One of the oldest matches - the FREE PISTOL match has been part of the Olympics since 1896. Competitors shoot.22 calibre pistols from 50 meters at precision targets with a 5cm 10 ring.

The Guns: A free pistol is easily identified by its grip, which may completely envelope and stabilises the shooter's hand. Regulations require only that it fires .22 calibre long rifle cartridges and has metallic sights. The gun's barrel is longer than that of other pistols, providing greater accuracy at this longer shooting distance. World-class free pistols like the Walther and Hammerli typically cost $2000-$2200, although the popular Russian TOZ35 may be bought second hand from about $300.

Scoring well in this match is very difficult if the shooter has not mastered the elements of accurate handgunning. Almost all clubs have Free Pistol facilities. While presenting the new shooter with a formidable challenge, Free Pistol shooting is an excellent way of learning how to shoot handguns, as there is no time pressure to hurry through the match.

Course of Fire: Competitors fire 60 shots in two hours.

Perfect match Score: 600 is a perfect score, and 565 is world-class.Finals: The top eight competitors advance to a 10-shot final round, with 75 seconds allotted for each shot. The final is scored in tenths of a point and added to the match score to determine winners. A perfect final score is 109.

Perfect Aggregate (Match + Final) Score: 709 points.