Brief History
Bell Target Air Rifle Shooting is considered one of the oldest club and pub sports in the UK.
It started in the 1890s after poor shooting performance during the Boer War was brought to Queen Victoria’s attention. The sport became especially popular in the Midlands.
By 1905, there were reportedly 1,600 teams in Birmingham and 4,000 teams nationally, often shooting in pubs — sometimes over the heads of customers.
What Is a Bell Target
A bell target is a five-inch white metal plate housed in a metal box. The plate is engraved with scoring rings and painted with wet white oil paint, which makes pellet marks clearly visible.
At the centre is a 3/8 inch (9 mm) hole, with a bell mounted behind it. If a pellet — or part of one — passes through the hole, the bell rings.
Basic Rules
- Distance: 6 yards (some leagues allow 7 yards).
- Rifle calibre: .177 (4.5 mm) air rifles.
- Position: Standing, unsupported.
- Shots: Six scoring shots plus one optional sighter.
- Scoring rings: 5, 4, 3, 2, 0 (no score of 1).
- Score is based on where the majority of the pellet mark lies.
- If the pellet splits exactly between two rings, the higher score is awarded.
- Round-nosed pellets are recommended for clean impact marks.
- Target is repainted after each shot or group of shots.
- Lower-powered rifles help reduce pellet bounce-back.
Rules may vary between leagues.
At Moor Pool Air Gun Club, we are not part of a league and shoot Bell Target occasionally for fun, so our rules are more relaxed.