AIMING OFF – Don’t do it. Rifles and pistols are fitted with sights that can be adjusted. So ALWAYS aim at the same place.

AVERAGE – Is calculated over several courses of fire by adding up the total score and dividing by the number of courses.

BREACH – The end of the barrel nearest to you, where the shot goes in.

CEASE FIRE – At this command, STOP SHOOTING IMMEDIATELY. Firearms should be placed on the bench and the breach opened (see make-safe). If you have loaded and not discharged the round, let the range officer know and he will tell you what to do.

CLASS – In most competitions shooters compete against others of similar ability. This is determined by the individual ‘average’. In postal competitions the word division is substituted for the word class. British classifications are

D – Beginners;

C – Improvers;

B – Quite good;

A – Very good

and

X – how can anyone be THAT good?

(The answer is to practice, listen, learn and then practice some more)

COURSE OF FIRE – The number of shots to be fired to count in a competition or practice.

DETAIL / SQUAD – The difference between these two terms is subtle and is better explained on a one to one basis!!

DORSET LEAGUE – A postal competition run by Dorset Smallbore and Rifle Association. Two competitions each year are run during the summer (April-July) and Winter (October-January). There are 8 rounds per season consisting of 30 shots per round. Two rounds MUST be shot per month.

FIRING LINE – Literally a line at a set distance from the target.

FIRING POINT – The area immediately behind the firing line.

KEEP YOUR FEET STILL – Does what is say’s on the tin and is a favourite phrase of the coach. Once you are in the correct position, stay anchored to the floor; any slight movement of the feet WILL move your group (honest).

LAST DAY FOR SHOOTING – Every round has to be shot, witnessed and handed in by a specified date.

MAKE-SAFE – Although most firearms are fitted with safety catches they are not used in target shooting. A firearm must be SEEN to be safe, so when told to make-safe the breach is opened and the firearm is laid on the bench, muzzle pointing down the range. It must not be handled again until told to do so by the Range Officer.

MUZZLE – The end of the barrel furthest away from you, where the shot comes out.

OPEN COMPETITIONS- Is a competition where all competitors shoot on the same range, usually over a weekend. At the major events, like the British Championship Meeting, competitors come from all over the U.K, and the rest of the world, to compete. Targets are scored and results posted on the day.

POSTAL COMPETITIONS – Cards are shot on the “home” range and either the scores or cards are posted to the league controller. Results are returned by email, showing the shooters score and their position in their division.

RANGE OFFICER – GOD

ROUND – (Two meanings):

1. Ammunition = one pellet or bullet:

2. Competition = A specified number of shots to count.

SIGHT PICTURE – Is what you see when you look through the sights. For a rifle this will be a black circle (the aiming mark) and a series of black and white rings.

SIGHTERS – Shots fired at the target, prior to shooting to count. The purpose of these shots is to determine where a group forms so that adjustments to position or sights can be made, bringing the group over the centre of the target.

SQUAD / DETAIL – The difference between these two terms is subtle and is better explained on a one to one basis!!

TARGETS – Aiming marks with scoring rings are printed onto a card and ‘card’ is the term used for all disciplines. Air rifle ‘cards’ have 5 aiming marks with one shot for each aiming mark whereas pistol ‘cards’ have just one aiming mark for 5 shots. The aiming mark is the black bit.