Shooting

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

Shooting is the action of firing a projectile from a weapon, such as a gun, a bow, and an air gun; firing of larger objects like artillery, rockets and missiles can also 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, as part of combat, hunting, or as recreation. Recreational shooting is considered a sport, and shooting sports is a part of the Olympic Games.

Uses

Hunting

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

Violence

Shooting is also a means of violence, and may be part of warfare, self-defense, crime, and law enforcement. When someone commits mass shooting of innocent people, it is sometimes caused by misanthropy – the hate of mankind.

Competitive sport

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 International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Shooting Championships (from 1897). The ISSF 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 groups are in charge of.

Equipment

In most countries, those who want to use guns need a license. Firearms can usually be bought from registered shops.

Related pages

• Gun, also called a firearm
• Gun control

Other websites

Media related to Shooting at Wikimedia Commons