Thursday, September 03, 2015

How many Divisions does USPSA need?

USPSA Adds New Division - Guns & Ammo:
September 03, 2015
The United States Practical Shooting Association has added a provisional Carry Optics division to its competition categories for the remainder of 2015. “Recently, the tides have started to turn, and it is USPSA who must keep up with the industry,” USPSA President Phil Strader said. “We have recognized the progression of lightweight carry pistols that are being outfitted with slide-mounted electronic optics.

For the difference between "Carry Optics" and "Open Division", see here.

This is a ten-round limited gun, short magazines, with restrictions on holsters (no race holsters and positioned like a carry gun).  Internal modifications allowed.

There are exotic (my word) restrictions on the gun, such as 'speed bump trigger'.

I don't have any history on the genesis of the provisional Division.  I'd be interested in the background story on why this division was (provisionally) approved by the Board of Directors.

Generally speaking, it sounds to me like Production but with a slide-mounted Dot-sight.

Well, USPSA has long been a proponent of trying to keep the competition focused on fairness, rather than an arms race.  It appears that there have been some concerns about people who want to shoot Production rules, but need the electronic dot-sight.  And that combination has become more popular in recent years due to the propensity of more 'modern' pistol designs.

Comments are especially solicited here.  Especially from anyone on the BOD or who has other information .. either background or technical.

I admit, I just found out about this 20 minutes ago, and I'm posting the information to make Practical Pistol competitors aware of recent changes .... and NOT because I know what the HELL I'm talking about!

Jerry the Geek


3 comments:

Mark said...

The traditional elite of our sport are now old enough to be seniors and have the vision problems we old guys have. Hence the fix.

Michael Bane said...

Jerry;

Just as important as the fact that many of us are "Old F%^7s," a lot of us feel that the red dot is the future of defensive pistols. This is a trend being driven by end users…the first red dot sighted carry pistol I saw was used by a for-real counter-terrorist guy…"same sight picture as the rifle," he told me. Made sense.

I've also seen some impressive results on increases in speed on standard tests, such as the baseline drills at the Rogers Shooting School.

The world grows increasingly weird; I now routinely carry more gun that I used to. I'm doing a lot of experimenting with red dots on various pistols. I plan to feature more on THE BEST DEFENSE as well.

Michael B

Anonymous said...

Due to aging vision I graduated to big dot front sights on my carry pistol. Now I think I am ready for a mini-red dot.