The 252 scheme: target scores by bowstyle and how to track claims
The 252 scheme is a club badge: shoot 36 arrows at a 122cm face with five zone scoring at one distance, and reach your bowstyle's target score twice on different days with a witness.
Six sighters come first, and the distance can be anything from 10 to 100 yards. The usual target is 252 for recurve and 280 for compound, with lower targets for barebow and longbow. It is run by clubs and counties, so tables differ; set yours on the records desk, which then flags each badge when the second qualifying score goes in.
The usual target table
Arundown Archery Club, Royston Heath and Burton Bridge publish the same table, which the desk uses as its default. Barebow and longbow targets drop at 80 and 100 yards.
| Distance | Recurve | Compound | Barebow | Longbow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 yards | 252 | 280 | 189 | 164 |
| 20 yards | 252 | 280 | 189 | 164 |
| 30 yards | 252 | 280 | 189 | 164 |
| 40 yards | 252 | 280 | 189 | 164 |
| 50 yards | 252 | 280 | 189 | 164 |
| 60 yards | 252 | 280 | 189 | 164 |
| 80 yards | 252 | 280 | 164 | 126 |
| 100 yards | 252 | 280 | 139 | 101 |
Some clubs do it differently. Archers of East Riding keep 252 for everyone and change the number of arrows instead (recurve 36, compound 30, barebow 48, longbow 60). Some clubs make archers claim badges in distance order; others do not. Check your club's own sheet before you print claims.
How hard is each badge?
The 252 rounds are in the rounds database, so the handicap equations say what standard each target needs. For a recurve archer 252 at 20 yards is about handicap 84, at 60 yards about 48 and at 100 yards about 29. The barebow targets sit at roughly handicap 61 at 60 yards.
| Distance | Recurve 252 | Barebow target |
|---|---|---|
| 10 yards | 105 | 118 |
| 20 yards | 84 | 97 |
| 30 yards | 71 | 84 |
| 40 yards | 61 | 75 |
| 50 yards | 54 | 68 |
| 60 yards | 48 | 61 |
| 80 yards | 37 | 55 |
| 100 yards | 29 | 51 |
Worked example: a claim from the demo club
Dev Rana, a junior recurve archer in the demo club, shot 316 on 9 May 2026 and 315 on 2 May 2026 at 30 yards, both witnessed. The target is 252, and the two scores are on different days, so the badge is made. The desk prints a claim sheet with both scores, space for the witness and the records officer to sign, and the line that claims are verified by your records officer.
Common mistakes
- Counting two qualifying scores from the same day. They must be on different days.
- Using the recurve target for a barebow archer.
- Forgetting the witness. An unwitnessed score does not count towards a badge.
- Assuming 252 scores change a handicap or classification in your club; many clubs treat them as practice. Check yours.
Work it out now
Look up one score in the free calculator, or open the records desk to keep members and scores and print the lists. Everything stays in this browser; nothing is uploaded and there is no account.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 252 scheme in archery?
A club badge scheme where archers shoot 36 arrows at a 122cm face with five zone scoring and reach a target score for their bowstyle, twice, at distances from 10 to 100 yards.
What is the 252 target for compound archers?
280 at every distance in the usual table, though clubs set their own.
How many times do you need to score 252?
Twice at the same distance, on different days, with each score witnessed.
Is the 252 scheme a national award?
No. It is run by clubs and counties, which is why the tables and rules vary.
Sources
Last reviewed 27 September 2026 against:
- 252 Scheme, Arundown Archery Club, undated, page copyright 2017 to 2024, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Targets by bowstyle and distance, six sighters then 36 arrows on a 122cm face with five zone scoring, twice on different days, witnessed score sheets.
- 252 Scheme, Royston Heath Archery Club, undated, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The same target table, the two scores not needing to be in one season, and badges claimed in distance order.
- The 252 Scheme, Burton Bridge Archers, undated, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The same table, 10 yards for juniors, and an adult witness for each attempt.
- 252 Scheme, Archers of East Riding, undated, read 27 September 2026. Used for: A variant that keeps 252 for every bowstyle and changes the number of arrows instead.
- archeryutils (source code and changelog, release 3.0.0), Jack Atkinson, MIT licence, release 3.0.0 of 28 May 2026, commit of 15 June 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The handicap equations, the 2026 classification schemes, the round definitions, and the Open and Female category names; ported line for line into Endbook and tested against its test suite.
This guide is our own summary, not a rule book. Rules are paraphrased, never quoted at length, and if this page disagrees with the current published rules, the rules win. Endbook is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Archery GB, Archery Australia, Archery New Zealand, World Archery or any county or regional archery association.