What kind of targets do you use?

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

Topic says it all, what types of targets do you most often use and enjoy? I personally like the Outers targets with the circular black rings laid over 1x1" black grid, with an orange bullseye. I find them the easiest to get a good dead center bead on. I know some people swear by the small 1x1" square white centered bullseye... what do you guys use the most?

Oh yea, for muzzleloaders I like 50 yard rimfire targets... the circle is 8" and makes for a good sight picture at 100yards with the open sights or 1x scopes.

-DallanC

popgun

I'm printing out my own targets from the internet. Several good ones available. I like the targets with 4 bulls and BR square for load developement. I print the targets on Card Stock available at Office Supply stores or walleyworld. Get more distinctive holes and no tearing. Easy to measure the groups. Some that I use are on the varminthunters.com tech section. When I get time I will post some that I use here.

Blaine · Member Joined: Feb 24, 2005 Posts: 260 Location: Maine

I make my own targets using Windows "paint". I like a bright, highly visible target with good contrast. I'll try to attach one in a follow-up post. I've never tried to attach a photo, so don't know if it will work.

Blaine

Blaine · Member Joined: Feb 24, 2005 Posts: 260 Location: Maine

Here is one of the targets I like.....Blaine

Blaine · Member Joined: Feb 24, 2005 Posts: 260 Location: Maine

Here is another.....feel free to save and print out for your own use.....Blaine

shrpshtrjoe

Howdy. For load development i use big white poster board and 1" orange bulls it makes for easy viewing. If i am just shooting i like the br square style. Those exploding targets are fun as well Very Happy

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calsibley · Super Member Joined: Jan 28, 2005 Posts: 317

I use a standard benchrest target for the most part. By cut and paste I can get 8 on an 8 1/2" by 17" sheet. I then take my master copy to an office supply store and run off a hundred or so. Since I put up two targets on the backing I've got 16 to work with. It beats hell out of running down to the targets every half hour to change them up. When you're shooting smaller calibers that group around .50" it's no problem keeping all your shots on paper. I would never use these targets though for bore sighting or when shooting my open sight military rifles. I use a spotting scope also
for keeping track of what's going downrange. My targets are black and white but occasionally I'll use bright red target dots in the middle to brighten things up. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

moose2

We use a variety of targets. For 100 yards we use Redfield sight in target.
For longer shooting, mostly at 300 yds., we designed a target on AutoCad.
Basically it a circle with crosshairs. We can vary the dimensions of the circle and the crosshair to suit our needs. If we are checking multiple loads, we can put multiple targets on a sheet 4 foot wide and as long as we want or need it. Under the targets we put in a load number and date.
I'm sure it seems like overkill, but its kinda fun. When we're done shooting, just roll up the target and take it home. For alittle more fun shooting, we just hang clay pigeons on the 300 yard board and go for it.
For pistols, its your basic paper plate with your perferred diameter of a black circle.--tr

Joel · Rookie Member Joined: Apr 25, 2005 Posts: 8

Fellers-
I know this is not what you had in mind on targets, but try it out--

Swing by a job site where they're putting up sheetrock (gypsum wallboard, "drywall") and snag some of the big drops--there's almost always ahuge scrap pile...

A half sheet (4'x4') is great for patterning scatterguns...
Smaller (2'x4' or so) pieces can be leaned up against a target stand, or a tree (be sure it's one ya don't care about). You can either staple paper targets on, or just use a marker for squares or circles. Heck, I've used electrical tape to make black squares when I didn't have a marker...

Something else is milk jugs full of water. Set 'em downrange as far as you think you're good, and work on offhand shots, both rifle & pistol. they're about the size of the "boiler room" on a good-size deer, and ya don't have to gut 'n' skin the rascals! (They're not very dramatic with .22s though, but even a "shoulder" hit with a high-powered rifle usually sends a big spray in the air.) (Also, unless it's real hot, and you've got clean water in the milk jug, DON'T shoot one with a 240g HP at six feet! Ha!)

Be Safe, Have Fun-
Joel

popgun

I promissed to post some of the targets that I use so here goes. All three targets have load information blocks at the bottom. I am just posting the thumbs to save space but you can find the full version in the photo alblums. You will probably need a photo program like those that come with digital cameras to properly size the targets for printing.

The first target is good for signting in a rifle for the first time. I modified the target so that you can see 1/4" corrections you need to make at 100 yds.

This is a combination sight in target and group target with cross hairs and target square.

This target was made by James Phillips of the Shooters Nest in Tennessee. It is a good target for load testing and is easy to view hits at 100 or more yards.

This is the Point Blank Target that I modified by adding a target square.