 | |
| Men | |
|---|---|
| Number of shots | 60+24 |
| Olympic Games | Since 1984 |
| World Championships | Since 1970 |
| Abbreviation | AR60 |
| Women | |
| Number of shots | 60+24 |
| Olympic Games | Since 1984 |
| World Championships | Since 1970 |
| Abbreviation | AR60W |
10 meter air rifle is an International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) shooting event, shot at a bullseye target over a distance of 10 meters (10.94 yards) using a 4.5 mm (0.177 in) calibre air rifle with a maximum weight of 5.5 kg (12.13 lb). It is one of the ISSF-governed shooting sports included in the Summer Olympics since the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
Shots are fired from the standing position only, as opposed to some other airgun disciplines such as for three positions (popular in the United States) or in disabled sports, which allows sitting and prone positions. Due to the low recoil of air guns and the need for stability, the shooter frequently adopts a deliberately lordotic and scoliotic posture, which allows the non-dominant elbow to be rested against the chest to support the forearm and improves the stability of the shooting stance. The use of specialized rigidly padded vest is allowed to prevent chronic back injury, which can be caused by prolonged asymmetric load on the spinal column.
The major competitions are the Olympic Games every four years and the ISSF World Shooting Championships every four years (the Games and the Championships are held two years apart). In addition, the event is included in the ISSF World Cup series, the ISSF World Cup Final, continental championships, and many other international and national competitions. It is an indoor sport. In many clubs and ranges, electronic targets are now being used instead of the traditional paper targets.
Scores in 10-meter air rifles have improved rapidly during the last few decades. During the 1970s, technical advances in the employed match air rifles made the ISSF, known as the International Shooting Union or UIT (French: Union Internationale de Tir) back then, decide to significantly reduce the size of the 10-meter air rifle target to its current dimensions.