Shooting

Shooting is the act of sending out a projectile from a tool that can be aimed, like a gun, bow, crossbow, slingshot, or blowpipe. It can also include launching things like flame, artillery, darts, harpoons, grenades, rockets, or guided missiles. When using a firearm, this act is often called firing because it starts a burning of special chemicals called propellants.

People can shoot in many places and for many reasons. They might shoot at a shooting range, go hunting, take part in shooting sports, or use shooting in combat situations. The person who shoots is called a shooter. If someone is very good and can hit their target accurately, they are called a marksman or sharpshooter. How good a person is at shooting is known as their marksmanship.

Competitive shooting

Shooting has inspired many competitions, and rifle clubs began forming in the 1800s. International shooting events started with the Summer and Winter Olympics in 1896 and World Championships in 1897. Today, the International Shooting Sport Federation organizes Olympic and other shooting competitions for rifles, pistols, shotguns, and running targets.

Different shooting sports need different skills. For example, using a handgun needs good control of breathing and body position, while a precision rifle needs even more focus. Some sports, like IPSC shooting and biathlon, also involve moving around while shooting.

Hunting with guns

Main article: Hunting and shooting in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, shooting often means hunting animals like grouse or pheasants with guns. People also use guns to control unwanted animals, called vermin. There is a sport called clay pigeon shooting where people shoot at clay objects that look like pigeons. This started after live birds could no longer be used for shooting in 1921.

Weapons

Shooting most often means using a gun, like a firearm or an air gun. But it can also mean using other tools to throw or shoot something, such as a bow, a crossbow, a slingshot, or a blowpipe. These tools can be used for many reasons, not just for fighting. They help someone hit a target they aim for.

People might use shooting in warfare, for self-defense, in crime, or by law enforcement. Sometimes, guns were used in duels. There are also times when shooting is done without a specific target, like during celebratory gunfire, a 21-gun salute, or when using a starting pistol that doesn’t fire real bullets.

Restrictions

See also: Gun violence

In many countries, there are rules about who can buy and use certain types of firearms. This leads to discussions about how helpful these rules are and how strictly they should be applied. For example, the way people think about guns and shooting in the United States is quite different from how people think about them in the United Kingdom and Australia.

Shooting positions

The National Rifle Association of America talks about four main ways people can stand when shooting. These are prone, sitting, kneeling, and standing, also called "offhand". The closer you are to the ground, the steadier you will be.

There are also special ways to shoot, like using a bench, and tools like monopods, tripods, or sandbags can help keep things steady.

Prone

This is the steadiest way to shoot and quite easy to learn. However, it’s not often used because plants can get in the way and block your view. There are two main types: classic and modern. In the classic way, your body is at an angle, while in the modern way, your body is more behind the rifle. Using a sling is usually advised for this position.

Sitting

This position is easier to get into but harder to get out of quickly. It’s good for shooting over low or medium-height things that might get in the way when lying down. Mastering the proper sitting position can be tricky. There are a few variations, like open leg and cross leg (also called pretzel style). Using a sling is usually advised for this position too.

Kneeling

There have been many ways to do this position throughout history. It’s best for shooters who need to shoot quickly but find standing too shaky. It’s steadier than standing but not as steady as sitting. For most people, it’s not as steady as sitting but much faster to get into and out of. Using a sling is usually advised for this position.

Standing (or offhand)

This is the quickest position to get into and is useful for fast shots or shooting over objects. However, it’s the least steady. Learning to control the sway and shoot when you’re at your steadiest is key. Breathing exercises can help keep your balance. This position is mostly used by air pistol and air rifle shooters.

Rice paddy squat in rifle shooting

Main article: Squatting position

The rice paddy squat is a fairly stable position that supports both elbows, making it more stable than kneeling but still quite mobile. It used to be a common way to teach shooting but became less popular after the Korean War.

Back (or supine)

This position, sometimes called the Creedmoor position, was used in the 18th century and again in the 1860s with the start of long-range shooting competitions. It was popular in the 20th century for match shooting when no artificial supports were allowed. It provided the most stable platform for the rifle in those competitions.

Lying on one's side

Lying on your side isn’t usually chosen but might be used when reacting to a threat or hiding behind a barrier. Only your gun hand and part of your face are shown, keeping the rest of you hidden.

Leaning

This position involves leaning on something like a wall, tree, or post. It’s usually combined with standing or kneeling positions. The rifle barrel shouldn’t rest against the object; leaning your body is steadier.

Slings

A sling helps make shooting more steady by putting pressure on the gun. It is especially useful when kneeling, sitting, or lying down. When shooting from this position, the sling can be looped around the foot to help with the kickback of the gun.

A hasty sling is a quick way to strengthen your shooting in any position. The formal tight sling is taken off from the back and tightened above the arm. Almost any carrying strap can work as a hasty sling. It gives almost as much steadiness as a competition sling but is faster to use.

Competitions

In ISSF shooting events, three out of seven shooting positions are used. The positions that are not used are supine, sitting, rice paddy squat, and side position.

WBSF governs benchrest shooting.

IPSC shooting events use prone, offhand, and supported shooting positions.

There are some competitions, like felthurtigskyting, where the shooting position is freestyle. This means the shooter decides which of the four positions to use.