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Shopping List For A BB Or Air Rifle Program

In addition to BB or air rifles, any new program will require the following equipment.

Eye Protection
BB gun and air gun projectiles can ricochet and cause eye injuries.

Sandbags and Gun Rests
Most youth arrive at the range with little or no experience. To help them achieve the greatest possible degree of satisfaction and success during the early stages of learning, the gun should be stabilized (supported) while they learn to apply the fundamentals of sight alignment and trigger squeeze. For this reason, a sandbag, gun rest, rolled carpet or a rolled towel should be available at each firing point.

Slings
The sling supports the rifle in all positions except standing. Most rules allow up to 1¼-inch maximum width. Refer to individual tournament rules.

Mats
Use mats for shooting from the prone position; or use a strip of carpet, an old blanket or commercial mats that have a no-slip area sewn into them. The main reason for using a shooting mat is to prevent the shooter from sliding, especially if he or she is shooting on a slippery floor. Mats are also useful for keeping the shooters from direct contact with the ground if they are shooting outdoors.

Kneeling Rolls
These rolls are used to support the ankle when shooting from the kneeling position. The rules specify that a cylindrical roll made of a soft and flexible material, not exceeding 25 cm in length and 18 cm in diameter, is allowed. Binding or other devices to shape the roll are not permitted. The kneeling roll is filled with a material that will flow and conform to the ankle. In this way the kneeling roll provides firm support and adjusts to the anatomic structure of the foot.

Shooting Glove
The glove provides protection for the shooter’s sling hand.

Ammo Block
This helps the shooter remember how many shots have been fired.

Spotting Scope
This can be as simple as a binocular or a scope made specifically for viewing shots on the target.

Shooting Stand
The stand is designed to be used as a rest between shots in the standing position.

Advanced Shooters
Shooting jacket, pants and boots.

Pellets
Pellet cost is small compared to ammo for other shooting disciplines. You do not need the best pellets for beginning shooters. Start with pellets that “hold the ten ring” and then move to more expensive “one hole” pellets as the athlete improves. Test pellets with all air rifles that are available—you might be surprised! Over the past few years NRA found that individual air rifles can be sensitive to various lots of pellets. Pellets come in different lead sizes from the manufacturer, usually from 4.48 mm to 4.51 mm for .177 caliber pellets. The best pellet for one rifle may not be the best for another. Likewise, the “same sized” pellet from a different manufacturer or even the same manufacturer but a different lot number may not shoot as well as another pellet in an individual rifle. Make sure the rifle is clean before doing serious pellet testing. Also make sure that your shooters wash their hands with cold soapy water after handling pellets, as they are made of lead.