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smh1040us

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sorry if this is a bit off topic but I was watching the biathlon from the OLYMPICS and wondering what caliber rifle they are shooting. I could not find it in Google. I felt certain someone on this forum would know.
Thanks for your help.
 
Until 1976, they shot centerfire rifles at 300 meters. The Int'l committee changed it to 50 meters with rimfire 22 so more countries could learn in smaller shooting complexes.
 
One of the US competitors was explaining, on a recent podcast, about the laser guns and targets, being used in some countries, instead of .22s.
Must have something to do either with firearm restrictions, or lack of shooting ranges.
Anyone know about this?
 
Biathlon US team....

The only thing I know about the sport is that to my knowledge, no US athlete has ever won any medals in the winter games. :rolleyes:
No one.
Not a gold, silver or bronze.
Strangely being a US Olympic athlete won wins a medal in the biathlon events is a common movie/TV background or fictional character trait for people with marksmanship or sniper jobs. :confused:

Clyde
PS; Id heard a few former Olympic biathlon competitors became snipers & sharp-shooters in the Bosnia conflict in the 1990s. :eek:
 
Back in the late 80's I spent a few winter months in Lake Placid, NY. I lived in a boarding house that was used by a bunch of guys who were training for the 88' Calgary games. The floor in my bedroom was old hardwood, and each crack was chock a block full of used 22 brass.

Those guys were the most dedicated athletes I've ever seen. They had no money, they all worked while training. One of them woke up and ran in the snow, then biked at lunch, and then hit the speed skating rink after work. He didn't come close to a medal at Calgary, but he was one tough SOB.
 
Just watched the biathlon men's pursuit and it was pretty exciting. One poor guy fell off a ten foot drop after missing a corner.

France/Czech Republic/France

It's gotta be one of the toughest sports there is.
 
It's gotta be one of the toughest sports there is.
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Many moons ago I used to X-country ski.

I have to agree with you about the biathlon being one of the toughest games there is.

About the only thing I can think of that would come close would be for the marathon runners to stop every mile and thread a needle before continuing on.
Even that wouldn't be as difficult though since their arms aren't involved in the running that much.
 
One of the US competitors was explaining, on a recent podcast, about the laser guns and targets, being used in some countries, instead of .22s. Must have something to do either with firearm restrictions, or lack of shooting ranges. Anyone know about this?
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I don't know anything specific about using laser guns and targets. I do know that the UK's shooting laws make it difficult for their competitive shooters. Here's part of an entry I found from Wikipedia:

Following the awarding of the 2012 Olympic Games to London, the government announced that special dispensation would be granted to allow the various shooting events to be held, as had been the case previously for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Further dispensations allowed foreign participants in shooting events to train in the UK, even though it remained illegal for native pistol shooters to train in England, Scotland or Wales.

Controversially, shooting events for the Games were held at a temporary facilities at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, with the cost of £42 million including their subsequent demolition. Shooting sports bodies and some politicians argued that the money would have been better spent on the lasting legacy that would be gain by refurbishing and upgrading permanent facilities at the National Shooting Centre at Bisley, which would have cost a maximum of £30 million.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_politics_in_the_United_Kingdom

Talk about gun paranoia! :eek:
 
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