There are shooting jackets; relatively inexpensive canvas cloth copies of shooting coats. Also, there are shooting jackets that provide no function other than aesthetics; containing no straps by which to stiffen the stance. Then there are shooting coats; made of expensive heavy leather. The practical difference is that the heavy leather shooting coats will provide a more "stiffening" effect upon the body (especially when firing standing), than can be provided by cloth jackets. A heavy leather shooting coat is an essential piece of equipment needed in high power rifle competition.