ISSF 50 meter pistol

Sport shooting event

50 meter pistol, formerly and unofficially still often called Free Pistol, is one of the ISSF shooting events. It is one of the oldest shooting disciplines, dating back to the 19th century and only having seen marginal rule changes since 1936. It is considered to provide some of the purest precision shooting among the pistol events. The target of this event has not changed since 1900, and the 50m distance has remained the standard since 1912. The sport traced back to the beginning of indoor Flobert pistol parlour shooting in Europe during the 1870s. Most shooters excelling in 50 m pistol also compete at the same level in 10 meter air pistol, a similar precision event. Free pistol was removed from the Olympic programme following the 2016 Olympic Games.

The pistol used must be chambered in caliber .22 Long Rifle ammunition, may only be loaded with one round at a time, and must have conventional "open" or "iron" sights (i. e. optical and laser sights are not allowed). It must also be held and operated by one hand, and not supported by any other part of the shooter's body. Apart from that, there are practically no rules for the pistol, explaining the former name of the event. Trigger weight may be as low as the shooter pleases, the grip may be designed in any way to enhance comfortable ergonomic fit as long as it does not touch the wrist for support, and there are no restrictions on size and weight. Precision pistols with long barrels, grips fitted to the shooter's hand, very light trigger pull, etc., are often themselves called free pistols. Competitors have been using the small bore, rim fire cartridge since 1908.

The course of fire is 60 shots within a maximum time of two hours. The target is the same as in 25 meter center fire pistol, but at double the distance, resulting in a lower result level. 570 out of the maximum 600 is considered a world class result. The current world record, 583, was achieved in the World shooting Championships Granada in 2014 by the South Korean Jin Jong oh. The previous world record of 581 points was scored by Kyrgyzstan born Alexander Melentyev in the 1980 Moscow games, stood for 34 years, and still remains the Olympic record. Most of the historic changes concern distance (30m, 50m, 50 yards), caliber (.22 .22lr .44CF), type of pistol (revolver only, revolver or pistol, any pistol), time allowed (16 hours, 6 hours, 3 hours, 2 hours, 1 hour and 15 minutes), and most recently, format of the finals (carry over scores, start from zero, number of shots fired in the finals). 50 m Pistol was officially removed as an Olympic medal event in 2017, making the Rio games of 2016 the last for the "Free Pistol" shooters. However, it is still part of other major ISSF competitions; most notably the World Shooting Championships.

Year Place Gold Silver Bronze1900 Paris1901 Luzern1902 Rome1903 Buenos Aires1904 Lyon1905 Brussels1906 Milan1907 Zürich1908 Vienna1909 Hamburg1910 Loosduinen1911 Rome1912 Bayonne Biarritz1913 Camp Perry1914 Viborg1921 Lyon1922 Milan1923 Camp Perry1924 Reims1925 St. Gallen1927 Rome1928 Loosduinen1929 Stockholm1930 Antwerp1931 Lvov1933 Granada1935 Rome1937 Helsinki1939 Luzern1947 Stockholm1949 Buenos Aires1952 Oslo1954 Caracas1958 Moscow1962 Cairo1966 Wiesbaden1970 Phoenix1974 Thun1978 Seoul1982 Caracas1986 Suhl1990 Moscow1994 Milan1998 Barcelona2002 Lahti2006 Zagreb2010 Munich2014 Granada2018 Changwon2022 New Administrative Capital

Year Place Gold Silver Bronze1900 Paris SwitzerlandFriedrich LüthiPaul ProbstKarl RödererLouis RichardetKonrad Stäheli FranceLouis DutfoyMaurice Marie LecoqAchille ParocheLéon MoreauxTrinite NetherlandsAntonius Hubertus Maria BouwensAnthony Ahasuerus Henrik SweijsHenrik SillemGerardus van HaanSolko Johannes van Den Bergh1901 Luzern SwitzerlandKarl HessPaul ProbstLouis RichardetKarl RödererKonrad Stäheli FranceLouis DutfoyMaurice FaureAchille ParocheRaphael PyTrinite ItalyL. BorgogelliCristoforo ButtafavaG. GiuliozziA. RighiniR. Tagliabue1902 Rome SwitzerlandKarl HessJ. LangKarl RödererA. RochKonrad Stäheli ItalyP. CastellanoA. RighiniG. SandriR. TagliabueL. Tavelli FranceCauretteLouis DutfoyLéon MoreauxRaphael PyAthanase Sartori1903 Buenos Aires ArgentinaMarcelo Torcuato de AlvearAngel VelazJorge LubaryBenjamin SeguraAndres Del Pino ItalyAttilio ContiA. PederzoliA. RighiniL. TavelliCesare Valerio1904 Lyon SwitzerlandKarl HessPaul ProbstLouis RichardetKarl RödererKonrad Stäheli ArgentinaJose FernandezMarcelo Torcuato de AlvearAlberto PeroPedro PartarrieBenjamin Segura FranceCauretteJean FouconnierMolinie PagetLéon MoreauxRaphael Py1905 Brussels BelgiumJulien van AsbroeckPaul Van AsbroeckRene EnglebertCharles Paumier du VergerVictor Robert SwitzerlandMathias BrunnerF. JaquesKarl HessLouis RichardetKonrad Stäheli FranceAndré BarbillatAndre de CastelbajacJean DepassisLouvierLéon Moreaux1906 Milan BelgiumRene EnglebertCharles Paumier du VergerJulien van AsbroeckVictor RobertPaul Van Asbroeck SwitzerlandLouis RichardetKarl RödererKonrad StäheliJ. SchalcherKarl Hess FranceAndré BarbillatJean FouconnierLouvierLéon MoreauxRaphael Py1907 Zürich BelgiumJulien van AsbroeckPaul Van AsbroeckCharles Paumier du VergerVictor RobertRéginald Storms SwitzerlandMathias BrunnerKarl HessJ. SchalcherKonrad StäheliCaspar Widmer FranceAndré BarbillatAndre de CastelbajacJean DepassisLéon MoreauxRaphael Py1908 Vienna ItalyCristoforo ButtafavaDaniele BonicelliGian Galeazzo CantoniRaffaele FrascaA. Righini BelgiumJulien van AsbroeckPaul Van AsbroeckCharles Paumier du VergerRéginald StormsVictor Robert FranceAndré BarbillatAndre de CastelbajacDuvoirLéon MoreauxAndré Regaud1909 Hamburg GermanyGerhard BockRichard FischerEduard EhrichtEduard SchmeisserJ. Vogel SwitzerlandMathias BrunnerKarl HessKarl RödererKonrad StäheliE. Wanner FranceAndré BarbillatMaurice FaureLéon MoreauxAndré RegaudRaphael Py1910 Loosduinen BelgiumRene EnglebertCharles Paumier du VergerPaul Van AsbroeckNorbert Van MolleWullemans ItalyRaffaele FrascaG. MussinoA. RighiniRicardo TicchiC. Vercellone GermanyGerhard BockEduard EhrichtRichard FischerEduard SchmeisserJ. Vogel1911 Rome BelgiumNorbert Van MolleSerruysPhilippe CammaertsPaul Van AsbroeckCharles Paumier du Verger GermanyGassmannEduard EhrichtRichard FischerEduard SchmeisserJ. Vogel SwitzerlandMathias BrunnerJ. LandryKarl RödererKonrad StäheliCaspar Widmer1912 Bayonne Biarritz BelgiumPaul Van AsbroeckPhilippe CammaertsCharles Paumier du VergerNorbert Van MolleSerruys FranceAndré BarbillatJean CarrèreAndre de CastelbajacPaul MaujeanAndré Regaud ItalyAlfredo GalliRaffaele FrascaL. MorettoG. MussinoRicardo Ticchi1913 Camp Perry United StatesJames Howard SnookJohn DietzAlfred LaneC. McCutcheonP. Hanford FranceJean CarrèreGirardotLéon JohnsonAndré RegaudLouis Percy SwedenWilhelm CarlbergOtto ChristianssonSigvard HultcrantzLoewmanCasimir Reuterskiöld1914 Viborg ItalyAlfredo GalliRaffaele FrascaL. MorettoR. PredaRicardo Ticchi FranceAndré BarbillatJean CarrèreGirardotLéon JohnsonAndré Regaud BelgiumPaul Van AsbroeckLouis AndrieuHenri Sauveur FilsVictor RobertSerruys1921 Lyon ItalyGiancarlo BorianiRaffaele FrascaFranco MicheliL. MorettoRicardo Ticchi SwitzerlandMathias BrunnerDomenico GiamboniniHans HaenniFritz ZulaufCaspar Widmer FranceLéon JohnsonPaul MaujeanR. PecchiaAndré RegaudLouis Tetart1922 Milan SwitzerlandRobert BlumHans HaenniF. KoenigWilhelm SchnyderFritz Zulauf ItalyL. CorbaCamillo IsnardiFranco MicheliL. MorettoRicardo Ticchi United StatesIrving Romaro CalkinsJ. ConsidineKarl Telford FrederickAlfred LanePaul Raymond1923 Camp Perry United StatesIrving Romaro CalkinsJ. DunnKarl Telford FrederickCharles PriceR. G. Wescott1924 Reims SwitzerlandMathias BrunnerRobert BlumHans HaenniF. KoenigWilhelm Schnyder FranceAndre de CastelbajacKeller DorianPaul MaujeanGilles PetitVeyssiere DenmarkF. FrederiksenC. JensenChristian LehrmanLars Jørgen MadsenChristen Moeller1925 St. Gallen FranceCharles des JammonièresKeller DorianR. PecchiaGilles PetitLouis Tetart SwitzerlandF. BalmerRobert BlumHans HaenniF. KoenigWilhelm Schnyder DenmarkF. FrederiksenC. JensenNiels Hansen Ditlev LarsenChristian LehrmanChristen Moeller1927 Rome SwitzerlandF. BalmerRobert BlumWilhelm SchnyderAugust WiederkehrFritz Zulauf DenmarkA. BollChristian LehrmanP. MoellerChristen MoellerErik Sætter Lassen SpainAntonio Bonilla SanmartinJose Bento LopezLuis Calvet SandozJulio Castro Del RosarioG. Martinez1928 Loosduinen SwitzerlandRobert BlumJakob FisherWilhelm SchnyderAugust WiederkehrFritz Zulauf SpainLuis Calvet SandozJose Bento LopezJulio Castro Del RosarioG. MartinezC. Romero FranceAndre de CastelbajacCharles des JammonièresKeller DorianR. Pecchia1929 Stockholm SwitzerlandRobert BlumJakob FisherLean Revilliod de BudeWilhelm SchnyderFritz Zulauf SpainJose Bento LopezLuis Calvet SandozJ. EsquenaG. MartinezC. Romero FranceMarcel BoninAndre de CastelbajacCharles des JammonièresP. GremeauxG. Regis1930 Antwerp SwitzerlandErnst FlückigerSeverin CrivelliLean Revilliod de BudeWilhelm SchnyderFritz Zulauf FranceMarcel BoninCharles des JammonièresGantierP. GremeauxG. Regis DenmarkA. BollC. JensenNiels Hansen Ditlev LarsenChristian LehrmanAxel Lerche1931 Lvov SwitzerlandErnst FlückigerSeverin CrivelliLean Revilliod de BudeWilhelm SchnyderFritz Zulauf FranceMarcel BoninAndre de CastelbajacCharles des JammonièresP. GremeauxNeveu FinlandA. GranholmViktor MiinalainenKarl Gustaf SvenssonS. TimonenVilenius1933 Granada SwitzerlandE. AndresF. BulloErnst FlueckigerSeverin CrivelliWilhelm Schnyder FranceM. BrionMarcel BoninCharles des JammonièresRené KochNeveu SpainBotllanJose Bento LopezJ. EsquenaG. MartinezC. Romero1935 Rome SwitzerlandE. AndresE. FlueckigerSeverin CrivelliF. LeibundgutWalter Buechi ItalyGiancarlo BorianiB. CaponeStefano MargottiC. MarescaUgo Pistolesi GermanyH. BeltznerErich KrempelG. LorenzEmil MartinPaul Wehner1937 Helsinki SwitzerlandWalter BuechiErnst FlueckigerSeverin CrivelliHans GaemperliWalter Schaffner FinlandKlaus Henrik LahtiAatto Johannes NuoraJaakko RintanenKlaus SuokontuTapio Vartiovaara SwedenGustaf BergstroemBertli GustafssonHelge MeullerTorsten Elis UllmanGotfrid von Rooth1939 Luzern SwitzerlandHeinz AmbuehlE. AndresWalter BuechiErnst FlueckigerW. Muster SwedenGustaf BergstroemBertli GustafssonKristian SjoebergTorsten Elis UllmanGotfrid von Rooth GermanyW. KraftErich KrempelF. KrempelEmil MartinPaul Wehner1947 Stockholm ArgentinaOscar BidegainPablo CagnassoFederico GrübenFederico ManesAlberto Martijena SwedenSven LundquistSture NordlundG. SchoettKarl Axel WallenTorsten Elis Ullman SwitzerlandHeinz AmbuehlE. FlueckigerW. SchaffnerBeat RhynerAlexander Specker1949 Buenos Aires ArgentinaOscar BidegainPablo CagnassoAntonio CannavoFederico GrübenAlberto Martijena SwedenHugo LundqvistSven LundquistSture NordlundGoesta PihlTorsten Elis Ullman United StatesHuelet Leo BennerW. HancockC. LogieHarry Wendell ReevesW. Toney 1952 Oslo SwedenAeke LindblomSture NordlundHugo LundqvistG. SchoettTorsten Elis Ullman SwitzerlandHeinz AmbuehlHeinrich KellerBeat RhynerRudolf SchnyderAlexander Specker FinlandVeli Jussi HoelsoeKlaus Henrik LahtiLeonard RaviloOiva Kalerva TylliS. Widnaes1954 Caracas Soviet UnionVladimir DeminAnton JasinskyKonstantin MartazovEvgeni PolikaninLev Vainshtein United StatesR. AnthonyHuelet Leo BennerJohn DoddsHarry Wendell ReevesOffutt Pinion SwedenAeke LindblomLeif Uno LarssonHugo LundqvistG. PreutzTorsten Elis Ullman1958 Moscow Soviet UnionAleksey GushchinAnton JasinskyMakhmud UmarovLev VainshteinAnatoli Zapolski United StatesWilliam BlankenshipNelson Hayford LincolnD. MillerOffutt PinionRaymond Sutherland CzechoslovakiaJiří HrnečekVladimír KudrnaKarel MuchaFrantišek MaxaJosef Svab1962 Cairo Soviet UnionMihail AkulovAleksey GushchinGrigori KosychVladimir Stolypin United StatesWilliam BlankenshipLloyd BurchettFranklin GreenFrederik Schaser SwitzerlandLudwig HemauerFrédéric MichelAlbert SpaeniErnst Stoll1966 Wiesbaden Soviet UnionGrigori KosychEvgeni RaskazovVladimir StolypinAlbert Udachin SwitzerlandLudwig HemauerFritz LehmannAlbert SpaeniErnst Stoll PolandJozef FrydelHenryk SiekRajmund StachurskiJózef Zapędzki1970 Phoenix, Arizona Soviet UnionGrigori KosychVladimir StolypinAnatoli EgrishinBoris Yermakov East GermanyHelmut ArteletHarald VollmarHeinz SzurliesGert Schreiber PolandKarol ChodkiewiczZbigniew FedyczakPaweł MałekRajmund Stachurski1974 Thun Soviet UnionAnatoli EgrishinGrigori KosychIgor RaenkoGeorgi Zapolskich CzechoslovakiaVladimír HykaHynek HromadaIvan NémethyMilos Stefan AustriaHubert GarschallHans Peter SchmidtOthmar SchneiderHeinz Tschabrun1978 Seoul SwitzerlandHerbert BinderRoman BurkhardMoritz MinderArno Rissi JapanChikafumi HiraiMamoru InagakiFumihisa SemizukiShigetoshi Tashiro West GermanyKlaus BolbrockAlfons MesserschmidtUdo ScharfKarl Otto Westphalen1982 Caracas Soviet UnionAnatoli EgrishinAlexsander MelentievSergei SumatokhinVladas Turla United StatesErich BuljungJimmie Mc CoyDon NygordEugene Ross ChinaZhijian ChouZhibo SuMing WangYifu Wang1986 Suhl Soviet UnionIgor BasinskiAlexsander MelentievSergei Pyzhianov SwedenBenny OestlundPertti PaeaekkoenenRagnar Skanåker East GermanyGernot EderMichael HochmuthUwe Potteck1990 Moscow HungaryIstván ÁghCsaba GyorikZoltán Papanitz Soviet UnionIgor BasinskiAlexsander MelentievSergei Pyzhianov SwedenBengt KamisBenny OestlundRagnar Skanåker1994 Milan UkraineOleksandr BliznuchenkoVolodymyr IvanchukViktor Makarov RussiaBoris KokorevSergei PyzhianovSergei Poliakov ChinaJinbao LiYifu WangHaifeng Xu1998 Barcelona ChinaYifu WangDan XuZongliang Tan RussiaMikhail NestruevBoris KokorevVladimir Gontcharov BelarusIgor BasinskiSiarhei YurusauKanstantsin Lukashyk2002 Lahti ChinaZongliang TanYifu WangDan Xu RussiaVladimir GontcharovMikhail NestruevBoris Kokorev UkraineViktor MakarovOleg DronovIvan Rybovalov2006 Zagreb ChinaZongliang TanZhongzai LinXiao Wu RussiaVladimir GontcharovVladimir IsakovMikhail Nestruev ItalyFrancesco BrunoVigilio FaitGiuseppe Giordano2010 Munich South KoreaLee Dae myungJin Jong ohHan Seung Woo ChinaZhang TianJing WuWei Pang SpainPablo CarreraMiguel Salvador GimenezPablo Garcia2014 Granada ChinaZhiwei WangWei PangQifeng Pu South KoreaLee Dae myungJin Jong ohChoi Young rae North KoreaKim Jong suKim Song gukKwon Tong hyok2018 ChangwonLee Dae myungPark Dae hunHan Seung wooDamir MikecDusko PetrovDimitrije GrgićWu JiayuPu QifengZhang Bingchen

Jin Jong oh is the only triple (and double) Olympic champion in 50 metre pistol; he is the only shooter to have won three consecutive Olympic gold medals in one event. World Championships were held annually up to the 1931 then biennially until 1954 (the current quadrennial format was introduced afterwards), which made a few long streaks possible, but after World War II few shooters have been able to win two major World level titles (the Olympics and the World Championships); Jin is the only one to have won three or more since the World Championships intervals were changed to the current quadrennial format. Paul Van Asbroeck has won the most of Olympic and World titles combined with seven titles (1 Olympics and 6 World titles). Torsten Ullman won six (1 Olympic, 5 World titles) over the span of 1933–1952, including four successive Championships between 1933 and 1937 (including the 1936 Summer Olympics). Wilhem Schnyder won four consecutive World Championships between 1924 and 1928. Van Asbroeck, Ullman, Huelet Benner and Jin are only ones to have held the Olympic and the World titles simultaneously. Another rare double is that between this precision event and its direct opposite 25 meter rapid fire pistol; this has only been accomplished by Alfred Lane (completed in 1912), Torsten Ullman (1939), Huelet Benner (1952) and Pentti Linnosvuo (1964), with Lane (in one Olympics) and Linnosvuo winning only Olympic titles. Benner, on the other hand, is the only shooter with two titles in both events. Several athletes have won 50 metre pistol and 10 metre air pistol titles; Jin is the only person to have done so at the (single) Olympics. ISSF World Cup Series has been held since 1986 with the World Cup Final at the end of the season since 1988; Ragnar Skanåker and Jin are the only two to have won this competition as well as the Olympic and World titles. Skanåker's 1993 World Cup Final victory was achieved at the age of 59; it was also his last international victory. The distance of the Free Pistol event was 30 metres initially. This was because 30 metres was used in the German Championship, the most important competition at the time. Starting from the 1900 Olympics, which also served as the first world championship for Free Pistol, the distance was set to 50 metres. Both the distance and the target remained the same to this day, with the exception of the 1908 Olympics in which the distance changed from 50 metres to 50 yards. Free Pistol was not held between the 1920 and 1936 Olympics. This is due to the perception of the time that pistol shooters, especially in free pistol, were professionals who competed in tournaments which awarded prized money. The strict amateur status required by the IOC ran counter against UIT (ISSF) and the money and medal awarding system of the target pistol shooting competition tradition. The best shooters in the world such as Wilhelm Schnyder and his Swiss teammates with their Häuptli pistols would dominate the world championships, but were denied the chance to compete in the Olympics. With the exception of 1923 when they did not compete, from 1921 to 1939 the Swiss either won the individual or the team World titles, or both. Adolf Hitler made sure shooting was part of the 1936 program as he was eager to demonstrate his country's military prowess, including a brand new special designed Walther pistol for the rapid fire event. Year Venue Individual Winning pistol Team Juniors Team 1896 Athens Smith & Wesson New Model 3 Revolver 19001 Paris Waffenfabrik Bern 1882 Swiss Ordnance Revolver 1901 Luzern Waffenfabrik Bern 1882 Swiss Ordnance Revolver 1902 Rome Waffenfabrik Bern 1882 Swiss Ordnance Revolver 1903 Buenos Aires Unknown revolver 1904 Lyon Unknown revolver 1905 Brussels Sauveur HS 6 1906 Milan DWM 1900 Swiss Ordnance Luger PP00 1907 Zürich Sauveur HS 6 1908 Vienna Büchel Stecherspanner 1908 London Sauveur HS 6 1909 Hamburg Sauveur HS 6 1910 Loosduinen Sauveur HS 6 1911 Rome Büchel Tell 1912 Bayonne–Biarritz Büchel Tell 1912 Stockholm Smith & Wesson Perfected Third Model 1913 Camp Perry Büchel Tell 1914 Viborg Büchel Tell 1920 Antwerp Smith & Wesson Perfected Third Model 1921 Lyon Häuptli 1 1922 Milan Häuptli 1 1923 Camp Perry Smith & Wesson Perfected Third Model 1924 Reims Häuptli 2 1925 St. Gallen Häuptli 2 1927 Rome Häuptli 2 1928 Loosduinen Häuptli 2 1929 Stockholm Häuptli 2 1930 Antwerp Häuptli 1 1931 Lwów Unknown 1933 Granada Udo Anschütz Record 210 1935 Rome Udo Anschütz Record 210 1936 Berlin Udo Anschütz Record 210 1937 Helsinki Udo Anschütz Record 210 1939 Luzern Walter Munk Zentrum 2 1947 Stockholm Hämmerli MP33 1948 London Hämmerli MP33 1949 Buenos Aires Hämmerli MP33 1952 Oslo Hämmerli MP33 1952 Helsinki Hämmerli 100 2 1954 Caracas Hämmerli 100 1956 Melbourne Hämmerli 100 1958 Moscow Hämmerli 100 1960 Rome Izhmash Isch 1 1962 Cairo Tula TOZ 35 1964 Tokyo Hämmerli 101 1966 Wiesbaden Tula TOZ 35 1968 Mexico City TsKIB SOO MЦ55 1970 Phoenix Tula TOZ 35 1972 Munich TsKIB SOO MЦ55 1974 Thun TsKIB SOO MЦ55 1976 Montreal Tula TOZ 35 1978 Seoul Tula TOZ 35 60° 1980 Moscow TsKIB SOO MЦ55 1982 Caracas Hämmerli 152 1984 Los Angeles Hämmerli 150 1986 Suhl Tula TOZ 35 1988 Seoul Tula TOZ 35 1990 Moscow Hämmerli 150 1992 Barcelona Tula TOZ 35 1994 Milan Morini CM84E 1996 Atlanta Tula TOZ 35 1998 Barcelona TsKIB SOO MЦ55 1 2000 Sydney Hämmerli 152 2002 Lahti Morini CM84E 2004 Athens Morini CM84E 2006 Zagreb Morini CM84E 2008 Beijing Morini CM84E 2010 Munich Morini CM84E 2012 London Morini CM84E 2014 Granada Morini CM84E 2016 Rio de Janeiro Morini CM84E

1 The Olympic competitions in Paris also counted as the 1900 World Championships. 2 Same model as MP33. Name changed by new company owner.