The Civilian Marksmanship Program just released their 2023 rule books, which included an entire new shooting discipline. Action pistol matches are now part of the CMP’s repertoire. Let’s take a look at these new rules, as well as some changes to other types of matches.
Action Pistol Rules
CMP matches are traditionally based on bullseye-style shooting. Competitors shoot at bullseye targets at set ranges in a set amount of time. Sometimes the allowed time adds a bit of pressure, but it is not the tenth- or hundredth-second race to finish first seen in most action shooting. CMP action pistol is more of an amalgam of traditional bullseye shooting and USPSA/IPSC than a true action shooting sport.
Many features of these rules mimic those of other practical shooting disciplines. There are several pistol categories in the Action Pistol rules, including open, iron sights, production, and optical sights. All stages are fired from the holster. And, as in other action shooting competitions, ammunition must meet a power factor calculation.
Action Pistol Stage Design
One feature that struck me was the unique stage designs used in action pistol matches. Rather than unique stages at each match that competitors have to figure out, the CMP has opted for a menu of standardized courses of fire. These are not USPSA or 3-gun stages, with competitors running from target to target while moving around a target bay with a 270-degree berm. The CMP stages are designed for firing on standard shooting ranges at 50 yards and less, and do not require the competitor to move between shooting locations. Take, for example, the Practical Event stage:
I can already hear the “But USPSA/IPSC/IDPA is better because it’s more real!” comments, but hear me out first: this is not meant to be those competitions. However, CMP action pistol could be a very potent gateway drug to get shooters into those types of matches. The typical CMP shooter skews pretty young or pretty old. Both of those demographics could benefit from a shooting competition featuring target transitions and holster work without intense movement around a shooting bay. This simple style of stage can be run at most shooting ranges rather than the specialized facilities generally used for action-style shooting.
Additionally, each course of fire breaks down into separate strings, none of which contains more than six rounds fired. Why would they cap each string so low? For revolver shooters, and shooters in restrictive states. The CMP is a 50-state organization, and their courses of fire need to be possible across the country. Stages requiring more than ten rounds could be a problem in some places.
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