What is the Long Metric Round?

The Long Metric Round is an outdoor target archery round recognised by Archery GB and World Archery.

It offers a progressive challenge across two distances, making it a popular choice in club practice, tournaments, and as part of the formal FITA (Metric) series.

With its dual-distance format and balanced arrow count, the Long Metric Round combines precision shooting at longer ranges with accessibility for developing archers.

Format of the Long Metric Round

In the standard Long Metric Round, archers shoot:

36 arrows (3 dozen) at the longer distance
36 arrows (3 dozen) at the shorter distance

Total: 72 arrows
Target face: 122 cm with ten-zone scoring (1–10 points)

For scoring details, see the Archery Scoresheet.

Variations of the Long Metric Round

To support different age groups and abilities, several versions of the Long Metric exist. Each adjusts the distances while maintaining the two-distance structure:

• Long Metric – 90, 70 metres

• Long Metric (women)/Long Metric I – 70, 60 metres

• Long Metric II – 60, 50 metres

• Long Metric III– 50, 40 metres

• Long Metric IV – 40, 30 metres

• Long Metric V – 30, 20 metres

 Each round includes:

6 Sighters followed by
36 arrows at the longer distance
36 arrows at the shorter distance
72 arrows total for the scoring round

This structure allows archers to progress through the levels as their skill and confidence develop.

Why Shoot a Long Metric Round?

• Progressive Distance Challenge – Builds adaptability across two ranges.

• Manageable Format – 72 arrows strike a balance between endurance and focus.

• Clear Development Pathway – The Long Metric I–V series provides stepping stones for archers of all ages.

• Classification Recognition – Long Metric rounds count towards Archery GB classifications and handicaps.

Equipment Considerations

All recognised bow styles may be used: recurve, compound, barebow, and longbow.

History

The Long Metric is part of the World Archery Metric Round system, designed to create an internationally standardised progression of distances and formats. This was initially compiled in the 1930s as FITA, standardising the rounds

Final Thoughts
Whether you are training for competition or aiming to build consistency at longer distances, the Long Metric Round and its variants provide a structured and rewarding challenge that supports archers at every stage of their journey.