13th Century
There is evidence that shooting clubs were first formed in the 13th century, and that competition using firearms with rifled barrels has existed from the 16th century.

1860
Formation of the UK National Rifle Association to regularise competition among the Volunteers. Inauguration of the Sovereign's Prize by HM Queen Victoria.

1876
First World Long Range Championships for the Palma Trophy, Creedmore USA.

1896
Shooting included in the first modern Olympics in Athens.

1897
First World Shooting Championships held in Lyon, France.

1901
Formation in UK of the Society of Working Men's Rifle Clubs, which became the Society of Miniature Rifle Clubs in 1903 and the NSRA in 1947.

1907
Foundation of the Union des Federations et Associations Nationales de Tir (International Shooting Union), Zurich, Switzerland.

1920
21 shooting events included in the Antwerp Olympics.

1958
Women's shooting events included for the first time at the World Shooting Championships.

1966
Shooting events included for the first time in Commonwealth Games at Kingston, Jamaica.

1968
Clay target (skeet) included for the first time in the Olympics Mexico City, when Bob Braithwaite won the Olympic Gold in the Trap event.

1976
Margaret Thompson Murdoch of the USA becomes the first woman in history to win an Olympic Medal in open competition against both men and women, in the small-bore 3 Position (3x40), in Montreal, Canada.

1982
Alister Allan sets new World Record of 600 ex 600 for small-bore prone rifle, on targets introduced in 1958.

1984
Malcolm Cooper wins small-bore 3x40 Gold Medal in Atlanta. With three bronzes medals (for Alister Allan, Barry Dagger and Mike Sullivan) it is the most successful British shooting team at the Olympics since Stockholm in 1912.

1986
Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. Husband and wife, Malcolm and Sarah Cooper, win the Three Positions Rifle Pairs event.

1988
Malcolm Cooper successfully defends his small-bore 3x40 title at Seoul Olympics, the only person ever to do so. Alister Allan moves up from bronze to silver in the same event.

1992
Over 80 countries take part in the shooting events at the Barcelona Olympics.

1994
A special range complex is built for the Commonwealth Games in Victoria, British Columbia.

1995
Britain win second successive World Long Range Fullbore Rifle Championships for the Palma Trophy (winning in 1992 and just failing in 1999 by eight points in a total of 14,000 to make it three in a row).

1997
Second Commonwealth Shooting Federation Championships at Langkawi, Malaysia. England top the medal table on silvers. England, Australia, Malaysia and India all win five golds. All seven Home Countries come back with at least one medal.