 An Open division competitor during a stage. | |
| Highest governing body | International Practical Shooting Confederation |
|---|---|
| First played | 1950s |
| Characteristics | |
| Contact | No |
| Team members | Yes |
| Mixed-sex | Yes |
| Type | Shooting sport |
| Equipment | Handgun, rifle and/or shotgun |
| Venue | Shooting range |
| Presence | |
| Country or region | Worldwide |
Practical shooting, also known as dynamic shooting or action shooting, is a set of shooting sports in which the competitors try to unite the three principles of precision, power, and speed, by using a firearm of a certain minimum power factor to score as many points as possible during the shortest time (or sometimes within a set maximum time). While scoring systems vary between organizations, each measures the time in which the course is completed, with penalties for inaccurate shooting. The courses are called "stages", and are shot individually by the shooters. Usually the shooter must move and shoot from several positions, fire under or over obstacles and in other unfamiliar positions. There are no standard exercises or set arrangement of the targets, and the courses are often designed so that the shooter must be inventive, and therefore the solutions of exercises sometimes vary between shooters.