Shooting

“Target shooting for the vision impaired uses standard shooting equipment with a special electronic audio aiming device fitted to the gun. The aiming device detects the point of aim of the gun relative to the target and provides the shooter through headphones different tones indicating the point of aim.

Also, within a competition a VI shooter is permitted an assistant to provide information such as the position of shots which have been taken. Through these adaptations a VI shooter, regardless of amount of sight, can achieve an accuracy comparable to a fully sighted shooter.

In IBSA competitions, all VI shooters, B1, B2 and B3, compete in a single sight class. As aiming is done by sound from an audio aiming device a shooter with some sight does not gain an advantage by trying to aim by sight and so blindfolds are not used.”

– IBSA Website

The following events are currently contested at the Paralympic Games:

Rifle

10m Air Rifle Standing
10m Air Rifle Prone
Free Rifle
Sport Rifle

Pistol

10m Air Pistol
25m Sport Pistol
50m Free Pistol

Rules & Equipment

Rifles and pistols
Athletes use .22 calibre rifles and air guns (CO2 gas, pneumatic or spring). Upon trigger activation, the CO2 liquid changes to gas and activates the projectile toward the target. The pneumatic rifle uses a multiple pump system to store air pressure in a reservoir and trigger compression activates the projectile toward the target.

Bullets
For 10m Air Rifle and Pistol events, bullets with a diameter of 4.5mm are used. For 25m Pistol events, and 50m Pistol and Rifle events, 5.6mm bullets are used.

Target
The standard target is a cardboard square with concentric white and black rings around a black centre ring (or bullseye). For the Paralympic Games, five different targets are used depending on the type of gun. These targets are electronic for increased accuracy.

Classifications

In order to get classified please visit the Paralympics Australia Website where you will be able to find a Para-Shooting Information sheet with all the classification details you will need to find.

Pathways

Gun Clubs all around Australia are accessible to most people and can be found through a simple google search, doing so ensures that you are using guns in a legal manor that allows for you to train for competition or play for fun.