Small Bore
All done "prone" - lying on your stomach - and keeping very still. How many other activities classed as Sport involve nothing more than the movement of a fingertip by less than a millimetre, 10 times in 20 minutes? Being fit helps, but athleticism it ain't. Shooters lie on mats on the ground and wear special jackets to help support the weight of the rifle and to hold the body still.
The rifles have long heavy barrels (for accuracy) and are masterpieces of precision engineering. Ammunition used is .22 inch long rifle rimfire (that is, the base of the cartridge has a protruding rim within which the priming compound is placed when the cartridge is made). The firing pin of the rifle crimps this rim, and the primer, which is pressure-sensitive, ignites, and in turn sets off the tiny pinch of propellant that launches the bullet itself.
Indoor
Small bore target rifle shooting is done at 25 yards. Targets have 10 different bull's eyes requiring the shooter, therefore, to move aim slightly during the course of the shoot. Generally as many sighters (practice shots to make sure the sights are aligned) as you like may be fired. Some competitions involve shooting against time limits but generally the emphasis is on maximum precision. The centre of each bull is no more than a quarter of an inch across and a shot must lie fully within the bull's eye to count as a 10.
Outdoor
Shooting takes place at 50 metres and 100 metres and therefore the wind and the weather must be taken into account before and during the shoot. The lightest breeze will blow your shot across the face of the target and sights will have to be adjusted accordingly and/or a judgement made as to when to shoot so as to make sure the shot enjoys the same weather condition as the last.
This is fiendishly difficult and has been the cause of many a strong word not spoken in jest.
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