The IDPA (International Defensive Pistol Association), which has been overseeing the shooting sport of taking on real-life self-defense scenarios on a competitive platform since 1996, has decided it’s time they came out with an official steel target. Fans of IDPA and the concept behind it, whether competitors or spectators, should be happy to see these targets hit the shelves, but they aren’t the only ones. After all, although the target was designed with honing competitor’s skills in mind, reality is all serious shooters can use dedicated training and the tools needed to get it.

The new target is the result of the IDPA collaborating with Action Target. It’s tough, having been made with AR550 armor steel, and reliable, thanks to the new patented hinges used on its reactive plates. And of course it was made with safety in mind with smooth surfaces so there aren’t any protruding edges or bolts to increase the risk of ricochet. Perhaps best of all is the fact that while it’s rated for standard handgun rounds it can also be used with rifles at a distance of 100 yards.

This new steel target is called the PT IDPA Practice Torso, and it’s available right now on Action Target’s website at the starting MSRP of $339.00.

From Action Target:

“‘We were really excited to work with Action Target on this project because of their ability to take our requirements and come up with an innovative solution,’ IDPA Executive Director Joyce Wilson said. ‘Specifically, we wanted a steel target that encourages shooters to focus on accuracy. To do this, we diminished the sizes of the down zero zones by two inches to encourage tighter groupings in training which can lead to better scores in competition.’

While the PT IDPA Practice Torso is designed specifically for competitive handgun training, it is built with 3/8-inch AR550 armor steel which can withstand any standard handgun round and is also rated for rifle use at 100 yards. It is also designed with the safety of the shooter in mind with no exposed bolts, clamps or brackets for a completely flat shooting surface that produces predictable splatter patterns and reduces the risk of ricochet coming back at the shooter.

 ‘A lot of work went into the design of this target,’ Chris Hess, Action Target’s product marketing manager over steel targets, said. ‘Not only did we ensure that the torso dimensions of the target perfectly match IDPA regulation, we also created a new patent pending hinge design for the reactive plates that minimizes the number of parts needed and provides consistent reaction on every shot. This new design will soon be used on all of our reactive steel targets.’

The PT IDPA Practice Torso made its first debut at the 2014 IDPA National Championship held in Tulsa, Okla., where the prototypes were tested by competitors and IDPA executives. Two-time national IDPA champion and member of the Smith & Wesson shooting team Tom Yost was especially influential in the creation of the target and suggested improvements that led to the final patent pending design.

 ‘As a competitive shooter, this is exactly the kind of target I want to train with,” Yost said. “Practicing on steel helps build muscle memory for accurate shots better than anything else because it provides instant feedback that you can hear and see. Those habits built shooting on steel transfer perfectly to the official cardboard target.’

The PT IDPA Practice Torso comes with the buyer’s choice of a 1-foot, 2-foot, 3-foot or 4-foot stand and will begin shipping March 13.

Product Specifications:

– As Low As: $339
– Height: 5′ (with recommended 3′ stand)
– Weight: 59 lbs.
– Torso Dimensions: 12″ x 25.75″ (adjusted for target angle)
– Reactive -0 Square Dimensions: 3″ x 3″
– Reactive -0 Circle Dimensions: 6″
– Steel Grade: 3/8″ AR550
– Handgun Shooting Distance: 10 yards+
– Rifle Shooting Distance: 100 yards+ using ammunition below 3,000 fps”

Take a look on Action Target’s online store: www.letargets.com

You can learn more about IDPA on their website: http://www.idpa.com/