All TargetLog field notes in gear & equipment — drills, gear, and guidance for ISSF precision shooters.
The NRA AR-4 is the official 5-meter BB gun target family: a ten ring of 0.125 inches, rings stepping outward by 0.300 inches to the 1 ring at 2.825 inches, and a two-gauge scoring system unlike anything ISSF shooters see.
A used air rifle can halve your entry cost into 10m competition, but only if you inspect the bore, seals, cylinder test date and sights before money changes hands. This checklist walks through every check, plus a test-fire plan that settles the argument in ten shots.
Ten-ring sizes on ISSF targets range from 0.5 mm on the 10m air rifle target to 100 mm on the 25m rapid fire target. This reference lists every ten-ring diameter, ring width, black disc and scoring circle in millimetres, and explains how those printed dimensions decide close shots.
Free practice targets for ISSF 10m and 50m events, 25m pistol, NRA BB gun and BDS 100m, drawn to exact official ring dimensions as printable PDFs. Print at 100% scale and verify the 50 mm calibration bar before training on them.
A sling only works when the cuff sits high on the upper arm, the loop is snug against the jacket, and the handstop sets the length so bone, not muscle, holds the rifle.
A safe home air gun range comes down to four things: a backstop that traps every pellet, a lane that actually measures 10 meters, lighting that lets you see your sights, and storage that keeps the gun locked when you are not there. Sort out the legal question before you buy anything.
Rifle shooters benefit most from a shooting glove because it cushions the hand under the sling and keeps the trigger finger consistent. Pistol shooters compete bare-handed. The ISSF caps glove thickness at 16 mm, measured front to back.
ISSF rules require a minimum total trigger pull weight of 500 grams on 10m air pistols. The trick is distributing that weight between the first and second stages so the gun feels predictable, passes equipment control, and lets you release the shot cleanly.
ISSF shooting glasses are a corrective lens system that lets you see your front sight (pistol) or target (rifle) sharply. Beginners need a lens matched to their prescription, an iris to control depth of field, and a blinder to block the non-aiming eye.
A front sight insert is the ring or post element that clips into your front sight tunnel and forms the aiming reference you actually look at. Most target shooters use an aperture ring, sized so the aiming black sits inside it with a visible ring of white, and it is worth testing sizes in 0.1 mm steps because the right one depends on your eyes, your sight radius, and the light.
ISSF grip rules for 10m and 25m pistol got stricter on January 1, 2026, targeting the web-of-hand contour, thumb rest shape, and palm rest angle. Most shooters need small modifications, not a full replacement.
Cold weather shooting clothing is really two separate systems: the legal competition kit you shoot in, and the warm layers you wear between series. Get the layering right, keep your hands and core warm during prep time, and your hold survives the cold.
Most prone shooters do fine with a basic mat, but thickness, grip and padding measurably affect comfort and position quality. Free rifle and 3P shooters get the most benefit; casual 10m shooters can skip it entirely.
Clean the action and chamber after every session, leave the bore mostly alone, and store the rifle lightly oiled in low humidity. Smallbore bores shoot best with accumulated lead, so aggressive scrubbing does more harm than good.
Prescription shooting glasses correct your vision at the exact distance of your front sight or rifle diopter, not at reading or walking-around distance. Measuring that distance, handling astigmatism, and pairing the lens with the right iris is what separates a crisp sight picture from a fuzzy one.
You can start 10m air pistol for free with a club loaner gun, shoot your first season on a beginner pistol in the low hundreds, or step straight into a match-grade PCP setup at roughly ten times that. The pistol is the big swing; everything else is cheap by comparison.
There is no single correct rear aperture size; it depends on your eyes, the light, and your front sight. Start near 1.1 mm, then test on the range until the aiming black sits in a ring of clean white.
Filling a PCP air gun cylinder takes a matching fitting, a slow bleed-up to the rated pressure, and a habit of drying the air you put in. This guide walks through the three fill sources and the checks that keep a cylinder in test and leak-free.
Smartphone apps can now detect and score individual bullet holes on ISSF paper targets in seconds. The key is a clean, well-lit photograph and understanding how to act on the data.
Your shooting jacket and trousers are the biggest equipment investment a rifle shooter makes. Getting the right fit and an ISSF-compliant set from the start saves money and avoids failed equipment-control checks.
Regular cleaning of your air gun barrel and action, combined with proper pellet handling and storage, prevents accuracy drift and extends the life of your competition equipment.
A correct sight picture in 10m air rifle comes from a properly adjusted diopter, the right front aperture, and consistent eye position behind the rear sight.
ISSF Rule 8.6.1 permits 10m air pistol athletes to compete in ordinary sport clothing. Shooting jackets, special trousers, and stiff footwear are all prohibited in air pistol events.
Adjusting your rear sight is how you move shot groups on target. You change the sight, not your hold. Each click on your pistol moves the point of impact by a specific amount, and learning your pistol's click value lets you correct group center from any target you photograph.
A properly fitted grip aligns the pistol with your forearm bones so you hold it with minimal muscle effort. The result is less wobble, better trigger control, and more consistent scores across a 60-shot match.
ISSF 10m competition requires .177 calibre (4.5 mm) wadcutter pellets. The right pellet — in the right head size and weight for your barrel — can mean the difference between a 570 and a 590 qualification score.
Your first ISSF competition air pistol needs to meet strict rules — 4.5 mm calibre, 1.5 kg maximum weight, 500 g minimum trigger pull — but the most important factor is finding a grip that fits your hand.
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