How Does The Scoring System Work?

MPSA scores our matches in accordance with the USPSA rulebook for handguns. You can download this rulebook HERE. To make things easier you can read the information below to learn more about the scoring system. Remember - if this is your first match or so don't concentrate on how you placed on the scoring report. The main goal is to have fun and learn valuable shooting skills; after all, Rome wasn't built in a day. As your skills improve so will your scores. If your scores improve against yourself each time you visit then you have won.

Stages and Points
The match is shot in stages. Our club matches normally consist of 5 stages. Each stage is worth a certain amount of points depending on the number of paper targets and metal targets. A paper target requires 2 hits and a metal target must fall when shot to get the points for it. Metal targets are worth 5 points and paper targets are worth various points as illustrated below.

Paper targets are scored based on Major and Minor power factors. In most cases, 9mm is scored minor whereas .38, .40 and .45 calibers are scored major. Your power factor is determined by shooting through a chronograph and then calculating the equation below.

Power Factor = bullet weight (grains) x average velocity (feet per second) / 1000

The minimum power factor for minor is 125 and the minimum power factor for major is 165. You will not need to chrono at the MPSA club matches but major matches require that each competitor chrono their ammo. Most factory ammo will meet the minimums for each power factor.

Stages Scoring Example
In this example there are 3 paper targets requiring 4 shots on each for a total of 12 shots. The total points for this stage would be 60. Your score will be your total points earned minus penalties divided by the time.

Score - Penalties / Time = Hit Factor

The person with the highest Hit Factor on the stage would get 100% of the points for a total of 60. All other will get a percentage of the total points for the stage based on their hit factor. This percentage is determined by dividing the shooters hit factor by the first place shooters hit factor. In the example below the third place shooter's hit factor was 88.83% of the first place shooter so he earned 88.83% of the 60 stage points giving him a total of 53.2988 points.

Penalties
Mikes and No-Shoots: Missing a target is referred to as a Mike (miss) and is a penalty of -10 points. Hitting a white "No-Shoot" target is worth the same -10 penalty. Mikes and No-Shoots are the most common scoring penalties and some of the easiest to avoid. Shoot as fast as your sights allow you to shoot and be sure of every shot you break. Being a little slower with good hits and no Mike or No-Shoot penalties is a great way to do very well at a match.

Procedurals: These happen when you make a procedural mistake such as failing to engage a target, failing to follow the course description (missing a mandatory reload for example), or engaging a target while having stepped over a fault line. Many times these are the mental mistakes that can hurt you when you aren't paying close enough attention. This is a thinking sport as well as a physical one so keep your head in the game or you may receive one of these -10 point penalties.

Final Scoring For The Match
Once all stages have been shot, the shooter's points for each stage are added together. The shooters are then ranked from the highest number of points to the lowest.