RO Target Setup, Scoring & Incident Reporting 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When setting up paper targets on a firing line, what is the minimum number of staples or clips required to secure each target to prevent movement during shooting?
- One at the top center
- Two at the top corners only
- At least four corners or edges to prevent flapping (Correct answer)
- It depends on wind conditions at the range
Correct answer: At least four corners or edges to prevent flapping
Targets must be secured at all four corners or edges to prevent movement that could affect scoring accuracy.
Question 2: A competitor's bullet strikes the target frame rather than the target itself. How should the Range Officer score this shot?
- Score it as the lowest scoring zone on the target
- Score it as a miss (zero points) (Correct answer)
- Award the competitor the benefit of the doubt and score nearest zone
- Ask the competitor which zone they were aiming at
Correct answer: Score it as a miss (zero points)
Shots that strike the target frame and not the target face are scored as misses with zero points.
Question 3: At what angle should steel reactive targets (poppers) be set to ensure they fall when hit with a qualifying hit?
- Perfectly vertical at 90 degrees
- Angled slightly backward at approximately 3-5 degrees from vertical (Correct answer)
- Angled forward at 45 degrees toward the shooter
- Angled sideways perpendicular to the firing line
Correct answer: Angled slightly backward at approximately 3-5 degrees from vertical
Steel poppers should be angled 3-5 degrees backward so a qualifying center-mass hit will cause them to fall.
Question 4: During a stage, a Range Officer observes that a competitor's shot has hit two separate scoring zones on a paper target. What is the correct scoring procedure?
- Score only the higher value zone (Correct answer)
- Score only the lower value zone
- Score both zones and add the points together
- The shot is considered a procedural penalty
Correct answer: Score only the higher value zone
When a single bullet hole overlaps two scoring zones, the competitor receives the higher value of the zones touched.
Question 5: A competitor reports that they heard a shot fired from a neighboring bay during their stage. What should the Range Officer do first?
- Immediately call a cease fire on all ranges
- Note the report in the incident log and continue the stage
- Investigate after the competitor completes their run
- Contact the Range Safety Officer immediately before proceeding (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Contact the Range Safety Officer immediately before proceeding
Any report of unsafe activity in adjacent areas requires immediate notification to the Range Safety Officer before continuing.
Question 6: What is the correct procedure when a Range Officer discovers that a no-shoot target was placed in the wrong position before a competitor begins their stage?
- Allow the competitor to shoot the stage as-is and note the error
- Stop the setup and correct the target position before the stage begins (Correct answer)
- Award the competitor a reshoot after the stage is finished
- Ask the competitor if they want to proceed with the incorrect setup
Correct answer: Stop the setup and correct the target position before the stage begins
Target placement errors must be corrected before any competitor runs the stage to ensure fair and accurate scoring.
Question 7: An incident report for a negligent discharge must be submitted to which authority within what timeframe according to standard range officer protocols?
- The club treasurer within 48 hours
- The match director immediately or as soon as practical after the incident (Correct answer)
- Local law enforcement within 24 hours regardless of severity
- The national governing body within 7 business days
Correct answer: The match director immediately or as soon as practical after the incident
Negligent discharge incident reports must be submitted to the match director immediately or as soon as practical after the event.
RO Target Setup, Scoring & Incident Reporting 2
When setting up paper targets on a firing line, what is the minimum number of staples or clips required to secure each target to prevent movement during shooting?