In biathlon, athletes shoot at metal targets using small-bore rifles chambered in .22 Long Rifle (.22 LR) caliber.

Quick Scoop: What exactly do they shoot?

  • Biathletes use a .22 LR small-bore rifle, typically a specially designed biathlon rifle with a manual or straight-pull bolt action.
  • They fire .22 LR cartridges with soft lead bullets weighing about 2.55–2.75 grams.
  • The shooting is always done on a 50 m range at five circular metal targets per bout.
  • Targets flip from black to white when hit, so there’s an immediate visual confirmation.

What are the targets like?

  • Distance: 50 m from the firing line.
  • Prone shooting: five targets, each about 45 mm in diameter.
  • Standing shooting: five larger targets, about 115 mm in diameter.
  • The targets are mounted on mechanical or electronic racks designed to fall or change color when hit.

How shooting fits into the race

  • Biathlon combines cross‑country skiing with rifle marksmanship; athletes ski loops and periodically stop to shoot.
  • At each shooting stage (called a “bout”), an athlete has five shots to try to hit the five targets.
  • In most events, a miss means either:
    • Skiing a 150 m penalty loop, or
    • Getting a fixed time penalty added, depending on the event format.

Different events, same basic shooting

Across sprint, pursuit, mass start, individual, and relay events, the core answer to “what do they shoot in biathlon?” stays the same:

They shoot .22 LR bullets from a biathlon rifle at five small metal targets 50 meters away, in prone and standing positions.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.