Safety in shooting

 

• ISSF Rules establish specific safety requirements that must be applied in all ISSF Championships. ISSF Juries and Organizing Committees are responsible for safety.
• Necessary and special safety regulations for ranges differ from country to country so additional safety rules may be established by the organising committee. Juries, range officials, team officials and athletes must be advised of any special safety regulations in the competition program.
• The safety of athletes, range officials and spectators requires continued and careful attention to gun handling. It is the duty of range officials to enforce gun safety and the duty of athletes and team officials to apply all gun safety and gun handling rules.
• The ISSF may refuse to accept the entry of an athlete in a competition if it has substantial information from competent authorities that such an athlete presents a serious threat to the safety of others on a shooting range.
  In the interest of safety, a Jury Member or Range Officer may stop shooting at any time. Athletes and team officials must immediately notify Range Officers or Jury Members of any situation that may be dangerous.
• An Equipment Control Officer, Range Officer or Jury Member may pick up an athlete’s equipment (including a gun) for control without his permission, but in his presence and with his knowledge. However, immediate action must be taken when a matter of safety is involved.

Gun Handling Rules

• To ensure safety, all guns must be handled with maximum care at all times. Guns must not be removed from the firing line during training or competition, except with the permission of a Range Officer.
• Safety flags constructed of fluorescent orange or a similar bright material must be inserted in all rifles, pistols and semi-automatic shotguns at all times except when safety flag removal is authorized by these rules.
• To demonstrate that air guns are unloaded, safety flags (safety lines) must be long enough to extend through the full length of the barrel. Safety flags for all other guns must have a probe that inserts into the chamber (breech end of barrel) to demonstrate that the chamber is empty. Shotgun actions must be open (broken) to demonstrate that they are unloaded.
• Safety flags must be inserted in all guns that are not in gun cases or boxes before athletes are called to the line, when leaving a firing point, after firing is completed and when personnel must go forward of the firing line. In Finals, safety flags may not be removed until Preparation and Sighting Times start.
   
   While athletes are on their firing points, their guns must always be pointed in safe directions. The action or breech must not be closed until the gun is pointing down, range in a safe direction toward the target area.
• When placing a gun down to leave the firing point or when firing is complete, guns must be unloaded with actions (bolt or locking mechanism) open and safety flags inserted.
• Before leaving a firing point, the athlete must confirm and the Range Officer must verify that there is no cartridge or pellet in the gun’s chamber, barrel or magazine and a safety flag is inserted.
• If the athlete boxes or cases his gun or removes it from the firing point without having it checked by a Range Officer, he may be disqualified if the Jury determines that a significant safety violation is involved.
• During firing, the gun may be put down (not held) only after the cartridge(s) and/ or magazine are removed and the action is open. Air guns must be made safe by opening the cocking lever or loading port.
• When any personnel are forward of the firing line, handling guns is not permitted and safety flags must be inserted. If it is necessary for a Jury member, Range Officer or Technical Officer to go forward of the firing line during training, competition or a Final, this must be authorized and controlled by the Chief Range Officer (CRO) and any movement forward of the firing line may only be permitted after all guns have safety flags inserted.
• In the range, when guns are not on the firing points, they must always be in their cases, unless otherwise authorized by a Range Officer.

Eye Protection 

• All athletes are urged to wear shatterproof shooting glasses or similar eye protection while shooting.