Olympic shooting

Upcoming matches

98 events matching this sport’s disciplines. Discipline does not establish league affiliation. Coverage is partial; confirm dates and registration with the organizer.

1. Oct 21, 2026Listed date, not yet confirmed by the organizer
   Junior Rifle ProgramConestoga Rod & Gun Club, 820 Street Rd, Southampton, PA
   PA calendar →
2. Oct 22, 2026Listed date, not yet confirmed by the organizer
   2026 North Augusta Navy League air rifle competitionNorth Augusta High School NJROTC Unit, North Augusta, SC
   SC calendar →
3. Oct 22, 2026Listed date, not yet confirmed by the organizer
   2026 Zombie Shoot OutJack C Hays High School, Buda, TX
   TX calendar →
4. Oct 22, 2026Listed date, not yet confirmed by the organizer
   ATA Trap Big 5021101 Kettlefoot Lane, Bristol, VA 24202
   VA calendar →
5. Oct 22, 2026Listed date, not yet confirmed by the organizer
   Fort Mill High School MCJROTC Fall ClassicFort Mill High School MCJROTC, Fort Mill, SC
   SC calendar →
6. Oct 22, 2026Listed date, not yet confirmed by the organizer
   Kentuckiana Air Rifle Conference Match 6 of 9Fern Creek Traditional HS MCJROTC, Fern Creek, KY
   KY calendar →

How a match works

1. The match program sets eligibility, registration, fees, rules, equipment and the schedule. [24]
2. For 10m air events, the ISSF call to the line comes at least 25 minutes before the published start: 10 minutes for setup, then 15 minutes of preparation and sighting shots. “PREPARATION AND SIGHTING TIME…START” begins the practice shots. “END OF PREPARATION AND SIGHTING…STOP” ends them; after the target reset, “MATCH FIRING…START” begins the shots that count toward your score. [9] [35] [8]
3. Qualification establishes the ranking. Individual air rifle and air pistol have 60 shots; rifle 3 positions has 20 shots each in kneeling, prone and standing. The 2026–2027 State Junior Olympic air events allow 1 hour, 15 minutes on electronic targets or 1 hour, 30 minutes on paper targets, after the separate preparation and sighting period. [6] [26]
4. Shotgun competitors shoot in squads and move through the stations. Individual trap and skeet qualification is 125 targets in 5 rounds of 25 each, shot in 2 or 3 days. Trap allows two shots per target in qualification, but only one in finals and finals shoot-offs. [18]
5. At ISSF Olympic events, qualification leads to a separate final. The best eight individual athletes start a new competition from zero; mixed team finals bring together four qualified teams. The 10m individual finals have 24 shots, with the lowest-scoring athlete eliminated after the 12th shot and then after every two shots. [8] [10] [22] [6]
6. A domestic championship is not necessarily one Olympic qualification course. At Camp Perry’s 2026 Winter Air Gun Championships, Match 1 and Match 2 qualification scores are combined; the top eight eligible athletes advance to a final that starts from zero unless a competition bulletin states otherwise. [24]

Where to compete

The USA Shooting finder lists international-discipline clubs and Certified Training Centers. For shotgun, confirm that the venue offers international trap or skeet: a generic American trap field is not the Olympic layout. [2] [23] [19] [28]

• USAS match finder ↗
• USAS club finder ↗
• Find a shooting range

Your first match

1. Choose a discipline and contact a club. Contact a USA Shooting club or Certified Training Center offering international shooting. Young athletes can also look for school teams, 4-H and other community programs identified by USA Shooting. [2] [3]
2. Find a local competition or junior qualifier. Use USA Shooting’s Events page for competition programs and registration. Member-club matches include Preliminary Tryouts (PTOs) and Junior Olympic qualifiers. [23] [25]
3. Read the match program before registering. Check eligibility, course of fire, target type, equipment, fees and competition bulletins before entering. State Junior Olympic hosts must explain procedures, scoring, protests and shot-value verification before the match starts. [24] [25]
4. Complete individual membership and event requirements. Club membership alone is not enough for a sanctioned USA Shooting match: you need an individual membership. Current match programs use the USA Shooting Sport80 portal for membership and registration. Complete the host’s waivers, access requirements and any applicable safeguarding requirements. [3] [24]
5. Check your relay and attend the briefing. At Camp Perry’s 2026 Winter Air Gun Championships, check in before Match Day 1 and confirm your start-list relay and firing point; assignments can change. At a State Junior Olympic briefing, ask the host about any procedures you do not understand. [24] [25]

Never fired a gun at a range? Start with your first range visit.

What to bring

Bring eye and hearing protection to your first match, even where a league only recommends it. Check the host’s requirements before you arrive.

Air rifle or air pistol, for 10m eventsRequired

The caliber is 4.5mm (.177”). Air rifles are limited to 5.5kg (Men/Women). Air pistols have a 1500g maximum weight, 500g minimum trigger pull and a 420 x 200 x 50mm measuring box. [13] [14]

Smallbore equipment, for 50m rifle or 25m pistolRequired

50m rifles use rimfire 5.6mm (.22”) long rifle cartridges. The 25m rimfire pistol rule permits .22 long rifle pistols, excluding single-shot pistols, that meet the pistol specification table. An airgun event does not use this ammunition. [13] [14]

Shotgun and cartridges, for trap or skeetRequired

Current ISSF rules allow smoothbore shotguns no larger than 12 gauge, excluding semi-automatics and pump-action shotguns. Shot charge must not exceed 24.0g (+0.5g tolerance); pellets must not exceed 2.6mm in diameter. Athletes also need an appropriate shooting vest or jacket on the field of play. [16]

Specialized rifle trousers and shoesOptional

ISSF allows ordinary athletic training trousers and normal athletic training shoes in any event or position. Specialized rifle clothing has thickness and stiffness limits. Camp Perry’s 2026 Winter Air Gun program has its own air-rifle equipment allowance, while record-eligible equipment must comply with current ISSF rules. [15] [24]

Safety flag or safety line, for rifle and pistolRequired

ISSF rule 6.2.2.2 requires a bright safety flag in rifles and pistols except when its removal is authorized. For airguns, the safety line must extend through the full length of the barrel. The match officials apply the rule at the range. [21]

Hearing protection, for 25m/50m/300m and shotgun rangesRequired

ISSF requires ear plugs, ear muffs or similar protection near the 25m, 50m and 300m firing lines and on all shotgun ranges. This rule does not list the 10m firing line; the host may publish additional range rules. [21]

Shatterproof shooting glasses, for shotgunRequired

ISSF rule 6.2.6 requires all shotgun athletes to wear shatterproof shooting glasses or similar eye protection while shooting. [21]

What it costs

Winter Air Gun entry, Camp Perry 2026

Air Rifle Entry Fee: $175. Air Pistol Entry Fee: $175. Athletes entering both events must register separately for each; the registration deadline is Dec 1, 2026. This is one named championship’s fee, not a typical local match price. [24]

State Junior Olympic remittance, 2026–2027

The host collects a $15 fee per competitor per discipline for USA Shooting. The packet’s sample program leaves the total individual entry fee blank: $15 is not a promised all-in entry price. [27]

Local bunker trap example

Crossville Shooting Sports Park publishes Adults $11.00/25 and $44.00/100; Youth (18 years & Under) $8.00/25 and $32.00/100. These are that venue’s bunker-trap prices, not national rates or a USA Shooting championship entry fee. [28]

Travel and lodging

Camp Perry’s 2026 Winter Air Gun program makes competitors responsible for their own travel and hotel arrangements. These are separate from the published event entry fee. [24]

How scoring works

Qualification and final scoring can differ. The table gives the ISSF scoring method for each event and round; the State Junior Olympic air-rifle exception is below. [7] [11] [17] [26]

• Decimal scoring divides each full scoring ring into ten equal scoring rings: 10.0 through 10.9 within the ten ring. A 10.9 is the highest decimal shot value, not a bonus added to a full-ring score. [7]
• A regular clay counts as HIT when at least one visible piece is broken from it. Dust alone does not count. With flash targets, visible coloured powder after the shot also qualifies under the rule. [17]
• The 2026–2027 State Junior Olympic air rifle qualifier is an important exception to international air rifle scoring: its packet requires integer scoring, including on electronic targets. [26]

Divisions and classes

10m air rifle

Men’s and women’s individual events and a mixed team event are on the LA28 program. Individual qualification is 60 shots, standing; mixed team qualification is 30 shots per athlete. [4] [6]

50m rifle 3 positions

Men’s and women’s individual events. Qualification is 3 x 20 shots in kneeling, prone and standing; the current Olympic final uses only standing. [4] [6]

10m air pistol

Men’s and women’s individual events and mixed team. Individual qualification is 60 shots; mixed team qualification is 30 shots per athlete. ISSF pistol events are shot standing, unsupported, with one hand. [4] [6] [14]

25m rapid-fire pistol

The men’s Olympic event has two qualification stages of 30 shots. Each stage includes two five-shot series in eight seconds, two in six seconds and two in four seconds. [4] [12]

25m pistol

The women’s Olympic event divides 60 qualification shots into 30 precision and 30 rapid-fire shots. USA Shooting also offers men’s sport pistol in its State Junior Olympic program; that is not a men’s LA28 Olympic event. [4] [12] [26]

Trap

Men’s and women’s individual events plus mixed team trap at LA28. Individual qualification is 125 targets; mixed team qualification is 75 targets for each team member. [4] [18]

Skeet

Men’s and women’s individual events at LA28, with 125 targets in qualification. ISSF also recognizes mixed team skeet, but it is not on USA Shooting’s confirmed LA28 Olympic event list. [4] [6]

Domestic junior categories

For the 2026–2027 State Junior Olympic rifle and pistol program, U21 means 21 years old and under, U18 means 18 years old and under, and U15 means 15 years old and under, measured on December 31, 2027. These are domestic junior categories, not Olympic medal events. [25]

Junior Olympic state awards

A junior may shoot in another state’s qualifier but is not eligible for that state’s medals. Only U.S. citizens competing for the USA are eligible for medals at the State and National Junior Olympic Championships. [37]

Winter Air Gun awards, 2026

At Camp Perry’s 2026 Winter Air Gun Championships, Open and Overall Junior awards use finals results; Age Category awards use the aggregate score. Its program defines juniors as “21 and under before Dec 31, 2026,” a different cutoff from the 2026–2027 State Junior Olympic program. [38] [25]

Classification

USA Shooting’s 2026 rifle and pistol qualification procedures describe a National Team, National Development Team and National Futures Team. These are national-team pathways: elite, developing and emerging athletes, respectively. Rifle selection and pistol selection have separate procedures; the pistol policy includes performance-standard scores. Read the policy for your discipline rather than treating one team’s criteria as a universal skill class. [29] [30]

Safety rules

• Range officials enforce the safety rules; athletes and team officials must follow them. Organizers may add range-specific requirements to the program. Learn them with your club and officials before competing. [21]
• A Jury Member, Referee or Range Officer may stop shooting at any time for safety. ISSF requires athletes and team officials to notify officials immediately about a situation that may be dangerous. [21]
• “STOP” means stop shooting immediately. Under the general ISSF commands, “UNLOAD” requires guns and magazines to be unloaded and made safe; ask the Range Officer for permission to unload an airgun. On a shotgun range, “STOP” also requires immediate unloading, and the shotgun must not be closed until the Referee gives the command to continue. [35]
• Disqualification (DSQ) can follow a shot before “LOAD” or “START,” or after “STOP” or “UNLOAD,” if safety is involved. Refusing to use a required safety flag or open a shotgun after a warning must result in disqualification when confirmed by the Jury. Removing or casing a gun without an official’s check may also lead to disqualification if the Jury finds a significant safety violation. [36]
• A scoring mistake is not automatically a disqualification. In the ISSF 10m/50m rifle and pistol procedures, a shot before the preparation “START” counts as a miss if safety is not involved; a shot after “STOP” counts as a miss. A shot on another competitor’s match target is also a miss. [36]
• Safeguarding is part of participation. USA Shooting requires SafeSport training and background checks for specified adult roles, including members with regular contact with minors, coaches at sanctioned events, and adult athletes attending its Colorado Springs training-center events. Check the policy and your match program for the requirements that apply to you. [34]
• The 2026 Winter Air Gun Championships is subject to doping control. All athletes there are subject to testing by the United States Anti-Doping Agency, the World Anti-Doping Agency and/or the international federation. [24]

Match levels and major events

• Local, state and regional competition: USA Shooting sanctions these levels as well as national events. Member-club matches include Preliminary Tryouts and Junior Olympic programs. [3] [23]
• State to National Junior Olympics: junior rifle and pistol athletes must compete in a state qualifying match for national invitation consideration. The 2026–2027 packet provides state-champion and score-based invitation routes; only one State Championship may be used. [25]
• National-team selection: rifle and pistol have separate procedures. Rifle Futures Team routes include Junior Olympics, national championships and specified college-rifle and precision-air-rifle championships. Pistol adds its own junior, collegiate and Progressive Pistol championship pathways. [29] [30]
• International competition and Olympic selection are related but distinct. USA Shooting’s July 10, 2026 LA28 diagrams separate USA Shooting competitions to qualify for ISSF competitions, ISSF competitions to earn Olympic quotas and minimum qualifying scores, and competitions to make the Olympic team. Each discipline’s diagram shows an Olympic preliminary tryout and two Olympic Trials stages. [31] [32] [33]

Major events

Winter Air Gun Championships ↗

Camp Perry, Ohio, December 11–13, 2026: pre-event training on December 11, Match 1 on December 12, and Match 2, finals and awards on December 13. Current USA Shooting membership is required; registration closes Dec 1, 2026. [24] [39]

National Junior Olympic Shooting Championships ↗

The 2026–2027 State Junior Olympic rifle and pistol program leads to consideration for an invitation to nationals. State matches run between November 1, 2026, and February 16, 2027; scores from other matches such as PTOs are not accepted for this qualification route. [25]

USA Shooting National Championships ↗

The official calendar lists separate Rifle, Shotgun and Pistol National Championships for 2027. Use the current calendar and match programs for dates and registration. [23]

USA Shooting selection matches ↗

The calendar publishes separate rifle, pistol and shotgun selection matches. These are discipline-specific: use the relevant national-team procedures and match program, not another discipline’s selection criteria. [23] [29] [30]

Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games ↗

USA Shooting confirms 15 Olympic events and 340 athlete quotas. Rifle and pistol are planned for the Long Beach Target Shooting Hall; shotgun is planned for the Whittier Narrows Clay Shooting Center in South El Monte, California. [4]

Common questions

Glossary

ISSF

International Shooting Sport Federation, the international federation whose current rulebook defines these events and their technical rules. [5]

Course of fire

The stages of an event: how many shots are in each series and stage, the type of firing and the time limits. [8]

Qualification

The round that determines who advances to a final. The best eight athletes in an individual final begin a new competition from zero. [8]

Sighter

A practice or warm-up shot fired before the match shots that count toward the score. [8]

EST

Electronic scoring target. [8]

Relay and squadding

The assignment of competitors to relays and firing points for rifle and pistol, or to particular squads for shotgun; these assignments produce the start lists. [8]

PET

Pre-event training. [8]

PTO

Preliminary Tryout, one of the member-club match types USA Shooting sanctions outside its national or international calendar. [23]

3 positions

Kneeling, prone and standing in 50m rifle qualification. The current Olympic final is standing only. [6] [4]

Bunker trap

International or Olympic trap. Its trap pit contains 15 target-throwing machines arranged in five groups of three. [28] [19]

Mixed team

One man and one woman from the same country in ISSF mixed team events. The LA28 events are air rifle, air pistol and trap. [8] [4]

MQS

Minimum Qualification Score. USA Shooting’s Olympic pathway diagrams distinguish earning these scores and quotas from making the Olympic team. [8] [31]

DSQ

Disqualified. For example, ISSF requires disqualification when the Jury confirms refusal to use a required safety flag or open a shotgun after a warning. [36]

SafeSport training

USA Shooting’s required safeguarding training for specified adult roles, including adults with regular contact with minor athletes. Those roles also require a background check. [34]

Watch and read

• USA Shooting official video channel ↗Video · USA Shooting
• 2028 Olympic pathway: rifle ↗Page · USA Shooting
• 2028 Olympic pathway: pistol ↗Page · USA Shooting
• 2028 Olympic pathway: shotgun ↗Page · USA Shooting

Related sports

• CMP matches
• Trap shooting
• Skeet shooting
• Scholastic Clay Target Program
• NRA Precision Pistol
• NRA High Power Rifle
• Compare every league

Sources

Facts checked October 4, 2026 against the sources below. Each bracketed number on the page links to its source.

1. [1]
   Who we areusashooting.org
2. [2]
   Clubs & Shooting Centersusashooting.org
3. [3]
   Frequently asked questionsusashooting.org
4. [4]
   Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games confirms shooting venues and eventsusashooting.org
5. [5]
   ISSF Official Statutes, Rules and Regulations — title and editionbackoffice.issf-sports.org
6. [6]
   ISSF recognized shooting events, pp. 186–188backoffice.issf-sports.org
7. [7]
   ISSF rulebook, ring and decimal scoring, rules 6.3.3.1–6.3.3.3backoffice.issf-sports.org
8. [8]
   ISSF rulebook, definitions, pp. 183–184backoffice.issf-sports.org
9. [9]
   ISSF rulebook, preparation and sighting, rule 6.11.1.1backoffice.issf-sports.org
10. [10]
    ISSF rulebook, 10m air rifle and pistol final, rule 6.17.2backoffice.issf-sports.org
11. [11]
    ISSF rulebook, 25m final scoring, rules 6.17.4–6.17.5backoffice.issf-sports.org
12. [12]
    ISSF rulebook, 25m qualification courses, rules 8.7.6.3–8.7.6.4backoffice.issf-sports.org
13. [13]
    ISSF rulebook, rifle caliber and specification table, rules 7.4.6 and 7.7.5backoffice.issf-sports.org
14. [14]
    ISSF rulebook, pistol standards and position, rules 8.4.3, 8.7.1 and 8.12backoffice.issf-sports.org
15. [15]
    ISSF rulebook, rifle clothing, rule 7.5backoffice.issf-sports.org
16. [16]
    ISSF rulebook, shotgun and ammunition, rules 9.4.1–9.4.3backoffice.issf-sports.org
17. [17]
    ISSF rulebook, HIT and LOST targets, rules 9.7.4–9.7.5backoffice.issf-sports.org
18. [18]
    ISSF rulebook, qualification and trap shots, rules 9.6.1.3 and 9.8.1.1backoffice.issf-sports.org
19. [19]
    ISSF rulebook, trap throwing machines, rule 6.4.18.3backoffice.issf-sports.org
20. [20]
    ISSF rulebook, skeet range, delay and ready position, rules 6.4.19 and 9.9backoffice.issf-sports.org
21. [21]
    ISSF rulebook, range responsibility and protection, rules 6.2.1–6.2.6backoffice.issf-sports.org
22. [22]
    ISSF announces changes with 2026 Rulebookissf-sports.org
23. [23]
    Events and competition programsusashooting.org
24. [24]
    2026 Winter Air Gun Championships — Camp Perry match programusashooting.org
25. [25]
    2027 rifle and pistol State Junior Olympic host information packetusashooting.org
26. [26]
    2026–2027 State Junior Olympic rifle and pistol courses of fireusashooting.org
27. [27]
    State Junior Olympic fee remittance and sample entry feeusashooting.org
28. [28]
    Bunker trap — format and local pricescrossvilleshootingsportspark.com
29. [29]
    2026 National Rifle Team qualification proceduresusashooting.org
30. [30]
    2026 National Pistol Team qualification procedures — effective May 28, 2026usashooting.org
31. [31]
    2028 LA Olympic Games pathway — rifle, July 10, 2026usashooting.org
32. [32]
    2028 LA Olympic Games pathway — pistol, July 10, 2026usashooting.org
33. [33]
    2028 LA Olympic Games pathway — shotgun, July 10, 2026usashooting.org
34. [34]
    Safe Sport — required training and background checksusashooting.org
35. [35]
    ISSF range commands and 10m sequence, rules 6.2.3, 6.11.1 and 9.2.5backoffice.issf-sports.org
36. [36]
    ISSF disqualification and miss-score examples, rules 6.2.2–6.2.3 and 6.11backoffice.issf-sports.org
37. [37]
    2026–2027 State Junior Olympic residence and citizenship conditionsusashooting.org
38. [38]
    2026 Camp Perry Winter Air Gun junior and award categoriesusashooting.org
39. [39]
    2026 Camp Perry Winter Air Gun day-by-day scheduleusashooting.org

Inclusion is not an endorsement. Send a source or correction.