HANDGUN SHOOTING DISCIPLINES

Bullseye
International Practical Shooting Confederation.
National Rifle Association (NRA) Pistol Competition
Cowboy Action Shooting
International Defensive Pistol Association
Process For Obtaining A Legal Handgun For Target Shooting

DISCIPLINE: STANDARD PISTOL (ISSF)

FIREARM CALIBRE: .22 Pistol

FIREARM SPECIFICATIONS:

• Barrel Length no more than 6”
• Trigger pull no less than 1,000 grams
• Total pistol width not to exceed 2”

RANGE: 25M (official) – 25yd, 20yd & 50ft targets available

NUMBER OF SHOTS: 60 rounds

COURSE OF FIRE:

• 4 strings of 5 rounds, each in 150 seconds
• 4 strings of 5 rounds, each in 20 seconds
• 4 strings of 5 rounds, each in 10 seconds

RANGE COMMANDS: Are You Ready? (command to fire is given after a 7 second pause)

OTHER COMMENTS:

• Discipline is shot with one hand from a standing position
• Arm cannot be raised until the command to fire is given

DISCIPLINE: CENTRE FIRE PISTOL

FIREARM CALIBRE: .32 cal or greater (.380 gauge used to score shots)

FIREARM SPECIFICATIONS:

• Barrel length no more than 6”
• Trigger weight no less than 1,360 grams (3 lbs)

TARGETS:

• Precision Stage – Standard Pistol Target
• Rapid Stage – Rapid Fire Target.
• Specifications as per ISSF rules.

RANGE: 25M (official) – 25yd, 20yd & 50ft targets available

NUMBER OF SHOTS: 60

COURSE OF FIRE:

• Precision Stage – 6 strings of 5 rounds each in 6 minutes
• Rapid Stage – 6 strings of 5 rounds, 3 seconds for each shot followed by a 7 second delay

RANGE COMMANDS: Are You Ready? (command to fire is given after a 7 second pause)

OTHER COMMENTS:

• Discipline is shot with one hand from a standing position
• Arm cannot be raised until the command to fire is given

DISCIPLINE: SPORT PISTOL

FIREARM CALIBRE: .22 cal

FIREARM SPECIFICATIONS:

• Barrel length no more than 6”
• Trigger weight no less than 1,360 grams (2 lbs)

TARGETS: Precision Stage – Standard Pistol Target Rapid Stage – Rapid Fire Target specifications as per ISSF rules.

RANGE: 25M (official) – 25yd, 20yd & 50ft targets available

NUMBER OF SHOTS: 60

COURSE OF FIRE:

• Precision Stage – 6 strings of 5 rounds each in 6 minutes
• Rapid Stage – 6 strings of 5 rounds, 3 seconds for each shot followed by a 7 second delay

RANGE COMMANDS: Are You Ready? (command to fire is given after a 7 second pause)

OTHER COMMENTS:

• Discipline is shot with one hand from a standing position
• Arm cannot be raised until the command to fire is given
• Course of fire is identical to Centre fire except for calibre

DISCIPLINE: RAPID FIRE PISTOL

FIREARM CALIBRE: .22 cal

FIREARM SPECIFICATIONS:

• Barrel length no more than 6”
• No limit to trigger weight

TARGETS: Rapid Fire Target. Specifications as per ISSF rules.

RANGE: 25M (official) – 25yd, 20yd & 50ft targets available

NUMBER OF SHOTS: 60 rounds

COURSE OF FIRE:

• Two sets of 30 shots, each set consisting of the following:
• On 5 targets, one shot per target, 2 strings of 5 shots in 8 seconds, 2 strings of 5 shots in 6 seconds, 2 strings of 5 shots in 4 seconds

RANGE COMMANDS: Are You Ready? 5-4-3-2-1 Start

OTHER COMMENTS:

• Discipline is shot with one hand from a standing position
• Arm cannot be raised until the command to fire is given

DISCIPLINE: FREE PISTOL

FIREARM CALIBRE: .22 cal

FIREARM SPECIFICATIONS:

• No limit on barrel length
• No limit to trigger weight
• Fired single shot only

TARGETS: Free Pistol Target

specifications as per ISSF rules.

RANGE: 50M (official) – 50 yd, 25yd, 20yd & 50ft targets available

NUMBER OF SHOTS: 60 rounds

COURSE OF FIRE: Shot on 6 targets with 10 scoring rounds per target. Time of 2 hours, usually divided into 30 minutes sessions.

RANGE COMMANDS: Are You Ready? (command to fire given after a 7 second pause)

OTHER COMMENTS:

• Discipline is shot with one hand from a standing position
• Arm cannot be raised until the command to fire is given

DISCIPLINE: AIR PISTOL

FIREARM CALIBRE: .177 cal

FIREARM SPECIFICATIONS:

• Pistol must fit specification box
• Minimum 500 gram trigger weight

TARGETS: Air Pistol Target. Specifications as per ISSF rules.

RANGE: 10 metre

NUMBER OF SHOTS: 60 shots (men), 40 shots (women)

COURSE OF FIRE:

• Two sets of 30 shots, each set consisting of the following:
• On 5 targets, one shot per target, 2 strings of 5 shots in 8 seconds, 2 strings of 5 shots in 6 seconds, 2 strings of 5 shots in 4 seconds

RANGE COMMANDS: Are You Ready? (command to fire given after a 7 second pause)

OTHER COMMENTS:

• Discipline is shot with one hand from a standing position
• Arm cannot be raised until the command to fire is given

National Rifle Association (NRA)

Single Action Shooting Society (SASS)

International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC)

International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA)

International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Association IHMSA

Process For Obtaining A Legal Handgun For Target Shooting

1. Obtain an application for a "Possession/Acquisition License" – available at the post office.
2. Successfully complete the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (or challenge the exams).
3. Forward the License application with proof of Safety Course completion, passport photo and appropriate fees to the Canadian Firearms Centre in Miramichi, NB.
4. Police background checks will be completed as well as reference and spousal checks. If anything shows up on these checks, even if you were a victim of a criminal act (theft, assault, etc.), the application will be rejected and forwarded to the Chief Firearms Office (CFO) for further investigation.
5. If approved, license will be produced and mailed to the applicant (currently 4 to 6 months).
6. Join an approved handgun club.
7. Complete a mandatory Club level handgun safety course and serve a probation period.
8. Fill out an application for an ‘Authorization to Transport (ATT)' – club executive will forward to the CFO along with their recommendation for processing.
9. Further police checks may be done along with a second computer record check.
10. If approved, ATT will be mailed to applicant.
11. At this point, you may purchase a handgun from a sporting goods store or an individual. The registration must be called in to Miramichi for approval. The information is forwarded to the CFO for final approval and issuance of an ATT for transport from the vendor to the purchaser.
12. Handgun cannot be moved from the dwelling until an ATT is received allowing for the transport to an approved firing range. The permit is valid for one to three years and must be renewed at the recommendation of the Club executive.
13. To transport the firearm to any location other than an approved range i.e. gunsmith, border point for competition in the US, etc., requires the owner to obtain another ATT from the Chief Firearms Office.

For a list of area clubs and more information on the sport of Handgun Target Shooting, contact the office of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association.