Rifle Shooting Disciplines

Smallbore Rifle

Smallbore rifle shooting has always been in the modern Olympics and also is part of the Commonwealth Games, Pan American Games, as well as World Cups and World Championships. Canada has a proud history of developing world-class shooters who represent our country around the world. Shooting is an athletic endeavour demanding physical conditioning, concentration, precision, and endurance.

SPORTING RIFLE (A Canadian event)

Sporting Rifle shooters use ordinary .22 calibre rifles, with little additional equipment. Most North American makes easily qualify, as do several European ones. Bulls-eye targets are shot at 20 yards indoors and 50 metres outdoors. There are prone (lying down) and 3-position (prone, standing, kneeling) matches.

Sporting Rifle is the most popular form of smallbore rifle shooting in Canada. Activities range from recreational shooting at local clubs, to inter-club leagues, regional matches, Provincial and Canadian Championships.

HUNTER RIFLE (An Ontario event)

Hunter rifle is similar to Sporting Rifle but has less equipment restrictions, allowing repeaters and optical sights. Also specialised accessories such as shooting jackets and gloves are not allowed.

ENGLISH MATCH (an Olympic event)

This event is shot in the prone position only. Almost any .22 rifle is permitted; most shooters use a specially designed match rifle that can weigh up to 8 Kg, with a very light trigger, and a variety of shooting accessories.

FREE RIFLE (an Olympic event)

Shot in 3 positions (prone, standing, kneeling), this 120-shot match is fired with an elaborate .22 calibre rifle and many accessories. Like the English Match, a heavy rifle with a light trigger is most common.

SPORT RIFLE (an Olympic event)

The Sport Rifle is used by women in world-class events in three positions. Sport Rifle is similar to the Free Rifle but is lighter.

AIR RIFLE (an Olympic event)

This increasingly popular events allows any .177 (4.5 mm) air/gas rifle under 5.5 Kg. The target is shot at 10 metres, and the “10” is a pinpoint. All firing is done from the standing position. Most people are surprised to find that good quality air rifles are the most accurate of firearms.

RUNNING TARGET (a worldwide event)

Running Target involves a bulls-eye target moving at various speeds and is shot from the standing position. The 50-metre outdoor match is shot with a .22 calibre rifle and the 10-metre indoor match is shot with a .177 calibre air rifle.

METALLIC SILHOUETTE (a North American event)

A basic principle of Metallic Silhouette is the use of unmodified (factory) rifles, both in the “hunter” and the “match” classes. The targets are cut out of metal in the shape of animals and are designed to fall over when a “hit” is scored. The four different targets are each set up in banks of five, at distances ranging from 40 to 100 metres. All shooting is done from the standing position. When shot indoors, paper targets are used.

Fullbore Rifle

Fullbore rifle shooting has many disciplines, some requiring specialized equipment and rifles. Currently this site does not have much on this topic. If you, as a member, have knowledge about fullbore rifle shooting then please feel free to write about it for our web site.

Until then you may look at the web site for the Ontario Rifle Association to learn more on this topic.