If you’re one of those who believe the Smith & Wesson Model 19 was the last great handgun ever built then the International Confederation of Revolver Enthusiasts known as ICORE, might just be your game.

Started in 1991 by Mike and Sharon Higashi as an alternative to the “arms race” in going on in USPSA during that time. At least that’s what the ICORE website says; but I venture to guess that most shooters dedicated to ICORE do so to celebrate the Revolver, hence the “Enthusiasts” part of the name.

While ICORE truly is a Action Shooting Sport with movement, props, and dynamic targets, ICORE demands and rewards accuracy. Using the NRA D-1 targets ICORE scoring either adds or subtracts time to the raw clock time achieved by the shooter. An A zone hit adds 0 seconds, B zone hits add 1 second, and the C zone adds 2 seconds. A Miss adds 5 seconds punishing the shooter for errant marksmanship. Lowest total time wins.

ICORE recognizes 5 Classifications starting with D,C,B,A and Master. Classification is determined by shooting “Classifiers” which are standardized Courses of Fire. Each shooters Classifier score is compared to the best score kept on record to determine the shooters class.

ICORE has only 2 Divisions, Open and Limited, the most prevalent difference being the use of either an Optic and/or a Compensator either of which puts the shooter in the Open Division. The minimum bullet is .32 Magnum caliber, and must make a minimum 120 power factor. The power factor is computed by the weight of the bullet in grains multiplied by the velocity of the round divided by 1000.

ICORE also uses Steel targets both reactive and static. A simple hit on a static steel target is all that is required, however a reactive target must fall to score. A hit that fails to knock down a reactive target will score as a miss. The shooter may engage reactive targets as many times as needed to knock them down.

ICORE has 8 Regions, 7 regions in the United States and the Australian region. Individual affiliated clubs are members of each region. Regional Championship matches are open to anyone but you must be an ICORE member to visit the prize table. ICORE also holds a Postal match. A Postal match is a match made up of pre-determined stages that each club can set up any time during the effective match dates. Each club sends in the results from their match to become part of the entire Postal match.

ICORE celebrates the “Wheel Gun” and the “Wheel Gunner“. None is more famous or accomplished as Jerry Miculek. Jerry has won every International Revolver Championship he has competed in, a record 17 times.

What ICORE competitors can do with their “side loaders” is incredible. Get that wheel gun out of the safe, find an ICORE match near you and go shoot.

You can learn more about ICORE by visiting their website.

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