| Rifles · Pistols · Shotguns · Airguns · Muzzleloaders
Develop your marksmanship skills and earn Sport Shooting qualification ratings while you practice with your favorite hunting gun, target gun, or air gun. These specially designed skill building courses of fire are ideal for brand new shooters especially those who participate in NRA Basic Firearms Courses. In most of the Sport Shooting courses of fire, supported positions are used to speed the learning process. Sport Shooting qualification is the perfect way to begin your marksmanship training.
Rules
All rules and requirements for these qualification courses are below.
Guns
Any safe air gun, rifle, pistol, shotgun or muzzleloading firearm may be used.
Sights
Metallic, telescopic, or electronic sights are permitted.
Support
Artificial support to brace both the body and the gun is allowed. Examples of artificial support include gun rest, barricade, log, bench, sandbag, cross-sticks, pillow, and table among others.
Positions
Except for shotgun, firing is conducted in four positions: supported prone, supported sitting, supported kneeling, and supported standing. Pistols may be fired using two hands.
Time Limits
There are no time limits in any of the Sport Shooting courses of fire.
Target/Distance Options
Any target can be used providing the target is appropriate for the gun and it is used at its specified distance. Some targets have the gun and distance specifications printed on the face. Following are some target/distance options:
- BB Gun: TQ-40 or AR-4 (5 meters)
- Air Rifle: A-44 (15 feet); TQ-5 (25 feet); TQ-18 or AR-5 (10 meters)
- Smallbore Rifle: TQ-1, TQ-36, A-17, or A-32 (50 feet); A-23 (50 yards)
- High Power Rifle: A-23 (50 yards); A-25 or SR-1 (100 yards); SR (200 yards)
- Air Pistol: B-40 (10 meters)
- Pistol: TQ-6 (25 feet); B-2 or D-2 (50 feet); B-4 (20 yards); B-16 or D-1 (25 yards)
- Muzzleloading Rifle: A-23, B-19 (25/50 yards)
- Muzzleloading Pistol: B-8 (25 yards); B-6 (50 yards); B-19 (25/50 yards)
Awards
Sport Shooting Qualification Patch. Parchment certificates for air rifle, smallbore rifle, light rifle, and all pistol courses. Blue/burgundy certificates for shotgun, high power rifle, hunting rifle, and muzzleloading rifle. Medals, medal bars and skill rockers used in all courses. See qualification awards.
| Air Rifle, Smallbore Rifle, and Light Rifle Sport Shooting Course of Fire |
| Rating |
Position |
Shots |
Score |
Repeat |
| Basic Practical |
This rating is achieved by demonstrating safe gun handling and completing the practical exercises conducted during the NRA Basic Rifle Course. |
| Pro-Marksman
| Any |
3 |
15/30 |
5 times |
| Marksman |
Prone |
3 |
18/30 |
5 times |
| Marksman 1st Class |
Sitting |
3 |
18/30 |
5 times |
| Sharpshooter |
Kneeling |
3 |
16/30 |
5 times |
| Bar 1 |
Standing |
3 |
16/30 |
5 times |
| Bar 2 |
Prone |
5 |
35/50 |
5 times |
| Bar 3 |
Sitting |
5 |
35/50 |
5 times |
| Bar 4 |
Kneeling |
5 |
32/50 |
5 times |
| Bar 5 |
Standing |
5 |
32/50 |
5 times |
| Bar 6 |
Prone |
5 |
40/50 |
5 times |
| Bar 7 |
Sitting |
5 |
40/50 |
5 times |
| Bar 8 |
Kneeling |
5 |
37/50 |
5 times |
| Bar 9 |
Standing |
5 |
37/50 |
5 times |
| Expert |
Fire 10 shots in each position consecutively (40-shot total). Score 340/400 or better, four times. |
| Distinguished Expert |
Fire 10 shots in each position consecutively (40-shot total). Score 360/400 or better, four times. |
| Shotgun Sport Shooting Course of Fire |
| Rating |
Course of Fire |
| Basic Practical |
This rating is achieved by demonstrating safe gun handling and completing the practical exercises conducted during the NRA Basic Shotgun Course. |
| Pro-Marksman |
Mounting -- look in mirror and bring gun to shoulder while maintaining erect head and body position -- repeat 25 times.
Using pattern boards with a 30" circle at 25-30 yards, fire 5 shots with mounted gun and 5 shots with low gun (mount and shoot). |
| Marksman |
Pattern boards with 30" circle, 25-30 yards, 5 shots each stage. Stand 10' to the left of the pattern board. With mounted gun, swing slowly to board, shoot and continue swing (follow through) to 10' right of board. Repeat right to left. With low gun mount, repeat above course of fire. |
| Marksman 1st Class |
With mounted gun, shoot 25 straight away targets; score 15 or better.
With mounted gun, shoot 13 targets flying from shooter's left to shooter's right; score 8 or better.
Shoot 12 targets flying from shooter's right to shooter's left; score 7 or better. |
| Sharpshooter |
Repeat Marksman 1st Class requirement using low gun position. |
| Expert |
Shoot 3 rounds (25 targets each round) of trap, skeet, or sporting clays. Score 20 or better each round. |
| Distinguished Expert |
Shoot 3 rounds (25 targets each round) of trap, skeet, or sporting clays. Score 22 or better each round. |
| High Power Rifle, Hunting Rifle, and Muzzleloading Rifle Sport Shooting Course of Fire |
| Rating |
Position |
Shots |
| Basic Practical |
This rating is achieved by demonstrating safe gun handling and completing the practical exercise conducted during the NRA Basic Course. |
| Pro-Marksman |
Prone |
Fire 5 shots all in 7 ring |
| Marksman |
Sitting |
Fire 5 shots all in 6 ring |
| Marksman 1st Class |
Kneeling |
Fire 5 shots all in 6 ring |
| Sharpshooter |
Standing |
Fire 5 shots all in 5 ring |
| Expert |
Fire 5 shots in each position consecutively (20-shot total). Score 170/200 or better. |
| Distinguished Expert |
Fire 10 shots in each position consecutively (40-shot total). Score 275/400 or better. |
| Rimfire Pistol, Centerfire Pistol, and Air Pistol Sport Shooting Course of Fire |
| Rating |
Position |
Shots |
Score |
Repeat |
| Basic Practical |
This rating is achieved by demonstrating safe gun handling and completing the practical exercises conducted during the NRA Basic Pistol Course. |
| Pro-Marksman |
Any |
3 |
15/30 |
5 times |
| Marksman |
Prone |
3 |
18/30 |
5 times |
| Marksman 1st Class |
Sitting |
3 |
18/30 |
5 times |
| Sharpshooter |
Kneeling |
3 |
16/30 |
5 times |
| Bar 1 |
Standing |
3 |
16/30 |
5 times |
| Bar 2 |
Prone |
5 |
35/50 |
5 times |
| Bar 3 |
Sitting |
5 |
35/50 |
5 times |
| Bar 4 |
Kneeling |
5 |
32/50 |
5 times |
| Bar 5 |
Standing |
5 |
32/50 |
5 times |
| Bar 6 |
Prone |
5 |
40/50 |
5 times |
| Bar 7 |
Sitting |
5 |
40/50 |
5 times |
| Bar 8 |
Kneeling |
5 |
37/50 |
5 times |
| Bar 9 |
Standing |
5 |
37/50 |
5 times |
| Expert |
Fire 10 shots in each position consecutively (40-shot total). Score 340/400 or better four times. |
| Distinguished Expert |
Fire 10 shots in each position consecutively (40-shot total). Score 360/400 or better four times. |
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