GLOSSARY OF TERMS
ASSEMBLY AREA is a designated zone in the rear of the firing line, approximately 25 yards, where the next relay of competitors can complete their preparations for the match and receive instruction and advice from their coach or team captain.
AIMING AREA is the center area of the target as against an aiming point on the target which is extremely difficult to attain due to the universal presence of movement in the shooter’s hold.
BREATH CONTROL is the ability to temporarily suspend breathing while firing a shot without being conscious of the need to take another breath. This awareness disturbs the shooter’s concentration on maintaining perfect sight alignment.
BALL AND DUMMY is a training exercise wherein the shooter makes an effort to employ all the control factors for firing a good shot. The ammunition inserted into the pistol by the coach is a random selection of live or dummy ammunition. This training aids the shooter in overcoming reaction to the recoil and loud noise of firing, preventing uncontrolled reflexes from disturbing the hold, and perfecting sight alignment.
THE CENTER FIRE PISTOL FOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION is similar to the pistol used in NRA domestic competition. The trigger pull is three pounds as compared to the NRA requirement of 2 1/2 pounds. Caliber .38 is the normal size used.
DRY FIRING is a training exercise wherein the shooter employs all the factors of controlling the firing of an accurate shot without using live ammunition.
FOLLOW THROUGH is the effort on the part of the shooter to continue the employment of the fundamentals throughout the deliver of the shot exactly as they were planned and set-up.
THE FREE PISTOL is a special design of competitive weapon for achieving the ultimate in accuracy from a handgun. It is 22 caliber long rifle. The majority of free pistols have a longer barrel than the normal pistol and an extended sight radius. The trigger weight is extremely light and is adjustable from ½ oz to 1½ ozs. There is a form fitting grip for the hand.
THE FUNDAMENTALS OF PISTOL MARKSMANSHIP are those essential factors that the shooter must know and learn to control in order to fire an accurate shot.
THE GRIP of the shooting hand on the pistol provides the shooter with a firm hold on the weapon that prevents shifting during recoil and a natural alignment of the sights without moving the head or wrist from their normal attitudes.
HARD BALL ammunition is the term used to describe the .45 caliber service type of pistol ammunition.
INTERNATIONAL SHOOTING UNION is the organization that sponsors and controls all international firing competitions between nations. The headquarters is in Weisbaden, West Germany.
MENTAL DISCIPLINE in pistol marksmanship is the shooter’s ability to maintain his concentration on sight alignment while the other fundamentals of minimum arc of movement and trigger control are being employed at their optimum.
MINIMUM ARC OF MOVEMENT is the smallest degree of movement that the shooter can attain in the body shooting arm and weapon during the time of firing a shot.
THE NATIONAL MATCH COURSE OF FIRE is a three stage pistol match. The first stage is ten shots in ten minutes, fired at 50 yards. The second stage is two strings of five shots each timed fire, 20 seconds each string at 25 yards. The third stage is two strings of five shots each rapid fire, ten seconds each string at 25 yards for a total of 30 shots.
POSITIVE PRESSURE on the trigger is an uninterrupted, constantly increasing pressure applied by the trigger finger in an effort to fire the shot. This pressure is initiated by the presence of a satisfactory minimum arc of movement in conjunction with perfect sight alignment, not perfect sight picture. A perfect sight picture is the absence of movement combined with perfect sight alignment.
POSITION of a pistol shooter is the relationship of the shooter’s body to the target. Proper or natural positioning of the shooter’s body points the shooting arm directly at the target center without deviation.
RAPID FIRE is a type of pistol match or a stage of the National Match Course of fire where a string of five shots are fired consecutively during a period of ten seconds. A Rapid Fire Match is a series of four such strings and the National Match Course includes two strings.
THE RAPID FIRE PISTOL is a special design of competitive 22 caliber short weapon for firing in international rapid fire competition. It’s outstanding characteristics are minimum recoil, dependability and fast semi-automatic operation.
SQUADDING TICKET is a card issued to each shooter in a pistol match that indicates the caliber of weapon, the relay of firing, and the target number for each of a succession of matches scheduled to be fired during the tournament.
SLOW FIRE is a type of pistol match or a stage of the National Match Course of fire where a period of one minute is allowed for each of a maximum of 10 or 20 shots.
SIGHT ALIGNMENT is the relationship of the front sight to the notch of the rear sight as seen by the shooter’s eye. The top of the front sight must be level with the top of the rear sight and the light space must be equal on each side for the front sight.
STANCE is the posture assumed by a pistol shooter while firing a shot.
THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARD PISTOL is similar to the caliber .22 weapons used in domestic NRA competition. The barrel length is limited to 15 centimeters and the trigger pull is limited to 1000 grams.
TIMED FIRE is a type of pistol match or a stage of the national match course of fire where a string of five shots are fired consecutively during a period of 20 seconds. A timed fire match is a series of four such strings and the National Match Course includes two strings.
TRIGGER CONTROL is the ability of the pistol shooter to apply pressure on the trigger to fire the weapon without disturbing sight alignment.
WAD-CUTTER pistol ammunition has a type of bullet that is shaped to cut a clean hole in the target face. This sharp edge enables the scorer to readily and accurately evaluate the hit.
ZEROING is the technique of setting your sights so that a shot called good, (undisturbed perfect sight alignment and minimum arc of movement) will hit the center of the target on an ideal day with no wind.