Target rifle

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The term target rifle includes various handguns ( rifles ) and the discipline of the same name of the German Shooting Federation (DSB).

Disambiguation

The weapon "target rifle" is divided into three different categories:

  1. Target rifle, also target rifle, muzzle loading rifle (muzzle loading rifle)
  2. Target rifle, also target rifle, single-shot rifle (cartridge rifle)
  3. Target rifle , single-shot rifle ( small bore rifle )

A target rifle is not used for military purposes or for hunting and is to be seen as an independent development of the sports rifle. It is specially designed for precision shooting at shooting targets built modified and the stationary stop the shooter or with the appropriate stock design and target devices, mostly different types of diopters equipped. With older target rifles, the barrel is usually completely free. Because of the high cost of firearms , military rifles were often converted to target rifles in the past when they had served the military. In most cases, the full shaft was removed and the shaft shortened accordingly. In principle, however, military or hunting stocks are not or only partially suitable for this special form of shooting. The basic feature of the target rifle is the single-shot principle and, for shooting, the traditional distance of 100 m in a free-standing position.

Target rifle shooting, with the weapons described as a sporting discipline, is practiced in the entire German-speaking area. The focal points were and still are Austria, Germany and Northern Italy. The target rifle shooting discipline has thus also been included in the International Shooting Union (ISSF - formerly UIT) and is in no way to be confused with target shooting on picture targets, as is practiced in traditional and / or royal shooting .

The shooting sport discipline of the German Rifle Federation is specified and described in the sports regulations and is carried out with small-caliber single-barrel rifles (sport rifles). The competitions lead to the German championship.

history

Sports shooting at targets (target targets) is one of the oldest shooting sports with firearms, along with the so-called hunting shooting disciplines.

Flintlock and set trigger

Until around 1820, flintlock rifles were used to shoot shooting targets in sporting competitions. The use of rifled barrels (rifle barrels) made it possible to achieve the precision that was required to shoot as accurately as possible at distances of 100 m, which is the traditional distance for target shooting. From the beginning, target rifles were fired at the target while standing. Whether the standing position was preferred for shooting with the target rifle, because up until this time in military conflicts the troops mostly fired standing up at one another and the weapons were loaded kneeling, or because target shooting was initially practiced by members of the nobility and members of the craft trades was, in frock coat, in local - or artisan costume, other types of attacks are hardly an option, is controversial. Target shooting was practiced as a sporting competition on different occasions, rifle festivals, local annual festivals, guild festivals, etc., but also on a regular basis in the rifle guilds and the early shooting clubs .

Percussion lock

After 1820, the first were flintlock rifles on percussion locks aptiert , hereinafter disc rifles were then built from this time with percussion locks and the deductions provided with engravers. The improved precision of the weapons made it possible to reduce the calibers used. For example, these shrank from 15 mm to 19 mm for flintlock rifles, to 11 mm to 13.5 mm for percussion rifles, with the exception of calibers of approx. 9 mm to 9.5 mm for these weapons. With the improved precision, there have also been changes in the distance that was shot at. For example, there were also competitions at 150 m, 175 m and 300 m.

With the development of cartridge ammunition and the associated production of modern locking systems, target rifles also changed. Early representatives of the new generation of target rifles used the so-called 8 mm normal cartridge with black powder filling or low-smoke powder filling in caliber 8.15 x 46 ½ mm.

weapons

Target rifle, muzzle loading rifle

Representation of the Minié floor

Flintlock rifle or percussion rifle (muzzle-loading rifles), with part stocks in execution mostly with Bavarian or Tyrolean cheek, diopter sights, often fork diopter and trigger triggers as single to triple set trigger. Caliber 9 mm to 19 mm with so-called plaster barrels and the use of round balls or Minié bullets .

The designs of these weapons ranged from simple, undecorated models to luxury variants with engravings, etchings, chasings, gold inlays on metal parts and richly decorated and cut stocks. Original weapons of this type are sought-after collector's items today and reach top prices at auctions as shooting antiques.

For this classic form of the target rifle (percussion rifle) there were often exactly identical variants in a version for the use of room ammunition. These versions were used for practice shooting in the home environment or in guilds and club houses and enabled practice with the weapon, which was identical in size, except for the caliber, even under poor weather conditions.

Modern replicas or new developments of these weapons have high quality standards and can be as richly decorated as their predecessors. The calibres used are often in the range .32 to .45. Well-known manufacturers (percussion rifles ) are for example Davide Pedersoli ( target rifle ) or the Swiss Bristlen Morges .

Target rifle, single-shot rifle

Single-shot rifle with partial or sports stocks, often with Bavarian or Tyrolean cheekbones, rear sight sights, and sometimes with military rear sights. Both set trigger and sports triggers are used in these weapons. Ornaments on the barrel, the system sleeve or the stock are less common here. The calibers used are mostly the so-called "German caliber" (8 mm to 9.5 mm) of the Aydt system developed by the German gunsmith Aydt, a drop block system with a pivot point of the tipping bolt block located under the barrel.

The original cartridge-loaded target rifles had drop barrel or drop block systems. After the development of the Mauser System 98 , these systems can also be found, among others, in target rifles.

Modern, large-caliber, cartridge-loaded target rifles also use match or so-called benchrest stocks or even perforated stocks. The target rifle discipline, which has been adapted for seniors, allows the weapon to be laid on. This must be taken into account by the stock.

Target rifle, single-shot rifle (small bore)

The weapons used for the discipline of the German Rifle Federation largely correspond to the match weapons used in other disciplines, with modifications that support the shooter's standing position. Details must be taken from the current sports regulations. Here, too, there is a modified discipline for seniors that allows the laying on of the weapon.

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