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Shooting
 Target
Shooting, indoor and outdoor sport in which
contestants fire small arms at stationary
targets. The sport is similar to trap-shooting,
which uses catapulted targets.
Rules And Equipment
The standard target is a square of cardboard
with concentric black and white rings around a
black circular centre known as the bull's-eye.
The object in target-shooting contests is to
place a series of shots inside the bull's-eye.
Both rifle and pistol matches are contested with
various classes and calibres of firearms.
Typical events include team and individual
matches for women, men, and juniors. Contestants
are classified, in ascending order, as
beginners, marksmen, sharpshooters, experts, and
masters. Shooting events are also included in
the Olympic Games.
Rifle matches are divided into small-bore and
high-power events. High-power rifles are
.30-calibre arms that are fired at distances
ranging from 200 to 1,000 yd (182.9 to 914.4 m);
small-bore rifles are .22-calibre arms that are
fired at distances ranging from 50 to 200 yd
(45.7 to 182.9 m). Both types usually weigh
considerably more than standard hunting guns, a
characteristic that lends the target arms great
stability and accuracy. The small-bore and
high-power events are subdivided into contests
for firearms with optical sights and those with
conventional metallic sights. The chief
component of an optical sight is a small
telescope which, mounted on the barrel, provides
a magnified view of the target. Metallic sights
are comparatively simple mechanical guides
affixed to the barrel that are designed to
facilitate the accurate aiming of a rifle; such
sights provide no magnification and thus impose
a more severe test of shooting skill than do
optical sights. Contestants in rifle matches
fire in turn from prone, sitting, kneeling, and
standing positions. The highest overall score
determines the winner of the competition.
In pistol shooting, contestants fire hand
weapons at targets 20 to 50 yd (22.9 to 45.7 m)
distant. The arms used are .22-calibre,
.38-calibre, and .45-calibre revolvers and
automatic pistols. Each contestant fires 30
rounds in a typical match: 10 rapid-fire shots
at 25 yd (about 23 m), 10 slow-fire shots at 50
yd (about 46 m), and 10 timed-fire shots at 25
yd (about 23 m). In rapid-fire events
competitors get mere seconds to hit their
targets, in contrast to the free pistol where
they have up to two-and-a-half hours.
Shooting In India
Riding on the good work of
Indian shooters, shooting is giving stiff
competition to games like cricket in the
popularity stakes. In 2004, the game of shooting
gave India its first Olympic individual silver
medal and, with two years to go for the Beijing
Games, speculation is rife that Indian marksmen
will come home with a bigger tally.
Notwithstanding the soaring popularity, shooting
is generally regarded an expensive sport which
only the affluent, powerful and the talented
with institutional support can pursue as a
serious career. While shooters like Abhinav
Bindra and Gagan Narang come from wealthy
families, others like Rajyavardhan Rathore are
decorated Indian Army officers.
The National Rifle Association of India and the
Indian government should made sure that Indian
shooters get regular international exposure and
can concentrate on honing their skills without
bothering about financial constraints.
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