The sports shooting is a sport that involves precision, control and a lot of concentration. Practiced both indoors and outdoors, the sport has several disciplines, each with its own specificities and equipment.
Practitioners of sport shooting use a variety of weapons, including pistols, rifles and carbines, and take part in competitions that test their accuracy on targets positioned at different distances.
That’s why it’s essential to know all the terms that cover the sport, so there’s no doubt about its characteristics.
With this in mind, we’ve created the glossary of shooting sports! In this list, you’ll see the main terms that are part of the sport and their meanings. So get your notes together and get ready to learn more about the sport!
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Shooting sports glossary: complete list
- Aiming handle
- Target
- Firearm
- Ballistics
- Security Flag
- Camera
- Carbine
- Cartridge
- Lead
- Compensator
- Culvert
- Distance
- Shot
- Handle
- Fuze
- Central Fire
- Circular Fire
- Trigger
- Lunette
- Ammunition
- Goggles
- Target plate
- Gunpowder
- Projectile
- Recoil
- Rifle
- Metal Silhouette
- Weapon Holder
- Dry Training
- Wind
Glossary of shooting sports: learn more about the terms
Aiming handle
The aiming handle is part of the sighting system of a firearm, which is closest to the shooter. It is used in conjunction with the sight mass, located at the opposite end of the barrel, to align the weapon with the target.
Target
In shooting sports, the target is the point or object that the shooter must hit. It can vary in shape, size and material, depending on the sport, and there are fixed and moving targets.
Firearm
A firearm is any device that launches projectiles. In shooting sports, the most common are pistols, rifles and carbines. Each type of weapon is used in different disciplines and categories of the sport.
Ballistics
Ballistics is the study of the movement of projectiles launched by firearms. It includes internal ballistics (movement within the barrel of the weapon), external ballistics (trajectory of the projectile after leaving the barrel) and terminal ballistics (behavior of the projectile when it hits the target).
Safety flag
The safety flag is a device used to indicate that a firearm is unloaded and safe. It is inserted into the weapon’s chamber so that its visible presence ensures that there is no ammunition in the weapon, preventing accidental firing.
Chamber
The chamber is the part of the gun where the cartridge is placed before firing. In firearms, it is located in the barrel or cylinder (in revolvers), and is crucial for the proper functioning of the weapon.
Carbine
The carbine is a type of long gun, similar to the rifle, but shorter and lighter. It is used in various shooting sports, both in precision and dynamic events.
Cartridge
The cartridge is the ammunition unit consisting of: projectile, case, powder and fuze.
Pellet
Buckshot is the projectile used in compressed air weapons, such as pistols and air rifles. They are made of lead or metal alloys.
Compensator
The compensator is a device installed at the end of the gun’s barrel, reducing recoil and elevation of the barrel during firing. This allows the shooter to maintain control and accuracy.
Breech
The breech is the rear part of the barrel of a firearm, where the cartridge is loaded. In many guns, the breech also contains mechanisms that help extract and eject spent cartridges.
Distance
Distance in shooting refers to the length of time between the shooter and the target. They can vary from 10 meters in air pistol competitions to 300 meters in rifle competitions.
Firing
Firing is the act of pulling the trigger on a firearm, releasing the mechanism that ignites the powder in the cartridge and launches the projectile towards the target.
Grip
The grip is the way the shooter holds the gun, providing stability and control for more accurate shots.
Fuze
The fuze is the component of the cartridge that ignites the gunpowder when it is struck by the gun’s striker.
Central fire
Central fire is the name given to weapons and ammunition in which the fuze is located in the center of the base of the cartridge.
Circular fire
Circular fire are weapons and ammunition in which the fuze is located on the edge of the cartridge, as in .22 caliber ammunition.
Trigger
The trigger is the lever that the shooter presses to fire the weapon. The sensitivity and smoothness of the trigger are important to avoid sudden movements that could deflect the shot.
Scope
A scope is an optical magnification device mounted on firearms, used to improve accuracy at long distances.
Ammunition
Ammunition is the set of components used to load a firearm: projectile, case, powder and fuze.
Goggles
Goggles are used to protect the shooter’s eyes from fragments, debris and gunpowder residue.
Target plate
The target plate is a surface that holds the target and serves to capture the shots.
Gunpowder
Gunpowder is the chemical component of the cartridge which, when ignited by the fuze, generates expanding gases that propel the projectile through the barrel of the gun.
Projectile
The projectile is the part of the cartridge that is fired towards the target.
Recoil
Recoil is the backward movement a weapon makes when fired.
Rifle
Rifle is a long weapon designed for high precision.
Metal silhouette
Metallic silhouette is a shooting sport in which the targets are metallic animal figures.
Weapon holder
A weapon mount is an accessory used to stabilize the weapon during firing. It can be a bipod, tripod or other device, helping to improve accuracy.
Dry training
Dry training is the practice of simulating shooting without using real ammunition, which helps to improve shooting technique, grip and trigger control.
Wind
Wind is an environmental factor that can affect the projectile’s trajectory. Experienced shooters learn to read and compensate for wind to maintain shooting accuracy.
Shooting sports glossary: complete list
- Aiming handle
- Target
- Firearm
- Ballistics
- Security Flag
- Camera
- Carbine
- Cartridge
- Lead
- Compensator
- Culvert
- Distance
- Shot
- Handle
- Fuze
- Central Fire
- Circular Fire
- Trigger
- Lunette
- Ammunition
- Goggles
- Target plate
- Gunpowder
- Projectile
- Recoil
- Rifle
- Metal Silhouette
- Weapon Holder
- Dry Training
- Wind
Glossary of shooting sports
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