We’re all quite familiar with the formalisation of competitive air rifle shooting from the 1900s onwards.

But, while I can track the evolution of modern air pistol 10M comps from the 1950s, paralleling the emergence and evolution of 10M air rifle in and from Germany, I for one have no idea what, if any, organised and codified (as opposed to informal, maybe club-based?) competition disciplines may have existed before WW2.

The only specialised pre-WW2 target air pistol I can think of is the Webley Mk2, which Bruce says was produced to meet the demand of competition shooters, principally in the US.

So which competitions, where, at what distance, what course of fire (etc)?

And, assuming the competitions existed, why is the Webley the only pre-WW2 target special I can think of, and was it the best choice?