SAFETY
For over 40 years the UKPSA has held fast to its outstanding reputation for safety with firearms. Practical shooting is about the freedom to shoot as accurately and as fast as possible within the bounds of the *briefing. There is a huge array of skills and knowledge required in order that our sport remains a safe one and hence the reason the UKPSA takes safety very, very seriously. (*briefing – the written criteria stating the number of targets, the required shooter & firearm start position, the procedure required etc.)
The UKPSA is an affiliated region of the the International Practical Shooting Confederation, more often abbreviated to IPSC. There are over 100 regions of the world that are affiliated to the IPSC and each region is required to adhere to the same competition rules. In real terms, this means that you can travel the globe and be assured that if you are shooting alongside fellow IPSC shooters they acknowledge the same rules and more importantly the same, extremely high, safety standards.
The UKPSA has an ever evolving training department. Practical shooting does not stand still and so neither can the training structure. The introduction of new firearm types and methods of use are closely monitored to ensure that our safety courses are delivering the ultimate in safety instruction.
UKPSA Instructors deliver what are arguably the most comprehensive safety training courses available in the UK, if not the world. Our tried and tested methods of training have been proven to develop the most inexperienced shooter into a more than competent and capable, competitive, practical shooter, all achievable over the duration of one UKPSA safety course.
Safety Courses for Shooters
UKPSA safety courses are available to all. Although a requirement for the practical shooter, the safety courses are also regarded as a second to none safety course for anybody interested in the safe use of firearms and shotguns. Students are taught every safety technique required of them in addition to a curriculum that includes, stance, positional shooting, movement, IPSC rules and much more.
Safety is everything and should be taken very seriously by anybody who is representative of shooting sports in our country and so that includes the occasional plinker, the hunter, the precision shooter, the clay shooter and of course the practical shooter. Our sport needs an excellent safety record and so we make no excuses, the result of your safety course will depend on your ability to listen, learn and put into practice the safety techniques that you are taught.
Three potential outcomes of a UKPSA Safety Course.
Pass – On completion of the safety course the student has been assessed to have the skills, techniques and temperament to safely compete in an IPSC competition. A Competition Licence is issued if the student becomes a member of the UKPSA within six months otherwise a retest will be required.
Referral – The student has completed the safety course to a satisfactory standard, however, the Instructor feels that there are some specific areas that the student needs to improve on before a Pass can be awarded.
Fail – A safety infraction occurred and/or the student failed to demonstrate skills and techniques to the standard required.
Why do you need a Competition Licence?
IPSC competitions are graded based on particular criteria; you can read about this criteria
in the current IPSC rule books which are available to download from this site.
For any IPSC competition that is graded Level 2 or above you will require a full
Competition Licence for the firearm that you wish to compete with.
Do you want a head start with your safety lesson?
Treat all guns as if they are loaded.
Never point the muzzle at anything you are not prepared to shoot.
Never put your finger in the trigger guard until your sights are on the target that you are prepared to shoot.
Be sure of your target and what is behind it.
Safety courses are fun, exciting and hugely satisfying when you walk away having gained such a highly regarded skill set. If you choose to compete you will find guidance and advice coming at you from all angles; UKPSA practical shooters are a friendly bunch and the enthusiastic, safety conscious new shooter is always welcomed.