Safety Rules

USPSA Rules 

https://uspsa.org/viewer/2025-USPSA-Competition-Rules.pdf 

RANGE COMMANDS

The approved range commands and their sequence are as follows:

" Make Ready "
" Are You Ready? "

" Standby "
"Start Signal "
" Stop "

" If You Are Finished, Unload And Show Clear "
" If Clear, Hammer Down, Holster "
" Range Is Clear "

LOADING, RELOADING OR UNLOADING DURING A COURSE OF FIRE

When loading, reloading or unloading during a course of fire, the Shooter's fingers must be visibly outside the trigger guard, and the firearm must be pointed safely down range or in another safe direction authorized by a Range Officer.

MOVEMENT

Except when the Shooter is actually aiming or shooting at targets, all movement must be accomplished with the fingers visibly outside the trigger guard and the safety should be engaged. The firearm must be pointed in a safe direction.
"Movement" is defined as any of the actions below:
- Taking more than one step in any direction.
- Changing shooting position (e.g. from standing to kneeling, from seated to standing etc.).
Shooters confined to wheelchairs or similar devices may be given special dispensation by the Range Officer in respect to mobility assistance at the Range Officer's discretion.

SIGHT PICTURES AND RANGE INSPECTION

Shooters are always prohibited from taking a sight picture with a loaded firearm prior to the start signal.
No one is permitted to enter or move through a course of fire without the prior approval of the Range Officer.

MATCH DISQUALIFICATION

A Shooter who commits a safety infraction or any other prohibited activity during a match will be disqualified from that match, and will be prohibited from attempting any remaining courses of fire in that match regardless of the schedule or physical layout of the match.

MATCH DISQUALIFICATION - ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE

A Shooter who causes an accidental discharge must be stopped by a Range Officer as soon as possible. An accidental discharge is defined as follows:
- A shot, which travels over a backstop, a berm or in any other direction, specified in the stage briefing by the match organizers as being unsafe. Note that a Shooter who legitimately fires a shot at a target, which then travels in an unsafe direction, will not be disqualified.
- A shot which strikes the ground within 3 meters of the Shooter, except when shooting at a paper target closer than 3 meters to the Shooter. A bullet which strikes the ground within 3 meters of the Shooter due to a "squib" load is exempt from this rule.
* Exception - a detonation, which occurs while unloading a firearm, is not considered a shot or discharge subject to a match disqualification.
- A shot which occurs during remedial action in the case of a malfunction.
- A shot which occurs while transferring a handgun between hands.
- A shot which occurs during movement, except while actually shooting at targets.
* Exception: When it can be established that the cause of the discharge is due to a broken or defective part of the firearm, the Shooter has not committed any safety infraction in this Section, and a match disqualification will not be invoked. The firearm must be immediately presented for inspection to the Range Officer or his delegate, who will inspect the firearm and carry out any tests necessary to establish that a broken or defective part caused the discharge.

MATCH DISQUALIFICATION - UNSAFE GUN HANDLING

Examples of unsafe gun handling include, but are not limited to:
- Handling a firearm at any time except when in a designated safety area or when under the supervision of, and in response to a direct command issued by, a Range Officer. The expression "handling a firearm" includes holstering or un-holstering a firearm, whether or not the firearm is visible (e.g. while concealed by a protective cover, etc.) together with adding or removing a firearm to/from the Shooter's person whether or not the firearm is wholly or partially holstered.
- Allowing the muzzle of a firearm to point up-range, or past the default, or specific safe angles of fire during a course of fire.
- Allowing the muzzle of a handgun to point at any part of the Shooter's body during a course of fire (i.e. sweeping). A match disqualification is not applicable if sweeping occurs while drawing or re-holstering a gun, provided the Shooter's fingers are clearly outside the trigger guard.
- Allowing the muzzle of a loaded handgun to point up-range beyond a radius of 1 meter from a Shooter's feet during drawing or re-holstering.
- Wearing or using more than one handgun at any point in time during a course of fire.
- Failure to keep the finger outside the trigger guard while clearing a malfunction where the Shooter clearly moves the firearm away from aiming at targets.
- Failure to keep the finger outside the trigger guard during loading, reloading, or unloading except where specifically permitted.
- Failure to keep the finger outside the trigger guard during movement.
Having a loaded and holstered handgun, in any of the following conditions:
- A single action self-loading pistol with the chamber loaded and the safety not applied.
- A double action or selective action pistol with the hammer cocked and the safety not applied.
- A revolver with the hammer cocked.

Retrieving a dropped firearm. Dropped firearms must always be retrieved by a Range Officer or, at the direction and under the direct supervision of the Range Officer who will ensure, after checking and/or clearing the firearm, it is placed directly into the Shooter's gun case, gun bag or holster. Dropping an unloaded firearm or causing it to fall outside of a course of fire is not an infraction; however, a Shooter who retrieves a dropped firearm is in violation of the safety rules.

MATCH DISQUALIFICATION - UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT

Shooters will be disqualified from a match for conduct which a Range Officer deems to be unsportsmanlike. Examples of unsportsmanlike conduct include, but are not limited to, cheating, dishonesty, failing to comply with the reasonable directions of a Match Official, or any behavior likely to bring the sport into disrepute.