A sport rifle for rifle shooting is a precise tool with an adjustable fit. Most ISSF disciplines use an air rifle at 10 m or a smallbore rifle at 50 m.
Two main types
They differ in caliber, shot energy, and distance. The fit, sights, and trigger are built in a similar way.
| Parameter | Air rifle | Smallbore rifle |
|---|---|---|
| Distance | 10 m | 50 m |
| Caliber | 4.5 mm | 5.6 mm (.22 LR) |
| Positions | Standing | Prone, standing, kneeling |
Exact requirements for weight, caliber, and equipment are in the ISSF rules at issf-sports.org/rules and in Rules and regulations.
Air rifle
Compressed air or carbon dioxide from a cylinder pushes the pellet. The shot is quiet and the recoil is small, so most athletes start here.
The main requirement is repeatability. Pellet velocity must stay the same from shot to shot, or grouping suffers even with a perfect position.
The consumable is a 4.5 mm lead pellet. Pellet batches matter too, so athletes match them to a specific barrel.
Smallbore rifle
It fires .22 LR cartridges. At 50 m, wind and cartridge quality visibly affect the hit. Recoil is small but higher than with an air rifle.
A smallbore rifle is heavier, with a more complex stock and more adjustments. The 50 m events use three positions, so the stock must adapt to each of them.
What a rifle consists of
The parts are the same for both types, and the differences are in the details.
- Barrel sets grouping. Its length and mass are chosen for the discipline.
- Stock holds the barrel and connects the rifle to the shooter. It adjusts in length and height.
- Trigger determines how the shooter releases the shot. Pull weight and travel are adjustable.
- Sights are the rear diopter and the front sight. Their choice and setup are covered in the article on optics.
The better the stock, trigger, and sights work together, the less the rifle gets in the shooter’s way.
Safety
Always treat a weapon as loaded
Before any handling, make sure the rifle is unloaded, the bolt is open, and the barrel points in a safe direction. This applies at training and at home.