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Targets

17K views 59 replies 22 participants last post by  wristlock 
#1 ·
It was brought up in another thread so I thought I would start one with some of the targets I have on digits. I didn't make any of these, just got them offline from different sites. Guys, please feel free to post up any that you may have that you like to use

LEX, if you want this somewhere else let me know.
 

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#6 ·
Never can have too many target types. Better to print them than to buy them. It looks like I will be busy downloading pdf's after I get through teaching tonight.

Thanks.
 
#7 ·
I have hundreds of different targets I've collected online.

They are in a large zip file but it's probably too large to attach here.

Anyone know what the attachment size limit is?

BTW - I have HP inkjet printers and they use a single cartridge for magenta, cyan and yellow.

Well per design, one color always runs out before the others (usually yellow) leaving the other colors magenta and cyan.

Well to make a long story short after the cartridge was reported empty of yellow, the printer gives an indication it's low on the color cartridge per design.

I wanted to see how many prints I could get so I started first using red, green and blue targets and of course without yellow they are magenta, cyan and greenish (when missing yellow).

I printed a couple of greenish and cyan (maybe 20 of each) before the cyan color ran out on the cartridge and then continued to pring in only magenta.

Wouldn't you know it, I printed over 1,000 sheets in magenta before the cartridge was spent.

So ... moral of the story is, when your all in one HP color cartridge is empty (according to the printer diagnostics) just find a color it will print and select a good target for that color and print away.

I still have well over 800 of those magenta targets left and use them regularly.

Not bad for $5 per 500 sheets of bright white paper and a spent cartridge.
 
#9 ·
Juice, If the targets don't have any copyright issues you can email them to me and I can upload them. My email is in my profile.
 
#16 ·
Re: Targets ***added***

Also for those who need target stands:

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/edu24.htm

These target stands are light and handy. Ideal for transporting in a car trunk.

I made mine out of ABS (black PVC type) b/c my white PVC ones shattered. They cost me less about $17 a piece to make to include buying the ABS glue. These are very handy target stands, specially when you want to use them for reacting to several targets (pistol type drills). I suppose CQB rifle drills will apply.

Now I know they mention filling the base with water of sand to weigh it down during windy days. I'd advise against this simply because #1 even here in SW AZ unless I'm at Da Dunes, sand isn't exactly plentiful, and #2 how much water are you planning on bringing? That is unless you do it prior to going out to shoot then the "handiness" of a LW target stand is sorta defeated.

What I do is simply use nearby rocks if I'm shooting rifles over 50 yards, an old tire, sand bags for less. Don't fill them with water. They'll burst if hit plus the wood stakes soak up water and swells and you might not be able to pull them out.

Target cardboard:

Who here buys those?

First off I can get them from work, as well as TQ10 and 15 targets. However I get lazy on my days off and don't want to got to my station and find the firearms guys and beg for a target backing. I almost always hand on to any large boxes that I end up getting and using a box cutter to custom fit whatever I need. If push came to shove your local moving companies will have plenty to give you or just simply buy them at a uhaul type store. They will still be cheaper than buying IPSC cut outs out your local overpriced gun stores.

Paper target on cardboard:

So what do you guys use? Tape? Staples? Those binding clips?

I've used them all. Tape and clips suck. No if and or buts. We use them at our range here in Yuma and the local indoor one used scotch tape. Staples always run out after you put in that first one and if you transport or handle your targets you'll always get pricked by them. No biggie though.

The problems with all those is that 1. They are always a PITA to handle, and #2 none work in a "breezy" day, and #3 quite often they leave an air pocket that tend to "blow out" the paper at first shots.

I learned while running ranges at Naco what does work. Adhesive spray.

I will spray the cardboard with a 'perimeter' then a big X or circles in the middle, paste on the target, and if need be on windier days dress up the edges. Adhesive spray is available at Wallyworld for the cheapest, about $2 a can. And they will last for about 30 TQ15 (large) targets so they should last for about 100 smaller ones and we use it liberally. I'm sure someone can get 50 large targets on one can. I still use my staple gun to attach the cardboard to wood stakes, but once that is done the spray is used for paper to cardboard. And if you go to one of those shooting areas with other surfaces that a target can be stuck on to, voila, "Shprray it". We've used the same carboard backing with 10 to 15 targets pasted on them and they tend to help 'beef up' the cardboard backing

Besides then you'll have something else to shoot at when the can runs dry.


On the other spectrum,Here are some other target options:

Steel, the brinnel 500 type.

First the cons.
These aren't cheap. These guys run me about $250 a piece. But that the price for the biggest full size IPSC ones. They go down from there on single targets with stands.
Kinda a pain to set up, heavy.
Not OK at just about all indoor ranges or short ranges (1oo yards or less). These are more geared at open range shooting more common out west.

The pros
However, given the chance to shoot something w/immediate feedback, these are the shizzle. Probably for the more serious or frequent shooters.
If you shoot these a few times a month the average person or family should get 10 to 15 years use, if not more.
Definitively to shoot w/rifles 100 yards and above (wear eyes)

I always repaint mine before every shoot and sometimes a few times during sessions. bout .94 cents a can at Wallyworld. Get the flat colors, b/c they dry quicker.

Don't shoot at it under 100 yards. One of mine got pitted up pretty bad for shooting at it at 50 yards. They claim it as a safety distance but 50 yards is safe. However that 55gr travelling at high velocity does pit it up. It still 98% intact. It will take 308 hit no problem, infact I was supprised to see how much damage that 55gr did compared to a 62gr (non SS109) and 308. Speed apparently kills.

At longer distances you'd notice the opposite. The bullets will pit, more like small dings, sorta like a BB gun dinging cars at 20 yards. And you'll notice the 308 vs 223 difference and how they impact steel at longer ranges. 308 will hit with a definite thud and the target will swing while the 223 goes "ding" and barely moves. The targets are designed to take the impacts, but at closer rages the high velocity 223 will chip it away. Pistol rounds does almost nada. Not even a BB gun dent. They only apply a lead splotch on them. Pistol are OK to about 15 yards. I wouldn't recommend anything less. Wear "eyes".

Anyways, after a shoot lead contamination is a concern nowadays so there are 3 simple solutions when handling such targets:

1. Quit being a firkin baby. Just don't go licking your hands afterwards, or the target and you'll be fine. And just wash your meat beaters afterwards. Simple as that. I always have a jug of water with us and we rinse our hands immediately afterwards plus we just handle it by the edges. Besides I grew up during the "lead" days. It wasn't like we went around eating it....maybe just a little.

2. Paint over it immediately after use. Might want to give it a few minutes to dry specially if its going back in a carpeted SUV. We take trucks and they have liners. Besides the ride home dries them thoroughly.

3. Wear gloves.

If you get a steel target, get one that is operator level friendly repairable. The ones I got now use carriage bolts to attach the target to the target holder. So if they get shot out I only need to go to Home Depot or Lowe's and get another one. One of my targets (the pitted up one) has about 10,000 hits. Only one bolt may need to be replaced here soon. I've had to reinforce the stand after "cutting it down" once. Again all it took was a 2' angle iron welded to the 1" re-bar stand. The stand and pole is very mild steel. Since then no problems and I did the same to target stand #2.



Edited to add:

Of course we can't forget to proverbial milk jug full of water targets.

Pros
It cheap as in free cheap.
Fun to see them go "BLASH"

Cons
PITA to fill them up, set them up, and pick them up unless you are one of those who don't pick up after themselves.
Effectively only one hit use.
And sour milk smell.

Other targets I've used, besides the usual trash, minus glass bottles (I don't find those particularly exciting to shoot)

Golf balls-chase them with your shots. Just don't go chasing them to the guys shooting nearby.

Balloons (specially for kids)-staple the tied off end to cardboard or tie with a string to a bush. In a breeze they become ideal moving target practice. Add a tank of helium, string, tie off to rocks,....you get the idea.

Bowling pins-contact your local alley. You may get them for a good price or free.

Old fruits and vegetable. And they are biodregradable. (No shit-lol) May get them for free from local stores throwing out old stuff.

As a cop, when we consfiscated beer from minors, and of course it would be unethical to take home, they were fun to shoot. Specially with an MP5. Except for the 911 calls we got right afterwards reporting of an automatic machinegun fire call by the city dump at 3 a.m. We checked the area and never found out the culprit and we were nearby, in fact right there. Sneaky sumbichezs.

On the final note, if you free range shoot please pick up what you brought out. In one of those pics (taken by my 3 year old) you'll see me shooting using my stand. I found an old tailgate to weigh down the stand b/c it was windy. I didn't police that up but I did the rest of the other trash. Nothing shuts a place to shoot faster than those who just leave their trash behind. Umm, the fruits and veggies stay. So did the beer cans. It was the city dump.

Hope this helps.
 

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#18 ·
Thanks for all the information on targets and target stands.

I have used the PVC type of stands before and they work well if no wind. Usually you can find something at the range to hold them down if the wind is not too high.

I had used the adhesive spray in the long distance past but had forgotten about it. Thanks for bringing it up again.
 
#19 ·
I have been thinking of getting some 8" and 6" steel plates made up to hang in my back yard (The side of a WV mountain) for anytime plinking. Is there a minimum thickness, or type of steel, needed for say maximum caliber of .45 acp? Is it armour plate that they use on these targets?
 
#20 ·
Get the brinell 500. It is armor plating steel. Roy, you and I know you say you will only shoot with pistol but will end up shooting it with a rifle. I can't remember if its 300 brinell for pistol but rifle will demolish it.

Check these guys out:

http://www.letargets.com/html/steel.html
I recommend you buy from a local source b/c shipping will be more than sales tax for these babies.
 
#21 ·
Roy, contact Winchester Metals Inc (formerly Zuckermans Steel) - a few miles up the road from me - on Rt 11. I believe that they has armor plate, and they also (for a small fee) will cut to size for you. Not sure how much they'll charge for custom shapes, but they have excellent customer service.

http://www.winchestermetals.com/

Steel Plate: 3/16" through 4" in stock; thicker plate is available upon request.
Grades: A36, A514, A516, A572, AR235 and AR400

I'm no armor plate expert, but you should simply ask if they have any available such as:

MIL-A-46100D STEEL ARMOR PLATE
MIL-A-12560 CLASS 1 STEEL ARMOR PLATE
MIL-A-46177 STEEL ARMOR PLATE

The ABRASION RESISTANT steel (grades AR400F, AR450F, AR500F) offer reasonable durability for pistol calibers, but are not armor plate.
 
#25 ·
I use the same metal stands (that use 1x2's), and like the fact that I can setup one behind the other - at sightly different heights - for different scenarios.

I use screws to attach the cardboard IDPA targets to the strips, or I scavenge some heavy cardboard from work and make my own. I then attach Q-27 targets after punching the initial holes in the cardboard, and this is some of the cheapest (sturdiest) setups I've used. You can easily attach some of the same 1x2 strips to the metal base and make them virtually 'blow over' proof.

I like the spray adhesive idea, and will give that a try as well. Sounds like a good alternative to tape or staples.

BEWARE...

This is what Roy thought of my crappy staple gun...
 

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#29 ·
has anyone seen distance adjusted targets for dry fire?

I'd love a target sheet I could set up at like 5 or 10 yards that would simulate a silhouette at 1,2,300 yards etc...

one of these would certainly be more useful than our 'favorite spot on the wall' or the tv for dryfire practice ;D
 
#30 ·
The Appleseed folks use a 25 meter target that has reduced 100, 200, 300, and 400 yard targets. If you get the 'hits count' target, it adds to that a 250 yard headshot.

Seems to me, if you were to slap one of those on a color copier, and reduce to 40%, that'd take it from 25 meters to 10.
 
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