Among winter sports, biathlon is perhaps second only to hockey in popularity. This type of sports includes cross-country skiing and shooting. The result of the competition is largely determined by the quality of the equipment. A biathlon rifle is a complex technical device, so experienced athletes pay special attention to the choice of a specific type of weapon.
Biathlon rifle requirements
The rules of sports make a number of serious requirements for the biathlon rifle. Weapon weight should not be less than 3.5 kg. The standard caliber is 5.6 mm. The transition to small-bore weapons occurred in 1977; before that, biathletes used rifles with a caliber of 7, 62 mm. The changes were brought about by the need to ensure safety when handling weapons.
The introduction of a rifle with a reduced caliber led to a change in the shooting distance. The athletes had to adapt to new conditions. The reduced caliber reduced the recoil when firing a shot. However, the influence of the wind on the accuracy of hits has increased. Safety requirements were tightened: the rifle had to be securely fastened behind the athlete's back; during the shooting, the biathlete was not allowed to leave the special rubber mat. For violation of strict rules, punishment followed - up to disqualification.
By accepted standards, a biathlon rifle should be equipped with a 5-round magazine. There is also a place for attaching three additional ammunition - they are allowed to be used if the main cartridge turns out to be faulty, as well as in case of misses during relay races.
Athletes competing at the highest level use weapons specially fitted for them. Every detail of the rifle is manufactured taking into account the anatomical features of the athlete. Particular attention is paid to the convenience of applying the rifle to the cheek. At the same time, designers have to take into account the general requirements for weapons from the side of the regulations, because before each race, special judges meticulously check all the equipment of biathletes.
Even the most reliable and proven rifle can fail. When falling, the belt may break, the weapon may fail when using a low-quality cartridge. During the race, the athlete pays paramount importance to the safety of the weapon: biathletes are even taught to fall "correctly" in order to protect the rifle from damage to the maximum extent.
Biathlon rifle: a bit of history
Modern biathlon traces its history back to the military patrol races that became popular after the end of World War II. In these competitions in the Soviet Union, the well-proven Mosin army rifle was used. Subsequently, specialists from the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant designed an experimental sample of a biathlon rifle, which was named "Biathlon-59". A more accurate diopter sight was used in it. The weapon was equipped with belts and a protective cover. At that time, the regulations did not limit the weight of the rifle.
In the further development of the biathlon rifle, the gunsmith designer Sherstyakov took part. The result of his development were two types of weapons: "Biathlon Bi-7, 62" and "Biathlon Bi-6, 5". The name uses the value of the caliber of the weapon. These rifles brought serious Olympic successes to Russian biathletes.
In the early 70s of the last century, athletes received improved weapons. It was the Biathlon Bi-4 rifle, designed to use rimfire cartridges. The weight of the weapon has been significantly reduced. A short time later, the Biathlon Bi-5 rifle, adapted for the cartridge of 5, 6 mm, was launched into the series.
Biathlon rifle manufacturers
The most famous foreign manufacturers of biathlon rifles:
- Anschutz (Germany);
- Walter (Germany);
- Sako (Finland);
- "Staer Mannlicher" (Austria).
The most popular in the world biathlon is the Anschutz weapon. When developing rifles, the designers of this company sought to fully meet the requirements of the athletes of the German national team. The main criteria are recoil force and ease of use. It was the firm "Anschutz" in the late 70s that initiated the transfer of biathlon weapons to small caliber. This transition made biathlon a popular sport available to a wide range of amateurs.
German gunsmiths set the basic standards for the biathlon rifle:
- weight is not less than 3.5 kg;
- caliber 5, 6 mm;
- rimfire cartridges.
The response of domestic gunsmiths followed very quickly. It was the Izhevsk Biathlon Bi-6 rifle, which fully met the new requirements. This weapon was a variant of a deep modernization of ready-made Ural-type models.
The device of a biathlon rifle and its features
The weapons of all manufacturers are approximately the same. The differences concern only the design of individual units and positions.
The biathlon rifle includes:
- trunk;
- bed;
- gate;
- trigger mechanism;
- sighting device;
- magazine for cartridges.
The complex design of the butt makes it possible, if necessary, to change its linear dimensions; a gasket system is provided for this. All biathlon rifles are equipped with shoulder straps, the design of which allows you to securely hold the weapon behind your back while moving along the track, but does not interfere with the shooting.
The rifle's sighting device is diopter. The use of optical sights is not allowed.
Almost all elements of the rifle can be tailored and adjusted to suit the particular athlete. You can also change the center of mass of the rifle; for this purpose, special balancing weights are used.
Rifle reloading can be done very quickly. For this, a crank mechanism has been designed, which reliably locks the barrel bore by means of vertical axes of rotation.
Convenient covers have been invented to protect the barrel bore, sight and front sight from contamination.
Weapon designers pay special attention to the design of the trigger. It is designed so that you can adjust the pressure on the trigger in the most optimal way. It is not necessary to disassemble the weapon for this setting.
Each arms company develops its own gate designs. The Anschutz bolt has proven itself well. It is compact in size and has no lugs. Reloading the rifle is very simple - this is done with the movements of two fingers: with the index, the athlete pulls the handle and cocks the bolt; to reverse, press the back of the mechanism with your thumb. The extractor and ejector, which can operate reliably at the lowest air temperatures, facilitate recharging.
A removable magazine with a capacity of 5 rounds is used to feed the cartridge into the barrel. Additionally, the rifle is equipped with a device that holds three more cartridges. A special cassette is also attached to the rifle, where four magazines are placed - according to the number of shooting stages in most types of races.
The main criterion for shooting in this sport is the speed of reloading the rifle without changing the position of the athlete.
An important stage in the preparation of biathlon weapons is their adjustment. The rifle is carefully balanced by adding or removing balance weights. Then adjust the working stroke of the descent and its effort. The butt to the cheek is adjusted individually for each biathlete: the accuracy of hitting the target directly depends on this.
