Air Rifle Safety and Marksmanship
Lesson 3
Exercise 1: Parts of the Air Rifle and Target
Shooting Equipment
Directions:
Match the following by identifying and writing the part and number by the
corresponding arrows.
Parts of the Air Rifle
Parts of the
Air Rifle
- Bolt:
A handle or lever that is used to open and close the action of the
rifle.
- Loading Port:
When the action is opened, the loading port is open so that during
loading, a pellet may be placed in the breech end of the barrel.
- Barrel:
A rifled tube that controls and directs the projectile when it is
fired.
- Cheekpiece:
The top part of the buttstock on which the shooter rests his/her
cheek while looking through the sights to aim.
- Cocking Lever:
On the Daisy M853, the cocking lever is opened and then closed so
that a piston compresses air into a cylinder when the lever is closed.
- Trigger Guard:
The trigger guard protects the trigger from catching on clothing or
another object.
- Pistol grip:
The curved portion of the stock behind the action and trigger.
The trigger hand grasps the pistol grip and extends the index finger
to pull the trigger to release it during firing.
- Rear sight:
On the rear sight, the aiming aperture has a small hole that the
shooter looks through during aiming.
- Front sight with
inserts:
Point out how the front sight has a ring insert that is used in
aiming.
10.
Buttplate:
The plate that covers the rear end of the stock.
This is placed on the shooter’s shoulder when holding the rifle in a
shooting position to fire at a target. The
buttplates on most air rifles used by JROTC units have spacers that can be
removed or added to adjust the length of the stock.
It is very important that each shooter use a stock that is the correct
length.
Target
Shooting Equipment
Target
Shooting Equipment
- Rear Sight Blinder:
An attachment that is often used on the rear sight to block the view
of the non-aiming eye. Blinders
are usually made of cardboard or a strip of plastic cut from a milk carton.
- Eye Glasses or
Safety Glasses:
One of the most important things for a target shooter is to be able
to see well. Anyone who
normally wears eyeglasses should wear them during shooting.
Many champion shooters wear corrective lenses during shooting so
there is absolutely no disadvantage to someone who wears glasses during
shooting. There is also an
extremely remote chance of a piece of lead pellet fragmenting and bouncing
back to the firing line. For
this reason, it is highly recommended that all air rifle shooters wear
either their personal eyeglasses or safety glasses to provide full
protection to their eyes.
- Hearing Protection:
Wearing ear muffs or ear plugs is required when using firearms in
order to protect against hearing loss caused by loud impulse sounds.
Air rifles generate much less sound when they are fired and hearing
protection is not required to protect against hearing lost. Some air rifle shooters, nevertheless, wear earplugs to
reduce the sound of the air rifle firing and to help them concentrate.
- Glove:
Target shooters wear a glove on the hand that supports or hold the
rifle. The glove protects the
hand from the pressure of the sling when firing in the prone and kneeling
positions and allows the rifle to rest more comfortably on the hand while
holding the rifle in the standing position.
- Sling:
A web (or leather) strap that attaches to the fore end of the rifle
and has a loop that fits around the upper arm. The sling is legal in the
prone and kneeling positions and when properly adjusted so that it is tight,
helps to hold the rifle steady.
- Shooting Mat:
A mat that target shooting rules allow shooters to lie on when firing
from the prone position.
- Kneeling Roll:
A cylindrical cushion that target shooting rules allow to be placed
under the ankle when firing in the kneeling position. The kneeling roll provides additional stability and
comfort to the body in the kneeling position.
