Paper target scoring mistakes and how to verify doubtful shots
Most scoring errors come from a reasonable-looking shortcut: judging the centre, rounding up a tear, assuming scale or trusting a detector without review.
Published · Updated · Written and source-reviewed by the TargetIQ editorial team
Mistakes at the ring boundary
| Mistake | Why it fails | Verification |
|---|---|---|
| Judge only the centre | The higher ring touched by the hole or gauge counts | Use the correct gauge rule |
| Round every tear upward | A torn fibre is not automatically the calibrated hole edge | Use an overlay/gauge procedure for doubt |
| Insert a gauge repeatedly | The plug can alter the hole | Official procedure permits controlled use and marking |
| Ignore print scale | Every threshold depends on target geometry | Measure or use an approved target |
Mistakes with shot count
One irregular opening may contain more than one pellet. If the visible holes do not match the number fired, do not invent equal spacing inside the tear. Inspect fibre directions, compare with nearby clean holes and preserve uncertainty in a training record when the centres cannot be reconstructed honestly.
Conversely, print specks, staples and old patched marks can look like shots to a detector. Compare every marker with the original card and remove a false detection before accepting the total.
Mistakes with inner tens and decimal scores
- Do not count every ten as an inner ten; apply the event-specific outward-gauge test.
- Do not apply the Air Rifle inner-ten centre limit to Air Pistol.
- Do not estimate an official decimal score by looking at a paper tear.
- Do not add inner tens as extra points to a full-ring total.
A five-step verification routine
- Confirm the selected event and the target's printed scale.
- Confirm the crop, centre and ring fit before scoring holes.
- Match detected or marked holes to the number and role of shots fired.
- Resolve borderline and overlapping holes with the appropriate method; do not hide uncertainty.
- Save the corrected positions so totals, X counts and group analysis share one source of truth.
Sources and scope
- ISSF Rules for Paper Target Scoring: See sections 5.2.1 through 5.2.5 for higher-ring, overlay and gauge-use procedure.
- Current ISSF rules index: Use the current event and target specifications.
Official-rule references checked 6 August 2026. Use the current governing publication and authorised officials for competition decisions.
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