Four selection events will dictate which trap and skeet shooters represent Australia at the 2020 Games, with Newcastle hosting two this week.

Argiro was the leading performer on day one of the Commonwealth championships, downing 71 of 75 targets at Newcastle Lake Macquarie Clay Target Club.

The Victorian shooter currently holds a two-point lead over Paul Adams, who won gold at last year's Oceania championships to secure a Tokyo 2020 quota position for Australia, and Joshua Bell after three men's skeet qualifying rounds.

In the women's skeet, 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Lauren Coles and New Zealand's Chloe Tipple are joint leaders after shooting 68 targets.

Cherie Reeves (65) and Aislin Jones (63) were the next best performers.

There will be two more qualifying rounds on Tuesday plus a final, featuring the six top-ranked shooters.

"It was a nice start, but I always like to do better. There is still more to come," Argiro said.

The 24-year-old, who is gunning for his first Olympics, shot a perfect 125/125 in qualifying en route to a bronze medal at last year's World Cup event in Al Ain.

Keith Ferguson, who represented Australia at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, finished day one in seventh position after hitting 65 targets.

"You can never write off Keith. He is very well equipped and is likely to go out and shoot all 50 targets tomorrow," Bell said.

Australian Associated Press