Target paper

[Saint]

I have been trying to fine tune my loads and bullet weights for different distances on my muzzleloaders and up until recently I have been printing my own targets because it is cheaper and I can make any kind of target that I want. I have had a large store of really good paper for these targets that works great with wadcutters but now that I have started practicing in my apartment with an air pistol it is all gone. Does anybody know of a good paper for wadcutters or have any other ideas for targets that won't tear when hit. I tried regular printer paper but it tears too easily and I can't find cardstock that is compatible with my laser printer. Also if anybody has any other nifty ideas for targets this would be a great thread to place them in.

[freddyp]

I use 67 lbs grade of paper called "Vellum Bristol" in Ivory color made by Wausau paper. It runs thru the copier, and leaves a nice hole after the bullet flys thru it. The product number is 82361, you should have no problem finding it a paper supplier.

[1Shirt]

I use "Saint's" paper also, and buy it at Office Max/Office Depot when it is on sale. I buy buff and buy it by the ream. Kinko's charges 5 cents a cy, which is sure a big savings over commercial targets. I also use butcher paper (white), that comes on a roll and is about 18" wide. At 50 yds, with the 2/3" stick ons, they are fine for offhand and 18x18 sheets (or thereabouts) will hold at least 5 maybe 6 of these stick ons. The small postit notes of various colors work on butcher paper as well. For 100 yds with scopes this is also ok. For 200 yds, the 18x18" paper with a 10-12" stencil with black spray paint works very well. As for the printed ones I do at Kinko's, have a large varity of types from the free target sites on the web. Am still trying to decide which ones I like best. Think I have tried about 20 different so far. Really like the ones of P-Dawgs when I am getting ready to go shoot the real ones.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[AZ Pete]

I use manila colored sketching paper, comes in a pad at Wal-Mart. I don't run it through a printer though, I just use black square target pasters (the kind for patching high power rifle targets). A roll of pasters and a tablet lasts a long time. The pasters are about 3/4" square and make a good aiming point for iron sights up to 25 yards or so. The paper cuts well with wad cutters and semi-wad cutters.

I shoot at least once a week and have been using the same roll of pasters for over 2 years, but I am on my third tablet.

[testhop]

I use reg printing paper and i get a plastic for sale sign or some otherplastic sign from
home depot cut a dimond pattern and use the sign as a stencleto make my targets
of course you couldcut any targetyou want it is faster to use a small foom paint roller

[montana_charlie]

I have a .jpg file that is the standard 1000 yard bullseye target...which has been reduced for 100 yard shooting. The 'black' (which is the 8, 9, and 10-rings) is 4.4 inches across, and the 'white' 7-ring is also present.

Printed in draft mode (to save a bit of ink), on standard paper, it works for my shooting...out to 200 yards.

Targets are taped to brown grocery bags, which slip down over four steel fingers, on the stand I built to hold them.
A bare grocery bag makes a pretty decent 300 yard target.
CM

[Wayne Smith]

I've been using old letterhead the company had before we moved the office. I'm about out, so I appreciate the ideas.

[Scrounger]

Not my idea, someone posted this some time ago: Let your common paper set out in the sun for a couple of days before using it for targets. That dries it out and the bullets cut clean holes.

[NVScouter]

Butcher paper is cheap, big and works wonders!

I have a huge roll I bought at CostCo. I've wrapped 2 lambs and a blacktail with it and 90% of the roll is still there. I believe it was $30. Great for shotgun patterns and long range targets!

It is a bit thicker too so wadcutters work well.

[Saint]

I wonder if one could put the paper under a heat lamp to dry it out really good. I would like to find out how to make my own Visishot targets.

[Bret4207]

Put your paper in a low oven, as low as it will go, for 30 minutes or so. It drys the paper out and works well. Stick it in a gallon zip lock bag after that or you have to cook it again.

[mastercast.com]

I cut target backers out of cardboard shipping containers that I scrounge from the local stores. I cut the cardboard target backers to fit the target stands and once the backer is attached to the target stand, I spray the target backer with a light coating of 3M quick dry adhesive, available at wally world in tall cans. I then place a target printed on any kind of paper(usually copy paper...sometimes graph paper with 1/4" grids for rifle shooting)on the backer. The contact cement glues the target firmly to the backer, and when shot, the bullet holes are clean cut, especially with .45 200 and 185 grain SWC bullets. Beats the devil out of buying targets!

[Saint]

I was at a local gun shop a few months ago and found some adhesive target cubes that were about 2x2x1 and they explode when hit by anything .22 or larger. Anybody tried these?

[cohutt]

home depot and lowes carry heavy duty brown or reddish rolls of paper that's stout, a lot like butcher paper. The rolls are 36", may 42" wide and are what is used to put down on finished floors to protect from foot traffic of boots coming and going.
I have a roll hanging in my shop on a broomstick under a shelf, like a paper towel dispenser. before i go to the range a cut a piece off and either put target dots on it or tape 8x11 printed target pages to it. I go ahead and and number the targets if i am testing loads with the corresponding number from my data book.

This way when i get to the range I can stick up 9 or 12 targets with 4 staples and can bring the whole thing home for review in one piece.

I also have a homemade target stand that can hold 1-3 idpa type cardboard targets. I use these spent targets as backing and tape the contractor paper rig up on them if i'm not using a range provided target board.

If you want to make your own shoot n'see type targets, go to an arts and crafts store and get the kid's finger paints. it is thick and brittle when it dries, use it as the top layer over brighter marking spraypaint and the bright paint will show through around the holes. you have to be careful carrying it around as it doesn't bend well without cracking though.
:mrgreen:

[Saint]

Well I got bored and decided to take a shot at some high-visibility-impact targets or HSI targets as I think I will call them. I took a piece of florescent yellow paper and covered it with adhesive. I then unrolled a piece of plastic wrap across the paper and got as many air bubbles out as possible. I then placed a round template the size of a cd on top and spray painted the plastic wrapped side with some black paint. Here is my prototype. This was the impact of a .177 pellet.
http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/868/0128080039tz1.jpg

[whisler]

Looks pretty good! Did you use flat black spray paint. If not give it a try. It should be a little more brittle and break away better. Let us know the results.

[cohutt]

I promise

the kid's finger paint makes a better top layer- save the spray paint for the under rlayer. The finger paint shatters around the bullet hole, exposes the paint under it nicely

[Saint]

It was flat black spray paint. I just got bored and used what I had lying around the house. I only have my motorcycle so when the weather is this bad I don't go anywhere except work. I am thinking of getting the finger paints and maybe trying it on some really cheap photo paper. What I really need at the moment is a good short fiber paper. The short fiber papers usually tend to leave a clean hole when they are hit and all I really need is something foor indoors at the moment.

[cohutt]

It was flat black spray paint. I just got bored and used what I had lying around the house. I only have my motorcycle so when the weather is this bad I don't go anywhere except work. I am thinking of getting the finger paints and maybe trying it on some really cheap photo paper. What I really need at the moment is a good short fiber paper. The short fiber papers usually tend to leave a clean hole when they are hit and all I really need is something foor indoors at the moment.

thanks, keep us posted on this experiment's progress.

[Saint]

So for some reason I did not know this but my mother works for one of the worlds largest paper distributors. She just brought be about 10 different paper samples with more on the way. I hate being a perfectionist.

[gl1800]

Paper picnic plates at Wally world. Under $3 for 150 plates.

[Russel Nash]

Pardon the necro-post, but I use card stock.

A'yup, you can still feed it through your printer, if you want some type of target design (grid, prairie dog, turkey, whatever?). I guess some people use it to print up their own birthday/greeting cards and/or business cards. I mainly use white, but I also picked up a packet that wasy day glow yellow, green, and orange.

I usually put one of those Birchwood Casey blaze orange sticker dots on the center of the card stock and call it good.

Like another poster here has mentioned, I also have the big roll of brown craft paper from Home Depot.

Another thing that I have heard that works well is desk calendars. Once the month is over, you tear that off and normally throw that in the trash. Instead flip it over and you have a blank bigger white sheet to shoot at.

The card stock does punch nice holes though, especially with SWC's.

[dwtim]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to just buy them (http://pistoleer.com/targets/airgun/) for as little as $2.60/100, on real target paper?

[Maximilian225]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to just buy them (http://pistoleer.com/targets/airgun/) for as little as $2.60/100, on real target paper?

C'mon, Where's your sense of adventure?
:mrgreen:

I mostly use printer paper on cardboard, but sometimes use manila folders cut to fit the printer.

[monadnock#5]

Necro-posting sounds so dirty. How about Cold Case Files?

Back when I worked at the electric motor repair shop, we got a close coupled pump and motor on a base one day, that came to us in a cardboard box. When I opened it, along with the unit was ~150 yards of sticky backed hunter orange paper 12" wide. It looked as though an employee on the shipping end was looking to set himself up with a score that he wasn't able to collect on. His loss, my gain.

Once a load has been selected, and the sight adjustments have been made using high quality (expensive) targets, nothing beats orange stickers on a paper plate for practise for hunting applications.

I'd sure like to know where you buy that orange paper by the roll.

[HeavyMetal]

I've found 81/2 by 11 card stock at both Wal mart and Big lots. Big Lots was the better price.

Run it through my printer one at a time using my click and shoot program. No tearing!

[Russel Nash]

dwtim wrote:


Wouldn't it be cheaper to just buy them for as little as $2.60/100, on real target paper?

I forgot how much I paid for the white plain card stock.... let me look at Office Depot's website... hold on...

Okay... it's 13 bucks and some change for 250 sheets of 110 pound card stock paper: Office Depot Xerox Card Stock (http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/462362/Xerox-110-Lb-Recycled-Index-Card/)

Those Birchwood Casey Orange stickers are about the brightest I have ever seen.

Plus, I have a form I already cobbled together in word for an avery label. It has blanks to fill in for firearm type, caliber, weight of the bullet, weather conditions, average veloicty, standard deviation, extreme spread, etc... etc.

And since that "form" is a sticker too, I can place it anywhere on that target once I have shot my group on it.

Since they are already an 8.5" X 11" size and the card stock is more robust I can 3 hole punch them and stick them in a 3 ring binder that is gradually turning into my reloading/handloading recipe cookbook.

[docone31]

I staple paper plates to the backboard. I can see the hits, they punch clean, and I do not have to worry about hitting the X ring.
As my group gets more consistant, it is easier to see.

[Russel Nash]

Yeah, I used to use paper plates, just by themselves with no orange stickers.

Problem was storing them later and having a place to write on them neatly what the gun was, caliber, bullet weight... yada yada.

They don't 3 hole punch real well to fit in a 3 ring binder.

As a matter of convenience, I think they are about the same diamter as the down zero zone on an IDPA target. Which coincidentally is the I.N.D. (inter nippular distance of most human males).... shoot a bad guy there, which is what IDPA is supposed to simulate, and he's going to the morgue.

Sorry... not to hijack this thread, get gruesome or get all tactical, mall ninja-ish with you guys...

[OeldeWolf]

I posted about some homebrewed hi vis targets a month or so ago. One of the keys is that you do not need to glue the plastic wrap to the backing. Just tape it as well as you can to the back of the tsarget.

I use round discs of cardboard as backers, inserts of white paper, then cover and spray with flat black paint. I can change the paper out easily, I use discs cut from an old desk calendar. You can use plastic wrap, plastic from grocery bags, or a plastic garbage bag in a clear or a light color.

[Blammer]

reactive targets!

Knock 'em over, set 'em up, repeat. :)

[Russel Nash]

Then there's my buddy's self resetting rifle popper here (http://www.gunsteel.com/riflepop.html). I have used these in 3 gun competitions for shots with the AR-15, they work really well.

They are set up so that the popper pivots at the middle.

There is a counterweight at the bottom. When it's hit, it kinda teeter totters back and forth.

I asked him one time about it at a match. IIRC, he sad that each one was $250.

But then again he uses the good steel in them too, that AR500 stuff which can withstand hundreds if not thousands of rifle hits.

I'm thinking that if you guys are just using cast lead bullets (at sometimes much slower velocities than those Jword bullets) then just the mild A36 steel would or could work if you wanted to cobble one up for yourself.