Biathletes use smallbore .22 caliber rifles that are specially built for skiing and fast, precise shooting in winter conditions.

Quick Scoop: What kind of guns are used in biathlon?

  • Modern Olympic biathlon uses .22 Long Rifle ( .22 LR ) rimfire rifles only.
  • The rifles are lightweight competition guns, typically around 3.5–4 kg, because athletes must carry them on their backs while skiing.
  • Most are bolt‑action or straight‑pull rifles with 5‑round magazines, optimized for rapid cycling between shots.
  • A very popular model at the Olympics is the Anschutz 1827 Fortner, a straight‑pull .22 LR rifle used by the majority of top biathletes.
  • Rules limit muzzle velocity and bullet weight for safety and to standardize performance; for example, the IBU caps .22 LR biathlon ammo velocity around 360 m/s with tightly defined bullet weight.

A tiny bit of background

Early biathlon and related “moose biathlon” or Nordic field biathlon events sometimes used larger fullbore hunting calibers like 6.5×55 mm or .308 Winchester, but modern Olympic biathlon has standardized entirely on the .22 LR smallbore class. This standardization makes equipment more uniform, reduces recoil, and keeps the focus on endurance skiing plus precision marksmanship rather than raw power.

So if you’re wondering “what kind of guns are used in biathlon?” — think precision .22 LR target rifles, purpose‑built for fast, accurate shooting in harsh winter conditions, not hunting or military weapons.

TL;DR: Olympic biathletes use specialized .22 LR smallbore rifles (often Anschutz 1827 Fortner), about 3.5–4 kg, with 5‑shot magazines and tight ammo/velocity limits set by the sport’s governing rules.

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