Explain the IPSC/USPSA Scoring System

[jhe888]

Is there a link or place to explain the scoring system? I have read the rules, but I don't have much feel for how it actually works. Can anyone point out a place that might help give me a better idea of how it works. Thanks.

[wide45]

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=58230

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=54312

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=47368

I can keep going....

[mda]

Basically, take the points scored on a stage minus any miss and penalty points and divide by the time it took to shoot the stage. This will give you a Hit Factor (HF). HF is just Points per second. For example, if you have a hit factor of 5 you are essentially shooting an “A” every second.

The shooter that has the highest HF wins all the available points for that stage. All other shooters will earn a percentage of the stage points based on their HF compared to the highest HF on the stage.

Example:

Stage is worth 100 points.

Shooter A scored 80 point on the stage and shot it in 10 seconds. 80 points / 10 sec =8.00 HF

Shooter B scored 90 point on the stage and shot it in 20 seconds. 90 points / 20 sec = 4.50 HF

Shooter C scored 95 points on the stage and shot it in 12.5 seconds. 95 points / 12.5 sec = 7.6 HF

So shooter A shot the highest HF on the stage so wins all 100 stage point.

Shooter B's HF was 56.25% of the highest HF. 4.5 / 8 x 100% = 56.25%

He will earn 56.25% of the available stage points 100 x 56.25% = 56.25 points

Shooter C's HF was 95% of highest HF. 7.6 / 8 x 100 = 95%

He will earn 95% of the available stage points 100 x 95% = 95 points

Add each shooter stage points together at the end of match and the person with the highest point wins.

MDA

[AikiDale]

Is there a link or place to explain the scoring system? I have read the rules, but I don't have much feel for how it actually works. Can anyone point out a place that might help give me a better idea of how it works. Thanks.

Each shot is worth points, usually from -10 to +5, depending upon the target you hit, or miss. At the end of each stage you shoot the holes are counted and appropriate scores attached. These are added up. If you have earned any penalty points they are subtracted. The total of your net points are then divided by your time to shoot the stage. Points divided by time gives you a hit factor. For example in a stage with six targets, each requiring two shots, each A hit is worth 5 points for a total possible score of 60 points. If you shot that stage in 10 seconds and got all A hits your hit factor would be 6. If the fastest shooter in the match shot the same stage in 5 seconds his hit factor would be 12. Since he is the fastest shooter and has the highest hit factor he gets all the stage points. In this case 60. Since you shot our example stage with a hit factor half the winners, you get 50% of the stage points, or 30. The shooter with the highest hit factor wins the stage. The shooter with the most stage points wins the match.

I am not a statistician. I do not play one on TV. They only let me into the stats shack to take pictures and I did not stay at the Holiday Inn Express last night. That said, I think that is how it works but don't bet on it.

ETA MDA types faster and neater than I.

Edited June 22, 2008 by AikiDale

[jhe888]

Thanks, all of those reponses were very helpful. I'm getting there.

[shred]

My brief summary (the same info as above, but reworded) goes like so:

"Points per second" (aka "Hit Factor") is what IPSC is scored with.

The person with the best points per second on the stage wins the stage and gets all the stage points. Everybody else is ranked from there and given a fraction of the stage points based on how they did relative to the winner.

The match winner is the one with the most stage points at the end of the match.

[Matt Griffin]

It takes a while, it's easier to think of it as three separate scoring events.

Event 1: You get your hit factor. This is simply your points divided by your time.

Event 2: The stage is figured at the end of match. All hit factors IN YOUR EQUIPMENT DIVISION (Open, L10, Prod, etc.) are compared. The best (highest) hit factor wins that stage. That person, in that division, gets every point for the stage (the actual points they shot no longer matter) and everyone else gets a percentage of those points, based on their hit factor's percentage of the stage winner's hit factor. These points are match points.

Event 3: Your match points for each stage are tallied, most points wins the match.

Where most people get confused is that their points on the stage is used to figure hit factor, but don't actually count as "match points."

H.

[Civilguy]

Do you loose points for misses on steel?  Say you shot all the steel down but you took 15 shots and the next guy only took 10?   Yes it did probably take you more time at that along will count against you.  But if say you both took the same amount of time but the other just took fewer shots.

 

Thanks

Newbie here, one match down hopefully many more to come!

 

Bill N.

[BJB]

38 minutes ago, Civilguy said:

Do you loose points for misses on steel?  Say you shot all the steel down but you took 15 shots and the next guy only took 10?   Yes it did probably take you more time at that along will count against you.  But if say you both took the same amount of time but the other just took fewer shots.

In USPSA, no, you don't lose points for missing steel provided you eventually hit it.  Your penalty is the extra time it takes you to make it up as this will affect your hit factor.

In your example of two shooters having the same time but one using fewer shots to clear steel, they would both have the same hit factor for that stage. 

There is a method of scoring called "Virginia Count" where your number of shots IS regulated and you can not take extra shots but you won't find this used with steel. Most scoring is "Comstock" and you can shoot all you want,.....but the clock is running affecting your hit factor.

[davsco]

scoring is simply points per second (called hit factor).  a piece of steel is generally 5 points.  if you shoot (hit) it in one second, you have 5pts/second or a hit factor of 5.  the actual # of shots at it doesn't matter, it's how long you take to hit it and get those 5 points.

 

now if you miss it (and don't eventually hit it with make up shots), your time still counts against you, you won't get the 5 points, and you will have miss penalty points assessed.  and if you forget the target and don't shoot at it, you will also have failure to engage penalties.