Shooting
A
shooting sport is a competitive sport involving tests of proficiency (accuracy
and speed) using various types of guns such as firearms and airguns (see archery
for more information on shooting sports that make use of bows and arrows).
Hunting is also a shooting sport, and indeed shooting live pigeons was an
Olympic event (albeit only once, in 1900). The shooting sports are categorized
by the type of firearm, target and distances at which targets are shot
at.
The
National Rifle Association (NRA) of the United Kingdom was founded in 1860 to
raise the funds for an annual national rifle meeting "for the encouragement of
Volunteer Rifle Corps, and the promotion of Rifle-shooting throughout Great
Britain".
For similar
reasons, concerned over poor marksmanship during the American Civil War, veteran
Union officers Col. William C. Church and Gen. George Wingate formed the
National Rifle Association of America in 1871 for the purpose of promoting and
encouraging rifle shooting on a "scientific" basis. In 1872, with financial help
from New York state, a site on Long Island, the Creed Farm, was purchased for
the purpose of building a rifle range. Named Creedmoor, the range opened in
1872, and became the site of the first National Matches until New York politics
forced the NRA to move the matches to Sea Girt, New Jersey. The popularity of
the National Matches soon forced the event to be moved to its present, much
larger location: Camp Perry. In 1903, the U.S. Congress created the National
Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice (NBPRP), an advisory board to the
Secretary of the Army, with a nearly identical charter to the NRA. The NBPRP
(now known as the Civilian Marksmanship Program) also participates in the
National Matches at Camp Perry.
Girls' rifle team at Central High, Washington, DC.
November 1922.
In 1903, the NRA began to establish rifle clubs at all major
colleges, universities and military academies. By 1906, youth programs were in
full swing with more than 200 boys competing in the National Matches. Today,
more than one million youth participate in shooting sports events and affiliated
programs through groups such as 4-H, the Boy Scouts of America, the American
Legion, U.S. Jaycees, NCAA, the Scholastic Clay Target Program, National Guard
Bureau, ROTC and JROTC. These programs have all continued to thrive despite
political pressures to disband. The success of these programs is often
attributed to an emphasis on safety and education that has resulted in an
unprecedented scholastic and collegiate athletic safety record.[citation
needed]
French
pistol champion and founder of the modern Olympics, Pierre de Coubertin,
participated in many of these early competitions. This fact certainly
contributed to the inclusion of five shooting events in the 1896 Olympics. Over
the years, the events have been changed a number of times in order to keep up
with technology and social standards. For example, targets that formerly
resembled humans or animals in their shape and size have are now a circular
shape in order to avoid associating the sport with any form of violence. At the
same time, some events have been dropped and new ones have been added. The 2004
Olympics featured three shooting disciplines (rifle, pistol and shotgun) where
athletes competed for 51 medals in 10 men's and 7 women's events—slightly fewer
than the previous Olympic schedule.
The Olympic
Games continue to provide the shooting sports with its greatest public relations
opportunity. The sport has always enjoyed the distinction of awarding the first
medals of the Games. Internationally, the International Shooting Sport
Federation (ISSF) has oversight of all Olympic shooting events worldwide, while
National Governing Bodies (NGBs) administer the sport within each
country.
Having
originally established shooting as an organized sport in the USA, the NRA was
the obvious choice to administer the United States participation in the Olympic
games. The NRA dutifully managed and financially supported international and
conventional shooting sports (i.e., National Matches) for over 100 years until
the formation of USA Shooting.
Because of
its long heritage and broad appeal, the shooting sports are enjoyed by a large
number of participants around the world. In recent years, however, the shooting
sports have become increasingly threatened by social and political reforms. In
some countries, voters have declared their disapproval toward the private
ownership and possession of handguns. This is generally motivated by the
perception that handguns are associated with violent crime instead of
sportsmanship. Some governments, such as the British, have enacted restrictive
gun control legislation that directly affects the shooting
sports.
More
recently, a rise in the number of concealed carry permit-holders in the US has
led to a surge in interest in various handgun competitions that foster defensive
skills, accuracy drills, and personal protection
tactics.
shooting sport is a competitive sport involving tests of proficiency (accuracy
and speed) using various types of guns such as firearms and airguns (see archery
for more information on shooting sports that make use of bows and arrows).
Hunting is also a shooting sport, and indeed shooting live pigeons was an
Olympic event (albeit only once, in 1900). The shooting sports are categorized
by the type of firearm, target and distances at which targets are shot
at.
The
National Rifle Association (NRA) of the United Kingdom was founded in 1860 to
raise the funds for an annual national rifle meeting "for the encouragement of
Volunteer Rifle Corps, and the promotion of Rifle-shooting throughout Great
Britain".
For similar
reasons, concerned over poor marksmanship during the American Civil War, veteran
Union officers Col. William C. Church and Gen. George Wingate formed the
National Rifle Association of America in 1871 for the purpose of promoting and
encouraging rifle shooting on a "scientific" basis. In 1872, with financial help
from New York state, a site on Long Island, the Creed Farm, was purchased for
the purpose of building a rifle range. Named Creedmoor, the range opened in
1872, and became the site of the first National Matches until New York politics
forced the NRA to move the matches to Sea Girt, New Jersey. The popularity of
the National Matches soon forced the event to be moved to its present, much
larger location: Camp Perry. In 1903, the U.S. Congress created the National
Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice (NBPRP), an advisory board to the
Secretary of the Army, with a nearly identical charter to the NRA. The NBPRP
(now known as the Civilian Marksmanship Program) also participates in the
National Matches at Camp Perry.
Girls' rifle team at Central High, Washington, DC.
November 1922.
In 1903, the NRA began to establish rifle clubs at all major
colleges, universities and military academies. By 1906, youth programs were in
full swing with more than 200 boys competing in the National Matches. Today,
more than one million youth participate in shooting sports events and affiliated
programs through groups such as 4-H, the Boy Scouts of America, the American
Legion, U.S. Jaycees, NCAA, the Scholastic Clay Target Program, National Guard
Bureau, ROTC and JROTC. These programs have all continued to thrive despite
political pressures to disband. The success of these programs is often
attributed to an emphasis on safety and education that has resulted in an
unprecedented scholastic and collegiate athletic safety record.[citation
needed]
French
pistol champion and founder of the modern Olympics, Pierre de Coubertin,
participated in many of these early competitions. This fact certainly
contributed to the inclusion of five shooting events in the 1896 Olympics. Over
the years, the events have been changed a number of times in order to keep up
with technology and social standards. For example, targets that formerly
resembled humans or animals in their shape and size have are now a circular
shape in order to avoid associating the sport with any form of violence. At the
same time, some events have been dropped and new ones have been added. The 2004
Olympics featured three shooting disciplines (rifle, pistol and shotgun) where
athletes competed for 51 medals in 10 men's and 7 women's events—slightly fewer
than the previous Olympic schedule.
The Olympic
Games continue to provide the shooting sports with its greatest public relations
opportunity. The sport has always enjoyed the distinction of awarding the first
medals of the Games. Internationally, the International Shooting Sport
Federation (ISSF) has oversight of all Olympic shooting events worldwide, while
National Governing Bodies (NGBs) administer the sport within each
country.
Having
originally established shooting as an organized sport in the USA, the NRA was
the obvious choice to administer the United States participation in the Olympic
games. The NRA dutifully managed and financially supported international and
conventional shooting sports (i.e., National Matches) for over 100 years until
the formation of USA Shooting.
Because of
its long heritage and broad appeal, the shooting sports are enjoyed by a large
number of participants around the world. In recent years, however, the shooting
sports have become increasingly threatened by social and political reforms. In
some countries, voters have declared their disapproval toward the private
ownership and possession of handguns. This is generally motivated by the
perception that handguns are associated with violent crime instead of
sportsmanship. Some governments, such as the British, have enacted restrictive
gun control legislation that directly affects the shooting
sports.
More
recently, a rise in the number of concealed carry permit-holders in the US has
led to a surge in interest in various handgun competitions that foster defensive
skills, accuracy drills, and personal protection
tactics.