Best targets????

[mooretitan]

Now that I am starting to try and get out a little bit I had a question on targets for groups on paper. Was sighting in at 300 yards which is officially the longest I have papered before. I know it's not long but got to start somewhere.
I have a couple long range scopes and it was pretty easy to see my 2inch orange circle but when I switched to a couple vx 1 3*9's I had trouble really feeling that I could see the target well. It seemed that my crosshairs covered the target to much. I shot a 3 shot group measuring 1.56inch. Shot another one about an hour later and another 1.5 group but this group was the same height but about and inch to the left of the other group. The groups were the exactly the same shape just centered about and in h apart. I think the target had something to do with it.

Anyways for 300, 400, 500 what size aiming area are you using with typical 3*9 scopes

Thanks

 

[digger11]

I use deer size targets. Sorry I couldn't help myself. GRIN

 

[FearNoWind]

The groups were the exactly the same shape just centered about and inch apart. I think the target had something to do with it.

This is my favorite target out to 300 yards:
S -2 Diamond Sight-in Target - American Target Company
When your group moves like that the list of possibilities includes - shooter and the hold on the rifle, then:

Wind
Rear bag (if used)
Type of rest (if used) and consistency in how it's' used
Mirage
Parallax
Load variations

 

[jcvibby]

Never shoot paper. Only steel

 

[davkrat]

I mainly shoot steel. For my 12" steel i put a 4" diameter circle of contrasting spray paint. I made a cardboard template to make a nice lean circle. Set the 12" out to 600 yards for a 2MOA target. Deer don't have bullseyes on them anyways. Also have a 8" steel I set out to 400 and a 4" that goes to 200. Always 2 MOA which is what I hope to be able to hit from field conditions. Never been impressed with people being able to hit a 24"-36" wide plate as that could easily be a miss on game. For ladder testing I use a sheet of 48" butcher paper and use my same 4" cardboard telplate to put a dot of spray paint. I adjust my scope to hit off to one side so ican see bullet holes on clean white paper. After initial load development I quit shooting groups and never shoot paper. Hits on kill zone sized steel are all I care about after that and getting in to position and quickly ranging and getting a shot off are more important than squeezing another .1" out of a group.