ISSF Rules for 10m Five-shot Air Pistol

This is a transcript of the ISSF’s rules for 10m five shot air pistol that can be found in their website as a downloadable PDF under Sports for all. I’ve taken the liberty of publishing them here so that they are easier to find and to use from our mobile phones. This is the current 2017 edition.

Rules for 10m Five-shot Air Pistol

International Shooting Sport Federation
Internationaler Schiess-Sportverband e.V. 
Fédération Internationale de Tir Sportif 
Federación Internacional de Tiro Deportivo 

ISSF SPORT FOR ALL PROGRAM    

1.1 EVENTS  

1.1.1 10m Standard Air Pistol Men/Men Junior, 40 shots 

1.1.2 10m Standard Air Pistol Women/Women Junior, 30 shots 

1.1.3 10m Five-Target Air Pistol, Men/Men Junior, 40 shots 

1.1.4 10m Five-Target Air Pistol, Women/Women Junior, 30 shots 

1.2 PISTOLS  

Any caliber 4.5 mm (.177”) compressed air or CO2 self-loading pistol  may be used in the 10m Five Shot Air Pistol events. Pistols must  have magazines that can be loaded with five (5) pellets. Balance  weights are permitted provided the total weight of the pistol with  magazine does not exceed 1,500 gm.  

1.3 TARGETS  

1.3.1 Falling Targets  

The Diameter of the black is 59.5 mm with a tolerance of +0.2 mm  / – 0.0 mm  

The Diameter of the aperture (hole) is 30.0 mm with a tolerance  +0.2 mm / -0.0 mm  

The center-to-center distance between the targets is 300 mm.  

The targets may be mechanical Falling Target mechanisms where  stopwatches are used to control timing, or targets may be  mechanical Falling Target mechanisms with an electronic timing  system and signal lights that block the Falling Targets before  “START” and after “STOP.”  

1.3.2 Standard Target  

The 10m Air Pistol Target (Rule 6.3.4.6) is used for the 10m Air  Pistol Standard Event.  

1.4 GENERAL COMPETITION RULES  

1.4.1 Preparation Time  

10m Air Pistol Five Target Event 3 minutes  

10m Air Pistol Standard Event 3 minutes  

1.4.2 Ready Position  

Before each series, athletes must lower their arms and adopt the  READY position. The pistol may rest on the bench or shooting table.  The pistol may not be raised or lifted to point towards the target until  the command “START” is given (mechanical targets) or the red  lights are switched off (electronic targets). 

1.4.3

A series starts with the command “ATTENTION.” Every shot fired  after that must be counted in the competition. 

1.4.4

Before the competition, 10m Air Pistol paper targets must be  available for athletes to adjust their sights.  

1.4.5

Before the beginning of each stage, the athlete may fire one (1)  sighting series of five (5) shots in ten (10) seconds. 

1.4.6

All shooting (sighting and competition series) is by command. All  athletes in the same Range Section must fire at the same time, or  more than one Range Section may fire simultaneously under  centralized commands. 

1.5 FIVE-TARGET EVENT  

The Men/Men Junior event is 40 competition shots. The  Women/Women Junior event is 30 competition shots. Events are  divided into series of five (5) shots, each fired in a time of ten (10)  seconds. In each series one shot must be fired at each of the five  (5) Falling Targets within a time limit of ten (10) seconds.  

1.5.1

When the Range Officer gives the command “LOAD,” the athletes  must prepare themselves for their series within one (1) minute.  

1.5.2

After one (1) minute, the Range Officer will give the commands:  

For Mechanical Targets  

For Electronic Targets  

1.5.3 Scoring  

• A hit is scored for each target that falls during the 10 seconds  shooting time. Each hit is scored as one (1) point. Early and late shot(s) must be scored as zero(es). After each series of five (5) shots, the fallen targets of each group must be counted, announced to the athlete and recorded on the scorecard.  
• Ties for the first three (3) places will be decided by shoot-offs.  Ties for fourth place and below will be decided by a count-back in five (5)-shot-series total, starting with the last series, then the next to the last series, etc.. If any ties remain the athletes must have the same ranking. 

1.6 STANDARD EVENT  

The Men/Men Junior event is 40 competition shots. The  Women/Women Junior event is 30 competition shots. Events are  divided into series of five (5) shots each fired in a time of ten (10)  seconds. In each series, five shots are fired on one (1) standard Air  Pistol target within a time limit of ten (10) seconds.  

1.6.1

When the Range Officer gives the command “LOAD,” the athletes  must prepare themselves for their series within one (1) minute. 

1.6.2

After one (1) minute, the Range Officer will give the commands:  

1.6.3 Scoring  

• All shots fired in the 10 seconds shooting time will be scored.  Early and late shot(s) will be scored as zero(es); and  
• Ties for the first three (3) places will be decided by shoot-offs.  Ties for fourth place and below will be decided by a count-back in five (5)-shot-series total, starting with the last series, then the next to the last series, etc.. If any ties remain the athletes must have the same ranking. 

1.7 INTERRUPTIONS  

If an interruption is for safety or technical reasons and is not the  fault of the athlete:  

• If the elapsed time is more than fifteen (15) minutes, the Jury  must allow one extra sighting series of five (5) shots;  
• An interrupted series must be annulled and repeated. The  repeated series must be recorded and credited to the athlete; and  
• Any extension of time allowed by the Jury or Range Officers  must be clearly marked, stating the reason, on the Register Keeper’s score card and on the scoreboard where it is visible to the athlete.  

1.8 DISTURBANCES  

If an athlete claims that he was disturbed while firing a shot, he must  hold his pistol pointing down range and immediately inform the  Range Officer or Jury Member by raising his free hand. He must not  disturb other athletes.  

1.8.1

If the claim is considered justified, the series must be annulled and  the athlete may repeat the series.  

1.8.2

If the claim is considered not justified:  

• And the athlete has finished his series, the shot or series  must be credited to the athlete; or 
• If the athlete has not finished his series due to the claimed  disturbance, the athlete may repeat the series; 

1.8.3

If the claim is considered not justified and the athlete repeats the  series, scoring and penalties for the repeated series are as follows:  

• In the Five-Target Event, the athlete may fire the series, but  he must be penalized by the deduction of one (1) hit from the score of that series. 
• In the Standard Event, the score must be recorded as the  total of the five (5) lowest value hits on the targets;  
• Two (2) points must also be deducted from the score of the  repeated series; and  
• In any repeated series, all five (5) shots must be fired at the  target. Any shot(s) not fired or not hitting the target must be scored as zero(es).  

1.9 MALFUNCTIONS  

If a shot is not fired due to a malfunction, and if the athlete wishes  to claim a malfunction, he must hold his pistol pointing down range,  retain his grip, and immediately inform the Range Officer by raising  his free hand. He must not disturb other athletes.  

• An athlete may try to correct a malfunction and continue the  series, but after attempting any correction, he may not claim an ALLOWABLE MALFUNCTION unless a part of the pistol is damaged sufficiently to prevent the pistol from functioning; 
• If a malfunction occurs in the sighting series it must not be  registered as a malfunction. Malfunctions during a sighting series may not be claimed (see Rule 8.9.1); and 
• If a malfunction occurs in a competition series, the number  of shots already fired must be recorded and the series may be repeated if it is an ALLOWABLE MALFUNCTION. 
• Repeating a series because of a malfunction must be  permitted only in the case of an ALLOWABLE MALFUNCTION and only once in a complete 40 or 30 shot event.  

1.9.1 Scoring: ALLOWABLE MALFUNCTION  

In the Five-Target Event:  

• In case of an allowable malfunction, the result on each target  must be noted;  
• In the repeat series, a hit will only be credited on those targets  hit on the repeat series, but not scored as a miss before the malfunction; and 
• A target that was hit before the malfunction, but subsequently  missed, must be scored as a miss.  

In the Standard Event:  

• The score must be recorded as the total of the five (5) lowest  value hits on the targets. The athlete must fire all five (5) shots at the target in the repeat series. Any shot(s) not fired or not hitting the target in the repeat series must be recorded as zero(s). A second target must be provided for the repeat series  

1.9.2 Scoring: NON ALLOWABLE MALFUNCTION  In the Five-Target Event:  

• The score must be recorded as the total of the fallen targets.  In the Standard Event:  
• The score must be the total of the fired shots.  

1.10 INCORRECT RANGE COMMANDS  

If the athlete wishes to protest because of an incorrect command and/or action by the Range Officer, the athlete must hold his pistol  pointing down range and raise his free hand, and immediately after  the series report this to the Range Officer or Jury Member. 

• If the claim is considered justified, the athlete must be  allowed to fire the series. 
• If the claim is considered not justified, the athlete may fire  the series, but must be penalized by the deduction of one (1) hit in the Five-Target Event or two (2) points in the Standard Event from the score of that series. 
• If the athlete has fired a shot after the incorrect command and/or action, the protest must not be accepted.

1.11 EVENT SPECIFICATIONS  

1.12 PISTOL SPECIFICATIONS