Know Your Limits – Rifle Edition (DRAFT)I've been kicking around an idea for a rifle shooting game that is meant to be fun, competitive, and also teach two skills that I think are extremely valuable:
estimating range and
calling your shots. I want to come up with a decent system that rewards good shot calling and range estimation but also holds you accountable for misses. It might boil down to simply having two matches.... here's where I'm at right now.
The basic concept is
Know Your Limits.
Targets are placed at various
unknown distances. The shooter does not get to use a rangefinder, and only the referee knows the actual distances.
Targets could include things like shotgun clays and steel targets at distances such as:
- 100 yards
- 200 yards
- 275 yards
- 315 yards
- 380 yards
- 500 yards
The exact distances and target order can be changed every round.
How It WorksThe shooter gets a maximum of
5 shots.
Before each shot, the shooter must estimate the distance to the target. For example:
Quote"I estimate 315 yards."
The referee records the estimate but does not tell the shooter the actual distance.
The shooter then fires one shot.
Immediately after firing, and before receiving any feedback, the shooter must
call their shot. For example:
Quote"One target low, two targets left."
The referee records the shot call and determines the actual result.
A hit earns the full points for that target.
Estimating the range within 25 yards earns a bonus point.
An accurately called shot can also earn a bonus point.
If the shooter misses, but accurately calls where the shot went, they can receive partial credit for the shot. The idea is to reward shooters for understanding what happened, rather than simply treating every miss as the same.
A badly missed or badly called shot ends the run and the shooter loses their unbanked points.
After every successful shot, the shooter has a choice:
Bank their current score and stop, or continue and risk everything on the next shot.The run also ends after 5 shots.
The GoalThe goal isn't just to see who can shoot the farthest. The goal is to encourage shooters to think about:
- How far away is the target?
- Do I actually know my rifle and my trajectory?
- What is the wind doing?
- Where did that shot go?
- Can I accurately call my own impacts?
- Is this next shot worth the risk?
The scoring system is still flexible, but I want the bonuses for range estimation and shot calling to be meaningful without outweighing actually hitting the target.
Example 1: Range Estimation and Shot CallingThe shooter is presented with a shotgun clay at an unknown distance.
The shooter estimates:
Quote"275 yards."
The actual distance is
290 yards.
The estimate is within 25 yards, so they earn the range estimation bonus.
The shooter fires and misses.
Before anyone gives feedback, they say:
Quote"One target low and slightly left."
The referee confirms that the impact was approximately where the shooter called it.
The shooter earns partial credit for the close, accurately diagnosed miss.
Afterward, the shooter gets useful feedback: their range estimation was good, and they correctly understood where their shot went. The miss still matters, but it becomes a learning opportunity instead of simply being "you missed, next shooter."
Example 2: Knowing Your LimitsThe shooter has already successfully hit several targets and has accumulated a good score.
The next target is farther away and looks difficult.
The shooter estimates the distance and considers the shot.
They now have a decision:
Bank the score they have, or take the shot and risk losing their unbanked points.
If they take the shot and hit, their score increases.
If they miss but accurately call a close miss, they may receive partial credit according to the rules.
If they completely miss and cannot accurately identify where the shot went, the run ends and their unbanked points are lost.
That is the real point of the game:
Know Your Limits.
I'd be interested in hearing what people think, especially suggestions for target distances, scoring, and how much partial credit should be awarded for accurately called misses.