Manual Division

In the Manual Division, pump-action shotguns with tubular magazines and open sights are used. The magazine capacity is not fixed and may vary depending on national legislation. In some cases, special ‘telescopic tubes’ are used, which adjust their length according to the number of cartridges loaded. This means that the shotgun remains compact and easy to handle even with a small number of rounds, while sufficient ammunition is available when needed. The starting load is limited to a maximum of nine rounds. After each shot, the weapon must be reloaded manually using the repeating mechanism.

Standard Division

The Standard Division is similar to the Manual Division, except that it uses semi-automatic shotguns with a tube magazine. The shooter does not have to operate the repeating mechanism manually, which makes it easier to use and speeds up the rate of fire.

Modified Division

Semi-automatic shotguns are also used in the Modified Division. However, more cartridges may be loaded here, and technical aids such as red dot sights and muzzle brakes are permitted. In the first three divisions (Manual, Standard and Modified), the cartridges must continue to be reloaded individually by hand. Shooters use special shot shell caddies for this, which sort the cartridges and attach them to the belt ready to hand.

Thanks to modern reloading techniques such as double load and quad load, experienced shooters can reload four cartridges in less than 1.5 seconds, which gives them a decisive competitive advantage.

Open Division

The Open Division allows almost all technical innovations and modifications. Semi-automatic shotguns with box magazines, red dot sights and muzzle brakes dominate here. Prototypes or tubular magazine weapons with so-called speed loaders are also permitted. These devices make it possible to load several cartridges into the magazine at lightning speed using spring pressure via the loading port. Due to the extremely fast reloading process, the Open Division is the fastest and most technologically demanding class.

Challenges and appeal of IPSC shotgun shooting

In addition to precision and safe gun handling, speed and reliability during reloading play a decisive role in determining placement, especially in the first three divisions. As usual in IPSC, the competition results are determined according to the hit factor principle and the major ranking.

One of the special attractions of IPSC shooting lies in the wide variety of ammunition types used. All three common types of shotgun ammunition are used:

• Birdshot: for steel targets and clay targets.
• Buckshot: for steel targets and IPSC paper targets.
• Slugs: for IPSC paper targets and occasionally for targets at distances of 40 metres or more.

The choice of ammunition is specified in the stage briefing and determines the type of targets that will be shot. Depending on the scenario, the stages require a variety of skills from the shooter, which must be called upon under time pressure with the shot timer. This combination of precision, tactics and speed makes IPSC shooting one of the most exciting and versatile disciplines in shooting sports.