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What type of targets are you using for precision long range shooting? Most of the commercially available targets I have seen aren't conducive to precise aiming at long range.....
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Len
This is the first I've heard of your steel... Good stuff huh!! I like shooting steel better than anything else. Immediate reply and feedback, see the strike and can make correction. Better I believe for wind doping and education...
We've on ocassion shot through 500 Brinnel 3/8th inch with rounds going over 3100 fps. 338 Lapua with 200 Noslers at ~ 3350 and a 300 Win mag with 165's at ~ 3250 fps.. (patch the hole with a bolt).
That "splatter" is a problem and it travels a long(ish) distance. I was "observing" a mover system for functionality problems from about 50 to 60 yards off to the side... bad idea!!! The shooters were 600 yards distant but the splatter from 308's was enough to cause bleeding when struck (through bluejeans).
This is the first I've heard of your steel... Good stuff huh!! I like shooting steel better than anything else. Immediate reply and feedback, see the strike and can make correction. Better I believe for wind doping and education...
We've on ocassion shot through 500 Brinnel 3/8th inch with rounds going over 3100 fps. 338 Lapua with 200 Noslers at ~ 3350 and a 300 Win mag with 165's at ~ 3250 fps.. (patch the hole with a bolt).
That "splatter" is a problem and it travels a long(ish) distance. I was "observing" a mover system for functionality problems from about 50 to 60 yards off to the side... bad idea!!! The shooters were 600 yards distant but the splatter from 308's was enough to cause bleeding when struck (through bluejeans).
Tim Behle
Well-Known Member
I buy the big rolls of wrapping paper out of the discount bins for .50 a roll. Staple it to a pallet with the white side showing and put a + on it with a black marker.
Steel...(hardened steel AR 500) Paint it light color and fire a round to center mass... big dark "splat" on impact... thereafter you can aim at that.
I also use 8.5" x 10" plain paper and print a circle on it, white center on a large black circle.
Find a used (it'll be used after the first round anyway) piece of 4' x 8' plywood. Cover it with butcher paper and put your "printed" target in the appropriate place (top, bottom or middle depending on your desires) and shoot. You can plot POA to POI for "long" distance shooting and come-up data. You can make a set of data charts in one pass with the plywood target(s). Put the target at the top and select a range... shoot a little group, back up a hundred yards and shoot another, etc, etc. Walk to the target at the end and measure the "drop" divide by distance and make a come-up chart. (Verify once so you know your math was correct and you're set.)
I also use 8.5" x 10" plain paper and print a circle on it, white center on a large black circle.
Find a used (it'll be used after the first round anyway) piece of 4' x 8' plywood. Cover it with butcher paper and put your "printed" target in the appropriate place (top, bottom or middle depending on your desires) and shoot. You can plot POA to POI for "long" distance shooting and come-up data. You can make a set of data charts in one pass with the plywood target(s). Put the target at the top and select a range... shoot a little group, back up a hundred yards and shoot another, etc, etc. Walk to the target at the end and measure the "drop" divide by distance and make a come-up chart. (Verify once so you know your math was correct and you're set.)
I asked this question at the earlier part of the year and got a few creative answers. As a result I confiscated the kids old tublar swingset frame, shortened it one top pole so it is 6 feet across the top and I plan to hang things like bowling pins with an eyebolt screwed in the top or a 3/4" thick plate of T1 steel that the colledge machine shop class turned down to have an outside diameter of 11.5" (or 1 moa at 1100 yds).
We can also hang a short sheet of plywood from it or lean a full length sheet of plywood against it and secure it with wire ties.
We assemble the thing quickly with cross pins instead of bolts and if we shoot a hole in it then big deal. We can get another one fairly easily. I would go to the stores where they sell the big wooden play sets and have the sales people keep an eye out for parents up-grading to a new playset. Have them tell the customers that you will be glad to haul of the old tubular swing set.
Legaly obtained realty sign hangers (the kind that press in the ground that hold a 18x24"sign) are also cool for the shorter range work. Dont steal them out of other peoples yards though.
We can also hang a short sheet of plywood from it or lean a full length sheet of plywood against it and secure it with wire ties.
We assemble the thing quickly with cross pins instead of bolts and if we shoot a hole in it then big deal. We can get another one fairly easily. I would go to the stores where they sell the big wooden play sets and have the sales people keep an eye out for parents up-grading to a new playset. Have them tell the customers that you will be glad to haul of the old tubular swing set.
Legaly obtained realty sign hangers (the kind that press in the ground that hold a 18x24"sign) are also cool for the shorter range work. Dont steal them out of other peoples yards though.
- Joined
- May 2, 2001
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Dave
I don't think we talked since I got my target steel purchased and set up. It is T-520 hardness and bullets don't even dimple it. Example would be 176 grain Cauterucio at 3,150 fps muzzle velocity with terminal velocity of 2,400 at 600 yards and 2,000 at 1,000 yards.
I painted the 2 ft by 4 ft piece of steel with beige paint. I made a spraypainting target template out of cardboard to use in painting a 5 inch outlined square (1/4 inch thin lines)at center-mass. I leave spray cans with the 2 colors down below and behind the target frame for touchup. At first I was casual about where on the ground I left the cans. Until one day while shooting I wondered what that puff of "smoke" was all about. Now I am sure to keep the cans just behind the steel so shrapnel doesn't splat downward and pierce the cans.
With my Nightforce 5.5 to 22 scope I can see the bullet splats on the steel at 1K.
I don't think we talked since I got my target steel purchased and set up. It is T-520 hardness and bullets don't even dimple it. Example would be 176 grain Cauterucio at 3,150 fps muzzle velocity with terminal velocity of 2,400 at 600 yards and 2,000 at 1,000 yards.
I painted the 2 ft by 4 ft piece of steel with beige paint. I made a spraypainting target template out of cardboard to use in painting a 5 inch outlined square (1/4 inch thin lines)at center-mass. I leave spray cans with the 2 colors down below and behind the target frame for touchup. At first I was casual about where on the ground I left the cans. Until one day while shooting I wondered what that puff of "smoke" was all about. Now I am sure to keep the cans just behind the steel so shrapnel doesn't splat downward and pierce the cans.
With my Nightforce 5.5 to 22 scope I can see the bullet splats on the steel at 1K.
- Joined
- May 2, 2001
- Messages
- 7,521
MCM is a company that makes shooting products out of formed plastic. I have been using their portable target frame lately when traveling. It consists of a rigid plastic base with steel spikes to push into the ground and a horizontal holder or frame. Into the holder you insert their corrugated plastic target-backer-sheet. Before I leave home I tape or staple a 2 foot square cardstock paper target to the target-backer. I have used this system out to 1200 yards in New Mexico and 400 yards in Colorado.
It easily breaks down for storage during travel in the bottom of my big duffle bag. The target-backer sheet folds in half. I got it for travel but last month found myself using it at home to check my rifle at 715 yards from one of my tall 24 foot stands. I am sure you could easily make something but it was quite cheap anyway.
It easily breaks down for storage during travel in the bottom of my big duffle bag. The target-backer sheet folds in half. I got it for travel but last month found myself using it at home to check my rifle at 715 yards from one of my tall 24 foot stands. I am sure you could easily make something but it was quite cheap anyway.
Ian M
Well-Known Member
We have a new target frame that has replaced the swingsets - sort of based from the swingset idea only no bolts or even chain. I have jpegs of the setup and could send to someone to post here if you guys wish. The frame is self supporting and cheap - legs are angle-iron, only a small bit of welding to make the top assembly. Sets up in about two minutes and takes a beating. When you shoot up the legs you just replace with another piece of angle iron.
Used to use a similar rig made of sawhorse brackets and cheap 2"x4"'s but this steel rig is much tougher, no sharp pieces of shrapnel in the wood to worry about. Gave up on wood frames last year and don't miss the sharp pieces of jacket - **** things can be like razors.
Another great LR target is simply made by welding two 12" or whatever lengths of angle iron along one side of a 12" or whatever length square of 1/2" steel plate (my targets range from 12x12 to 16x16). Weld the pieces on each side so that you form an upside down T. Idea is that they freestand and fall over when hit. We do not shoot them closer than 600 yards since this is just mild steel. Makes lots of interesting shooting when you put two in front with a six inch space between them and another a couple of feet behind - you have to shoot the back one first naturally. I am not sure how many of these we have, about 15 or more and they are excellent. They can be braced so that they don't fall over but more fun to "kill" them.
I also have a dozen or so 2'x4' plates, ranging from 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 inch thickness. We just drill a 1/2" hole in two corners so we can insert "S" hooks to hang them on our frames. With the new angle-iron frames we quit using chain, one less thing to get shot-up. The frames are height adjustable by simply moving the legs in or outward so we can hang the plate as low to the ground as possible - this is best for seeing low misses.
We shoot the steel a lot during our few days of summer - too **** cold to enjoy shooting these days but hoping for a break so we can shoot some drops on some new rifles.
Simpler is best for targets and frames. Buy lots of white spray paint - found that the real cheap paint deals are useless, better to spend a bit more and get good paint.
Also have pictures of a 14' tall wooden frame we use for shooting LR groups on paper - this is the best way to determine what your actual drops are. Before the recent deer season we moved firing location 17 times to get the drops we wanted for our .308's and they worked very well when we started killing deer. Lost count of how many 500 - 600 yard kills we did this fall - free CWD tags helped a lot...
A farmer friend that we got into LR hunting this winter just made two 700 yard kills a couple of days ago. He bought a new Stealth and some factory 168 Win. Ballistic Silvertips. Told him to put the top of the post of his 2.5-10 Nikon tactical on the backline - two one-shot kills. We created another monster - he has the bug now
He also killed a bunch of deer out past 500 with Black Hills Match 175's, they worked perfectly and killed fast.
Used to use a similar rig made of sawhorse brackets and cheap 2"x4"'s but this steel rig is much tougher, no sharp pieces of shrapnel in the wood to worry about. Gave up on wood frames last year and don't miss the sharp pieces of jacket - **** things can be like razors.
Another great LR target is simply made by welding two 12" or whatever lengths of angle iron along one side of a 12" or whatever length square of 1/2" steel plate (my targets range from 12x12 to 16x16). Weld the pieces on each side so that you form an upside down T. Idea is that they freestand and fall over when hit. We do not shoot them closer than 600 yards since this is just mild steel. Makes lots of interesting shooting when you put two in front with a six inch space between them and another a couple of feet behind - you have to shoot the back one first naturally. I am not sure how many of these we have, about 15 or more and they are excellent. They can be braced so that they don't fall over but more fun to "kill" them.
I also have a dozen or so 2'x4' plates, ranging from 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 inch thickness. We just drill a 1/2" hole in two corners so we can insert "S" hooks to hang them on our frames. With the new angle-iron frames we quit using chain, one less thing to get shot-up. The frames are height adjustable by simply moving the legs in or outward so we can hang the plate as low to the ground as possible - this is best for seeing low misses.
We shoot the steel a lot during our few days of summer - too **** cold to enjoy shooting these days but hoping for a break so we can shoot some drops on some new rifles.
Simpler is best for targets and frames. Buy lots of white spray paint - found that the real cheap paint deals are useless, better to spend a bit more and get good paint.
Also have pictures of a 14' tall wooden frame we use for shooting LR groups on paper - this is the best way to determine what your actual drops are. Before the recent deer season we moved firing location 17 times to get the drops we wanted for our .308's and they worked very well when we started killing deer. Lost count of how many 500 - 600 yard kills we did this fall - free CWD tags helped a lot...
A farmer friend that we got into LR hunting this winter just made two 700 yard kills a couple of days ago. He bought a new Stealth and some factory 168 Win. Ballistic Silvertips. Told him to put the top of the post of his 2.5-10 Nikon tactical on the backline - two one-shot kills. We created another monster - he has the bug now
G
Guest
Guest
My question isn't about target frames, it's about targets.....you know, the thing you aim at!
I am interested in what type of target allows precise aiming at 600+ yards.....is a diamond better than a circle, is a + better than a diamond......well, you get the idea.....
I am interested in what type of target allows precise aiming at 600+ yards.....is a diamond better than a circle, is a + better than a diamond......well, you get the idea.....
Ian, I would love to see the construction of your swingset replacement.
GonHuntin, Sorry I got off the subject. This seems to be your dilema in your other post about BBL legnth too. Hope I did better there.
Sorry I cant give advice on the most precise target style. I'm cheap and lazy when it comes to targets. A black circle (black dot) of varing size on white paper is what I use. I just make a black dot with my computers "paint" program and print out a few. I know this dosen't help you a whit though.
GonHuntin, Sorry I got off the subject. This seems to be your dilema in your other post about BBL legnth too. Hope I did better there.
Sorry I cant give advice on the most precise target style. I'm cheap and lazy when it comes to targets. A black circle (black dot) of varing size on white paper is what I use. I just make a black dot with my computers "paint" program and print out a few. I know this dosen't help you a whit though.
G
Guest
Guest
No problem, I learn something from most posts.....the swingset idea is a good one!
By the way, I love you signature line....had a friend swear he shot a running elk at 700 yards......told me where the elk was in his scope and everything......I lost him when I started showing him on paper that he could not have hit the elk if he could see it in his scope when he fired!
By the way, I love you signature line....had a friend swear he shot a running elk at 700 yards......told me where the elk was in his scope and everything......I lost him when I started showing him on paper that he could not have hit the elk if he could see it in his scope when he fired!
Brent
Well-Known Member
I use 8.5"x11" printer paper. I use a small can of Imperial Sizing Die Wax that's 2" around, draw a line around this with a black marker for a 2" circle. This works well for a few hundred yards, with only little mirrage tho. After that, the circle gets bigger. I used to make up diamonds, but anything that is symetrical in shape will work perfect, and your eye will naturally center the reticle on it. Same goes for steel plates, your eye will naturally detect any vertical or horizontal difference in the sight picture.
I've found white paint (quality stuff only) on the steel works best.
I've found white paint (quality stuff only) on the steel works best.
Ian M
Well-Known Member
Much of my shooting in the summer is practicing out at 700-1000 getting wind doping skills and trying loads in a variety of rifles. The guys I shoot with are not trying to shoot for score or group size out past 700 so we use steel plates and simply center them. You can get a relatively good measurement of group size from the dimple in the middle of the splat, but it is not as accurate as measuring a bullet hole in paper.
For closer ranges I use a diamond with a 1" black dot in the middle out to 300 yards, we have a template and make these targets up at Staples on heavy cardboard - 4 diamonds per page. I designed the target with a drawing program, simple to do although there are lots of free targets available on the net that are similar.
Out to 600 we frequently use a ten inch Shoot n See from a company called Birchwood Casey (large round black dot that shows bullet holes nicely). They self stick on a sheet of corrogated plastic "cardboard" that is used by the sign makers, available from Home Depot. We also use the 10" Shoot n Sees when we do our drops at long range on the big 14 foot tall target frame that we sheet with fresh cardboard to catch all the bullets shot.
Then the steel out past 700.
For closer ranges I use a diamond with a 1" black dot in the middle out to 300 yards, we have a template and make these targets up at Staples on heavy cardboard - 4 diamonds per page. I designed the target with a drawing program, simple to do although there are lots of free targets available on the net that are similar.
Out to 600 we frequently use a ten inch Shoot n See from a company called Birchwood Casey (large round black dot that shows bullet holes nicely). They self stick on a sheet of corrogated plastic "cardboard" that is used by the sign makers, available from Home Depot. We also use the 10" Shoot n Sees when we do our drops at long range on the big 14 foot tall target frame that we sheet with fresh cardboard to catch all the bullets shot.
Then the steel out past 700.
I bought a 2x4 sheet of Homosote from the local building supply. Then made a stand for it from some scrap lumber for 100 yd stuff. Then also I drilled a hole for it to stand along side a tree that has a nail in it for long range use. I have an old box of 11-7/8x14 Computer paper (fanfold) and I put 3 sheets on the thing at a time with a square of electrical tape in various locations for aiming spots. Then you can shoot a bunch of groups on paper by just moving them around with the turrets. I can usually get an entire days shooting out of one sheet. Then again, since it's near all white, I can see the bullet holes just fine in the paper. (unless thier in the tape). All this sits beside my 1" steel plate that I'm not allowed to shoot when the target is hanging there because of the above mentioned splatter, tearing up big holes the target. The steel is permanent so if I'm not in the mood to put out paper, I just shoot on the steel.
I prefer paper though, because the groups on steel always look like one hole and they definitely are not. There's just too big a splatter for me.
I prefer paper though, because the groups on steel always look like one hole and they definitely are not. There's just too big a splatter for me.
