Founded in 1976, the IPSC nowadays affiliates over 100 regions from Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania.

[1] Competitions are held with pistols, revolvers, rifles, and shotguns, and the competitors are divided into different divisions based on firearm and equipment features.

IPSC's activities include international regulation of the sport by approving firearms and equipment for various divisions, administering competition rules, and educating range officials (referees) through the International Range Officers Association who are responsible for conducting matches safely, fairly, and according to the rules.

In reaction to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the IPSC cancelled all scheduled and future level 3 and above international competitions in Russia.

IPSC was founded in May 1976 when practical shooting enthusiasts from around the world participated at a conference held in Columbia, Missouri, creating a constitution and establishing the rules governing the sport.

Today there are over 100 active IPSC regions,[1] making practical shooting a major international sport that emphasizes firearms safety highly.

The hit factor is calculated by summing the points (target scores minus penalties) and dividing by the time used.

The scoring method allows for a precise gradation of performances across the match, but requires a computer and software to do in a timely fashion.

The power factor is the momentum of the fired bullet as it's moving through the air, which contribute to the recoil of the firearm (together with the propellant gases stemming from the amount of gunpowder).

To achieve a varied, challenging and exciting sport there are no fixed target arrangements, distances or shooting programs, making every match unique.

Paper targets have the three scoring zones A, C, and D with points per hit varying slightly depending on power factor.

For all divisions except Open and Revolver the foremost portion of the handgun and all magazines must be placed behind the hip bone.

The Open division is the handgun equivalent to the Formula 1 race car where most modifications are permitted to achieve a faster and more accurate gun.

Shorter magazines, i.e. 140 mm, are also popular because of easier handling and often more reliable feeding, leaving the competitor a choice of equipment according to the stage at hand.

Standard division allows any handgun that fits inside the IPSC box, and most modifications are permitted (except optical sights or compensators).

This made way for the Production division starting in 2000, which has minor scoring only, allows fewer modifications and has a common magazine limit of 15 rounds.

Production is the only division with minor scoring only, which means that anyone can be competitive with affordable and readily available 9×19mm factory ammunition, without having to worry about handloading to provide significant savings.

Competitors may declare major with a 9mm (.355") bullet loaded to a power factor of 170,[9] but a maximum of 6 rounds can be fired before a reload is required.

Being an outdoor sport, the weather can have a profound effect on competitor scores due to wind or different lighting conditions, especially on long range targets.

Major scoring may be more competitive in the manual divisions since normally only one hit is required per target, lessening the importance of a small recoil impulse.

Low-power scope sights have been used in competitions since at least 1994, when Bengt Larsson used a Schmidt & Bender 1.1–4x20 mm to win the Norwegian Championship.

To avoid having to adjust magnification up and down when transitioning between several long and short-range targets during the same stage, some combine a scope with a 45-degree side-mounted red dot optic, but the effectiveness of this is debated, and there are both top competitors who use it and not.

There is only one power factor of 480 kgr·ft/s, and all targets are scored as major which means that anyone can be competitive with affordable and readily available 12 gauge 70 mm (2+3⁄4") ammunition.

Limited to iron sights, internal tube magazines, and no muzzle brakes, the shotgun model has to be factory produced of at least 500 units.

Firearms are kept unloaded until on the firing line under the direct supervision of a Range Officer, and can otherwise only be handled in designated safety areas.

The safety area contains a direction with a secure backstop where competitors can handle unloaded firearms for example for packing or unpacking, holstering, cleaning or repair, dry firing or training with empty magazines.

Since the number of targets dictates the available points for that stage, and therefore Long courses potentially can have a have great impact on the overall standings.

A Shoot-Off is an audience-friendly duel shooting organized as a knock-out tournament where the shooters compete 1-on-1 and the winners advance further towards finals.

This gave a tighter shot pattern and a greater risk of missing, but ultimately lead to his target falling faster to win the Shoot-Off.

In a match range officials from IROA and NROI can work alongside in the ranks: Design of stages can be done with various tools such as pen and paper or digital software.