IPSC references with USPSA references.

I'm with Cha-Lee. This is more than just semantics.

[juan]

this has perplexed me

I have been shooting this sport for many years.

i like to shoot at different clubs, so i look them up and i see ipsc match on such and such date.

first thought, cool somebodys shooting ipsc. i wonder if they also shoot uspsa and when.

[juan]

A co-worker was going to start shooting our local matches a couple of years ago. The Section web site listed the matches as IPSC matches, so my friend looked up and read the IPSC rulebook. Fortunately we were talking about the match a few days beforehand and I straightened him out on the differences, otherwise I'm sure he would have put 15 rounds in his mags, even though he was shooting production. At my request, the web master updated the web site to replace all the IPSC references with USPSA references.

I'm with Cha-Lee. This is more than just semantics.

I think your friend should have loaded to 15. and when they tried to bump him to open. he should say: it was advertised a ipsc match go read the rule book.

[GrumpyOne]

A co-worker was going to start shooting our local matches a couple of years ago. The Section web site listed the matches as IPSC matches, so my friend looked up and read the IPSC rulebook. Fortunately we were talking about the match a few days beforehand and I straightened him out on the differences, otherwise I'm sure he would have put 15 rounds in his mags, even though he was shooting production. At my request, the web master updated the web site to replace all the IPSC references with USPSA references.

I'm with Cha-Lee. This is more than just semantics.

Absolutely agree. Yes, USPSA is a subset of IPSC... But which match do you shoot every month? It's like the differences between a 2013 Pontiac Firebird and a 2013 Camaro...they look alot alike, but are not the same.

Don't believe me? Search Google images 2013 Pontiac Firebird.

[Steve RA]

If you have a 2013 Pontiac Firebird - I wouldn't worry about the cost of components anymore.

[Sarge]

Seems more people get what I mean if I just say "practical pistol".

[Steve RA]

In the long run, it's probably more important that people do it than what they choose to call it.