SCORING BB GUN TARGETS
Written by R.W. Fix
Taking the time to score targets is the best way for us as adults, training young shooters, to show those shooters the results of their shooting efforts. Target scores also provide vital information to our Shooting Sports Program instructors in determining training needs and selecting teams for competition.
It is impossible to express in words the value of the time and effort parents of our young shooters have put forth over the years by scoring every target at every practice. As important as scoring is, it is obvious that due to lack of time there is no way coaches working with the Shooting Sports Program could possibly score the targets before the shooters leave each practice session.
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It is important for all parents to be aware that every scored target your daughter or son has ever brought home to show you has been scored by another parent.
For the continued success of the Program all parents are encouraged to learn about BB gun target scoring, and volunteer scoring at practices when time allows. The process is not complicated and the time spent scoring with other parents is usually quite enjoyable.
Although a lot of detailed knowledge is not necessary to score BB gun targets, there is some detail that may make the scoring process more understandable.
-The BB gun target sheet (#AR-410) has 12 bulls-eyes with 4 bulls-eyes on each of 3 rows.
-Two of the bulls-eyes on the bottom row are in a box (Sighting Box).
-These two bulls-eyes are strictly for sighting in the gun and are not scored.
-The other 10 bulls-eyes should each be at shot once and are scored.
-Each bulls-eye has 10 rings with the small center ring being #10 and the much larger outer ring being #1.
-The three inner rings (#8, 9, 10) are black and the remaining rings (#1 – 7) are white.
-The center ring is smallest and measures exactly 1/8 inch (.125).
-Each of the other rings is slightly wider and measures exactly .150 inch in width.
The BB gun is a .177 caliber and therefore the BB (.177) is considerably wider than the space between the scoring rings (.150). - The BB is almost 1/3 larger than the 10 ring (.125)
Knowing a little about the dimensions of the BB and the target rings makes it easy to understand that a BB shot at the target can (and often does) leave a hole that touches 2 scoring rings. The shooter is awarded the score for highest ring that the BB shot hole touches. – This is the basic idea of scoring.
The targets are designed by the National Rifle Association and are printed by various companies under license from the NRA. The NRA has also produced scoring plugs to assist in determining the scores of shot holes that are “close” and not easily scored without use of a plug.
-The general rule of thumb in scoring is that each shot hole is scored without use of a plug when it is easy to see which ring is the highest ring hit by the BB.
-The plugs are intended for use in shot holes that are “close” to the higher scoring ring but not obviously touching it.
It is important to understand that since BBs are round they do not leave holes as large as the BB itself (.177). As the BB penetrates the target it most often leaves a hole that closes slightly after the BB passes through. The “plugs” which have a stem measuring .177 re-open the exact hole originally opened by the BB, making it easier to determine which ring was the highest numbered ring hit.
Shot holes that are centered directly on a scoring ring are therefore able to be scored much easier and quicker than shots that hit between rings. – If in doubt, use a scoring plug.
After scoring a few targets, scorers learn the difference between a “10” and a “10x” (or Center Shot). Center shots are only scored in competition to break ties.
A perfect target would earn a score of 100 (10x10). Since each shooter strives to hit the 10 ring with each shot,most shots hit the higher rings. It is therefore easier to score a 10 as a “-0” and a 9 as a “-1” etc., etc.. Adding the smaller digits and subtracting that total from 100 is usually easier than adding 10 scores of 9’s, 8’s and 7’s to determine the raw score.
One of the other basic rules is that since each shooter is allowed to shoot 10 shots at bulls outside the sighting box, we also score 10 shots outside the sighting box, even when 2 BBs may have hit the same bulls-eye.
-If there are more than 10 shots outside the sighting box only the 10 lowest shots are scored.
-One penalty point is deducted for each shot hole in excess of 10 on any target sheet; and, one penalty point is also deducted anytime asingle bulls-eye contains more than one shot hole, even when there aren’t more than 10 shot holes in total on the target sheet.
BB Gun Target Scoring Recap:
-10 shot holes are scored on each target
-Each shot hole is scored according to the highest scoring ring touched by the shot hole.
-Scoring plugs are used to determine the highest shot value of holes that lie “close” to a higher scoring ring.
-Shot scores written on the target will be written as the value of points lost; i.e., an 8 would be scored “-2”, a 7 would be “-3” etc. The total of those values would be deducted from 100 to determine the raw score.
-There are two situations in which penalty points are applied; one is when there are more than 10 shot holes on the entire target sheet, and the second is when a single bulls-eye contains more than one shot hole (even if the total number of shot holes does not exceed 10).
HAVE FUN!
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