Shooting words · Beginner

The words you will hear in your first match, grouped the way you meet them.

B · Beginner · 34 words · Step 1 of 2

General terms

Range

The facility where shooting events take place. Rifle and pistol ranges are built for distances of 10 m, 25 m, 50 m and 300 m, and shotgun ranges are laid out for trap, double trap or skeet.

See also: Trap, Skeet, Double trap, Double, World Cup

Discipline

A group of events with common features. ISSF shooting has five disciplines: rifle, pistol, shotgun, running target and target sprint. Events such as 10 m air rifle or trap sit inside a discipline.

See also: Air rifle, Group, Running target, Trap, World Cup

Firing point

The position on the firing line assigned to an athlete for an event. In rifle and pistol events athletes are assigned to a relay and a firing point.

Course of fire

The description of the stages of an event: the number of shots in each series and stage, the type of firing, and the time limits.

Rifle and pistol

Rifle shooting

The rifle discipline: events fired at 10 m (air rifle), 50 m and 300 m, in the standing, kneeling and prone positions depending on the event.

Pistol shooting

The pistol discipline: events fired at 10 m (air pistol), 25 m and 50 m. The 25 m events combine precision and rapid-fire series.

See also: Discipline, Air rifle, Air pistol, Series

Prone position

Shooting lying down. It is the second position in a 3-position rifle event, and the only position in the prone events at 50 m and 300 m.

Standing position

Shooting standing up. It is the only position in 10 m air rifle and the last position in a 3-position event, where the final's eliminations take place.

Kneeling position

Shooting kneeling. It is the first of the three positions in a 3-position rifle event.

Ten ring

The highest full-ring value on a rifle or pistol target. Inside it is the inner ten. In decimal scoring each ring is divided into tenths, so a shot can score up to 10.9.

Also called: bullseye
See also: Inner ten, Decimal scoring

Air rifle

A rifle powered by compressed air or gas, shooting pellets. The 10 m air rifle event is fired standing, with a 60-shot qualification and a 24-shot final.

Also called: air pistol
See also: Qualification, Final, World Cup

Group

How closely a shooter's series of shots land together on the target, a key sign of consistency.

Three-position rifle

A rifle event fired in three positions in this order: kneeling, prone, then standing. At 50 m it is an Olympic event with 3 x 20 shots in qualification and a 45-shot final.

Also called: 3P, 3-position
See also: Qualification, Final, Olympic event

Air pistol

A pistol powered by compressed air or gas, fired in the 10 m event. It is an Olympic event with a 60-shot qualification and a 24-shot final.

See also: Qualification, Final, Olympic event

Shotgun

Clay target

The target used in shotgun events. It is a disc 110 mm across and 25 to 26 mm high, weighing about 105 g, in black, white, yellow or orange. It must be easy to break when hit.

Also called: clay pigeon
See also: Choke, Lead

Trap

A shotgun event in which targets are thrown away from the shooter from a pit of 15 traps in five groups of three. Shooters move along five stations in a line. In a round of 25 targets there are ten to the right, ten to the left and five straight ahead.

Also called: trap shooting
See also: Straight, Choke, Lead

Skeet

A shotgun event with two houses, high and low, on either side of the field. Their targets cross at a point in front of the shooter, who moves around eight stations. Doubles are shot at some stations.

Also called: skeet shooting
See also: Choke, Lead

Double trap

A shotgun event using the three centre traps of a trap pit, in which two targets are released together. It is in the ISSF programme but the rules list it as not an Olympic event.

See also: Trap, Olympic event, Choke, Lead

Pull

The call the shooter makes to release the target. A puller, or an automatic release device, releases it immediately after the call.

Straight

In trap, a target thrown straight ahead, as against to the left or the right. A trap round has five straight targets in 25, and a final sequence of five has one.

Miss

A shot that scores nothing. In rifle and pistol, a shot fired after STOP, or not fired in the time allowed, is scored as a miss. In shotgun a target the shooter fails to hit is called lost.

Also called: lost target
See also: Choke, Lead

Station

A marked position from which the shooter fires. A trap field has five stations in a line, and a skeet field has eight.

Scoring and formats

Qualification

The first stage of an Olympic event, shot over the full programme. In individual events the best eight in rifle and pistol, or the best six in trap and skeet, go through to the final.

Also called: qualification round
See also: Trap, Skeet, Final, Stage, Olympic event

Final

The last stage of an Olympic event. The finalists start again from zero, and rifle and pistol finals are scored in tenths of a point. Finalists are eliminated in turn until the medals are decided.

Elimination

Two meanings. An elimination round is held before qualification at outdoor 50 m and 300 m events when there are more athletes than firing points; the best go through to qualification. In a final, the lowest-scoring finalist is eliminated at set points until the gold and silver medals are decided: in the 10 m air events after the 12th shot and every two shots after.

Also called: knockout format
See also: Qualification, Final

Decimal scoring

Scoring in tenths of a point: each ring is divided into ten, from 10.0 up to 10.9. It is used for rifle and pistol finals, and for qualification in 10 m air rifle and 50 m rifle prone. Electronic targets measure it.

Series

A sequence of shots fired within a stage. In shotgun events a round is a series of 25 targets.

Stage

A part of an event. A 3-position rifle event has three stages, one for each position, and the 25 m women's pistol event has two, precision and rapid fire.

Match shots

All the shots that count in an athlete's score. Once match firing has started, every shot fired is a match shot.

Also called: competition shots

Sighting shots

Practice shots fired before match shots. In 10 m and 50 m rifle and pistol events the athlete has 15 minutes of preparation and sighting time with unlimited sighters. After match firing starts there are none, except for changing position in 3-position events.

Also called: sighters
See also: Three-position rifle, Match shots

Olympic event

A shooting event accepted by the IOC for the Olympic programme. Each Olympic event has a qualification and a final.

See also: Qualification, Final, World Cup

Competition and officials

Bib number

A unique number given to each athlete in a championship, worn on the back. In shotgun finals new numbers (1 to 6) are issued by qualification rank, and they set the shooting order.

Also called: start number
See also: Qualification, World Cup, Choke, Lead

Safety and rules

Safety flag

A bright orange flag put into a rifle or pistol to show it is unloaded. It must be in the gun at all times except when the rules allow it to be removed, such as when the athlete is shooting.

Range commands

The calls from the Chief Range Officer: LOAD, START, STOP and UNLOAD. A gun may be loaded only after LOAD or START, and shooting must stop at once on STOP.

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