Competition Guides and Resources
Live-Fire Practice and Targets
Print and Practice Targets
Print-and-practice targets are one of the most versatile training tools a shooter can use. They’re inexpensive, easy to make at home, and allow you to bring structured, purposeful practice into any environment—whether that’s your living room for dry-fire drills or the range for live fire. Using a variety of target designs lets you train specific skills:
Precision – tightening groups and refining sight picture.
Speed – getting your shots off quickly without sacrificing accuracy.
Transitions – moving smoothly and efficiently from one target to the next.
Focus drills – improving consistency under time pressure or simulated match stress.
Whether you’re preparing for your next match or simply improving your fundamentals, print-and-practice targets make it possible to track progress, identify weaknesses, and turn focused training into lasting results.
Dry-Fire Practice and Targets
Dry-Fire Training and Practice Targets
Dry-fire training is the hidden secret of top shooters. It’s free, it’s convenient, and it can transform your performance faster than almost anything else. With no ammo cost and no trip to the range, you can practice in your own home—refining grip, stance, sight alignment, trigger control, reloads, and draw technique.
The only thing you can’t practice is recoil control, but every other skill can be built to near perfection. And here’s the real payoff: just ten focused minutes a day—done correctly and consistently—can lead to dramatic improvements within a few short weeks. When you return to live fire, your movements will be sharper, your transitions faster, and your shots more precise.
Building Your Grip and Grip Strength
Building your Grip and Grip Strength
Build a grip that’s both reliable and repeatable. Strong hands and forearms give you the control to tame recoil and snap the sights back on target—faster, with less effort, and more confidence.
Your grip is the foundation of consistent accuracy. The goal is to develop a technique so natural you don’t have to think about it under pressure. Start with the fundamentals, refine each step, and let your subconscious memory do the work. This guide walks you through proven techniques, drills, and exercises to help you master your grip—and your game.
180 Rule and Safe Angles
180 Rule and Safe Angles
The 180 Rule is all about muzzle direction. In practical shooting sports, downrange refers to the safe 180 degrees where your gun can be pointed—toward the targets. Uprange is the opposite 180 degrees, away from the targets, and is considered unsafe.
Before stepping onto any stage, it’s critical to understand the 180-degree safety plane and how it moves with you as you progress through the course of fire. Mastering this awareness ensures you stay within safe boundaries while keeping your focus on shooting, not worrying about penalties or disqualification.
Steel Challenge - SCSA Stage Guides
Steel Challenge - SCSA Stage Guides
A complete guide to all official Steel Challenge stages—everything you need to understand, set up, and master each course of fire. Whether you’re building your own practice bays or studying for competition, these stage guides break down target layouts, distances, shooting boxes, and key tips for success.
Use them to recreate stages for live-fire or dry-fire training, refine your strategies for faster times, and build confidence before match day. From first-time shooters to seasoned competitors, this resource helps you walk onto the line knowing exactly how to approach and run each stage effectively.
Steel Challenge - Overview & Stage Strategy
Steel Challenge - Overview & Stage Strategy
Steel Challenge is one of the most accessible shooting sports—simple rules, standardized stages, and the instant feedback of ringing steel make it perfect for newcomers while still challenging seasoned competitors. Because there’s minimal movement, you can focus on the fundamentals—grip, sight picture, trigger control, and smooth target transitions—without worrying about complicated stage layouts.
This guide goes beyond the basics by breaking down the strategy for each of the official stages. You’ll learn target order, transition techniques, and tips for shaving time off every run.
Steel Challenge - Posters
Steel Challenge - Posters
Unlock instant clarity on stage layouts with our downloadable Steel Challenge Stage Posters. Each full‑size PDF diagram brings the flow of fire to life—perfect for posting at match venues or adding to your training wall. Visualizing target placement and shooter boxes lets newcomers and veterans alike plan smarter and train more confidently.
Shooting Sports - Books and Training
Additional Resources
Are you looking to take your competitive shooting skills to the next level? Whether you’re just starting out or are a seasoned competitor, having the right guidance makes all the difference.
This collection is a curated gateway to the best books and training tools in the world of practical shooting—everything from mindset and dry‑fire drills to fundamentals of motion and stage strategy. Dive in and discover which resource will help you train smarter, more efficiently, and perform at the highest levels.
Online Resources
Online Resources
The Online Resources page on Pistol Shooting Sports is a curated collection of essential links and tools for USPSA, Steel Challenge, and IPSC competitors. It includes quick access to official rulebooks, stage diagrams, match results, records, mobile apps, and social media channels for each organization, along with trusted firearm safety resources from Project ChildSafe, the NRA, and the NSSF. Shooters will also find printable dry-fire targets and companion training materials to help sharpen skills at home or on the range, making this page a one-stop hub for staying informed, practicing effectively, and competing with confidence.