Does it help to shoot at irregular shapes?

I

Independent George

New member
On my last range trip, I decided that instead of aiming at the center of the bullseye, I put red stickers up at different spots on the square target. It wound up being a lot harder to hit than when I was aiming at the center - and I notice I was paying a lot more attention to the fundamentals of sight alignment and trigger control than when aiming at the center.

I don't have any hard data, but my general sense was that I was actually improving a lot more as a result. Is there any science supporting this? I have to admit - I only started doing this to save money on paper targets, but I feel like I got more out of the range session. It's like when I practice DA shooting - it's difficult enough that I feel like the only way to hit my target is by forcing myself to use the proper mechanics.

What else can I do? Draw different shapes on the paper? Aim for the corners of an irregular shape instead of the center? Different colors?

Where can I get some blank target papers that I can draw shapes on? (I suppose I could just use the back, but that seems like a waste of a perfectly good bullseye or silhouette).
 
REMEMBER: the sport of shooting is 90% mental and the CENTER of anything of any shape is always the CENTER.
Sight alignment...
Trigger press...
That is ALL there is to it...
And so it goes...
 
Where can I get some blank target papers that I can draw shapes on? (I suppose I could just use the back, but that seems like a waste of a perfectly good bullseye or silhouette).
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[/QUOTE

Most paper tears too easily to make good target backing. Target paper will hold the bullet hole to a round hole much better than most other papers, which often tear eight to twelve inches from the bullet hole.

Bob Wright
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REMEMBER: the sport of shooting is 90% mental and the CENTER of anything of any shape is always the CENTER.
Sight alignment...
Trigger press...
Click to expand...

Ha! How many times have I said that! Though I said 99% mental.

Bob Wright
 
Where can I get some blank target papers that I can draw shapes on? (I suppose I could just use the back, but that seems like a waste of a perfectly good bullseye or silhouette).
Click to expand...

You can get plain brown wrapping paper in 30" wide rolls

Put some cardboard behind it and the holes will be well defined

I also like to use stick on orange target dots for visibility
They can turn anything into an easy to see target
 
We rarely use "targets"....we put the small round stickers found in stationary depts...tear them in half on cardboard or paper over cardboard. Aim small miss small. I
 
Does it help to shoot at irregular shapes?
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I never shoot at shapes. I look exactly where I want the bullet to go.

If you want to try for max precision, get a blank piece of cardboard, then with a magic marker put a small dot on it. Then set it out at a distance and try to hit that dot each time.

Memorize where, when the sights are aligned, that the dot has to be to get a bullseye.

Deaf
 
I don't know whether irregular shapes helps. That said, the last time I went to the range, I got to do an interesting exercise. The RSO wrote some numbers (1-8, I think) on different spots around the target and circled them. He would then call a number and I had to shoot the number called. Did it help? I'm not sure. It did force me to start shooting other areas on the target, though.
 
Instead of different shapes, maybe change up what you are doing when on the range a bit. (That being said, depending on if you are working on competition or self defense shooting drills).

If working on self defense, (Im about to get long-winded and if you are shooting for sport or competition, please excuse my book here) get rid of the bulls eye altogether. We use CSAT and VTAC paper targets and cardboard backers. With the paper targets, we just tape our targets between drills and continue to use them until we can't tape anymore. You can buy them in a box of 100 for fairly cheap.

Then (once again, if practicing for self defense), start working on some drills. Start getting off the "X" and moving. Practice from 7 yards and 3 yards, your range for most worst case scenario engagements.

Focus on getting your hits inside the center box and to the head. You will be able (especially on the VTAC targets) to see when you are making hits that "count". That way, without having a bullseye target, you aren't getting too deep in the weeds trying to hit a little dot on a circle.

We also use CSAT hostage targets which puts faces on the targets in six different blocks with six different hostage scenarios and you have to take a shot at the BG without hitting the hostage. Those make things a bit more real because you actually have faces to look at while taking your shot.

Most importantly, work on your pistol standards drills. (For these you need a good shot timer)
Here's some that we run through at every range session.
(Ready = From Ready position & Holster = Draw from OWB holster, standing relaxed, then drawing after timer goes off)

1) Ready - 1 shot to center - On 1 target - From 7 yards - In 1 SEC
2) Holster - 1 shot to center - 1 target - 7 yds - 1.7 SEC
3) Ready - 2 shots (center) - 1 target - 7 yds - 1.5 SEC
4) Ready - 5 shots (center) then 1 shot (head) - 1 target - 7 yds - 3 SEC
5) Ready - 4 shots (2 on 1 target, 2 on next target beside) - 7 yds - 3 SEC
6) Ready - 4 shots (2x weak hand) / (2x strong hand) - 1 target - 7 yds - 5 SEC
For the next drill, unload your firearm, insert loaded mag, do not chamber
7) Ready - 1 shot -Malfunction drill (Tap, Rack, Bang) - 1 target - 7 yds - 3 SEC
For the next drill, load firearm with ONLY 2 rounds (1 in chamber). Have spare mag loaded and in holder, this is a reload drill.
8) Ready - 2 shots, Reload, 2 shots - 1 target - 7 yds - 5 SEC
*The last 2 drills either require a rifle to pistol transition or either out to 25 yds kneeling so I didn't include them.

Those are actually very pertinent skills to have and to always practice.
 
Yes, ^^^^
Using targets with no easily defined places to shoot for can be a good way to practice.
No dots, no circles, no squares, just the unadorned target face, itself.
Like IDPA and USPSA targets or animal outlines for hunting practice.
Just the overall featureless shape, requiring aiming at what is in the minds eye.
 
If you are shooting at a paster or spot, I don't see what the shape of the backer matters, you are putting the sights on a well defined aiming point.

If you are a hunter, lawman, or self defensive shooter, then animal or humanoid shapes are valuable. The irregularity is organic and you have to learn to shoot for the vitals. You can cover part of a humanoid target to represent hard cover or nonthreat/noshoot, as is common in USPSA and IDPA. Then you have to shoot at the right zone of what is exposed.

Something seldom done is to print a target which represents game or enemy at an angle.
 
An IDPA target, cardboard, slice it diagonally, then staple it to give you a peeping Tom, leaning target, causes confusion, people are only used to upright targets.

Same IDPA target, 2" circles, odd places on target, vary ranges, for the tactical shooter, that is about the size of an eye socket.

Fun exercise, imagine a BG hiding, pinning you down, then he shows you his sneaker at 20 yards!

Being aware of ricochet dangers, set an old sneaker out to 20 yards. A buddy to call hits helps.

Just imagine, a 147g Ranger T 9mm, hitting some part of your foot at around 1000 FPS!! Ouch. Person looses interest in you.
 
Originally posted by Jim Watson:

If you are shooting at a paster or spot, I don't see what the shape of the backer matters, you are putting the sights on a well defined aiming point.

If you are a hunter, lawman, or self defensive shooter, then animal or humanoid shapes are valuable. The irregularity is organic and you have to learn to shoot for the vitals. You can cover part of a humanoid target to represent hard cover or nonthreat/noshoot, as is common in USPSA and IDPA. Then you have to shoot at the right zone of what is exposed.

Something seldom done is to print a target which represents game or enemy at an angle.
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I agree. If you're shooting at a bulls eye, shape of the target has no bearing whatsoever. But too many times I've seen hunters that practice extensively on bullseye targets, both gun and bow, that make bad shots on animals because they do not know where to aim instinctively. Without a bullseye, they shoot at the animal instead of a "spot". Shooting at a shaped target without markings makes one create their own "spot".
 
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For a long time the British Army trained rifle shooters on irregular shaped targets. It worked.

There were "blobs" (featureless silhouette of a rifle shooter from the waist up).

Tin Hats, (1/2 a bullseye simulating an enemy steel helmet).

"Charging Germans" (life sized detailed charging soldier with a rifle)

& several more.
 
Pin point targets, little bullseyes are great for checking you sights, and seeing what your gun can do, but Irregular shaped targets without aiming points tells you what you can do. I always practice on irregular shapes and choose a spot, not always the middle by a far cry. Things that live and breath usually don't have bulls eyes on them, and the middle is not always the best place to aim on them.
 
Funny story, each Christmas we had a shoot, for turkeys, one of the club execs was never happy, when I always won a turkey!

Toronto Canada. So this particular year, we were told to put the targets up backwards!

Said targets were a sheet of paper, with 5 black stamped shapes, of a turkey, a black stamp.

I put mine up, name on the paper, 5 shots, target pistol, .22 LR.

I put 4 out of 5 in the lower right target! Could not see the targets!

This guy was mad! "How could you hit 4 out of 5, and you could not see the Turkey shapes!"

I said you let us put our own targets up, I aimed 2" up from the bottom right, and 2" in!!"

Good Turkey, a Butterball!
 
FWIW, if you are going to buy targets, such as the Dirty Bird ones, compare prices on Amazon to that of LGS. I just bought a whole mess for about half what I would have paid at BP or Cabelas or Sportsmans Warehouse.
And since my order was close to the holidays, even choosing the 'free shipping' option, Amazon sent it Fedex at no extra charge.
 
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