Captaingyro
Member
I like to experiment with different loads in a given pistol to see what's most accurate (don't we all?). Problem was, I could never find a printable target that I liked. My main gripes (in approximate order) were:
• Wasted ink. Most printable targets feature some massive blotch of color that's totally unneccesary. You can almost watch the ink reservoir on your printer hit "empty" as these things print out.
• Too complicated. You need a spot to aim at. Right?
• Lack of data fields. It would be nice to have someplace to record what all those holes mean.
• Marketing. There's frequently a logo, a web address, a business name, or some other extraneous clutter. Again, a waste of ink. Do they really think someone's going to happen by and say, "Whoa, Dude, let me get out my spotting scope and copy that web address."
Well, I finally decided to do something about it, and it occured to me that you could do everything I wanted with an Excel spreadsheet. First, you can print a bullseye, but you can make it a medium shade of grey to save ink. Next, you can print a grid to measure groups, but you can do it lightly, again to save ink. After all, you don't need to see the grid while you're shooting, only while you're scoring and recording. Lastly, you can include data fields where you can record load data, or anything else you like.
The resulting target features a bull that's easily visible out to thirty yards with my lousy eyes, and probably to fifty for you younger guys. At twenty, it's about the same size as most front sights, but you can adjust that if you like. The main parameters I play with in load development are charge weight and OAL, but if you want to record brass and primers, you can add those fields.
Here are two files you're free to use. The .pdf file will print out a generic version that should be fine for most folks. The link is to the .xlsx file which is the native spreadsheet. You can customize it to your heart's content.
Enjoy.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/517018/Pistol%20Target.xlsx
• Wasted ink. Most printable targets feature some massive blotch of color that's totally unneccesary. You can almost watch the ink reservoir on your printer hit "empty" as these things print out.
• Too complicated. You need a spot to aim at. Right?
• Lack of data fields. It would be nice to have someplace to record what all those holes mean.
• Marketing. There's frequently a logo, a web address, a business name, or some other extraneous clutter. Again, a waste of ink. Do they really think someone's going to happen by and say, "Whoa, Dude, let me get out my spotting scope and copy that web address."
Well, I finally decided to do something about it, and it occured to me that you could do everything I wanted with an Excel spreadsheet. First, you can print a bullseye, but you can make it a medium shade of grey to save ink. Next, you can print a grid to measure groups, but you can do it lightly, again to save ink. After all, you don't need to see the grid while you're shooting, only while you're scoring and recording. Lastly, you can include data fields where you can record load data, or anything else you like.
The resulting target features a bull that's easily visible out to thirty yards with my lousy eyes, and probably to fifty for you younger guys. At twenty, it's about the same size as most front sights, but you can adjust that if you like. The main parameters I play with in load development are charge weight and OAL, but if you want to record brass and primers, you can add those fields.
Here are two files you're free to use. The .pdf file will print out a generic version that should be fine for most folks. The link is to the .xlsx file which is the native spreadsheet. You can customize it to your heart's content.
Enjoy.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/517018/Pistol%20Target.xlsx
