World Championships

The histories of the events, which are conducted in the World Shooting Championship, prove to be very interesting. Over the years events were added, changed and some even removed.

Prior to 1982 women competed in the open events, even after women’s only events were established. In 1982, the then "Open" events were re-established as "Men" only events, which meant the women, could only compete in the "Women’s" events.

Rifle events history

300m Rifle 3 Positions Men and Women

The Free Rifle 300 meter event was the first event that was conducted in the World Shooting Championships (WSC) in 1897. It is still considered today by many to be the primer event of the championships. In 1897 there were four individual and team championships awarded. There was a 3x40 fired event and non-fired events recognized in prone, standing and kneeling. Throughout it’s long history the free rifle target is only one of two targets that has never been changed except for the addition of an "X" ring.

The championship for prone was dropped after the 1986 championships. The championships for standing and kneeling were dropped after the 1990 championships.

The women’s event was added in 2001 as a 3x20 shot event.

300m Army Rifle

In 1911 the army rifle, sometimes called the service rifle, event was added to the program. It was a fired 3x20 event with the rifles that were used being the service rifle of the host country. This was changed in 1966. Championships were also awarded in prone, standing and kneeling.. Team championships were not established until 1935.

In 1947 the championships for prone, standing and kneeling were discontinued. 1970 was the last year that the service rifle event was conducted.

300m Standard Rifle Men

In 1974 the standard rifle 3x20 event was adopted. It consist of 20 shots being fired from the prone, standing and kneeling positions with a championship being awarded for the aggregate score.

300m Rifle Prone Men and Women

The free rifle prone event was established in 1982. It is a 60 shot course of fire at 300 meters. It is fired on the same target as the free rifle.

The women’s event was added in 2001 as a 60 shot event.

50m Rifle 3 Positions Men

This event was added to the WSC in 1929. Championships were awarded in the 3x40 aggregate, prone, standing and kneeling events. The only fired event was the 3x40. In 1962 the championship for prone was discontinued. In 1990 the championships for standing and prone were also discontinued leaving only the 3x40 competition.

In the 1958 championships a three position free rifle event was established for women that fired 30 shots in each position. It was conducted again in 1962 and than was discontinued in favor of the standard rifle 3x20 competition.

50m Rifle Prone Men

The free rifle prone event was first introduced in 1947 and was known as the "English Match". The course of fire was 30 shots at 50 and 100 meters with the championship be awarded for the aggregate score. In 1958 a separate competition for women was conducted in this event but was discontinued in the following championship.

In 1962 the course of fire was changed to 60 shots at 50 meters. At this time a free rifle prone event for women was established but was discontinued in the following championship.

50m Rifle 3 Positions Women

50m Standard Rifle 3x20

The 50 meters 3x20 standard rifle event was introduced in 1966. Restrictions were placed on the rifle that eliminated the hooked butt plate and palm rest, which were used on the free rifle. It was declared an open event allowing both men and women to complete in the same event. This open event was discontinued after the 1974 championships.

Also in 1966 a women’s only event was established which was conducted through the 1994 championships.

50m Sport Rifle 3x20

In 1998 the standard rifle 3x30 event was replaced by the sport rifle 3x20 event. The course of fire remained the same but the new specifications for the rifle allowed for a hooked butt plate and a palm rest.

50m Rifle Prone Women

50m Standard Rifle Prone

In 1966 a 50 meter 60 shot prone event was established for the women. It was conducted through the 1994 championships.

50m Sport Rifle Prone

In 1998 the standard rifle prone event was replaced by the sport rifle event. The course of fire remained the same but the new specifications for the rifle allowed for a hooked butt plate and a palm rest.

10m Air Rifle Men and Women

The first air rifle championship was conducted in 1970. It was a 40 shot course of fire for both the men and the women. In 1982 the men’s course was increased to 60 shots.

Pistol events history

50m Pistol Men

The first pistol event in the world championships was the free pistol that was established in 1900. Throughout it’s long history the free pistol target is only one of two targets that has never been change except for the addition of an "X" ring.

The course of fire is 60 shots fired at a distance of 50 meters.

25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men

Although the rapid fire pistol event was very popular for many years in the Olympic Games it was not introduced into the world shooting championship until 1937. Over the years there were several changes made to this event, but the basic concept of firing a single bullet per target on a series of targets remained the same.

In the championships of 1937 and 1939 there were six targets in the shape of a human figure with no scoring rings, hits only were counted. The course of fire was 3 series of six shots in 8 seconds. Ties were broken by firing an additional six shots in 6 seconds. If a tie still occurred an additional six shots was fired in 4 seconds and if required an additional six shots would be fired in 2 seconds and this time sequence would be repeated until the tie was broken.

In 1948 a human shaped target was inducted with scoring rings. The course of fire was changed to a 60 shot course fired in two stages of 30 shots each. Each stage consisted of 2 series of 5 shots in 8 seconds, 2 series of 5 shots in 6 seconds and 2 series of 5 shots in 4 seconds.

In 1990 the target was changed to a circular shape, the course of fire remained the same.

25m Standard Pistol Men

The standard pistol championship was first introduced into the WSC in 1970. The course of 60 shots fired in three stages. 20 shots of slow fire consisting of 4 series of 5 shot in 5 minutes, 4 series of 5 shots in 20 seconds and 4 series of 5 shots in ten seconds.

In 1970 standard pistol was also women’s events, but was never conducted in any other championship.

25m Center Fire Pistol Men

The center fire pistol championship was first conducted in 1947. It consist of 30 shots fired at a circular precision target and 30 shots of rapid fire shooting on a silhouette target

25m Pistol Women

The 25 meter sport pistol for women was introduced in 1966. It was based on the center fire 30+30 concept but is fired with a .22 caliber pistol.

10m Air Pistol Men and Women

The first air pistol championship was conducted in 1970. It was a 40 shot course of fire for both the men and the women. In 1982 the men’s course was increased to 60 shots.

Running Target events history

50m Running Target Men

Running Target was another event where changes were made to the target and the distance to the target, but maintain the basic concept of the event.

The object of running target is fire a shot at a target as it moves back and forth between two walls. A shot(s) must be fired each time the target is exposed. This is the only international shooting event where optical sights are permitted.

This event had a long history in the Olympic Games prior to it’s introduction in the WSC in 1949. At this time it was called Running Deer as the target was in the shape of a deer. Distance to the target was 100 meters with a 20 meter open where the target would be exposed. The competitors used center fire rifles. There were three events conducted. The first called "Single Runs" as a single shot had to be fired at each exposure of the targets. The second was "Double Runs" where it was required to fire 2 shots at each exposure of the target and the third was an aggregate of a given number of single and double shot runs. In 1952 the single / double run event was dropped.

In an effort to reduce the cost of constructing ranges the running deer event was removed from the program in 1966. At first a target in the shape of a Roebuck was proposed, but eventually was replaced with that of a wild boar. It became known as the Running Boar event. The distance to the target was 50 meters with a 10 meter opening for the exposure of the target. In 1966 one event called "Normal Runs" was conducted. In this event the target was exposed for a 5 seconds, each time that it crossed the opening. The event consisted of 20 shots, 10 from right to left and 10 from left to right.

In the following championship, in 1970, the "Normal Run" event was altered to include "fast runs" which had a target exposure of 2.5 seconds. This became known as the Running Boar 30+30 event.

50m Running Target Mixed Men

A second event was also added at this time that was referred to as the Running Boar Mixed Runs". This was a 40 shot event consisting 20 slow runs and 20 fast runs that were exposed at a random bases so that the competitor did not know which speed exposed. Today Running Boar is still included in the WSC but it is now called Running Target.

10m Running Target Men

In 1982 a 10 meter events was added to the WSC. It had a distance of 10 meters to the target with a 2 meter opening and the rifle used is 4.5 mm air rifle. It was a 40 shot event consisting of 20 slow runs and 20 fast runs. The target was a reduce of the 50 meter wild boar target.

In 1990 the number of shots was increased to a total of 60. 30 slow runs and 30 fast runs. The target was changed to two circular targets instead of the figure of the wild boar.

10m Running Target Mixed Men

In 1994 a 10 meter mixed run event was added to the program.

Shotgun events history

Trap Men and Women

Trap was first introduced into the WSC in 1929 as a 300 target event at clay targets. In the 1970 championships the course of fire was reduced to 200 targets. In 1990 the 25 target finals was first conducted. In 1994 the number targets was again reduced to 125 targets plus a 25 target final.

The women’s trap event was added 1n 1962 and was a 100 target event. In 1970 it was increased to 150 targets and increased again in 1975 to 200 targets. In 1994 the number of targets was reduced to 125 and reduced again in 1998 to 75 targets plus a 25 target final.

It should be noted the trap event was governed by the "Federation Internationale de Tir aux Armes Sportive de Chasse" (F.I.T.A.S.C.) until 1947 when this responsibility was transferred to the UIT.

Skeet Men and Women

Skeet was first introduced into the World Championships in 1947 as a 100 target event. In the 1952 championships the course of fire was increased to 150 targets. In 1958 the number of targets was again increased to 200. In 1990 the 25 target finals was first conducted. In 1994 to number of targets was reduced to 125 targets plus a 25 target final.

The women’s skeet event was added 1n 1962 and was a 100 target event. In 1970 it was increased to 150 targets and increased again in 1990 to 200 targets. In 1994 the number of targets was reduced to 125 and reduced again in 1998 to 75 targets plus a 25 target final.

Double Trap Men and Women

In an effort to create a third shotgun event double trap was added to the program in 1990. For the men it was a 200 target event plus a 50 target final.

For the women it was a 140 target event plus a 40 target final. In 1990 the number of targets was reduced to 150 plus a 50 target final for the men and 120 targets plus a 40 target final for the women.