33% reduced size IPSC

[Kabic]

Pick up a 33% reduced size IPSC target. Roughly 8 inches tall, 5 inches wide.

Reduced size targets are used to simulate shooting the full size targets at a shorter distance, so at 15 yards this simulates a full target at 45 yards?

 

[ATLDave]

so at 15 yards this simulates a full target at 45 yards?

Sort of. It simulates the MOA of a target 3 times further away, so an error of, say, 0.5° in aiming should have pretty much the same consequence as it would shooting a full size target at 3 times the distance.

Things that smaller/scaled targets don't replicate:

• Most people can shoot target-focused up to a certain distance, and then have to switch to a harder front-sight focus (assuming iron sights). You may be able to "get away" with shooting a 1/3 scale target with a target focus at 10 yards but not be able to shoot a full-sized target at 30 without a front-sight focus.
• You may be able to see scoring zone demarcations on the closer scaled target when they are completely gone on the longer, full-size target.
• Hold-overs won't be the same. Not a big deal most of the time.
• You can see bullet holes appear in targets at 10-15 yards, but few can see bullet holes at 25+ yards. You have to either call your shot or take a leap of faith once you're shooting targets too far to see any evidence of impact.
• All of the above will make shooting "far" targets feel different (in terms of psychological discomfort) than shooting closer, scaled targets.

My basement, where I do my dryfire, has a bunch of 1/3 and even 1/6 scaled targets hung on the wall. I find them useful. But like most things dry-fire, I do need to "validate" it with live-fire. I would say the same is true if you're using the small targets to simulate distant target in live-fire... you do need some actual distance shooting to validate and to get yourself comfortable with the feeling of shooting a target where you cannot see the holes appear.

 

[Kabic]

I should have mentioned this is an AR500 target, but thanks for the good information.

 

[ATLDave]

The limitations to using steel (of whatever size) to represent paper targets are: 1) it encourages a pass/fail approach to shooting paper, because all hits on steel are the same - not true for paper targets; and 2) auditory feedback extends the distance at which that "shot calling or act of faith" dynamic kicks in (to essentially infinity), especially if you're not combining the shot with something else that would reward you for calling the shot (such as leaving the position or taking the gun to another target). If you're mindful of these things and take steps to control the potential consequences, they shouldn't be too big a deal. But just going out and whaling on a steel IPSC silhouette of whatever size can train some not-optimal habits.

 

[Jim Watson]

Wilson has a steel target, about IDPA -1 with a 7" center circle defined by slots. (Is Joyce fixing to demand more accuracy?)
Have to paint it every once in a while.

 

[jmorris]

My basement, where I do my dryfire, has a bunch of 1/3 and even 1/6 scaled targets hung on the wall.

I use the screws that hold the plates on the wall around light switches. Or for transitions/post reload, the little knobs that hold lamp shades to the lamp.

I always figured the main reason for reduced size targets were because they are cheaper and don’t weigh as much.

 

[ATLDave]

I use the screws that hold the plates on the wall around light switches. Or for transitions/post reload, the little knobs that hold lamp shades to the lamp.

I did a lot of that. I accumulated some of the scaled targets as throw-ins along with larger orders from somewhere (e.g., ordering gun parts from somewhere, throw a few scaled targets in the cart along with the springs and pins and rods). As someone with a tendency to "blast at brown," I feel like there's some benefit to having targets that are not single points or blobs... something to ingrain driving my vision/attention, and then the sight or the dot, to the center of the target rather than just somewhere "on" the target. But I still shoot a fair number of delta's, so maybe it doesn't work!

 

[shoobe01]

I also like switches. Lots of them around the house in weird places, enough that doing the whole house is a surprise if I don't do it daily. SIRT is good for this, first did it when traveling, using that for hotel room drills.

Sometimes I do lamps/lights as well.