Steel Challenge

The competition was founded in 1981 by Mike Dalton and Mike Fichman.{{Cite web|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-99130368.html|title=May 2003 issue of American Handgunner magazine|accessdate=June 28, 2020}} The Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championships have grown to one of the largest professional pistol competitions in America.January 2000 issue of American Hangunner http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BTT/is_144_24/ai_57886948 In 2007, more than 220 competitors from the United States and around the world competed for a portion of the $390,000 in cash and prizes - the largest purse in competitive pistol shooting.About Us http://steelchallenge.com/about/

Seventy shooters competed in the first Steel Challenge in 1981. John Shaw claimed the first ‘World’s Fastest Shooter’ title along with his share of the $20,000 in cash and prizes.

In the winter of 2007, Dalton and Fichman sold the Steel Challenge to the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA){{Cite web |url=http://www.steelchallenge.com/uspsa_acquires_scsa.html |title=USPSA press release |access-date=2008-02-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080708203031/http://www.steelchallenge.com/uspsa_acquires_scsa.html |archive-date=2008-07-08 |url-status=dead |df= }} which is the US sanctioning body of IPSC. Since 2007, USPSA has been organizing US National Steel Championship every year in US.

There are 8 stages with 5 steel targets on each. Shooters get five runs on each stage. Each competitor shoots each stage five times, with their slowest run dropped, excluding the stage Outer Limits where only four runs are shot and the top three counted. The counting times are totaled for their stage score, and the eight stage scores are added together to establish the competitor's match score.

For each run, one hit per target is required, with an unlimited number of rounds. The last target to be shot is known as the "stop plate", which stops the timer. Any primary targets that have not been hit after the stop plate has been struck, will be scored with a 3-second penalty each. The maximum time permitted for a run is 30 seconds and a competitor will be stopped and asked to reload if they reach the 30 second limit.

The Steel Challenge comprises eight courses of fire called 'stages.'Steel Challenge Stages https://uspsa.org/viewer/2019_SCSA_Rulebook.pdf They are:

1. Five To Go ([https://uspsa.org/viewer/2019_SCSA_Rulebook.pdf#page=30 diagram])
2. Showdown ([https://uspsa.org/viewer/2019_SCSA_Rulebook.pdf#page=31 diagram])
3. Smoke & Hope ([https://uspsa.org/viewer/2019_SCSA_Rulebook.pdf#page=32 diagram])
4. Outer Limits ([https://uspsa.org/viewer/2019_SCSA_Rulebook.pdf#page=34 diagram])
5. Accelerator ([https://uspsa.org/viewer/2019_SCSA_Rulebook.pdf#page=35 diagram])
6. Pendulum ([https://uspsa.org/viewer/2019_SCSA_Rulebook.pdf#page=33 diagram])
7. Speed Option ([https://uspsa.org/viewer/2019_SCSA_Rulebook.pdf#page=36 diagram])
8. Roundabout ([https://uspsa.org/viewer/2019_SCSA_Rulebook.pdf#page=37 diagram])

Steel Challenge GSM2013 Outer Limits.jpg|The stage "Outer Limits" set up on a shooting range in Germany.

All stages have competitors fire from square boxes. In the American Steel Challenge, the boxes have side lengths of {{convert|3|ft|cm|2|abbr=on}}, except the stage Outer Limits where the boxes' sides are {{convert|4|ft|m|2|abbr=on}}. The European Steel Challenge has used boxes of 1×1 meter on all stages.

Showdown has two boxes, and requires the competitor to make the first two runs from one of the boxes, and the two following runs from the other box. On the fifth and final run the competitor can choose which box to shoot from. There is no movement, so each run is to be shot from one box only. The competitor can choose whether to make the two first runs from the left or right box.

Outer Limits has the longest shots in the match, and is also the only stage with movement. Contrary to the other stages, Outer Limits only has four runs (instead of five), which with one throwaway run makes for three counting runs in the aggregate score. In the American Steel Challenge the shooting boxes on Outer Limits are larger than those on the other stages. The stage has three boxes, and the competitor starts on their weakhand side. For example, for a right handed shooter, the procedure is to start in the leftmost box from where they are to engage the leftmost {{convert|12|in|cm|2|abbr=on}} plate at {{convert|20|yd|m|2|abbr=on}} and the leftmost 18×24 in plate (45.7×60.9 cm) plate at {{convert|35|yd|m}}. Thereafter the shooter is to move to the center box and engage the two similar plates on their stronghand side, before engaging the stop plate.

Every stage consists of 5 steel targets, giving a total of 40 targets for a match with all eight official World Championship stages. A World Championship will therefore consist of minimum 195 rounds to complete, since all stages are shot five times except Outer Limits which is only shot four times. The targets must be made of hardened steel. It is recommended that the targets have a completely flat front surface and a pole attachment at the rear, but targets with holes for attachment are also permitted. All targets must be painted with white color before each new shooter, but the match organizer may choose to use another single color due to weather conditions (e.g. snow). Unofficial stages at club matches may be painted in another single color. It is recommended that the target stands of the stop plates are painted in a distinct color, for instance red.

The equipment divisions in Steel Challenge have varied past the years.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}} The 2017 Steel Challenge World Championship had the following divisions:{{Cite web|url=https://steelchallenge.com/2017%20WSSC%20Match%20Book%20FINAL.pdf|title=2017 WSSC Match Book FINAL.pdf|accessdate=June 28, 2020}}

;Handguns:

• Open (OPN)
• Limited (LTD)
• Production (PROD)
• Single Stack (SS)
• Iron Sight Revolver (ISR)
• Open Revolver (OSR)
• Carry Optics (CO)
• Rimfire Pistol Irons (RFPI)
• Rimfire Pistol Open (RFPO)

;Long guns:

• Rimfire Rifle Irons (RFRI)
• Rimfire Rifle Open (RFRO)
• Pistol Caliber Carbine Irons (PCCI)
• Pistol Caliber Carbine Open (PCCO)

• "Steel Master" is awarded to the competitor with the lowest aggregate time from three completed handgun divisions.{{Cite web|url=https://uspsa.org/viewer/2019_SCSA_Rulebook.pdf|title=PDF.js viewer|website=uspsa.org|accessdate=June 28, 2020}}
• One has to be Rimfire Pistol (Optics or Irons)
• The other two has to be Centerfire Pistol or Revolver, but only one of them can be optically sighted.
• "Rifle Master" is awarded to the competitor with the lowest aggregate time from two completed rifle divisions.
• One has to be Rimfire Rifle (Optics or Irons)
• The other has to be Pistol Caliber Carbine (Optics or Irons)

To be considered a world record, the run must come during the annual World Speed Shooting Championship.

Since at least 2003, the Shooting Gallery show on the nationally syndicated Outdoor Channel has covered each Steel Challenge championship. It has also been covered in other press, including notable articles in American Handgunner,[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BTT/is_144_24/ai_57886948 American Handgunner January 2000]{{Cite web|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-99130368.html|title=American Handgunner May 2003|accessdate=June 28, 2020}} GunWeek,{{Cite web|url=http://www.gunweek.com/2001/featsteel0710.html|title=GunWeek July 2001|accessdate=June 28, 2020}} and Outdoor Life.{{Cite web|url=http://www.outdoorlife.com/article.jsp?ID=21009470&typeID=688&categoryID=1243|title=Outdoor Life 2003|accessdate=June 28, 2020}}

• List of shooting sports organizations
• Bianchi Cup

• [http://steelchallenge.com Steel Challenge]
• [http://www.USPSA.org USPSA]

Category:Shooting competitions in the United States

Category:Handgun shooting sports

Category:Rifle shooting sports

Category:Shotgun shooting sports