What IS the DIFFERENCE between SPORTER & PRECISION?
In the sport of three position rifle shooting, there are two disciplines. Both disciplines shoot 3-position air rifle, which consists of prone (lying down), standing, and kneeling. A match consists of 20 shots in each of the three positions. The distance at which we fire these matches is 10 meters or 33 feet. A target is made of 12 bullseyes, two for sighting in and ten for record fire. Each bullseye is approximately the size of a .50 cent piece with the ten-ring being the size of the period at the end of this sentence. Each bull is worth a maximum out of 10 points, each target being worth 100 points. A good score for a sporter shooter is a 500 out of 600. For precision, top scores reach into the 590’s with the majority shooting between 560’s and 580’s.
The sporter class uses the Crossman Challenger. When a student starts rifle marksmanship at Walla Walla High School, they start out on a classroom rifle. They shoot in normal street clothes, such as jeans, t-shirts, shorts and tennis shoes. Once a pre-determined level of skill is demonstrated, they may be advanced to the sporter team. There are Crossman Challengers designated specifically for a member of the rifle team. The Crossman rifles are made in the United States and have a cost around $600 and have adjustments such as the buttplate and cheekpiece being moveable. In addition to the rifle, the sporter shooter also uses a prone mat, kneeling roll, handstop, sling, and glove, for the various positions.
The Sporter Team generally consists of 10% of shooters in the rifle marksmanship class. The competitive traveling team is the top 5%. Making the Sporter Team is very competitive between all marksmanship classes. The traveling team competes at drill meets, regional, and national matches throughout the competitive season.
The next class is the Precision Class. Precision shooters are differentiated by both the rifle used and the additional equipment that is allowed. Once a sporter team shooter demonstrates strong ability and desire, the student may be selected for the precision rifle team. The precision team is made of 6-7 students, who are the top of all rifle marksmanship classes. The precision rifles are primarily made in Germany and cost around $3,000 each. The Wa-Hi precision team shoots principally Feinwerkbau and Anschutz air rifles which are fully adjustable to the individual shooter and assigned to each shooter while they are on the precision team. The range of adjustments includes sight height, trigger weight, stock length and weight, as well as the buttplate, cheekpiece, and sight aperture size. In addition to the rifle, precision shooters use jackets and pants made of leather and canvas to promote additional stability. The precision rifle team travels throughout the country competing in state, regional, and national matches, approximately ten to twenty matches per year.
The sporter class uses the Crossman Challenger. When a student starts rifle marksmanship at Walla Walla High School, they start out on a classroom rifle. They shoot in normal street clothes, such as jeans, t-shirts, shorts and tennis shoes. Once a pre-determined level of skill is demonstrated, they may be advanced to the sporter team. There are Crossman Challengers designated specifically for a member of the rifle team. The Crossman rifles are made in the United States and have a cost around $600 and have adjustments such as the buttplate and cheekpiece being moveable. In addition to the rifle, the sporter shooter also uses a prone mat, kneeling roll, handstop, sling, and glove, for the various positions.
The Sporter Team generally consists of 10% of shooters in the rifle marksmanship class. The competitive traveling team is the top 5%. Making the Sporter Team is very competitive between all marksmanship classes. The traveling team competes at drill meets, regional, and national matches throughout the competitive season.
The next class is the Precision Class. Precision shooters are differentiated by both the rifle used and the additional equipment that is allowed. Once a sporter team shooter demonstrates strong ability and desire, the student may be selected for the precision rifle team. The precision team is made of 6-7 students, who are the top of all rifle marksmanship classes. The precision rifles are primarily made in Germany and cost around $3,000 each. The Wa-Hi precision team shoots principally Feinwerkbau and Anschutz air rifles which are fully adjustable to the individual shooter and assigned to each shooter while they are on the precision team. The range of adjustments includes sight height, trigger weight, stock length and weight, as well as the buttplate, cheekpiece, and sight aperture size. In addition to the rifle, precision shooters use jackets and pants made of leather and canvas to promote additional stability. The precision rifle team travels throughout the country competing in state, regional, and national matches, approximately ten to twenty matches per year.