ISSF Disciplines

10M Air Pistol (Men and Women)

10m Air pistol are ISSF events shot by both men and women, at all levels of competition up to and including the Olympics and Paralympics.

Target: ISSF 10m Air Pistol Target

Distance: 10 metres

Calibre: .177”, 4.5 mm air pistol – compressed air or gas

Minimum trigger pull: 500 g

Number of shots/time: 60 shots for Men & Junior Men in 90 min (75 min on electronic targets)40 shots for Women & Junior Women in 60 minutes (50 min on electronic targets)

The 10m Air Pistol events, and the 50m Pistol event are arguably the most mentally demanding events.

The top 8 women contestants, and the 8 top men contestants having the highest scores progress on to the Men’s and the Women’s finals, which consists of 20 shots with a shooter eliminated after the eighth shot and after each subsequent 2 shots.

50M Pistol

Formerly known as Free Pistol, the 50m Pistol event is shot at all levels of competition up to and including the Olympics and Paralympics using .22 calibre single-shot pistols.

Target: ISSF 25/50m Precision Target

Distance: 50 metres

Calibre: .22 long rifle rimfire

Minimum trigger pull: There is no minimum trigger pull specified for this event.

Number of shots/time: 60 competition shots in six series of 10 shots each with 15 mins for each series (90 min on electronic targets)

In this event the pistol may only be loaded with one round of ammunition at a time and must be operated with only one hand, which cannot be supported in any way. There are practically no rules for the pistol itself, trigger force may be as low as the competitor chooses, the grip may be designed in any way provided it does not give support beyond the wrist, and there are no restrictions on size and weight of the pistol.

The top 8 contestants having the highest scores progress on to the final, which consists of 20 shots with a shooter eliminated after the eighth shot and after each subsequent two shots.

50m Pistol is described as the purest form of precision shooting amongst the pistol events and the match has undergone minimal rule changes over the past 75 years.

In Australia the event is also shot by women at most competitions.

25M Pistol Women and Men’s Sport Pistol

Formerly known as Sport Pistol, 25m Pistol women’s event was introduced in the 1960s. Internationally 25m Pistol is only shot up to and including the Olympics by women, and up to and including the Paralympics by men and women, and by juniors at the World Championships, In Australia the event is also shot by men at many State competitions.

25m Pistol combines both precision and rapid-fire, in two stages each of 30 shots

Target: ISSF 25/50m Precision Target

Distance: 25 metres

Calibre: .22 long rifle rimfire

Minimum trigger pull: 1000g.

Precision Stage

Number of shots/time: 30 shots, in six series of 5 shots, each series is 5 minutes

Precision Stage target: 10 ring of 50 mm diameter, each ring increases by 50 mm

After all competitors have completed the Precision Stage, they then fire the Rapid Fire Stage.

Rapid Fire Stage

Number of shots/time: 30 shots, in six series of 5 shots. Each series consists of 5 exposures of the target, each exposure is for 3 seconds; the shooter fires one shot per exposure.

Rapid Fire Stage target: ISSF 25m Rapid Fire Target

The top 8 contestants having the highest scores progress on to the final, which consists of two stages. After the first stage of five, additional rapid fire stage series of 5 shots each, four of the top scoring finalists then compete for medal contention.

25M Centre Fire Pistol

25m Centre Fire Pistol is one of the ISSF shooting events and at international level is a men-only event.

Other than the calibre used, the Centre Fire event is exactly the same as the 25m Pistol Women, and Men’s Sport Pistol events.

The 25m Centre Fire match is shot with a handgun of any calibre between 7.62 mm (.30”) and 9.65 mm (.38”). The most popular choices by far are specially designed sport pistols and revolvers in .32 calibre. Using a revolver is not a disadvantage because there are no speedy series of shots involved. The name Center-Fire comes from the ignition system of these calibers as opposed to the Rimfire of .22 cartridges.

There is no Final round for the Centre Fire Pistol event.

25M Rapid Fire Pistol

In 25m Rapid Fire Pistol competitors use semi-automatic pistols in .22 calibre (5.6mm) at all levels of competition up to and including the Olympics. A series (or string) consists of five (5) shots fired, one at each of five target within a limited time.

Five targets stand next to each other at a 25m distance from the shooter. When the targets appear, the competitor must raise his/her arm from a 45 degree angle and fire his/her five shots. If a shot is too late, it will score as a miss.

Target: ISSF 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Target

Distance: 25 metres

Calibre: .22 long rifle rimfire

Minimum trigger pull: 1000g

Number of shots/time: 60 competition shots, fired as two stages of 30 shots.

There are three different time limits: 8 seconds, 6 seconds and 4 seconds for the series. A stage consists of two series in each time, and a full course of fire comprises two such stages.

The top 6 contestants having the highest scores progress on to the final, which consists of four additional rapid-fire stage series of 5 shots each, fired in the 4-seconds sequence. The final score is added to the qualification score.

In Australia this event is also shot by women at most competitions.

25M Standard Pistol

25m Standard Pistol is one of the ISSF shooting events introduced at the World Championship level in 1970.

Target: ISSF 25/50m Precision Target

Distance: 25 metres

Calibre: .22 long rifle rimfire

Minimum trigger pull:1000g

Number of shots/time: 60 competition shots, fired as three stages of 20 shots.

The 60-shot match is divided into 5-shot series with different timings:

4 series of 5 shots within 150 seconds for each series
4 series of 5 shots within 20 seconds for each series
4 series of 5 shots within 10 seconds for each series

WA1500 Match Events

The WA1500 international rules include;

WA1500

Target: WA1500 Match Target

Distance: 50, 25, 10 and 7 yards

Calibre: Revolver 1500 – open class revolver, max. 6″ barrel (calibre .32 or larger). Pistol 1500 – open class pistol, max 6″ (calibre .35 or larger)

WA60

Target: WA1500 Match Target

Distance: 50, 25, 10 and 7 yards

Calibre: Revolver 1500 – open class revolver, max. 6″ barrel (calibre .38). Pistol 1500 – open class pistol, max 6″ (calibre .35 or larger)

Open Match pistol or revolver, also electronic sights, red dots etc. (as far as allowed by law).

WA48

Target: WA1500 Match Target

Distance: 25, 15, 7 and 3 yards

Calibre: Standard Revolver 4″ Match – standard revolver, max 4″ barrel, (calibre .38)

Action Pistol

Falling Plate

The Falling Plate event is a series of six 8 inch plates, each worth 10 points and one X. The plates are shot at 10, 15, 20 & 25 yards with the time allowed to shoot all plates varying from 6 to 9 seconds. Competitors may stand, kneel or go prone to shoot the plates, but the starting position is always to stand with hands shoulder high. The plates are a hit or miss match. The saying is “there are no 8’s on plates” as they can make or break your match.

Mover

In the Mover event the NRA target will move from behind a barricade, travel 60 feet in 6 seconds then disappear behind another barricade. The competitor stands in a box central to the mover. At 10 yards and 15 yards the competitor needs to fire 6 shoots on each pass. At 20 yards and 25 yards the competitor fires 3 shots on each pass (done twice) – this gives the competitor 48 rounds. The competitor has 7½ minutes to complete the whole course.

Practical

The Practical Event consists of 4 stages, each stage having 3 strings and 12 shots – a total 48 rounds. Each stage is shot at 10, 15, 25 and 50 yards. At the 10 yard line one of the strings require the competitor to shoot 3 shots on each target using only his/her weak hand i.e. left hand if right-handed or right hand if left-handed. The competitor has between 3 to 15 seconds to complete some of the strings depending on the distance.

Barricade

In the Barricade Event the competitor stands in a box behind a solid barricade. The course of fire is 6 shoots from one side of the barricade at one target and then 6 shots from the opposite side. This is shot from 10, 15, 25 and 35 yards. All strings are 6 shots and times range from 5 to 8 seconds.

PA Matches

Service Pistol

The Service Pistol event for 9mm and ·38/·357 pistols consists of 90 shots fired at distances varying from 50 to 7 yards with the pistol holstered at the commencement of each series. Shooters must hold a current PA Holster Accreditation to compete or train in this event. PA Service Pistol targets are used for this event and set in a bank of four targets per shooter

50 Yard Service Pistol

Target: PA Service Pistol target

Distance: 50, 25, 10 and 7 yards

Calibre: 9mm or .38

24 shots @ 50 yards

6 shots prone
6 shots sitting or kneeling
6 shots right side of barricade
6 shots left side of barricade

24 shots @ 25 yards

6 shots right side of barricade
6 shots left side of barricade
6 shots from each the right and left side of barricade

12 shots @ 25 yards

3 shots on each of two targets
shots on each of three targets

18 shots @ 10 yards

shots on a target
6 shots on a target, three shots with each hand only
3 shots on each of two targets

12 shots @ 7 yards

6 shots on each of two targets with the pistol below the shoulders.

The Service Pistol Unrestricted event for calibres allowed are ·32 to ·38 has the same course of fire as for Service Pistol. This event does not use holstered pistols at the commencement of each series.

25 Yard Service Pistol

Target: International Rapid Fire target

Distance: 25, 10 and 7 yards

Calibre: .32 to .38

The Service Pistol event for calbres from ·32 to ·38/·357 pistols consists of 65 shots fired at distances varying from 25 to 7 yards.

25 shots @ 25 yards