MatchChaser Blog

USPSA's 2026 Equipment Change Proposal: What's Actually on the Table

September 14, 2026 · MatchChaser

USPSA has a member-comment survey open right now — "2026 Equipment Change Proposal" — covering real rule text, not a vague trial balloon. It touches two separate rule books: Competition Rules (Production and Carry Optics) and the Rifle, Shotgun, Multigun rule set. Everything below is proposed, not adopted — nothing here is legal or illegal yet, and none of it changes what you can run at a match until USPSA's board actually votes it in.

Rifle, Shotgun, Multigun: the ones with teeth

Production: grip rules rewritten, not tightened

The allowed-modifications language moves entirely into rule 21.4 and the disallowed list stays in 22.2, and in the process a few things that were arguably already legal become explicit: aftermarket replacement backstraps and grip modifications that change profile or grip angle are proposed as specifically allowed, and revolver grips get explicit sign-off to add or remove material to change their profile. 22.2 shrinks down to one real restriction: grips can't be modified to create a thumb rest.

Carry Optics: the same cleanup, plus a magwell rule

CO gets the identical backstrap/grip-angle language as Production, and drops a line about disengaging a grip safety that was already covered elsewhere in the rulebook. Two other pieces worth knowing if you shoot CO: a grip plug that sits flush — no more than 0.10″ past the heel of the grip — would be allowed, and external magwells stay banned (OFM or aftermarket) while enlarging the internal magwell dimensions would be explicitly permitted.

How to actually weigh in

The survey is live on uspsa.org/surveys under "Member Feedback: 2026 Equipment Change Proposal." We couldn't find a published close date anywhere on USPSA's site as of writing — the page just says it's open — so the safe move is not to wait for one.

Related reading: USPSA divisions explained · USPSA Carry Optics: a complete guide

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