What target shooting involves

Target shooting is a precision sport. You aim at a target from a fixed distance, under range rules, and your score depends on where your shots land or how fast and accurately you complete a course. It is an Olympic and Paralympic sport, and the international federation's current rule book lists 15 Olympic shooting events. In Australia, target shooting is organised through clubs, and that's where newcomers start.

The main disciplines

Disciplines are grouped by firearm and by format. The broad families you'll see on Where to Shoot are:

• Pistol. Precision and timed handgun events, from 10 metre air pistol to 25 and 50 metre events.

• Smallbore rifle. Precision shooting with .22 rimfire target rifles.

• Fullbore rifle. Long-range target rifle shooting, including Target Rifle and F Class.

• Clay target. Shotguns fired at clay targets thrown from traps. Trap, skeet and sporting clays are common formats.

• Action shooting. Competitors shoot a stage of targets against the clock, and scoring rewards speed as well as accuracy.

• Air rifle and air pistol. Precision shooting at 10 metres, usually indoors.

• Black powder. Muzzleloading and other historic firearms.

• Metallic silhouette. Knocking down metal animal-shaped targets at known distances.

Each has its own guide in the disciplines section, and Choosing a discipline compares them.

How the sport is organised

Shooters join a club. In pistol, Target Pistol Australia describes a structure of clubs, state and territory affiliates and the national body. Target Rifle Australia has six state member bodies, and joining an Australian Clay Target Association club includes ACTA membership. The SSAA, which runs many disciplines, works through state and territory branches.

Shooting Australia is the national sporting organisation for target shooting, recognised by the Australian Sports Commission and the Australian Olympic Committee. Its five national member organisations are the Australian Clay Target Association, the National Rifle Association of Australia, Sporting Clays Australia, Target Pistol Australia and Target Rifle Australia. Other bodies run further disciplines. The Sporting Shooters' Association of Australia (SSAA), for example, runs disciplines from action match to muzzleloading and metallic silhouette, and both IPSC Australia and the SSAA run practical shooting.

What happens at a range

A range is a controlled space. Shooters take their place at a firing line and shoot at targets downrange. Nobody shoots until the range officer says so, and all shooting stops as soon as a cease fire is called. On fullbore rifle ranges, the national rules let anyone who sees an unsafe act call it.

The range officer is in charge. One SSAA manual puts it simply: the range officer has total control of the range in matters of safety. Target Rifle Australia notes that club shooting always takes place under a qualified range official, and in IPSC practical shooting one competitor shoots at a time under a range officer's direct control.

You'll wear hearing protection, often eye protection too, keep firearms pointed downrange and follow a set of commands. Range commands and etiquette explains the common ones.

Who it suits

Target Rifle Australia says that in smallbore and air rifle, age, gender and disability aren't deciding factors in success, the sport isn't determined by strength, and people can start as children and keep competing well beyond middle age. The SSAA says most of its disciplines include events or components for junior members, and its state branches provide instruction. See Finding a junior program.

How to start

You don't need a licence or your own equipment to try it. The Australian Clay Target Association notes that most clubs let non-shooters come and try, and Target Rifle Australia says most of its smallbore and air rifle clubs have equipment you can use while you develop your skills. A come-and-try day is the usual first step. Your first come-and-try day explains what to expect.