Normal persons AR targets

[ac12basis]

The international 10m AR target is WAY to hard and intimidating for most people.

The NRA has easier targets that the "normal" person can shoot with less intimidation.  The problem is I have never seen them in any of the local gun shops, you have to order them.

The 25ft TQ-5.  
this is the single bull target   http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=534242
this is the multi-bull target  http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=358684

The 10 meter training target TQ-18
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=960865

For a new shooter target, I use the international 10 meter air PISTOL target.  It has a much larger bull, so is easier to see, and the rings are generous (similar to the TQ-18 target)

Bellow is what the targets looks like with the 10m international target at the bottom for comparison.
What is deceiving in the pictures is the international 10m target is printed on a smaller target paper, so the actual target is much smaller than it looks in comparison to the other targets.

[Fatman]

Hi ac12basis:

Thanks very much for the info on targets.

Prior to your post, I didin't even know that there was such a thing as an official 25' airgun target.  I only ever heard of 10 meter air rifle and 50' smallbore.  As they're Official NRA targets, I assume that 25' is an NRA sanctioned distance.  Does the NRA sanction 25' matches?  Do you know anything about that?

I live in a small townhouse community and to keep the neighbors happy, I only shoot outdoors when they are at work and all of the neighborhood kids are in school.  Outdoor shooting is also complicated by the weather which is very hot and muggy in the summer with ravenous mosquitos and very bright sunlight.  In the winter it is usually wet and/or freezing and thats a problem as well.  Also the distance from my patio to the back fence pellet stop is 40' which is a little long for10 meters.

I tend to ramble on but there is actually a point to all of this.

From the kitchen to the front door is 30'.  Setting the firing line at 25 feet will allow me to use the TQ-5 25' targets at the correct distance and to shoot all year long.  No, the wife doesn't mind and, as the front door is steel, the Brown Santa will not be in any danger.

I have far too much time on my hands.

Cheers,
Fatman


 

[ac12basis]

FM
Somone used to print 5 meter version of the 10 meter AR target, for practice at home.
There are some caveats to this:
- if you scale a 10m target by 50% your bull is the correct size for 5 meters, but you won't score properly.  The target is smaller, but the hole the pellet punches is still the same size.
- if you adjust the target to properly score, the bull will be bigger than appropriate for 5 meters.

The only way to make it work is to make your own target using the Pellant target program, the 10m AR target specs and the ring adjustment for 5 meters.  Then you can make a custom ring to correctly match the bull on the scaled target, and another ring for scoring.
There used to be a "high noon" postal match that used 6 meters as the minimum reduced distance.  
Someplace on my computer is the ring adjustment for 6 meters.
If you are interested I can dig the stuff up.

[ac12basis]

FM
I found my 5m targets.  They are printed by Beeman, BUT I don't see them listed on the Beeman web site, so I don't know if it is still available.  I got mine from Straight Shooters, and they don't show it on their site either.  These are simply scaled down version of the regulation 10m targets.

So the only way to get reduced range targets is to make them yourself.
Either reduce it on a copy machine by the appropriate % for the range reduction.  6m = 60% copy
or print your own using the pellant target program.
> Pellant's web site appears to no longer be up.  I can email the program to you, if your email system can handle a 2.7MB file.  Send me your email via PM.

There is a whole discussion on reduced range targets.
- One is simply to scale the target to the distance.  This is the easiest target to make.  The problem this has is the target scales down, but the pellet hole is still the same size, so you would be scoring higher than you would on a regulation target at regulation distance.  
- Reduced range target adjusted for pellet size.  This gets your scores corrected for the range you are shooting.  The problem is the black bull is not scaled correctly for the reduced range, as the ring associated with the outer black ring has been adjusted for scoring.
- A blend of reduced range target as adjusted for pellet size + bull is correct size.  This requires the use of an additional ring, to make the black bull the correct size.

If you tell me the pellet size you are shooting (probably .177) and the range, I can compute out the appropriate ring sizes for whichever method you want to use.

[Fatman]

Hi ac12basis:

Thanks a bunch for all the info.  I'm a keep it simple kind of guy so I think I'll go with the % reduction on the copier based on my available distance.  Need to re-measure the actual distance to get the correct percentage.   We've got a printer/copy place nearby that doesn't charge an arm and a leg and as they are also a printer they may have some decent paper to print on.  I've used standard copy paper in the past and it doesn't produce very clean holes.

I may give the 25' NRA targets a try as well.  The price seems right and as I no longer compete, I guess it doesn't really matter.  I did check on the NRA web site and they make no mention of any 25' air rifle disciplines.  They must sanction the targets or they wouldn't allow the Official NRA tag line on them but they don't seem to sanction their use.  Go figure.

Thanks again for all your input.

I have far too much time on my hands.

Cheers,
Fatman