Action/Practical shooting is a form of shooting discipline organized to factor precision and quickness into the score while using a firearm of a prescribed minimum power. Accuracy and speed are typically factored either by dividing earned points (accuracy measure) by elapsed time (speed measure) or by scoring by the fastest time after adjusting with a speed penalty added to any non-center shots. Scoring systems vary between organizations and events but each assesses and awards accuracy and speed while enforcing some minimum power factor, sometimes applying power into the final score.

Events have series of courses called stages or scenarios that are shot individually by the shooters. Often, these stages require a series of gun handling (presentations, reloading, shooting around obstacles, etc.) and movement through the course. There are usually no pre-set arrangement of the targets and the courses are often designed so that the shooter must be inventive. Some courses are “surprise” stages requiring shooters to engage targets in numbers and locations unknown at the start.

Common examples of Action/Practical events include 3 Gun, USPSA, IDPA, Action Pistol (NRA), Steel Challenge, Sensible Shooter, and others.

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