Shooters have different dress codes for rifle, pistol and shotgun competitions. Except for those who specialize in the rifle, competitors can dress casually.
Because a rifle weighs at least 5-6 six kilos and competitions usually last for several hours, special jackets and pants are needed to provide extra support and improve performance.
They also reduce the effect of the human pulse on the rifle, which needs to remain as still as possible.
Jackets are usually made of leather for durability although stiffer canvas is sometimes preferred. The jackets have a hook on the left sleeve (for right-handed shooters) to attach to the sling and keep it from slipping.
Pants are also available in both materials, although canvass is the norm. In all cases, the clothes should fit snugly for maximum support.
In fact, because the fit is so important, the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) regulates this closely. Since 2005, the governing body has adopted advanced measuring equipment and strict rules to examine the clothing before competition and shooters may be disqualified if they fail to comply. The rules for rifle events are even more restrictive.
The main criteria, however, is that the clothing should be comfortable and suitable for all weather conditions.
There are also strict provisions on the number, location, and size of logos and brand names on the shooter's equipment (firearms, clothing, shooting bags and cases) at ISSF championship events like World Cup meets, regional championships, world championships and the Olympics.
History of shooting
In the Middle Ages, shooting was a means of survival and was practiced in many countries. Nowadays, athletes use rifles, pistols and shotguns to target medals, instead of food, at a range of competitions.
The earliest competition dates back to the 11th century in Europe. As the industrial revolution made hunting for food less of a necessity, shooting evolved in the 19th century with the development of new equipment. The sport became popular in English-speaking countries, notably England and the United States, as well as Ireland and South Africa.
These days, the Americans and Europeans still dominate it, such as Russia, Germany, Italy and Cyprus.
Chinese shooters, who have shown their strength since the 1984 Los Angeles Games, have become a new power in this sport.
Xu Haifeng took the first gold for China at the Olympic Games after winning men's air pistol. China has taken 14 Olympic golds since then.
At the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, two big-bore rifle and three pistol events were included in the program through the efforts of the founder of the modern Games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, a former French pistol champion.
Shooting has only been absent from two Olympics to date - the 1904 Games in St. Louis, United States, and the 1928 Games in Amsterdam - but the shooting program has been modified greatly to reflect changes in firearms and customs.
Until 1924, the program was particularly unstable, with 17 of the total of 31 events appearing only once.
Shooting returned to the Olympics in 1932 with two events - one each for pistol and rifle. The program then became increasingly standardized after World War I.
Women were first allowed to compete in 1968, with Mexico, Peru and Poland each entering one female contestant at that year's Games.
At the 1984 Games in Los Angeles, women took part for the first time in a separate program consisting of three events.
Between 1984 and 1992, the number of women's events increased gradually, while trap and skeet remained open to both sexes. They were segregated at Atlanta 1996.
More recently, the double trap events for men and women were added to the Olympic program.
At this year's Beijing Games, the number of events has been reduced from 17 to 15 - the 10m running target (men) and double trap (women) are off the roster.
