Shooting

Shooting is when a rifle, shotgun or other weapons which fire a projectile, such as bows or crossbows, are fired. Even the firing of artillery, rockets and missiles can be called shooting. A person who is very good at shooting is a marksman. Shooting can take place in a shooting range or in the field in hunting, in shooting sports or in combat. Shooting is also an Olympic sport.

A man shooting hawks with a Krag-Jørgensen bolt-action rifle in 1940

Uses

Shooting is used for hunting birds such as grouse or pheasant, rabbits etc. Sometimes "shooting" just means "hunting".

Violence

Shooting is also used in warfare, self-defense, crime, and law enforcement. When someone shoots random innocent people it is sometimes caused by misanthropy (hate for humans).

Competitive shooting

In several countries, rifle clubs have been made since the 19th century. Soon, international shooting events were started, including shooting at the Summer Olympics (from 1896) and World Championships (from 1897). The International Shooting Sport Federation is in charge of Olympic and non-Olympic rifle, pistol and shotgun competitions. However, there are also many national and international shooting sports which other organisations are in charge of.

Shooting supplies

In most countries, people who want to shoot firearms need a license. Firearms can usually only be bought from registered shops.

Related pages

• Gun

Other websites

Media related to Shooting at Wikimedia Commons