Best paper target type for hunting scope and group shooting

[ThePenguinKnight]

Many hunting rifles are used with scopes that max out at moderate levels of magnification (2-7 or 3-9). I have learned that the target used makes a big difference when shooting iron sights; is there a particular style of target that has proven more conducive to precision shooting with a scope?

1/2" Diamonds? 1" Circles? Thick-lined squares with blank interiors? I've seen a wide variety of target types, but I have only just now thought to keep track of which ones help me in my job of being consistent behind the rifle.

Also, since everyone has their own magnification preference for hunting, please let me know what magnification settings you use when shooting.

This information is particularly useful for finding loads for hunting rifles, doing load development, etc. I understand that I don't "need" some arbitrary standard of precision for my hunting rifles. Having a target that makes it easier on me to be consistent while developing loads seems to be useful toward finding the best loads.

 

[jmr40]

I buy cheap paper plates from Walmart and stick dots on them. I also use recycled cardboard from boxes. Having a bigger piece of paper helps at longer ranges or if getting zeroed from scratch. The thicker paper makes for more even holes than cheaper store bought targets or copy paper. In the craft dept I can buy 3/4" stickers sold as pricing for yard sales etc. You can buy several hundred for a fraction of what the target dots are sold for in sporting goods.

For the best precision I like a square. I aim at one corner and line up the vertical and horizontal cross hairs on the edges of the square.

 

[Gtscotty]

I wind up using this target most of the time:

http://www.mytargets.com/target102gs grid square center.pdf

I can just print them out when I need them, and the grid and crosshairs make it easy to get repeatable scope allignment. The grid also makes it easier to sight in a new rifle because you can see exactly how much you are off vertically and horizontally, from the bench and adjust accordingly.

 

[jmr40]

To answer the 2nd part. I zero at the highest magnification and check to see where it is hitting at much longer ranges. I then verify that the zero hasn't changed at the lowest setting out to 100 yards. It isn't uncommon for the scopes zero to change slightly as the magnification is changed. But at 100 yards it is very unlikely to be enough to matter.

I hunt and take almost all shots at the lowest magnification. If the range is over 100 yards, and if I have time, I go straight to the highest magnification where I know it is zeroed. I NEVER use anything in between. I can hit a deer size target out to 200-300 yards even on 2X or 3X. But at longer ranges you usually have time to adjust scopes to more magnification, at closer ranges you rarely have time to lower it.

 

[Gtscotty]

To answer the 2nd part. I zero at the highest magnification and check to see where it is hitting at much longer ranges. I then verify that the zero hasn't changed at the lowest setting out to 100 yards. It isn't uncommon for the scopes zero to change slightly as the magnification is changed. But at 100 yards it is very unlikely to be enough to matter.

I hunt and take almost all shots at the lowest magnification. If the range is over 100 yards, and if I have time, I go straight to the highest magnification where I know it is zeroed. I NEVER use anything in between. I can hit a deer size target out to 200-300 yards even on 2X or 3X. But at longer ranges you usually have time to adjust scopes to more magnification, at closer ranges you rarely have time to lower it.

This is pretty much exactly what I do as well.

 

[Fla_dogman]

I use pizza boxes LOL, but I have any own range

 

[25-5]

I like the 12" Shoot-n-c by Birchwood Casey.
https://www.birchwoodcasey.com/Targets/Shoot-N-C/Shoot•N•C®-12-Sight-In-Target.aspx

 

[Casefull]

I use whatever the last shooters left at the range. I just keep a roll of masking tape to cover the holes.

 

[ants]

With standard crosshair or duplex reticle, I use a similar target to GTscotty but I turn it 45 degrees.

At 45 degrees I can align the intersection of the crosshair exactly with the intersection of the lines on the target.
That way the reticle crosshairs don't obscure the target lines, and I can repeat the hold more consistently throughout the string.
Just a personal thing for me, you do what works for you.



Your choice of magnification setting on your scope depends entirely upon terrain.
Out here in Nevada our shots are often at very long range, my friend in
Wisconsin never shoots farther than 35 yards. Obviously he and I
have different preferences for the hunt. You decide what works best for you.

 

[hdbiker]

targets

I like the Redfield sight in targets.5 diamond shaped bulls eyes, work well for scope zeroing .5= 4 shot groups = one box of ctgs.I buy them 100 at a time. PERFECT hdbiker

 

[Mike C2]

I'm with hdbiker here. Mostly I shoot the Redfield sight-ins. Buy bulk they are cheap. But I do like some of the shoot-n-c targets depending on what I'm doing. And an assortment of all sorts for the kids to plink.

Battleship is a hoot FWIW!

 

[DRYHUMOR]

I noticed some bullseye targets I hadn't seen previously and picked up two. Looked for the website and found them cheaper by 2/3.

Lots of variety, fairly cheap, $100 minimum for free shipping.

http://www.targetsbythehundred.com/

 

[C.R.]

I have an assortment of paper targets that I have picked up over the years,it depends on what you are doing. for sighting in my preference is the 1 inch diamond , and for fun plinking,fly paper is a good time. its a big paper target that has a bunch of realistic looking flys printed all over. break out the .22's and proceed to have fun !

 

[Newtosavage]

I've tried a lot of the newer (high vis) splatter targets, plus paper targets of every kind and I just keep coming back to a simple sheet of white paper. And it's not just because they are affordable. It's because I can find the holes easiest.

I used to stick dots on the paper but now I draw 2" squares with a sharpie. Very simple and quick and I can hold that crosshair inside that square, while referencing the corners of the square outside my crosshairs. When I used a dot, I would find myself trying to look around the crosshair at the dot. So just holding inside the box works best for me.

I have a good, but not real expensive spotting scope made by Konus and I can usually find holes in white paper just fine out to 300 yards if the heat waves aren't too bad.

Try just plain white printer paper and see if you like it. You might be surprised.

 

[FL-NC]

I believe in simple and cheap. I buy the large shoot & see targets and then cut them into 2" squares and stick them onto 5x8 index cards which I stapel on the target board. Doing this makes those large shoot & see targets go a long way, and index cards are cheap. Less crap in my range box too.

 

[sage5907]

For hunting rifle target shooting at 200 yards and further I use a B3 pistol target. It's basically a target with a white 10 by 12 inch background and a 3 inch black dot in the center. This black dot shows up really well in a scope at long range and makes for an easy way to zero a rifle and to test various loads. The B3 targets come in packs of 25 and can be purchased on eBay and from almost any place that sells targets.

 

[loose noose]

I have to agree with Gt. Scotty, I've been scanning targets for quite a few years as needed. I've used them for mostly developing hunting loads as well as just casual shooting. I too have my own range, target holders, steel targets etc. I do prefer the target that Scotty suggested for hunting as it makes it easy to line up the scopes reticles for repeat performances.

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

I like to grab one of the small round black stickers off a Shoot-N-See that someone else left on the target boards and put it on any blank piece of paper or cardboard.

 

[Nature Boy]

Freezer paper and 1" orange pasters. That's for 100 yards. Anything longer and I need the shoot n see targets

 

[RevJim]

I only use Champion NRA Sight In 100yd targets. (says Leupold Sight In on the actual target) I can use it for 1x on up! It works from up close to 600yds easily.

 

[Desertrat357]

I'm not necessarily brand specific, but I do prefer 1" square grid targets. Makes for less trips to the target and back. With my binos, I can easily see how much adjustment I need to make on the scope.

As far as hunting, I keep my 3-9 on 4x almost all the time. Like a few others have mentioned, if the animal is a long distance of, you'll have time to adjust the scope to a higher magnification. But if a deer or elk busts out in heavier cover, or closer distance, I can just shoulder my rifle as opposed to fumbling with the magnification ring.

 

[ThePenguinKnight]

I wind up using this target most of the time:

http://www.mytargets.com/target102gs grid square center.pdf

I can just print them out when I need them, and the grid and crosshairs make it easy to get repeatable scope allignment. The grid also makes it easier to sight in a new rifle because you can see exactly how much you are off vertically and horizontally, from the bench and adjust accordingly.

Thanks for all the replies.

I've used many different targets over the years. I havrnt used it, but I like the idea of the one that gtscotty linked. I feel that I would go through quite a few targets when doing load development/testing, though.

I recently asked my wife to make me a target to print off, consisting of six 2" thick-edged squares with 1/2" center dots (I could've made them myself, but my wife is much faster with certain graphics tools on the computer). This worked very well at 50yds when I tried it the other day for velocity testing a ladder of loads, so I'm interested to see how it will work at 100yds. I'll try this weekend, and print off some of gtscotty's targets to try also.

I was getting gusts around 25mph while shooting this set of strings, and my shooting table wasn't stable enough, hence the poor shooting -- I was literally getting blown all over the place. If I didn't want the velocity numbers so badly, I probably would've let it be for the day.

 

[Offfhand]

When I peruse photos of targets on this and other shooting websites it is obvious that the proudly posted groups could often have been even better if the shooter had been aiming at a better target. Often overlooked is the fact that the targets we aim at are a vital link in the accuracy chain. Which is why I use only targets that give me the clearest aiming point, with a dead-black, non-reflecting aiming square on a flat-white (non-glossy) background. The best I have found are the Briarbank Ballistic targets I get from Sinclair Int. (I expect they are available elsewhere.) They cost a bit more than ordinary targets but the heavy stock paper punches clean, well defined holes, making measuring more exact, and also have space for entering load data, and are punched for storing in notebooks. I store mine in file folders. Enclosed is photo are the two sizes I use for different power scopes, or different ranges.