50 metre pistol

Infobox Shooting sport


shots_m=60 + 10
shots_f=
olympics_m=Since 1896
olympics_f=
worlds_m=Since 1900
worlds_f=
abbr_m=FP
abbr_f=

50 metre pistol (formerly called "free pistol") is one of the ISSF shooting events. It provides the purest precision shooting among the pistol events, and is one of the oldest shooting types, dating back to the 19th century and only having seen marginal rule changes since the 1930s.

The pistol used must be in caliber .22 using .22 Long Rifle ammunition, may only be loaded with one round at a time, and have 'open' sights (i.e. optical and laser sights are not allowed). It must also be operated by one hand and not supported by any other part of the shooter's body. Apart from that, there are practically no rules for the pistol, explaining the former name of the event. Trigger weight may be as low as the shooter pleases, the grip may be designed in any way and there are no restrictions on size and weight. Precision pistols with long barrels, grips fitted to the shooter's hand, very light trigger pull, etc., are often themselves called free pistols.

The course of fire is 60 shots within a maximum time of two hours. The target is the same as in 25 m Standard Pistol, and with double the distance this explains the lower result level. 570 out of the maximum 600 is considered a world-class result. The current world record, 581, was achieved in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 by the USSR's Alexander Melentiev.

Most shooters excelling in 50 metre pistol also compete at the same level in 10 metre air pistol, a similar precision event.

Current world records

World and Olympic Champions

There are no double Olympic champions in 50 metre pistol. World Championships were held annually up to the 1930s, which made a few long streaks possible, but after World War II few shooters have been able to win two major worldwide titles.

Another rare double is that between this precision event and its direct opposite 25 metre rapid fire pistol; this has only been accomplished by Alfred Lane (completed in 1912), Torsten Ullman (1939), Huelet Benner (1952) and Pentti Linnosvuo (1964), with Lane and Linnosvuo using only Olympic titles. Benner, on the other hand, is the only shooter with two titles in both events.

¹ The Olympic competitions in Paris also counted as the 1900 World Championships.