In Olympic shooting, athletes use highly specialized sporting firearms: air rifles, small‑bore rifles, air pistols, small‑bore pistols, and 12‑gauge shotguns, all tightly regulated for safety and fairness.

Main types of Olympic guns

  • Air rifles (10m events) : Precision air rifles in 4.5 mm (.177) caliber, single‑shot, used at 10 m indoor ranges.
  • Small‑bore rifles (50m events) : .22 caliber (5.6 mm) “small‑bore” rifles, single‑loaded, with strict limits on overall weight (around 8 kg for some events).
  • Air pistols (10m events) : 4.5 mm (.177) single‑shot air pistols, designed for extreme accuracy at 10 m.
  • Small‑bore pistols (25m & 50m events): .22 caliber pistols; rapid‑fire and 25 m pistols use .22 LR with 5‑shot magazines, while 50 m pistols (where contested) are single‑shot .22 pistols with few size limits.
  • Shotguns (trap & skeet): Over‑under 12‑gauge shotguns, typically around 3–4 kg, with barrel length limits and different choke patterns depending on trap, double trap, or skeet.

Safety and “real gun” context

  • These are real firearms or air guns, but they are purpose‑built as sports equipment, optimized for accuracy and balance rather than defense or hunting.
  • Events are tightly controlled: fixed distances (10 m, 25 m, 50 m), regulated ammunition, and strict safety protocols and range rules.

Examples of typical setups

  • A 10 m air rifle shooter will usually have a 4.5 mm compressed‑air rifle with an adjustable stock, precision sights, and special shooting clothing to keep their position stable.
  • A trap or skeet shooter will use a 12‑gauge over‑under shotgun tuned for their event, with stock fit and barrel chokes customized to how clay targets move and break.

TL;DR: Olympic shooters use precision air rifles and air pistols (both 4.5 mm), .22 small‑bore rifles and pistols, and 12‑gauge over‑under shotguns, all built and regulated specifically for competition.

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