Target Practice Distance

[happyharold4]

I'm supposed to set up some targets tomorrow for a small group of mostly novice shooters with R 10/22 and M 795's with no scopes---How far away should I set them---Mostly 3" to 10" targets---Thanks

Happy

[Bastard]

25-50 yards.

remember with new shooters it is about having fun and they will most likely not be having any fun if they can't hit anything.

[Eljay]

I always have first timers shoot at 20 yards. No real advantage to going out further - if they're better than expected they'll just have small groups, hardly a problem.

[Ricky-Ray]

20-25yds should be good enough. After a while if some are feeling up to it then move some targets further back.

[mshill]

25 yards. Both those guns with open sights, in the hands of a new shooter are capable of hitting 3" targets at 25 yards all day long.

[dangerranger]

Why set them all at one distance? Why not 15, 30, and 60 yds? If they are knock down targets set most at the mid distance. DR

[Nate the Great]

In addition to using paper targets to check grouping I've found that by using reactive targets such as balloons, clays, soda cans and golf balls, which can be set at varying ranges due to the varying sizes, increases the enjoyment had by new shooters.

[rm1911]

In addition to using paper targets to check grouping I've found that by using reactive targets such as balloons, clays, soda cans and golf balls, which can be set at varying ranges due to the varying sizes, increases the enjoyment had by new shooters.

Absolutely. Reactive targets are the way to go. Even for non novice shooters. When I need to put holes in paper I go to Office Depot

[Press Check]

In addition to using paper targets to check grouping I've found that by using reactive targets such as balloons, clays, soda cans and golf balls, which can be set at varying ranges due to the varying sizes, increases the enjoyment had by new shooters.

I'm going to echo this as well. VERY good advice.

[as_rocketman]

Even some truly expert shooters practice at close range, such as 25 meters. Many extremely competitive events, Olympic even, are up close.

The vast majority of shooting fundamentals do not care about the range to target. Someone who is inaccurate at 25 meters will be no better on farther targets.

[fourtraxmc]

I am with everyone else 25yds seems like a great place to start. Often times we don't set up much further than that just for a fun day. It is a shorter walk to stand up all the steel animal targets or have the kids run out and stand them up!

[whipkiller]

Yep, set them up to succeed, it's no fun if you're not hitting anything. Give 'em some good old tin cans at 20-25 yards so they can make 'em dance and they'll be hooked in no time.

Then set a few up further out for when they start feeling cocky and want to test their new-found skills.

[santamonica9]

i like reactionary targets like everyone has said - if you want to go the budget route ive found paper plates at 99 cent store before with a great pattern for shooting. I put up 5 to 6 paper plates (depending on number of shooters) all on one target stand. Each person has their own target/plate to shoot at, you put up new plates after a string of shots to check groupings etc. you do the same thing of having one target stand out with multiple plates for each person set at different distances.

last time I did this game with new shooters and kids it was a total of 6 people so we each had our own paper plate/target set at 15 feet, 25 and 30. After the warm ups we each had three mags with ten shots at each plate. focusing on just the groupings and placement mainly because we shot it all untimed and relaxed. we did eventually end with a final round with a shot clock timer and made it all official style match. To the kids surprise their mom rocked with the best time and a couple bulls-eyes.

we did the same thing again with 22 pistols set at 5, 10 & 15 feet. The rifles we used where the S&W M&P15-22, GSG 5 (mp5 22clone), ruger 10/22 - the pistols where sig mosquito, s&w 41, ruger MKII target & MKI standard. After warm ups everyone chose whatever firearm they felt most comfortable with. It made a it fun for everyone to learn how to shoot each gun and gave each new shooter a chance to learn the manual of arms of different styles of guns. Yet learning the main aspects of all guns - actions, safeties, triggers etc


hope this helps, keep shooting & stay safe

[Target-Ed]

Our family shoots are usually a fixed target rack at 25 yds or so with a standard silhouette on one sideand a series of bullseyes on the other mostly for pistols . Swinger silhouettes at varying distances....we have the traditional chicken pig turkey and ram/sheep at varying distances fun for both pistol and rifle. Longer are an assortment of plastic bottles and jugs filled with water.

Ed