Paper Targets, how often to change?

[s4alex]

So, my wife and I are just getting into this hobby and are having a blast. We have one handgun on order and once that is through, will have another.

I tried searching for this topic but got a few hundred results that were not exactly what I was looking for.

So, as I am going through supplies, I am thinking about paper targets. I see some people at the indoor range we were at shooting at a humanoid target and shooting until basically there is a bowling ball size hole in the center.

My questions:

1. How often do you guys change out the paper targets? I understand that at most outdoor ranges, there is a 15minute round and change occurs then. But what about indoor ranges where you have the line and hang your own? Every magazine? Every box? I mean, after a while, it just gets confusing about how to look at my target and see if I am hitting it or not. I mean, I was still hitting center mass (or around the center of the circle target), but after 3 or 4 magazines, it was just all convoluted and had no idea how I was doing. I almost wanted to change after every magazine.

2. Do you print your own? If you do, just regular printer paper? Or do you buy in bulk? From where? What kind of paper to use?

3. I saw this guy use a used target and just put this sticker thing back in the middle and covered up the holes, pretty cool. What are those called?

4. Should I (and my wife) just start and stay at like 7 yards until we are fairly competent? Or should we go a bit further and gain competency at a farther distance? 10 or 20? I am thinking that as far as personally protection, 10-15yards is prime as that is about the distance of the average space/rooms in my house.

5. For a couple beginning shooters, any particular type of target to stick with? Round center? Humanoid Sil? Zombies?

6. What is the best type of bullet for killing zombies? (Question from my wife, as this is why she want to learn to shoot and own a gun)

[Cokebottle]

Depends on what I'm doing.

If I'm shooting for accuracy, I'll get the targets that are 5-in-one and empty one magazine into each target... so 5 mags/50rds and change the target.

If I'm shooting a human profile for consistency, I'll again dump about 50 rounds through the target... but keep in mind that after 50 rds it's one ragged hole in the middle of the chest, and one ragged hole in the lower part of the face (brain stem hits).

I tried the 16-in-one Santa Monica PD targets and didn't care for them. They are just colored dots, so it's hard to focus on a specific part of the dot without a crosshairs reference.

[BigFatGuy]

I use free print-for-yourself 8.5x11 targets at indoor ranges (you can find them via googling), and change them every magazine, sometimes two.

[Whiterabbit]

Depends on what I'm doing also. If I am working on grip, stance, recoil management, trigger pull, I don't even worry about aim much (paper plate groups)

If I am working on aim, I'll replace every 24 or so rounds. Pull back every 6 rounds and mark it with a pen, then push back out. That way I can keep track.

I've lately been plugging the holes with masking take outdoors. GREAT, GREAT way to make a target last. I'll be looking for black masking tape or cheap dots to cover the bullseye for the future for a color match. I might try electrical tape even, but I have a feeling that won't cut the mustard like masking tape.

In the past at indoor ranges, I've tried using printouts with masking tape. Works just fine, just pull in the target and keep taping replacements up. If I start shooting more than 50 rounds a session or so, I might be inclined to start doing that again.

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If you plan to be shooting hundreds of rounds per session, I'd suggest disregarding my ideas. I'm sure there are better ways for the bullet sprayer.

[locosway]

Get some cheap masking tape and cover your holes.

[Whiterabbit]

ooh, actually, I did rent a scoped 22 once at an indoor range and shot 200 rounds without ever pulling the target back.

The target was a printout of a full deck of cards. 26 individual targets to shoot at. That's kind of a special case though.

[Scratch705]

i shoot till i can't distinguish where my shots are landing, then tape it up or shoot another part of the target.

you don't have to only shoot the pre-printed center, mark your own on other parts of the target.

[Mickey D]

As mentioned above, there are targets for different type shooting.
If you are just starting out, buy NRA official bullseye targets. Start your shyooting at 25 yards from a bench rest and work on holding steady and trigger finger control.
It's always fun to mix up some humanoid targets after some formal discipline training.

http://www.letargets.com/

[iareConfusE]

So, my wife and I are just getting into this hobby and are having a blast. We have one handgun on order and once that is through, will have another.

I tried searching for this topic but got a few hundred results that were not exactly what I was looking for.

So, as I am going through supplies, I am thinking about paper targets. I see some people at the indoor range we were at shooting at a humanoid target and shooting until basically there is a bowling ball size hole in the center.

My questions:

1. How often do you guys change out the paper targets? I understand that at most outdoor ranges, there is a 15minute round and change occurs then. But what about indoor ranges where you have the line and hang your own? Every magazine? Every box? I mean, after a while, it just gets confusing about how to look at my target and see if I am hitting it or not. I mean, I was still hitting center mass (or around the center of the circle target), but after 3 or 4 magazines, it was just all convoluted and had no idea how I was doing. I almost wanted to change after every magazine.

2. Do you print your own? If you do, just regular printer paper? Or do you buy in bulk? From where? What kind of paper to use?

3. I saw this guy use a used target and just put this sticker thing back in the middle and covered up the holes, pretty cool. What are those called?

4. Should I (and my wife) just start and stay at like 7 yards until we are fairly competent? Or should we go a bit further and gain competency at a farther distance? 10 or 20? I am thinking that as far as personally protection, 10-15yards is prime as that is about the distance of the average space/rooms in my house.

5. For a couple beginning shooters, any particular type of target to stick with? Round center? Humanoid Sil? Zombies?

6. What is the best type of bullet for killing zombies? (Question from my wife, as this is why she want to learn to shoot and own a gun)

1. If shooting for accuracy, I change my targets after one magazine. If just shooting for fun, I'll shoot until there is no paper left to shoot (big gaping hole in paper)

2. I print my own. I bring scotch tape with me, and tape my own printed targets to the bigger targets that fit on the hangers. I also bought some sticky color changing targets that turn from black to yellow upon impact.

3. Same thing I described above. There are different brands, I happen to have Caldwell Orange Peels.

4. Yes, start at 7 yards, then move further out as you become more confident and as your skill increases.

5. I'm never really picky about my targets. If I see the center of a target, or something that looks like it needs to be shot, I shoot it.

6. Best bullet for self defense is a jacketed hollowpoint that functions well in your gun. You need to test the round before accepting it as your defensive round.

[medicdude]

In practice for Wesleys CCW class I've been shooting at 3, 7 and 15 yards. I've been taking 300 rounds per trip and 3 targets so 100 rounds per target, with a new target for new distance. Gives me an idea how much larger my groups are at each distance instead of blowing a million holes in one target and not knowing where I stand at each. After I use up the store bought targets I'm going to get a roll of paper and start making my own. YouTube has a couple ideas for making templates. That's what I did.

[1_Grendel]

I will usually have 4 targets for about 250 rounds. I generally pay attention to training like I would have to CCW protect myself. This means for me I want to make sure I hit close to where I want and accurately and quickly (maintaining range double tap policy) by put 5 rounds there; so I move around the target. Center for one set, head for another set, lower center for another set, you get the idea.

Do what you want with your targets, they are yours.

[s4alex]

Okay, I just felt better switching after every mag. As a beginner and not a great shot (not terrible, but just not completely consistent) I feel I would do better if I could actually see where I was shooting at. I am more of a visual learner.

Hell, have learned a lot just watching youtube than I have reading.

I could just see that it gets expensive buying targets at the gun range. The one we were at does not allow outside targets.

Most gunranges allow for bringing in your own targets? I guess from all the suggestions of printing things out, that using regular stock paper is no issue.

I like the idea of bringing tose targets with 5 circles. Larger center and 4 smaller ones around the corner. I know, personal preferance, and those seem to call to me.


Is there a specific No-No as far as a specific type of target? Or, I take it that would be range specific.

[medianoche]

1. It depends on what I feel like that day..Sometimes I'll change out the target after 100 or so rounds.
Sometimes I'll just cover up the entire center with a Shoot-n-c sticker and keep going until it's completely blown through with a hole.. then I might change the target, or just start aiming at a different area on the paper..

>> after a while, it just gets confusing about how to look at my target and >>see if I am hitting it or not.
That's why I really like the color changing stickers.. Or, when you bring the target back, if the paper isn't too shot up, you could also mark with a sharpie next to the holes so you see where the newer shots are going..

2. The range I usually go to gives you a target for free.. At other places, I've been buying them there, but reading these posts have been giving my ideas about printing my own..

3. I use the Shoot-N-C color changing stickers..

4. Starting around 7 yards sounds fine... That's about where I was when I first started.. as I got better and improved I increased the distance.

5. I'm not sure, I think the regular looking bullseye target should be okay

6. I'd like to hear about this too =]

[s4alex]

1. It depends on what I feel like that day..Sometimes I'll change out the target after 100 or so rounds.
Sometimes I'll just cover up the entire center with a Shoot-n-c sticker and keep going until it's completely blown through with a hole.. then I might change the target, or just start aiming at a different area on the paper..

>> after a while, it just gets confusing about how to look at my target and >>see if I am hitting it or not.
That's why I really like the color changing stickers.. Or, when you bring the target back, if the paper isn't too shot up, you could also mark with a sharpie next to the holes so you see where the newer shots are going..

2. The range I usually go to gives you a target for free.. At other places, I've been buying them there, but reading these posts have been giving my ideas about printing my own..

3. I use the Shoot-N-C color changing stickers..

4. Starting around 7 yards sounds fine... That's about where I was when I first started.. as I got better and improved I increased the distance.

5. I'm not sure, I think the regular looking bullseye target should be okay

6. I'd like to hear about this too =]

ooo.. I like the sharpie idea. I can bring multicolor sharpies and mark the holes after each round or magazine. Cool beans. Now here I thought I was all done with that big box of crayons.

Shoot-N-C, I think that is what that guy was using. Must look into those.


Yeah, she figures now is the time to get ready. She feels we only have a year or so until they start showing up... You know what they say.... "When there is no more room in Hell..... "

[Dion]

1. Like all others said, it depends. .22's don't tear paper. Shotguns with buckshot is a different story.

2. Targets are only $0.25 Where I go, and since I use Shoot-and-See's, I just cover the holes.

3. See #2

4. It depends on what you want to do. I rarely shoot my pistols at more than 20 yards. Rifles... that's a different ballgame.

5. Doesn't matter what you use. Just get accurate.

6. Shotgun with #00 buckshot. Just get your wife to shoot A LOT. Think that if you ever ever to take down a zombie, all that adrenaline, confusion and fear will be maxed out. The gun should feel part of the person handling it.