Rifles
What is the difference?
There are many different rifles, at NSSBARC we use both .22lr and Air Rifles, even with these there are many types, so what are the differences?
Apart from Calibre there are only 3 main differences:
There are 4 main types of rifle used at NSSBARC:
Sporter Rifles
Sporter Rifles are typically hunting style rifles, probably the most familar to people.
These are also the most commonly avialable as hunting rifles. At NSSBARC we have 2 disciplines which use Sporter Style rifles:
Sporter style disiplines use a Scope.
Prone / 3 Position Rifles
Prone / 3 Position rifles are specialist rifles.
Featuring highly adjustable stocks, match-grade barrels, and precision sights, they are built to deliver exceptional accuracy and consistency at 50 metres.
As the description suggests there are 2 main disciplines:
Bench Rest Rifles
Bench Rest rifles are precision .22 Long Rifle firearms designed to deliver exceptional accuracy from a supported shooting position. Typically fitted with high-magnification telescopic sights and fired from front and rear rests, these rifles are engineered to produce the smallest possible shot groups.
The stock on a Bench Rest rifle is heavy and has a flat front to sit as stable as possible on the front rest.
Target Air Rifles
Target Air Rifles are designed for precision and consistency, target air rifles use compressed air to fire 4.5mm (.177 calibre) pellets at targets 10 metres away. Their adjustable design and exceptional accuracy make them the preferred choice for competitive air rifle shooting.
SCOPES & SIGHTS
Target Scopes
A target scope is a precision optical sight designed to help shooters accurately aim at distant targets. By magnifying the target image, a scope allows shooters to see fine details that would be difficult or impossible to distinguish with the naked eye.
Modern target scopes feature adjustable magnification, precise windage and elevation adjustments, and parallax correction to ensure maximum accuracy.
In Bench Rest competition, high-quality scopes play an important role in helping shooters achieve consistent shot placement and produce the smallest possible groups at 50 metres and beyond.
There are hundreds of different scopes on the market make sure you do plenty of research before buying and make sure you get the right one for your choosen discipline.
Aperture Sights AKA Peep Sights
Aperture sights, commonly known as peep sights, are the preferred aiming system for Olympic-style target rifle shooting.
Unlike traditional open sights or telescopic scopes, aperture sights use a small rear viewing aperture and a front sight containing a circular insert. When aiming, the shooter looks through the rear aperture and naturally centres the front sight ring around the target, creating a highly precise and repeatable sight picture.
Fine windage and elevation adjustments allow shooters to make extremely small corrections to their point of aim, while interchangeable front sight elements can be selected to suit different targets and lighting conditions. This system provides exceptional accuracy and is widely used in 10m Air Rifle, 50m Prone, and 50m 3 Position competition.
other equipment
Rests
Bench Rests are made up of 2 parts, the front rest and rear rest.
The front rest can be anything from the basic green Caldwell model above to a highly refined rest like the blue one on the right. The difference with these rests apart from the ability to make extremely fine adjustments is the stability.
Ammunition
We use 2 types of ammunition at the club, .22lr and .177.
Gloves
Gloves are used in Prone and 3 Position target shooting.
Slings
Slings are used in Prone and 3 Position target shooting.
Jackets
Jackets are used in Air Rifle, Prone and 3 Position target shooting.
Pants
Pants are used in Air Rifle and 3 Position target shooting.
Boots
Boots are used in Air Rifle and 3 Position target shooting.