Air Pistol
With separate events for men and women, air pistol shooting joined the Olympic program
in 1988. Competitors use .177 caliber pistols to fire lead pellets at targets 10 meters
away. The 10-ring is .45 inches.
Guns: World-class air pistols are compressed air or gas-powered guns. Trigger
weight can be no lighter than 500 grams; the width of the grip and length of the barrel
are also limited.
Course of Fire: Men take 60 shots in one hour and 45 minutes, while women have
one hour and 15 minutes for 40 shots.
Perfect Match Score: For men, 600 is perfect and 585 is world-class. For women,
400 is perfect and 385 is world-class.
Finals: The top eight competitors advance to a 10-shot final round, with 75
seconds allotted for each shot. The final is scored in tenths of a point and added to the
match score to determine medalists. A perfect final score is 109.
Perfect Aggregate (Match + Final) Score: 709 for men, 509 for women.
Free Pistol
Free pistol, a precision men's event, has been part of the Olympics since 1896.
Competitors shoot .22 caliber pistols from 50 meters at bullseye targets with an
approximate two-inch center.
Guns: A free pistol is easily identified by its grip, which completely envelopes
and stabilizes the shooter's hand. Regulations require only that it fires .22 caliber
cartridges and has metallic sights. The gun's barrel is longer than that of other pistols,
providing greater accuracy at this longer shooting distance.
Course of Fire: Competitors fire 60 shots in two hours.
Perfect Match Score: 600 is a perfect score, and 565 is world-class.
Finals: The top eight competitors advance to a 10-shot final round, with 75
seconds allotted for each shot. The final is scored in tenths of a point and added to the
match score to determine winners. A perfect final score is 109.
Perfect Aggregate (Match + Final) Score: 709 points.
Rapid Fire Pistol
Rapid-fire pistol has been an Olympic event since the first modern Games in 1896. Shot
with a .22 caliber pistol from 25 meters, men have eight, six, or four seconds to fire one
shot at each of five adjacent targets. As an added difficulty, pistols must be held
downward at a 45-degree angle until a green light flashes on, signalling the start of the
series. The 10-ring on this target is four inches wide.
Guns: Rapid-fire pistols shoot .22 caliber short cartridges (ammunition) from a
five-shot magazine. Ported barrels reduce recoil, and the gun's grip completely envelopes
the shooter's hand for additional stability.
Course of Fire: Two five-shot series in eight seconds, two series in six seconds
and two series in four seconds comprise a half course, fired in one day. The following
day, the same course is repeated.
Perfect Match Score: 600 is a perfect score, with 590 being world-class.
Finals: After 60 shots, the top eight shooters fire a final consisting of two
five-shot series at four seconds. The final is scored in tenths of a point and added to
the match score to determine medal winners. A perfect final score is 109.
Perfect Aggregate (Match + Final) Score: 709 points.
Sport Pistol
Sport pistol has been a women's Olympic event since 1984. Athletes use .22 caliber
standard pistols to shoot precision and rapid-fire competition from a distance of 25
meters. The precision target has a two-inch 10-ring, while the rapid-fire target has a
four-inch center.
Guns: Sport pistols shoot .22 caliber ammunition from a five-shot magazine
without the advantage of ported barrels or wrap-around grips, as in rapid-fire.
Course of Fire: The 60-shot match is divided into 30 shots precision and 30
shots rapid-fire. The precision, or slow-fire stage, is fired in six series of five shots,
and competitors have six minutes per series. In the 30-shot rapid-fire stage, competitors
shoot strings of five shots. Three seconds are allotted for each shot, followed by seven
seconds of rest.
Perfect Match Score: 600 is a perfect score, with 585 being world-class.
Finals: The top eight competitors advance to a final, which consists of 10 shots
fired one a time in a time limit of 75 seconds. Targets are scored in 10ths after each
shot and added to the match score to determine medalists. A perfect final score is 109.
Perfect Aggregate (Match + Final) Score: 709 points.
Air Rifle
With separate events for men and women, air rifle shooting joined the Olympic program
in 1984. Competitors stand and shoot lead pellets from .177 caliber guns at targets 10
meters away. The bullseye, or 10-ring, is one-half millimeter wide.
Guns: Air rifles can be either air or gas-powered and weigh up to 12 pounds by
international regulation.
Course of Fire: Men take 60 shots in one hour and 45 minutes, while women have
one hour and 15 minutes for 40 shots.
Perfect Match Score: For men, 600 is perfect and 592 is world-class. For women,
400 is perfect and 394 is world-class.
Finals: The top eight competitors advance to a 10-shot final round, with 75
seconds allowed per shot. The final is calculated in tenths of a point and added to the
match score to determine winners. A perfect final score is 109.
Perfect Aggregate (Match + Final) Score: 709 for men, 509 for women.
Free Rifle Prone
This men's event has been on the Olympic program since 1908. Athletes lie on their
stomachs and shoot .22 caliber rifles at bullseye targets 50 meters downrange. The
target's center is 10.4 millimeters wide, smaller than a dime.
Guns: Athletes use free rifles, which have metallic sights and can be customized
with special accessories and/or alterations that fit the shooter's needs and comforts.
Course of Fire: 60 shots in one hour and 30 minutes.
Perfect Match Score: 600 is a perfect score, 597 is world-class.
Finals: The top eight shooters advance to a 10-shot final, with a 45-second time
limit per shot. The final is scored in tenths of a point and added to the match score to
determine winners. A perfect final score is 109.
Perfect Aggregate (Match + Final) Score: 709 points.
Three-Position Rifle
In three-position, athletes fire .22 caliber smallbore rifles from the prone, standing,
and kneeling positions at targets 50 meters downrange. The bullseye is 10.4 millimeters in
diameter, smaller than a dime. Though today there are separate events for men and women,
from 1952-80 three-position was an open Olympic event, meaning that men and women competed
head-to-head.
Guns: Men and women use similar types of smallbore rifles. Women fire sport
rifles, which weigh up to 14.3 pounds. Men shoot free rifles weighing up to 17.6 pounds.
Each can be customized with special accessories and/or alterations that fit the shooter's
needs and comforts. Both men's and women's guns have metallic sights.
Course of Fire: Men fire 40 rounds per position for a total of 120 shots. Time
limits for men are one hour for prone, one hour and 30 minutes for standing, and one hour
and 15 minutes for kneeling. Women shoot 20 rounds per position for a total of 60 shots.
They have a total of two and one-half hours for all three positions.
Perfect Match Score: For men, 1200 is perfect and 1165 is world-class. For
women, 600 is perfect and 580 is world-class.
Finals: For men and women, the top eight performers advance to a 10-shot final
round, fired entirely from the standing position with 75 seconds allotted per shot. The
final is calculated in tenths of a point and added to the match point total to determine
winners. A perfect final score is 109.
Perfect Aggregate Score: 1309 for men, 709 for women.
Running Target
There is just one Olympic running target event. Athletes stand and shoot .177 caliber
air rifles with telescopic sights(not exceeding four-power) at paper targets moving across
a track 10 meters away. The target has two bullseyes spaced roughly six inches apart; an
aiming dot placed between them aids the shooter in tracking. The 10-ring on each bullseye
is 5.5 millimeters wide, about the size of a pencil eraser. Only men fire this event at
world cups and the Olympics. Competition is open to men and women at U.S., continental,
and world championships. Running deer and running game target, 100- and 50-meter versions
of this sport, were part of the Olympics at different times between 1900-88. Today's
10-meter event replaced running game target on the Olympic program in 1992.
Guns: Shooters fire .177 caliber rifles that use air or gas to propel lead
pellets downrange. This is the only shooting event in which competitors are permitted to
use telescopic sights-4x magnification or less.
Course of Fire: The match consists of 60 shots divided into 30 slow runs and 30
fast runs. In slow run, athletes have five seconds to track, aim, and fire at the moving
target. In fast run, the target is exposed for 2.5 seconds. Shooters start with their
rifles at hip level and can only mount their guns once the target is exposed.
Perfect Match Score: 600 is perfect, 575 is world-class.
Finals: The top six competitors advance to a 10-shot fast-run final. Finals are
scored in tenths of a point and added to match scores to determine winners. A perfect
final score is 109.
Perfect Aggregate Score: 709 points.
Trap
In trap, competitors move through a series of five adjacent shooting stations. At each
station, competitors mount their 12-gauge shotguns, call for the target, and fire up to
two shots per target. The targets, four-inch clay disks, are thrown from an under- ground
bunker a minimum distance of 70 meters and at speeds of up to 65 miles per hour. Trap has
been a men's Olympic event since 1900, with the exception of two Games (1988, 92) during
which it was open to both men and women competing against each other. Women's trap was
added in the 2000 Olympic Games.
Guns: Trap is shot over longer distances than the other Olympic shotgun events.
Consequently, a trap gun's barrel is longer (30-32 inches), producing greater accuracy for
the distance. Trap guns also have a tighter "choke," meaning the barrel narrows
at the muzzle end to prevent shot pellets from scattering before they're within striking
distance of the target.
Course of Fire: Men shoot 125 targets, shot in five rounds of 25 over two days.
Three rounds are fired on day one; two rounds plus the final are shot on day two. Women
shoot 75 targets, shot in three rounds of 25 plus the finals in one day.
Perfect Match Score: For men, 125 is perfect, 121 is world-class. For women, 75
is perfect, 70 is world class.
Finals: After the 125-target match, the top six competitors advance to a
25-target final round. Medals are awarded based on aggregate (match plus final) scores.
Perfect Aggregate Score: 150 targets for men, 100 targets for women.
Skeet
In skeet, athletes move through a semi-circular range featuring eight shooting
stations. At each station, single and/or double clay targets are thrown at least 65 meters
from the high (10 feet) or low (three feet) house on either side of the range. The
four-inch clay disks travel at up to 55 miles per hour, and competitors may fire one shot
per target. Competitors hold their 12-gauge shotguns at hip level until the target
appears, which can be anywhere from 0-3 seconds after their call. Skeet has been a men's
Olympic event since 1968, with the exception of two Games (1988, 92) during which it was
open to both men and women. Women's skeet was added in the 2000 Olympic Games.
Guns: Skeet guns have open chokes, which spread shot pellets at a wider radius.
The barrels measure 26-28 inches in length.
Course of Fire: Men shoot 125 targets, shot in five rounds of 25 over two days.
Three rounds are fired on day one; two rounds plus the final are shot on day two. Women
shoot 75 targets, shot in three rounds of 25 plus the finals in one day.
Perfect Match Score: For men, 125 is perfect, 122 is world-class. For women, 75
is perfect, 71 is world class.
Finals: After the 125-target match, the top six competitors advance to a
25-target final round. Medals are awarded based on aggregate (match plus final) scores.
Perfect Aggregate Score: 150 targets for men, 100 targets for women.
Double Trap
The men's and women's double trap events were added to the Olympic program in 1996.
Competitors fire 12-gauge shotguns from each of five adjacent shooting stations. At each
station, four-inch clay targets are thrown two at a time from an underground bunker at
speeds up to 50 miles per hour. Competitors get one shot per target.
Guns: World-class double trap guns (e.g., Beretta 682, Perazzi).
Course of Fire: Men fire three rounds of 50 for a total of 150 targets. Women
shoot three rounds of 40 for a 120-target total.
Perfect Match Score: For men, 150 is perfect and 140 is world-class. For women,
120 is perfect and 108 is world-class.
Finals: In both events, the top six competitors advance to a final-50 targets
for men, 40 for women. Medals are awarded based on aggregate (match plus final) scores.
Perfect Aggregate Score: 200 for men, 160 for women.
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