Lewis Class System Rules

Understanding how classes are divided and winners determined

Overview

The Lewis Class System is based on final scores as they are posted when the shoot has been completed and gives every contestant an equal chance to win, no matter what their shooting ability. Before the shoot starts, the management determines how many classes there will be and how many prizes in each class.

How It Works

When all the shooting has been completed, the scores are listed in numerical order from the highest to the lowest. They are then divided into as many groups as there are classes. For example, if there were 30 entries and 5 classes, there would be 6 scores in each class. The highest score in each class would then be the winner.

Rules for Handling Odd Numbers and Ties

Since there will often be odd numbers of entries and tie scores on the dividing line between the classes, the following rules have been established:

  1. Short Class Placement: Where a short class is necessary due to odd entry list, the short class or classes shall head the list.
  2. Tie Score Majority: Where the line of division falls in a number of tie scores, the contestants are assigned to the class in which the majority of the scores appear.
  3. Equal Tie Scores: Where an equal number of tie scores appear on either side of the line, contestants shall be assigned to the head of the lower class.
  4. Limited Changes: Where the original division is changed due to tie scores, this change shall apply only to the classes directly affected and the original division shall continue in the other classes.

Example Calculation

Here's an example of a shoot containing a 100-target program with 5 Lewis classes and 33 contestants. Since the short classes are placed first, there would be 6 shooters in Classes 1 and 2 and 7 shooters in Classes 3, 4 and 5:

Class 1: 100 (Winner), 99, 98, 98, 96, 96 Class 2: 95, 95, 94, 94, 93, 93 Class 3: 93, 92, 92, 91, 91, 90, 90 Class 4: 90, 89, 89, 88, 86, 85, 85 Class 5: 84, 80, 79, 75, 74, 70

Tie-Breaking

In case of ties, the winner may be decided by the toss of a coin, by the largest number of consecutive targets broken, or by other predetermined methods agreed upon before the shoot begins.

Where the Lewis System is used to divide money, the winnings are usually divided into equal parts.

Special Note: If one or both High Overall Award (HOA) and High Overall Runner Up (HOA RU) are declared, those names are removed prior to dividing the shooters into classes.

Modified Lewis Class System

Because of the way Lewis Class works, exceptionally good shooters will always end up at the top of the first Lewis Class. To prevent this from happening, you may use a Modified Lewis Class System instead.

How Modified Lewis Class Works

A Modified Lewis Class Shoot allows all shooters to finish shooting. Then all scores are put into a hat, and a number is drawn out. The number drawn serves as the highest score and all scores are aligned under it. After the lowest score shot is listed, then the highest score shot is listed under that.

Modified Lewis Class Example

Let's say scores range from 100 to 70. All numbers from 70 through 100 are put in a hat, and a number is drawn out, say 85.

  • The scores beginning with 85 are at the head of the list all the way through 70
  • After 70, the scores from 100 through 86 are listed
  • Classes are then divided as described above

Result: This procedure makes for a truly random event where top shooters are distributed across all classes rather than concentrated in the first class.

Thanks to Remington Arms Company, Inc., Madison, NC 27025 for this information. Posted by the Georgia Sporting Clays Association, www.ga-sportingclays.org