Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
ICORE – Frequently Asked Questions
How do I join ICORE Australia for the first time?
Please go to the ‘MEMBERSHIP’ tab from there you will be taken to the membership page. New applicants can select which type of membership would be applicable to them. All existing members/clubs will be invoiced prior to 1st March each year for renewal automatically by the treasurer. If you have previously been a member of ICORE Australia, you are not eligible for a ‘NEW MEMBERSHIP’ as your personal details and registration number are already held by the association.
How do I renew my membership?
At the end of each calendar year prior to March 1st the Treasurer will forward a renewal of membership invoice. To continue their financial status with ICORE Australia the member is required to pay the invoiced amount. In the event the renewing invoice is not paid by the due date the member will forfeit their financial status.
What type of revolver can I use?
There are four different divisions you can shoot in ICORE competition, Open, Limited, Limited 6 and Classic. If you shoot Service Pistol or Service 25 currently with a revolver, you can use that same revolver to shoot ICORE competition. You can use a metallic sight firearm in Open if you wish but you will be disadvantaged when competing.
Divisions such as Limited and Limited 6 are more affordable when starting out, used 38 special 6 shot revolvers are relatively inexpensive.
Open Division – These are 8 shot revolvers with “red dot” or telescopic type of optics and compensators. It can have a custom barrel and can have under barrel options to hold weights to suppress recoil. These revolvers will use moon clips. The Open Division is almost exclusively 8 shot chambered in any 38 caliber. The most common calibers are 38 super, 9mm and 38 special.
Limited Division – These are 6, 7 or 8 shot revolvers with metallic sights (fibre optic inserts are permitted). It can’t have any optics or compensating ports. You can use moon clips in limited division.
Limited 6 Division – Only 6 shot revolvers with the features of a Limited Division revolver can be used with moonclips.
Classic Division – Only 6 shot revolvers with speed loaders can be used.
How many moon clips or speed loaders do I need?
Some ICORE Australia stages can be quite big. Eight moon clips or speed loaders will get you through the biggest stage. There are moon clip holders that are designed to be attached to your belt and can hold enough moon clips to successfully complete any stage.
What is the procedure for holstering my revolver at a shoot?
All club ranges will have a designated safe areas, no live ammunition is allowed. In a safe area you may take your cased or bagged revolver and uncase or unbag it, check it is clear and holster it. Once outside the safe area you can position moon clips or speed loaders onto your belt.
What is a “Stage”?
A stage is a demarcated shooting area that may consist of a combination of paper targets, steel plates, “popper” plates that need to be knocked over, a spinning “Texas Star”, fixed steel plates on a tall stick, moving targets moving across the range and much, much more! You may need to transition from one shooting position to the next, reloading as you go! You may need to shoot left handed around a barricade or through a round port hole. Whatever the stage scenario is, you are trying to complete it in the quickest time possible whilst maintaining safety.
What Calibres can I shoot?
9mm, 38 Super and 38 Special are common calibres used in ICORE. Some people also use 38 Short Colt as the rounds are shorter for faster reloads. If you buy a 357 Magnum revolver it will also chamber and fire 38 Short Colt, 38 Long Colt and 38 Special safely.
Do I need a holster accreditation to shoot ICORE?
Yes, you must have completed a holster course to shoot in ICORE Australia sanctioned competitions. When starting out in the sport, your club may let you shoot from the 45 degree position or use a holster on the line strictly under the supervision of the Range Officer. If you are already holster qualified, we recognise IPSC & Pistol Australia holster proficiencies. We also have our own holster proficiency course available to our members. You cannot compete at any ICORE Australia sanctioned event unless you are holster proficient!
What do I do at the firing line/start position to shoot a stage?
When it’s your turn to shoot a stage, the RO will call you to the start line/position. Do not touch your gun, until instructed to by the Range Officer. The RO will then issue these commands:
“Make ready.” You can now draw your revolver, check your sight picture, check your red dot and load a moon clip or speed loader if permitted in the written stage brief. Return the revolver to the holster unless the stage requires you to place the gun in an alternate start position. When you believe you are ready to begin, you will assume the start position.
“Shooter, are you ready?” Once you are seen to be in the start position, the RO asks if the shooter is prepared to proceed. If you say nothing, the RO will assume you are ready to go. Otherwise, say NOT READY! The RO will allow a short period of time for you to assume the start position again.
“Stand by.” This is the verbal signal given by the RO to the shooter that the start signal will follow soon. You are now simply waiting for the “beep” of the timer, or possibly targets to turn to face you.
BEEP! – Shoot the stage
“If you are finished, unload and show clear.” If the shooter has finished the course of fire, they will then remove all ammunition from the revolver cylinder and hold the firearm in a position that allows the RO to confirm the revolver is unloaded.
“If clear, close cylinder, and holster.” After issuance of this command, the shooter is prohibited from firing. While pointing the revolver safely downrange, the shooter must perform a final safety check by closing the empty cylinder, then holstering.
“Range is clear.” This command given by the RO indicates the range is safe. No one will move forward on the range to perform range duties until this command is given. This command signifies the end of the “Course of fire”.
“STOP.” Any RO assigned to a stage may issue this command at any time during the course of fire. The competitor must immediately cease firing, stop moving, and wait for further instructions from the RO.
What is “Patching and Resetting”?
When you shoot a stage, you can be knocking over steel plates and hitting paper targets. At the end of the stage the RO will declare the RANGE IS CLEAR and scoring will commence. Once complete the paper targets need the existing bullet holes “patched” over with stickers and any steel plates put back into position.
If you are the next shooter you should move to the firing line after the last shooter has finished. If you are not next to shoot you should be patching and resetting. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES IS ANY COMPETITOR ALLOWED TO TOUCH THE TARGET PRIOR TO SCORING.
The best method of patching and resetting is to follow behind the RO, then you will know the targets have been scored.
What does “Shots Limited/Unlimited” mean?
Each stage can be shot under different stage rules. If a stage is ‘shots limited’ and a paper target is nominated to be shot twice, you can only shoot at it twice. If you shoot at a steel plate and miss, you cannot try to hit it again.
If a stage is ‘shots unlimited’ you can shoot at all targets as much as you want, but remember, the clock is ticking. Shots unlimited can be useful to “fix” bad shots. For example, if you shoot an A and a C ring on a paper target, you could shoot the target again, trying for a better shot. When scored, the two best hits are scored, so you could turn an A and C into two A’s. However if you must reload to “back up” a bad shot, the time lost probably will not make the task worthwhile. It can happen to the best of us and backing up your C with another C……. that’s where the fun kicks in with ICORE because when the range is clear, most of us have a laugh about the unnecessary back up.
What are “Penalties”?
You will achieve a time for the duration of your stage shoot. If you did not attract any penalties, that will be your overall raw time. If you do shoot certain things while shooting the stage, penalty time is added to your overall stage time. For example, missing a target, hitting a no shoot, starting to draw before the beep or having your foot outside the demarcated shooting area will each result in 5 seconds added to your time. The penalties are not safety related; they are there to provide you with extra challenges during your shoot. You need to read the ICORE Australia rule book for full details on scoring.
How do I get disqualified from an ICORE Australia event?
Good Question. Safety is the number one responsibility of ALL shooters. While penalties add time to your stage time, certain activities will have you disqualified from the match. The ICORE Australia rule book (go here for a copy) details what events will get you disqualified (DQ’d) at a match.
However, in summary, DON’T!
1. Handle or load your revolver unless directed by the Range Officer (RO).
2. Break the 180 degree safety line when on the firing line or physically moving though a stage. Ask your club
captain or RO to show you how the 180 rule works.
3. Any discharges deemed by the RO not to be consciously aimed and directed at a target.
4. Drugs, alcohol and bad behaviour will not be tolerated!
5. Dropping an unloaded revolver behind the firing line necessitates that an RO pick it up, confirm it is not loaded and in a safe manner return it to the shooter’s bag, holster or vehicle.
Any dropped revolver found to be loaded would cause the shooter to be disqualified. If, during the course of fire, a competitor loses control of their revolver or causes it to fall, they will be disqualified.
If an RO considers you to be unsafe, you will be removed from the shooting area.
Please download our rule book and have a good read, it is very easy to read and to understand. Any questions you would like to ask you can direct them to our Chief Range Officer here
Where do I find the match entry forms?
You can find these entry forms by selecting the ‘EVENTS’ tab, this will take you to the upcoming matches, click the title of the match you would like to participate in. You will be taken to the official match page where you can select any entry method available.