Glossary

From Shooting Wiki

A

B

Backstop / Buttstop

7.2.5.1, 8.6.1.2

• the area behind the target line designed to capture projectiles.
  Note: the target is the bit that is designed to be shot at - the area surrounding the target is NOT meant to be shot at.
• additional safety structures (baffles, etc.), the ground between the firing line and the target line, and side walls are not part of the backstop/buttstop area.
  • the backstop/buttstop provided will vary from range to range. It is the shooter's responsibility to ensure:
    • (rifle 7.2.5.1) the action, breech or loading device must not be closed until the rifle is pointing down range in a safe direction toward the target / buttstop area
    • (pistol 8.6.1.2)before and during the series, including while chambering a cartridge, or checking or cocking a pistol or revolver, the pistol must always be kept pointing down range and within the target backstop area before returning to the READY position for the next shot, or while awaiting the command “UNLOAD”.

Berm

• pathway;
  • across or on top of a slope
  • alongside a road or canal
    
• Sometimes mistakenly used to describe a bank of earth used as a backstop on a shooting range.
  

Breaking-in (a barrel)

• 10m, 25m, & 50m pistol and rifle

1. clean chamber and barrel thoroughly - it is amazing what can be in the barrel of a new firearm: machining swarf, abrasive powder, grease, oil, wasps nests...
2. load
3. start shooting
4. after 20 rounds, check for any lead build up
5. enjoy

• 300m rifle

1. clean chamber and barrel thoroughly - it is amazing what can be in the barrel of a new firearm: machining swarf, abrasive powder, grease, oil, wasps nests...
2. information needed!

• shotgun

1. clean chamber and barrel thoroughly - it is amazing what can be in the barrel of a new firearm: machining swarf, abrasive powder, grease, oil, wasps nests...
2. information needed!

C

Calibre/Caliber

• a terminology used by firearms and ammunition designers to confuse most shooters
• a terminology that might (or might not) be related to the bore size of a firearm
  • e.g. '.32' is usually somewhere around .312"; '.38' is usually .358"

Cartridge

• a loaded round of ammunition

Cartridge Case

• a container designed to hold the primer, powder and projectile

Closed Stance

Crown (barrel)

• of considerable importance as this has a MAJOR influence on accuracy - even minor imperfections can affect the accuracy of a barrel.

D

Decimal Scoring

• method of scoring ISSF pistol and rifle targets to a 1/10th of a ring: used for ISSF Finals
• The highest value on ISSF pistol and rifle targets is 10.9

E

F

Free Pistol

• ISCD (disabled shooters) 50m event
• ISSF 50m Pistol was formerly known as 'Free Pistol'. The name was changed to meet the IOC format requirements for Olympic events.

G

Grip

• part of the mighty triumverate of grip, sights, and trigger control
• while generally thought of as mainly applying to pistol, is also important to rifle and shotgun

H

Handloads

• see Reloads

I

J

Jacketed Ammunition

• not allowed for ISSF 25m or 50m events
• allowed for ISSF 300m events

K

Kinetic Energy

L

Lead (or similar soft material)

• specified for pistol and rifle projectiles used in ISSF 10m, 25m and 50m

Loading Density

• the proportion of powder volume to available space in a loaded cartridge: usually expressed as a percentage, or as a decimal value (e.g. 0.7 = 70%).

M

Magnum Loads (pistol - rule 8.4.6)

• although magnum ammunition is not allowed for the ISSF Center Fire Pistol event, 'magnum' is not defined.
• for practical purposes, any ammunition that exceeds a power factor of 120 000 (projectile weight grains x velocity ft/sec) could be considered 'magnum'
  • given that current commercial loading for the .38 Special mid-range wadcutter has a power factor of 105 080 (Winchester X38SMRP) and the 158 grain target load has a power factor of 119 290(Winchester X38WCPSV), I am unaware of any shooter competing in ISSF events at the international level who uses loads heavier than PF = 120 000 Spencer
• note that rule 8.4.6 does not prohibit the use of pistols chambered for 'magnum' calibres (e.g. .357 magnum calibre, .32 H&R magnum), only the use of magnum ammunition. Provided the ammunition is not loaded to 'magnum' speciifications, these pistols are not prohibited due to their nominal calibre.
• interestingly, at least one european shooting organisation lists 600 Joules as the limit - above this the load is considered 'magnum'. - Spencer 23:22, 8 June 2007 (EDT)

N

O

Open sights (ISSF Pistol)

• metallic sights that do not include an aperture, or any optical device

Open Stance

P

Product Review

• a published review of a product or service
  • given that product reviews are usually conducted on new products, problems that show up with extended use (reliability, supply of spare parts, etc.) are not often a consideration.
  • product reviews seldom 'pan' the product (?)

Q

R

Reloads (handloading)

• the reloading of center fire cartridge cases with new primer, propellant powder, and projectile
• where permitted by local legislation provides:
  • considerable cost saving over the price of commercially loaded ammunition
  • in some circumstances, can provide accuracy improvement over commercially loaded ammunition

Round

• a bullet/projectile - from the 'round' bullets originally used in black powder firearms
• not to be confused with 'cartridge', a loaded round of ammunition

Running Rat

• Australian term of endearment for the ISSF 10m Running Target event.

S

Sight Alignment

• More important that 2 of the 3 mighty triumverate of grip, sights, and trigger control
• The visual relationship between the front and rear sights

Sight Picture

• part of the mighty triumverate of grip, sights, and trigger control
• what you see when you release the shot including the aligned sights and the target
  • for pistol information needed
  • for rifle information needed
  • for shotgun information needed

Smokeless Powder

• a comparative term - by comparison, black powder is very 'smokey': when the modern single and double-base nitrate powders were introduced there was a marked reduction in smoke when a shot was fired.

Sport Pistol

• generic name; often still used for the group of ISSF 25m events that includes 25m Pistol Womens, 25m Pistol Junior Men, 25m Pistol Junior Women.
• the name 'Sport Pistol' is retained for the ISCD (disabled shooters) for the 25m Pistol Mixed event.

Stabilisation (of a projectile)

The gyroscopic action (spin) imparted to a projectile by the twist of the barrel grooves

• understabilised - insufficient gyroscopic force to keep the projectile stable - the projectile will tend to topple in its flight
  • toppling can also be due to a number of other factors
• stabilised - the projectile will have its axis of rotation tangent to the line of flight
• overstabilised - the projectile will have its axis of rotation parallel to the barrel
  • overstabilisation is not a problem for any of the ISSF pistol or rifle events as the difference between the line of flight and parallel to the barrel is insignificant.

T

Trigger Control

• part of the mighty triumverate of grip, sights, and trigger control
• operating the trigger to release a shot without:
  • disturbing the sight or pistol alignment
  • knowing the exact instant when the shot will be released

U

V

W

Weapon

• An instrument of attack or defense. This group includes rocks, swords, knives, baseball bats, chains, molotov cocktails, etc.; none of which have application in ISSF shooting events.
  If you mean a firearm, use the term 'firearm'.

Wobble Board

• device used to improve sense of balance

X

Y

Z