The Olympic Sport of Shooting

[Hap]

http://www.nbcolympics.com/shooting/index.html

Who's up on this.  How difficult is it?  How good are they?

From NBC's website:

Basics

Rifle events
In the qualification rounds, competitors will shoot at a 10-ring target. The eight highest scores will advance to the finals -- each rifle event has separate, specific rules regarding how many shots are to be taken. In the finals, the 10 rings are sub-divided into 10 score zones (10.0-10.9, with 10.9 being the highest point total). The scores accumulated in the finals are added to the qualification score to produce the top marks in the event.

Pistol events
Scored the same way as rifle events, pistol events have two separate types of targets being used. The precision events (e.g. air and sport pistol) use a 10-ring system similar to the rifle events. The rapid fire event (men only) uses a larger 10-ring target, but only the five highest-scoring rings are used. Pistol shooters are to be standing and must use just one hand, unsupported, while competing. Eight competitors advance to every pistol final but the men's 25m rapid fire pistol, which has just six finalists.

Shotgun events
In the three shotgun events, the shooters will stand at designated stations and fire at clay targets that are released on or after the shooter's command. A referee must see one visible piece fall from the target for it to be a hit and to award a point to the shooter.

[midnight Target]

um, real good.

They used to train at the rifle range in Chino Ca. It was originally built for the 1984 Olympics. The equipment looks like something out of star wars, and anything but a 10 ring is considered a miss.

[lasersailor184]

Olympic shooting is a joke.  They spend 10's of thousands of dollars on restrictive leather outfits that don't allow them to move.  They practically have to be helped up, down and to be moved around.  It is not the person doing the shooting, but the outfit.


I almost joined the rifle team here at school.  I'm not a bad shot and was looking to improve (I don't shoot near enough for my own liking).

Then I learned what it was really about.  The captain of the team got himself into a heavy leather suit that looked to be 4 sizes too small.  He was literally lowered to the ground in the suit, and had the gun placed in his hands.  He wore a vizor and a pair of no-lens glasses.  Over the left lens was black duct tape.  Not to mention that they use rifles that are worth more than most used cars.

After all of that, he almost shot a perfect round.  I was about 10 points off of him, using just the arms god gave me, and a sling that came with the rifle.


I realized what a joke it was, and never came back.

[RATTFINK]

I used to be on a shooting sports team [not Olympic] & it is not easy.

[myelo]

I realized what a joke it was, and never came back.

Didn't make the team huh.

[Golfer]

I think LS must have shown up in a less expensive and less restrictive leather outfit.  I imagine they felt threatened with his shooting display and were even more baffled with his explanation of how seatless chaps offer a more stable shooting platform.

The olympic boys and girls are incredible.  I had the opportunity to shoot a setup for olympic trap once upon a time and they use small birds thrown at a higher speed.  You know where they're going but without tens of thousands of rounds worth of practice you don't stand a chance against the folks who are "that good."

[Dowding]

I realized what a joke it was, and never came back.

Live action Dungeons and Dragons more your thing? "Fireball! Fireball!"

Anyway, biathlon athletes use similar rifles and I think that is the king of shooting sports.

[Russian]

And they use a .22 ....

[lasersailor184]

I think LS must have shown up in a less expensive and less restrictive leather outfit.  I imagine they felt threatened with his shooting display and were even more baffled with his explanation of how seatless chaps offer a more stable shooting platform.

The olympic boys and girls are incredible.  I had the opportunity to shoot a setup for olympic trap once upon a time and they use small birds thrown at a higher speed.  You know where they're going but without tens of thousands of rounds worth of practice you don't stand a chance against the folks who are "that good."

  

Now, I'm not insulting Trap and Sporting Clays.  I rather enjoy those events. 

I'm specifically talking about target shooting.

As for not making the team?  There were only 4-5 people in that club.  Just by showing up and demonstrating I knew what a bullet was, I had made the team.  But I felt it's the exact same as someone sitting in a High Hide hunting deer.  It's not really sporting or that challenging. 

I am a competetive person.  Trying to compete against leather suits when I'd refuse to wear them would have driven me crazy.

[bozon]

I hope that the people who practice it enjoy it, because in the "most boring sports to watch" list it ranks #1.

This should remove this sport from the "professional" status. The whole purpose of professional sports is for the crowd to watch. It is entertainment, nothing more. If the ratings go down, it should be kicked out of the Olympics. Too many silly sports there anyway.

Next, kick out the sports in which you can't decide who the winner is. Now we are making some progress.

[B17Skull12]

um, real good.

They used to train at the rifle range in Chino Ca. It was originally built for the 1984 Olympics. The equipment looks like something out of star wars, and anything but a 10 ring is considered a miss.

(Image removed from quote.)

  I think the mailing address is actually in norco or corona.  But yea it is right across the street from me and let me tell you these guys don't miss.

[texasmom]

What the heck? You mean they get too-small thick leather suits to prevent movement while they're fixin to shoot?  That's stupid.  Just shoot the durn thing & move on.

[lasersailor184]

What the heck? You mean they get too-small thick leather suits to prevent movement while they're fixin to shoot?  That's stupid.  Just shoot the durn thing & move on.

Yup.  What should be a competition between people and their abilities has become an equipment arms race.  All the people are is just meat to fill in the equipment.

[Holden McGroin]

Olympic shooting is a joke.  They spend 10's of thousands of dollars on restrictive leather outfits that don't allow them to move.  They practically have to be helped up, down and to be moved around.  It is not the person doing the shooting, but the outfit.

I spent years trying to make the Olympic Rowing Crew, and all I had to do was buy the right clothes and I could have made Olympic team in shooting.... Damn.

I bet if I bought the right clubs, I could beat Tiger and win the Masters.

[lasersailor184]

I spent years trying to make the Olympic Rowing Crew, and all I had to do was buy the right clothes and I could have made Olympic team in shooting.... Damn.

I bet if I bought the right clubs, I could beat Tiger and win the Masters.

It's much akin to placing the gun on a Tripod.  All the person does is make slight adjustments and pull the trigger.  It is a little bit more difficult then my sarcasm lets on, but not by much...  Sure, you could buy the right clothes, but the costs start racking up.

Suit: Thousands (no idea how much actually, I'm shooting from the hip........ ZING!)
Gun: Anschutz 10,000 at least
Bullets: Match Grade .22's, 10,000 perhaps a year?


But then again, you picked a sport in which a simple rowboat costs 30,000.  You're not doing too well from the start.