Scoring
Compak Sporting scoring FAQ
How targets are scored, what counts as a hit, how live scores reach the scoreboard, and how your results feed classification and the national rankings.
Compak Sporting is scored one target at a time: 25 clays per round, one cartridge per target on singles, with every call made by the referee on the stand. At Compak SA competitions those calls are captured on the KillCount.AI scoring pad and published to the live scoreboard as the shoot happens. These are the scoring questions shooters ask most — the full regulations live in the competition rules.
Scoring rules & edge cases
- What counts as a "lost" target in Compak Sporting?
- A target is scored lost when you fire and miss, or when you fail to fire at a regular target without a permitted reason — for example a second ammunition or gun malfunction in the same round. In Compak Sporting you get one cartridge per target on singles, so a missed shot is a lost target with no second chance.
- Does a broken clay count if only a piece breaks off?
- Yes. A target is dead (a hit) when at least one visible piece breaks off, even if the rest of the clay carries on flying. Dust or a visible puff alone is not enough — the referee must see a piece separate from the target. If the target smashes on its own without being shot, it's a no-bird and is re-thrown.
- Can a target be re-thrown if the trap misfires?
- Yes. If the trap fails to throw, throws late, or releases a broken or irregular target, the referee calls a no-bird and the target is re-thrown — whether or not you fired. Nothing is recorded against your score for a no-bird.
- How are no-birds handled in Compak Sporting?
- A no-bird means the attempt simply doesn't count: the referee stops the sequence and the target is thrown again. Common causes are trap malfunctions, broken clays leaving the machine, a target thrown before you call, or interference from another squad's target. You cannot be scored a lost target on a no-bird.
- Can the referee overrule a score entered on the scoring pad?
- Yes. The referee's call on the stand is authoritative — the scoring pad records what the referee calls, it doesn't decide it. If a score was captured incorrectly, the referee can have it corrected on the stand before the squad signs off the round.
- What happens if two shooters in my squad record different scores for the same target?
- The referee's call stands. When a squad self-scores, the scorecard is checked against the referee's calls before the round is finalised, and any disagreement on the stand is settled by the referee immediately — not afterwards. Disputed targets that can't be resolved go to the shoot jury.
Live scoring & KillCount.AI
- Who enters my score — me or a scorer?
- A designated scorer enters scores on the KillCount.AI scoring pad as the referee calls each target. Shooters never enter their own scores. At smaller club shoots the squad scores on rotation, but the entry always reflects the referee's call, not the shooter's opinion.
- Why does my score show on the live scoreboard while I'm still shooting?
- Every target captured on the scoring pad streams to the Compak SA live pages and the range TV scoreboard in real time, so spectators and other squads can follow the competition as it happens. Live scores are provisional until the round is signed off and the results are verified.
- When does my score become official?
- When the round is finalised: the squad and referee confirm the scorecard on the pad, and the shoot organiser verifies and publishes the results. Until then, anything on the live scoreboard is provisional and can still be corrected.
Classification & rankings
- How does my score affect my class (A, B, C)?
- Your classification is calculated from your recorded scores in registered Compak SA competitions. Consistently high percentages move you up through the classes; a quiet season can move you down. The idea is that you always compete against shooters of a similar standard.
- How are national ranking points calculated?
- Ranking points are earned at registered competitions based on your result against the field — bigger, stronger events carry more weight than small club shoots. Your best results across the season determine your position on the national rankings. The full formula is in the competition rules.
- Do guest shooters get ranked?
- No. Guests are welcome to shoot and their scores are recorded on the day, but only paid-up Compak SA members earn classification and national ranking points. Join before the shoot if you want your result to count.
Practical scoring questions
- How do I read the squad shooting order?
- The published squadding shows your squad number, your starting range, and the order in which your squad rotates through the ranges — multi-day events swap halves of the field between ranges on day two. Your position in the squad sets when you step into the cage on each stand. Check the event page before you travel.
- What if my score looks wrong on the app?
- Raise it on the day, on the stand, with the referee — that's when it's easiest to fix. If you only spot it after the shoot, contact the shoot organiser with the event, squad, stand and target details so the signed scorecard can be checked against what was published.
- How do I appeal a scoring call?
- Lodge a protest with the shoot jury under the competition rules — first verbally with the referee on the stand, then in writing to the jury within the time limit stated in the rules (usually before the round or results are finalised). The jury's decision on the day is final.
Where to next?
- Competition rules
The full FITASC and Compak SA rulebook.
- Competition calendar
Enter a shoot and put it into practice.
- National rankings
See how scores turn into ranking points.
- Beginner's guide
New to clays? Start here.