Shooting target

A "splatter"-type paper target shot with 69-grain Sierra MatchKing .223 Remington bullets fired from a Savage 10FP rifle — 25 shots at a distance of 91 metres (100 yd), all hitting inside the bullseye within a 25 millimetres (1 in) grouping
An electronic scoring board used for stangskyting in Norway in 2007 showing the number of hits for each shooter after the first half.

Shooting targets are objects in various forms and shapes that are used for pistol, rifle, shotgun and other shooting sports, as well as in darts, target archery, crossbow shooting and other non-firearm related sports. The center is often called the bullseye. Targets can for instance be made of paper, "self healing" rubber or steel. There are also electronic targets that electronically can provide the shooter with precise feedback of the shot placement.

History

Most targets used in shooting sports today are abstract figures of which origins often are not given much thought, but given the military and hunting origins that started most shooting disciplines it is not hard to understand that many of the targets at some point originally resembled either human opponents in a battle or animals in a hunting situation. For instance, the well known circular bullseye target might originally have resembled a human torso or an animal being hunted. Notable instances of shooting targets with martial origins which are considered abstract today, are the field targets used in Det frivillige Skyttervesen where the original intent was to resemble amongst other wheels of vehicles (S25 target), barrels (tønne), bunker openings (stripe 30/10 and 13/40) or enemy personnel (1/3, 1/4, 1/6 and 1/10 figure, minismåen, etc.). The origin of these targets are not usually given much attention (or is even known by most shooters), and have been kept around for variation and tradition.

Types of targets

Some types of targets are:

  • Steel targets
  • Paper or cardboard
  • Frangible (such as clay or tiles)
  • Self healing rubber target

Paper or electronic

Paper targets like these are useful for sighting in firearms. They are also used when practicing to maintain shooting skills and competing in a range of shooting competitions.

Steel and other reactive

Reactive targets are designed to move and/or bounce along the ground when hit. Reactive targets are often used for plinking, which refers to casual shooting practices aiming at informal target objects such as tin cans, glass bottles, steel barrels/plates, or anything else that draws the shooter's attention.

Explosive

Targets are designed to explode when stuck with a bullet traveling at a suitable velocity to induce detonation.

Archery sports

World Archery Federation

FITA targets are used in archery shooting competitions within the World Archery Federation. The targets have 10 evenly spaced concentric rings, generally with score values from 1 through 10. In addition there is an inner 10 ring, sometimes called the X ring. This becomes the 10 ring at indoor compound competitions, while outdoors, it serves as a tiebreaker with the archer scoring the most X's winning. The number of hits may also be taken into account as another tiebreaker. In FITA archery, targets are coloured as follows:

  • 1 & 2 ring: White
  • 3 & 4 ring: Black
  • 5 & 6 ring: Blue
  • 7 & 8 ring: Red
  • 9, 10 & inner 10 (X) ring: Gold

3D archery targets

3D targets are life-size models of game used in field archery.

Dart

Dart targets are a special form of bullseye targets.

Firearm sports

Air rifle field targets

In the outdoor air gun discipline field target metal targets of various shape and forms are used. The metal plates are often shaped to resemble small game animals, although there is currently a move towards simple geometric shapes.

Clay pigeons

Clay pigeon targets are usually used as flying targets for clay pigeon shooting, formally known as Inanimate Bird Shooting.

International Confederation of Fullbore Rifle Associations

In fullbore target rifle within the International Confederation of Fullbore Rifle Associations (ICFRA), competitions can be held in either a short range or long range format, with distances either in yards or meters. F-Class shoots at the same targets as Palma, but during the scoring process an extra inner ring (which is half the diameter of the V-bull) counts only for F-Class. While short range is shot at a different target size for each of the six distances, long range is shot at the one and same type of target at different distances.[1] Below are the official target sizes, and approximate subtensions in milliradians and arcminutes depending on distance.

Metric ICFRA International Match Targets and F-Class Targets (Short Range)
at metric distances:
(image missing) (image missing) (image missing) (image missing)
300 m 400 m 500 m 600 m
Subtension Angular size Subtension Angular size Subtension Angular size Subtension Angular size
Aiming Mark 600 mm 2.0 mil 800 mm 2.0 mil 1000 mm 2.0 mil 1000 mm 1.7 mil
Extra inner ring
(F-Class only)
35 mm 0.1 mil 47.5 mm 0.1 mil 72.5 mm 0.1 mil 80 mm 0.1 mil
V-Bull 70 mm 0.2 mil 95 mm 0.2 mil 145 mm 0.3 mil 160 mm 0.3 mil
Bull 140 mm 0.5 mil 185 mm 0.5 mil 290 mm 0.6 mil 320 mm 0.5 mil
Inner 280 mm 0.9 mil 375 mm 0.9 mil 660 mm 1.3 mil 660 mm 1.1 mil
Magpie 420 mm 1.4 mil 560 mm 1.4 mil 1000 mm 2.0 mil 1000 mm 1.7 mil
Outer 600 mm 2.0 mil 800 mm 2.0 mil 1320 mm 2.6 mil 1320 mm 2.2 mil
Metric ICFRA International Match Targets and F-Class Targets (Short Range)
at imperial distances:
(image missing) (image missing) (image missing) (image missing)
300 yds 400 yds 500 yds 600 yds
Subtension Angular size Subtension Angular size Subtension Angular size Subtension Angular size
Aiming Mark 560 mm 7.02 moa 745 mm 7.00 moa 915 mm 6.88 moa 915 mm 5.73 moa
Extra inner ring
(F-Class only)
32.5 mm 0.41 moa 42.5 mm 0.40 moa 65 mm 0.49 moa 72.5 mm 0.45 moa
V-Bull 65 mm 0.81 moa 85 mm 0.80 moa 130 mm 0.98 moa 145 mm 0.91 moa
Bull 130 mm 1.63 moa 175 mm 1.64 moa 260 mm 1.95 moa 290 mm 1.82 moa
Inner 260 mm 3.26 moa 350 mm 3.29 moa 600 mm 4.51 moa 600 mm 3.76 moa
Magpie 390 mm 4.89 moa 520 mm 4.89 moa 915 mm 6.88 moa 915 mm 5.73 moa
Outer 560 mm 7.02 moa 745 mm 7.00 moa 1320 mm 9.93 moa 1320 mm 8.27 moa
The Metric ICFRA International Match Target and F-Class Target (Long Range)
at metric and imperial distances:
(image missing)
Subtension Angular sizes
700 m 800 yds
731.52 m
800 m 900 yds
822.96 m
900 m 1000 yds
914.4 m
Aiming Mark 600 mm
23.6 in
0.86 mil
2.95 moa
0.82 mil
2.82 moa
0.75 mil
2.58 moa
0.73 mil
2.51 moa
0.67 mil
2.29 moa
0.66 mil
2.26 moa
Extra inner ring
(F-Class only)
35 mm
1.4 in
0.05 mil
0.17 moa
0.05 mil
0.16 moa
0.04 mil
0.15 moa
0.04 mil
0.15 moa
0.04 mil
0.13 moa
0.04 mil
0.13 moa
V-Bull 70 mm
2.8 in
0.10 mil
0.34 moa
0.10 mil
0.33 moa
0.09 mil
0.30 moa
0.09 mil
0.29 moa
0.08 mil
0.27 moa
0.08 mil
0.26 moa
Bull 140 mm
5.5 in
0.20 mil
0.69 moa
0.19 mil
0.66 moa
0.18 mil
0.60 moa
0.17 mil
0.58 moa
0.16 mil
0.53 moa
0.15 mil
0.53 moa
Inner 280 mm
11 in
0.40 mil
1.38 moa
0.38 mil
1.32 moa
0.35 mil
1.20 moa
0.34 mil
1.17 moa
0.31 mil
1.07 moa
0.31 mil
1.05 moa
Magpie 420 mm
16.5 in
0.60 mil
2.06 moa
0.57 mil
1.97 moa
0.53 mil
1.80 moa
0.51 mil
1.75 moa
0.47 mil
1.60 moa
0.46 mil
1.58 moa
Outer 600 mm
23.6 in
0.86 mil
2.95 moa
0.82 mil
2.82 moa
0.75 mil
2.58 moa
0.73 mil
2.51 moa
0.67 mil
2.29 moa
0.66 mil
2.26 moa

International Practical Shooting Confederation

In matches organized by the International Practical Shooting Confederation, both steel and paper targets are used. Currently the only paper targets used for handgun is the IPSC Target (formerly Classic Target) and the 2/3 scaled down IPSC Mini Target (formerly IPSC Mini Classic Target). Additionally, for rifle and shotgun "A3" and "A4" paper targets and the "Universal Target" is used. For steel targets, standardized knock down targets called "poppers" are used. The two approved designs are the full size "IPSC Popper" (formerly IPSC Classic Popper) and the 2/3 scaled down version "IPSC Mini Popper" (formerly "IPSC Classic Mini Popper"), while the Pepper Popper and Mini Pepper Popper is now obsolete.

International Shooting Sport Federation

Within the International Shooting Sport Federation mostly various bullseye targets are used, with variances depending on disciplines. For shotgun clay targets are used.

25 m Rapid Fire Pistol 25 m Precision Pistol 50 Meter Pistol 10 Meter Air Pistol
Subtension Angular size Subtension Angular size Subtension Angular size Subtension Angular size
Inner Ten 50 mm 2 mil 25 mm 1 mil 25 mm 0.5 mil 5 mm 0.5 mil
10 Ring 100 mm 4 mil 50 mm 2 mil 50 mm 1 mil 11.5 mm 1.15 mil
Subsequent
Ring Increase
80 mm 3.2 mil 50 mm 2 mil 50 mm 1 mil 16 mm 1.6 mil
(image missing)
50 m Running Target (Rifle) 10 m Running Target (Rifle)
Subtension Angular size Subtension Angular size
Inner Ten 30 mm 0.6 mil 0.5 mm 0.05 mil
10 Ring 60 mm 1.2 mil 5.5 mm 0.55 mil
Subsequent
Ring Increase
34 mm 0.68 mil 5 mm 0.5 mil
300 m Rifle 50 m Rifle 10 m Air Rifle
Subtension Angular size Subtension Angular size Subtension Angular size
Inner Ten 50 mm 1/6 mil ≈ 0.167 mil 5 mm 0.1 mil (Determined by scoring gauge) -
10 Ring 100 mm 1/3 mil ≈ 0.33 mil 10.4 mm 0.208 mil 0.5 mm 0.05 mil
Subsequent
Ring Increase
100 mm 1/3 mil ≈ 0.33 mil 16 mm 0.32 mil 5 mm 0.5 mil

Metallic silhouette

In metallic silhouette shooting only knock down steel targets featuring animals are used.

Popinjays

The Popinjay (from the French papegai, or "parrot") is an ancient form of target for crossbow shooting. Originally a bird tethered in a tree, it developed into a complex painted wood target atop a tall wooden pole. The popinjay would form the centrepiece of a major shooting contest and many shooters would try their skill repeatedly against the same target. Scoring was awarded for shooting off various parts of the target.

Human silhouette

Human silhouette targets are use for military, police and civilian firearms training.

Mannequins

Mannequins are sold for use as practice targets. Examples include The Ex, which resembles a woman, and another resembling former United States President Barack Obama.

See also

References

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