subsonic
09-06-2011, 05:30 PM
In my attempts to test iron sighted handguns from the bench for accuracy, I have found that using the correct shape, size, and color of target can make a big difference, especially as range increases.
At whatever range you are trying to test, it's much easier to see the orientation of the front and rears sights, or more specifically the amount of space between the front sight post and rear sight notch, if you have a large light colored background that contrasts with the *ususually* black sights. Of course most ranges I have shot at have dark colored target backers. The range I have a membership at uses BLACK backers! For 25yds, a piece of white 8.5x11" printer paper is enough when turned sideways. At 50yds, I just about need double that, and at 100yds, double it again. So yes, a roughly 4ft wide, light colored target works great at 100yds for me. I like 4ft square cardboard pieces leftover from incoming pallets at my work.
Now on to the actual aiming point, or "target" itself. I like the target to be black. Orange or red works OK, but black is better for me. Dark blue is not bad either. Ideally, I want the target width to be similar to the area the front sight covers at the range I am testing. At 25yds, a rectangle or square about 5" wide is good for the guns I've been testing - most with barrels near 5" and factory front sights. I will double the aiming point size as range doubles. Stapling a solid colored playing card face down to a piece of printer paper works pretty good at 25yds. Making a target in microsoft word using the drawing menu is best so far. It's easy to make a box, size it, fill it in black, locate it on the page using gridlines, and then save and print it. I can't say that it's easy on printer cartridges though!
I also prefer to shoot using a 6 o'clock hold where the target floats on the front sight. I have been finding it difficult to find the exact same amount of light between the front sight and aiming point, so I'm open to suggestions for a way to perfect that.
I have seen some targets that look like an inverted "T". I'm not sure what the vertical leg helps with vs the square I like, unless it allows for the same size target at any range by centering on the vertical leg. I doubt that.
I have used a target in the past that was a pair of solid black triangles next to each other sort of like this:
/\/\
You float that on top of the front sight and try to center the front sight where the triangles meet at the center. It works better with scopes I think, but still works well with iron sights.
I haven't played much with red-dot sights, but it seems like a circle that you can fit the dot in tightly would be ideal. I have used a paper plate with a 3" shoot-n-see in the middle at 100yds.... problem was that the 4moa dot covered the shoot-n-see completely! I have since tried just the plate and had results that were better or as good as having the shoot-n-see in the middle.
If you open microsoft word and get into the drawing menu, then use auto-shapes, there are lots of targets you can make very quickly and easily.
At whatever range you are trying to test, it's much easier to see the orientation of the front and rears sights, or more specifically the amount of space between the front sight post and rear sight notch, if you have a large light colored background that contrasts with the *ususually* black sights. Of course most ranges I have shot at have dark colored target backers. The range I have a membership at uses BLACK backers! For 25yds, a piece of white 8.5x11" printer paper is enough when turned sideways. At 50yds, I just about need double that, and at 100yds, double it again. So yes, a roughly 4ft wide, light colored target works great at 100yds for me. I like 4ft square cardboard pieces leftover from incoming pallets at my work.
Now on to the actual aiming point, or "target" itself. I like the target to be black. Orange or red works OK, but black is better for me. Dark blue is not bad either. Ideally, I want the target width to be similar to the area the front sight covers at the range I am testing. At 25yds, a rectangle or square about 5" wide is good for the guns I've been testing - most with barrels near 5" and factory front sights. I will double the aiming point size as range doubles. Stapling a solid colored playing card face down to a piece of printer paper works pretty good at 25yds. Making a target in microsoft word using the drawing menu is best so far. It's easy to make a box, size it, fill it in black, locate it on the page using gridlines, and then save and print it. I can't say that it's easy on printer cartridges though!
I also prefer to shoot using a 6 o'clock hold where the target floats on the front sight. I have been finding it difficult to find the exact same amount of light between the front sight and aiming point, so I'm open to suggestions for a way to perfect that.
I have seen some targets that look like an inverted "T". I'm not sure what the vertical leg helps with vs the square I like, unless it allows for the same size target at any range by centering on the vertical leg. I doubt that.
I have used a target in the past that was a pair of solid black triangles next to each other sort of like this:
/\/\
You float that on top of the front sight and try to center the front sight where the triangles meet at the center. It works better with scopes I think, but still works well with iron sights.
I haven't played much with red-dot sights, but it seems like a circle that you can fit the dot in tightly would be ideal. I have used a paper plate with a 3" shoot-n-see in the middle at 100yds.... problem was that the 4moa dot covered the shoot-n-see completely! I have since tried just the plate and had results that were better or as good as having the shoot-n-see in the middle.
If you open microsoft word and get into the drawing menu, then use auto-shapes, there are lots of targets you can make very quickly and easily.