Yes, this target was spotted in the wild at a local match. The details about where are irrelevant, and I believe someone intervened before the match started, but it still makes for an interesting Question of the Month. Let’s look at the results of the poll and discuss why this target is or isn’t legal.
Is this a legal target?
Those of you who voted ‘no’ are correct! This is not a legal target. But why?
I do appreciate that the cut edge at the bottom of the target was addressed properly and instead of adding a replacement non-scoring border, a strip of hardcover was used (see 4.2.4.3, and this previous post about cutting targets).
But the main issue with this target is the use of white tape to indicate no-shoot areas on the left and right sides of the scoring target. While hardcover can be painted onto targets in whatever pattern you desire, you can’t take white paint (or tape) and add no-shoot areas to any target. A no-shoot is an actual target in the USPSA or IPSC cardboard target shape and must have a non-scoring border (4.2.2.1). The no-shoot areas on this target, do not have non-scoring borders which makes this target illegal.
But why non-scoring borders on a no-shoot and not hardcover? Hardcover is merely there to obscure some of the target. A no-shoot is a penalty. We have non-scoring borders on no-shoots (and scoring targets) to make sure that hits that barely graze the outside edge of the target don’t count for penalty (or score). If there was no non-scoring border on a no-shoot, then all edge hits would count for penalty.
So how could the target in the picture be fixed? If the course designer was intent on having no-shoots in those locations, the simple fix is to overlay two no-shoot targets over those areas. Or if the designer wanted to save money, cut a no-shoot target in half lengthwise, add strips of black tape to the cut edges and place the cut no-shoot pieces on that target with the non-scoring border towards the A-zone and the cut and taped edges to the outside of the target. Same effect and totally legal.
Remember to cast your vote in the current Question of the Month poll.