ISSF 10 meter air rifle


10 meter air rifle is an International Shooting Sports Federation shooting event, shot over a distance of from a standing position with a calibre air rifle with a maximum weight of. The use of specialized clothing is allowed to improve the stability of the shooting position and prevent chronic back injury which can be caused by the asymmetric offset load on the spine when the rifle is held in position. It is one of the ISSF-governed shooting events included in the Olympic games.
Shots are fired from the standing position only, as opposed to some other airgun shooting disciplines such as for three positions or in disabled sports.
The major competitions are the Olympic Games every four years and the ISSF World Shooting Championships every four years. In addition, the event is included in the ISSF World Cup series, the ISSF World Cup Final, in continental championships, and in 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 rifle have improved rapidly during the last few decades. During the 1970s technical advances in the employed match air rifles made the international shooting union, known as the UIT back then, but today the International Shooting Sport Federation, decide to reduce the size of the 10 meter air rifle target to its current dimensions.

Rules

Until 2013, the maximum achievable aggregate score was 709 for men and 509 for women. The score for the qualification used integers and the final stage included decimals. No top competitor achieved an official perfect aggregate score under these rules.
Under rules introduced in 2013, the qualification scores that used to be combined with the finals scores for competition results were deleted, and the best eight competitors started all over again. In the 20 shots final, the highest achievable final score was 218.0 points. No top competitor achieved an official perfect final score under these rules.
Rules introduced in 2018 ended the competition format differences between male and female athletes. Also, the final was changed to 24 shots. In the final, the highest achievable final score is 261.6 points. Up to 2020, no top competitor has achieved an official perfect final score under these rules. The current world record is 252.8 for men and 252.9 for women.

Qualification Round

Pre 2013 qualification rules

The course of fire was an unlimited number of sighter shots followed by 60 competition shots for men or 40 competition shots for women, all fired within 75 minutes for men or 50 minutes for women. During this initial or qualification phase a maximum of 10 points was awarded for each shot. Top competitors sometimes achieved maximum results for the initial or qualification phase. The majority of these full marks were achieved at non-directly ISSF supervised international and national-level matches and championships, where official ISSF recognized world records cannot be set. This leads to many national records in fact being equal to the world records.

2013 to 2018 qualification rules

The course of fire was 60 competition shots for men or 40 competition shots for women, all fired within 75 minutes for men or 50 minutes for women. During this initial or qualification phase a maximum of 10.9 points was awarded for each shot. The highest possible 60 shots score for men was 654.0 points and for woman 436.0 points.

2018 qualification rules

ISSF rules introduced in 2018 ended the gender differences, expanding the 40 shots qualification phase for women into 60 shots, setting the highest possible 60 shots score at 654.0 points.

Finals

Pre 2013 finals rules

The top eight shooters from the qualification round moved on to a finals event consisting of 10 shots – each decimal scored to a maximum of 10.9 – with the cumulative score determining the winner. Every scoring ring is 5 mm wide and sub-divided in 0.5 mm increments in 10 "subrings". Like the other scoring rings the maximum of 10.9 is derived from an additional set of 10 "subrings" within the center 10-point circle, increasing in 0.1 point value as the rings approach the center of the target.

2013 to 2018 finals rules

In November 2012, The ISSF announced other finals rules. This finals rules had the best eight shooters starting from zero, eliminating the qualification scores that used to be combined with the finals scores for competition results. The format consisted of 20 finals shots scored in 0.1 point value as the rings approach the center of the target, setting the highest possible 20 shots score at 218.0 points.

2018 finals rules

Since 2018 the ISSF finals rules rank the eight best shooters starting from zero, eliminating the qualification scores. The format consists of 2 series of 5 shots each, to be fired within 250 seconds per series. This is followed by 14 single shots each fired on command with 50 seconds for each shot. Eliminations of the lowest scoring finalists begin after the tenth shot and continue after every two shots, until the gold and silver medalists are decided. There is a total of 24 finals shots, setting the highest possible 24 shots score at 261.6 points. If there is a tie for the lowest ranking athlete to be eliminated, the tied athletes will fire additional tie-breaking single shots until the tie is broken.

Equipment

For the 10 meter air rifle and air pistol disciplines, match diabolo pellets are used. These pellets have wadcutter heads, meaning the front is flat, that leave clean round holes in paper targets for easy scoring. Match pellets are offered in tins and more elaborate packagings that avoid deformation and other damage that could impair their uniformity.
Match air rifle shooters are encouraged to perform shooting group tests with their gun clamped in a machine rest to establish which particular match pellet type performs best for their particular air gun. To facilitate maximum performance out of various air guns the leading match pellet manufacturers produce pellets with graduated "head sizes", which means the pellets are offered with front diameters from up to.
However at higher and top competitive levels, even these variations are thought too coarse-grained and match pellets are batch tested; that is, the specific gun is mounted in a machine rest test rig and pellets from a specific production run on a specific machine with the same ingredients fed into the process are test-fired through the gun. Many different batches will be tested in this manner, and the pellets which give the smallest consistent group size without fliers will be selected ; and the shooter will then purchase several tens of thousands of pellets from that batch. Group sizes of diameter are theoretically possible, but practically shot groups of are considered highly competitive. Unbatched ammunition, especially if the air gun is not regularly cleaned, is generally thought to be capable of only diameter group sizes. Batch-testing match pellets for a particular gun is not generally thought to be worthwhile until the shooter reaches a high proficiency level.
The occurrence of high scores is mainly due to the continuous development of the employed match air rifles from spring-piston type designs into single-stroke pneumatic and pre-charged pneumatic designs. Modern PCP match rifles from the leading manufacturers all feature regulated PCP actions to minimize shot-to-shot operating pressure variation and hence muzzle velocity inconsistency, mechanical or electronic match triggers offering fast lock times, shoot practically recoilless and vibration free, exhibit minimal movement and balance shifts and can be tailored by an adjustable aluminum stock and other user interfaces like the non-magnifying target shooting diopter and globe sighting line and various accessories to the individual shooters personal preferences to promote comfortable and accurate shooting from a standing position.
Combined with appropriate match pellets these rifles produce a consistent 10-ring performance, so a sub-10.0 average result can be attributed to the participant and at 2019 top competition level a 10.5 average result can be regarded as excellent.

Gallery

World Championships, Men

YearPlaceGoldSilverBronze
1966Wiesbaden
1970 Phoenix
1974Thun
1978 Seoul
1979 Seoul
1981Santo Domingo
1982Caracas
1983Innsbruck
1985Mexico City
1986Suhl
1987Budapest
1989Sarajevo
1990 Moscow
1991Stavanger
1994Milan
1998Barcelona
2002Lahti
2006Zagreb
2010 Munich
2014 Granada
2018 Changwon

World Championships, Men Team

YearPlaceGoldSilverBronze
1966WiesbadenSwitzerland
Auguste Hollenstein
Erwin Vogt
Hans Simonet
Kurt Mueller
West Germany
Gerd Kuemmet
Ernst Beith
Bernd Klingner
Gunter Vetter
Soviet Union
Ludwig Lustberg
Eduard Jarosh
Vladimir Konyakhin
Vassily Borisov
1970PhoenixWest Germany
Peter Kohnke
Bernd Klingner
Gottfried Kustermann
Klaus Zaehringer
United States
Lanny Bassham
David Boyd
John Robert Foster
Lones Wigger
East Germany
Dieter Munzert
Hartmut Sommer
Helman Uhlemann
Uto Wunderlich
1974ThunWest Germany
Franz Hamm
Gottfried Kustermann
Bernd Ramms
Wolfgang Ruehle
United States
Lanny Bassham
David Cramer
Edward Schumacher
John Writer
Poland
Stanislaw Marucha
Eugeniusz Pedzisz
Romuald Simionov
Andrzej Trajda
1978SeoulWest Germany
Kurt Hillenbrand
Gottfried Kustermann
Oswald Schlipf
Werner Seibold
United States
John Akemon
Lanny Bassham
Kurt Fitz Randolph
David Kimes
South Korea
Gyong Hwan Bae
Ja Hyoun Myoung
Jang Woon Seo
Deok Ha Yoon
1979SeoulSwitzerland
Kuno Bertschy
Hans Braem
Hansueli Minder
Anton Mattle
United States
David Cramer
Ray Carter
Michael Gross
Ernest van de Zande
Great Britain
Malcolm Cooper
John Churchill
Barry Dagger
Robert Joyce
1981Santo DomingoWest Germany
Walter Hillenbrand
Kurt Hillenbrand
Kurt Rieth
Oswald Schlipf
France
Pascal Bessy
Patrice de Mullenheim
Daniel Labrune
Dominique Maquin
Norway
Amund Bjerbnes
Arnt-Olav Haugland
Per Erik Lokken
Harald Stenvaag
1982CaracasNorway
Arnt-Olav Haugland
Per Erik Lokken
Svien Sotberg
Harald Stenvaag
West Germany
Kurt Hillenbrand
Kurt Rieth
Oswald Schlipf
Bernhard Suess
East Germany
Bernd Hartstein
Sven Martini
Frank Rettkowski
Andreas Wolfram
1983InnsbruckFrance
Jean-Pierre Amat
Michel Bury
Philippe Heberlé
West Germany
Peter Heinz
Bernhard Suess
Hubert Suess
Soviet Union
Alexander Mitrofanov
Viktor Vlasov
Juri Zavolodko
1985Mexico CityFrance
Jean-Pierre Amat
Philippe Heberlé
Dominique Maquin
Yugoslavia
Rajmond Debevec
Sacir Dzeko
Goran Maksimovic
West Germany
Kurt Hillenbrand
Walter Hillenbrand
Bernhard Suess
1986SuhlWest Germany
Johann Riederer
Hubert Suess
Bernhard Suess
United States
Daniel Durben
Kurt Fitz Randolph
Robert Foth
Norway
Arnt-Olav Haugland
Harald Stenvaag
Kare Inge Viken
1987BudapestUnited States
Daniel Durben
Robert Foth
Matthew Suggs
Yugoslavia
Rajmond Debevec
Sacir Dzeko
Goran Maksimovic
Soviet Union
Juri Fedkin
Kirill Ivanov
Juri Zavolodko
1989SarajevoFrance
Jean-Pierre Amat
Franck Badiou
Nicolas Berthelot
Soviet Union
Viatcheslav Botchkarev
Juri Fedkin
Sergei Martynov
West Germany
Hannes Hirschvogel
Johann Riederer
Matthias Stich
1990MoscowWest Germany
Hannes Hirschvogel
Johann Riederer
Matthias Stich
East Germany
Olaf Hess
Sven Martini
Frank Rettkowski
South Korea
Young Chul Cha
Tae Jin Eom
Jung Mo Yoo
1991StavangerNorway
Nils Petter Haakedal
Leif Steinar Rolland
Harald Stenvaag
Soviet Union
Eugeni Aleinikov
Juri Fedkin
Sergei Schedrin
Germany
Hannes Hirschvogel
Johann Riederer
Matthias Stich
1994MilanBelarus
Anatoli Klimenko
Georgi Nekhaev
Sergei Martynov
Czech Republic
Milan Bakes
Petr Kurka
Dalimil Nejezchleba
Russia
Juri Fedkin
Artem Khadjibekov
Sergei Schedrin
1998BarcelonaRussia
Artem Khadjibekov
Eugeni Aleinikov
Konstantin Prikhodtchenko
South Korea
Kean Bae Chae
Young Sueb Lim
Jung Jun Ko
Slovakia
Jozef Gönci
Miroslav Svorada
Peter Bubernik
2002LahtiRussia
Konstantin Prikhodtchenko
Eugeni Aleinikov
Artem Khadjibekov
China
Li Jie
Fu Zhang
Yalin Cai
United States
Jason Parker
Matthew Emmons
Troy Bassham
2006ZagrebChina
Li Jie
Qinan Zhu
Lei Zhang
Russia
Konstantin Prikhodtchenko
Denis Sokolov
Serguei Kruglov
Austria
Christian Planer
Thomas Farnik
Mario Knoegler

World Championships, Women

YearPlaceGoldSilverBronze
1970Phoenix
1974Thun
1978Seoul
1979Seoul
1981Santo Domingo
1982Caracas
1983Innsbruck
1985Mexico City
1986Suhl
1987Budapest
1989Sarajevo
1990Moscow
1991Stavanger
1994Milan
1998Barcelona
2002Lahti
2006Zagreb
2010Munich
2014 Granada
2018 Changwon

World Championships, Women Team

YearPlaceGoldSilverBronze
1970PhoenixYugoslavia
Magdalena Herold
Mirjana Masic
Desanka Perovic
Soviet Union
Tamara Cherkasova
Lucia Fagereva
Tatiana Ratnikova
West Germany
Ingrid Kappes
Monika Riesterer
Anneliese Rhomberg
1974ThunSoviet Union
Kira Boiko
Tatiana Ratnikova
Baiba Zarina
Poland
Elzbieta Janik
Elzbieta Kowalewska
Irena Wierzbowska-Mlotkowska
West Germany
Elke Becker
Elisabeth Bals
Elisabeth Boehmer
1978SeoulUnited States
Karen Monez
Wanda Oliver
Sue Ann Sandusky
South Korea
Young Soon Kim
Nam Soon Park
Joo Hee Yoo
West Germany
Elisabeth Bals
Monika Sonnet
Jutta Sperlich
1979SeoulUnited States
Becky Braun
Wanda Jewell
Karen Monez
South Korea
Kyung Ok Chung
Nam Soon Park
Duk Nam Yoon
Great Britain
Sarah Cooper
Leslie Dodds
Irene Daw
1981Santo DomingoSoviet Union
Baiba Berklava
Valentina Cherkasova
Svetlana Komaristova
Norway
Thoril Brodahl-Radet
Elisabeth Brodahl
Anne Grethe Jeppesen
Bulgaria
Anna Kirova
Vesela Letcheva
Anka Pelova
1982CaracasEast Germany
Gilda Gorzkulla
Marlies Helbig
Marlies Moch
United States
Wanda Jewell
Karen Monez
Gloria Parmentier
Soviet Union
Svetlana Komaristova
Lessia Leskiv
Anna Malakhova
1983InnsbruckWest Germany
Ulrike Holmer
Sigrid Lang
Silvia Sperber
Hungary
Eva Forian
Kiss Eva Herrne
Laszlone Hunyadi
Soviet Union
Svetlana Komaristova
Marina Kuznetsova
Lessia Leskiv
1985Mexico CityBulgaria
Krassimira Dontcheva
Vesela Letcheva
Nonka Matova
United States
Mary Godlove
Mary Schweitzer
Pat Spurgin
Hungary
Eva Forian
Laszlone Hunyadi
Agnes Szasz
1986SuhlFinland
Leena Melartin Thune
Pirjo Peltola
Sirpa Ylönen
Switzerland
Gaby Buehlmann
Irene Dufaux Suter
Vreni Ryter
Soviet Union
Valentina Cherkasova
Anna Maloukhina
Marina Suslova
1987BudapestBulgaria
Krassimira Dontcheva
Vesela Letcheva
Nonka Matova
West Germany
Heike Goette
Carmen Giese
Birgit Zeiske
Soviet Union
Anna Maloukhina
Natalia Oleneva
Irina Shevtsova
1989SarajevoBulgaria
Vesela Letcheva
Nonka Matova
Anitza Valkova
Soviet Union
Valentina Cherkasova
Anna Maloukhina
Svitlana Seledkova
Hungary
Marta Bogdan
Eva Forian
Eva Joo
1990MoscowUnited States
Launi Meili
Kristen Peterson
Deena Wigger
Hungary
Bernadette Fehrentheil
Eva Forian
Eva Joo
Soviet Union
Valentina Cherkasova
Anna Maloukhina
Iryna Shylava
1991StavangerSoviet Union
Valentina Cherkasova
Svitlana Seledkova
Iryna Shylava
Hungary
Bernadette Fehrentheil
Eva Forian
Eva Joo
United States
Elizabeth Bourland
Launi Meili
Debora Sinclair
1994MilanGermany
Petra Horneber
Bettina Knells
Sonja Pfeilschifter
Russia
Valentina Cherkasova
Irina Gerasimenok
Anna Maloukhina
South Korea
Eun Joo Lee
Mi Ran Oh
Kab Soon Yeo
1998BarcelonaGermany
Sonja Pfeilschifter
Petra Horneber
Dunja Beilharz
China
Yinghui Zhao
Hong Shan
Xian Wang
Spain
Marina Pons
Cristina Antolin
Marta Antolin
2002LahtiChina
Li Du
Jing Gao
Yinghui Zhao
South Korea
Sun Hwa Seo
Hyung Mi Kim
Dae Young Choi
Ukraine
Natallia Kalnysh
Lessia Leskiv
Nataliya Omelyanenko
2006ZagrebGermany
Sonja Pfeilschifter
Barbara Lechner
Sylvia Aumann
China
Li Du
Yinghui Zhao
Jieyi Tang
Russia
Marina Bobkova
Tatiana Goldobina
Lioubov Galkina
2010MunichGermany
Jessica Mager
Beate Gauss
Sonja Pfeilschifter
China
Yi Siling
Wu Liuxi
Liu Qing
United States
Meghann Morrill
Jamie Lynn Gray
Emily Caruso

World Championships, total medals

Current world records

Post 1 January 2013 World and Olympic Records

Post 1 January 2018 World and Olympic Records