What is checked at rifle and equipment inspection?

The 2027 Canada Winter Games apply IBU equipment rules for ski equipment and rifles (the IBU advertising rules do not apply; the Canada Games Council's apparel sponsorship policy covers advertising instead). Under the IBU Event and Competition Rules (version 2026):

Pre-start equipment inspection

• Your start number and thigh numbers are checked.
• The rifle is safety-checked: no cartridge in the chamber, and no magazine inserted or appearing to be inserted in the magazine well. Rifles may not carry full magazines or reserve bullets on the stock during the inspection.
• The weight, trigger resistance, dimensions and shape of the rifle, and the advertising on it, are checked. The serial number is recorded so the rifle can be verified at the finish.
• Skis and poles are checked, including for prohibited materials.

Two minutes before the start

• The rifle must carry the IBU control sticker. The starter's assistant opens the action to confirm there is no round in the chamber and no magazine inserted, and the safety marker goes in until the official removes it.
• You must have enough magazines to complete the competition. Magazines may be spot-checked to ensure they hold only five rounds that can be loaded directly from the magazine.

At the finish

• The rifle must contain no live ammunition. It must still carry its control sticker and have a trigger resistance of at least 0.5 kg (this may be a spot check). Ammunition is removed and the safety marker is inserted.

Sources: https://assets.ctfassets.net/cz0vl36hcq0x/7mkQn1kQTB7VzlUZHAcuec/c8897efcf14ccded0f82af3513c6e5ef/ECR_Rules_2026_cap03.pdf (articles 4.2.2 to 4.2.3); 2027 Canada Winter Games Biathlon Technical Package, section 13: https://biathlon.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/36-2027-Technical-Package-Biathlon-PUBLISHED.pdf