Best target for iron sights?

[TedH]

What is the best type of target you use for shooting an iron sight rifle at 100 yards trying to find your most accurate load? Not a peep sight, just regular irons.

[Tycer]

the 100 yard black one http://postalcontest.com/index.php?c=targets

[AJMD429]

Whenever possible, if I'm testing a 'load' or 'gun', rather than setting up a proven load/gun to see what works best afield for me, I find a way to add my 36x BSA scope (cheap and adjustments don't work right, but high-magnification and lack of adjustments doesn't stop me from shooting a 'group'), even if it has to be a temporary mount like the B-Square one. That way I know for sure that the only reason for a miss is a bad load or inaccurate gun. No matter how accurate the gun and load, since my old eyes cannot see a baseball at 100 yards, or other 4" target, how can I expect to shoot groups under 4"...???)

However, once I get the 'load' issue settled, and am sure the gun is accurate, of course many times I go back to an iron or peep configuration if that's what I'll actually go afield with.

Anyway, as to your original question, if there is no option to temporarily affix a high-magnification scope, I find that the easiest target I actually CAN see will be something painted 'hazard orange' that is against a dark background. I'll just spray spots on old cardboard boxes, or sometimes re-fresh the paint on my 16" gong, and aim at the 'center'. The black spots where the paint chips off mark my hits well enough to see through a spotting scope (or another gun with a scope on it).

I have gongs at 100 yards that are 16", 12", 8", and 4", so once sighted in, I can aim at the fluorescent-orange gong appropriate for the gun/cartridge, and will quickly see/hear if I'm shooting at that level of accuracy. If I can hit the 4" gong most of the time and the 8" one nearly all the time, I know I've got a hunting setup that will be more than enough for my skill level.

[JReed]

the 100 yard black one http://postalcontest.com/index.php?c=targets

+1 that is the easiest one to see especialy when using buck horn or v notch sights.

[Griff]

15" steel gong... or the 3' steel buffalo freshly painted brown. Lead smears are easily seen thru the spotting scope. I generally only use the "running bear" or the two buffalo @ 200yards or more.

Doc... "brown" because I've never encountered any "flourescent orange" wildlife afield!

The ring of steel by lead is VERY satisfying!

[AJMD429]

Doc... "brown" because I've never encountered any "flourescent orange" wildlife afield!

Well, what if you live next door to a penitentary, and the inmates in their orange-jumpsuits escape...

[blackhawk44]

I've had good luck with a self-printed (or drawn with a wide marker and ruler) inverted " T ". I make the horizontal bar about 8" long by about 2" wide with the vertical bar at least 6" long, also 2" wide. This somewhat odd choice maintains positive definition of both elevation and windage. Also works well for low powered scopes and closer range open sighted handguns.

[Borregos]

I use a 12" gong at 100yards, works for me, best with a bead front sight though.

[Charles]

I fail to understand how anybody could sight in a rifle or fire a group shooting at a 12 inch gong, or a gong of any size. It you hit a 12" gong, you could still be 10 inches off point of aim, that is mega error in sight adjustment.

I have always used a regular round black bull paper target. The size depend on your eyes and needs. Use the smallest you can see will at the distance you choose.

I balance the bull on the top of the front sight, with the smallest possible sliver of white between the top of the front sight and the bottom of the bull. You can adjust the sights to hit anywhere on the bull you want. On a levergun with open sights, I like the group to be just over the top of the front sight.

[Pitchy]

I battle with this issue also, if i`m only looking for hunting accuracy a steel 8 in gong is good enough.
But if i want to try and make a decent group what i`m looking at seems to make a big difference. Also the light conditions effect things alot, bright sunlight from behind me makes me shoot all over the place with the 76 for some reason.
I generally draw a black circle with a marker, size depends on the distance.
I`ve also had good luch with a T design as blackhawk44 said.

[COSteve]

Deleted

[Don McDowell]

Standard NRA SR-1 is about as good as any.
Steelplates are good, a ton of fun, but don't really show you group size, and don't give you anything to keep for record later on.

[Borregos]

I fail to understand how anybody could sight in a rifle or fire a group shooting at a 12 inch gong, or a gong of any size. It you hit a 12" gong, you could still be 10 inches off point of aim, that is mega error in sight adjustment.

I have always used a regular round black bull paper target. The size depend on your eyes and needs. Use the smallest you can see will at the distance you choose.

I balance the bull on the top of the front sight, with the smallest possible sliver of white between the top of the front sight and the bottom of the bull. You can adjust the sights to hit anywhere on the bull you want. On a levergun with open sights, I like the group to be just over the top of the front sight.

Hold the bead right in the middle of the gong, and check for group size, group cannot be more than 6" from POA. If it groups well adjust sights so shots hit centre of gong
As I said, it works for me

[TedH]

I made up my own version of the inverted T target. Will try it out this weekend along with a black circle and see which works out better.

[Chuck 100 yd]

What Charles said +1.

[Ji in Hawaii]

Paper plates

[Hobie]

The inverted T is excellent. Easy to make your own on the computer, just print a "T" and invert... Works ok for scope as well. I don't really like it for peep and post, black round bull works better for me.

[Sixgun]

For testing accuracy at 100 yards--------------black 4" sq. on white paper with a flattop front sight........6 oclock hold

200 meters----same but 8" square-------------------6

[Griff]

I fail to understand how anybody could sight in a rifle or fire a group shooting at a 12 inch gong, or a gong of any size. It you hit a 12" gong, you could still be 10 inches off point of aim, that is mega error in sight adjustment.

I have always used a regular round black bull paper target. The size depend on your eyes and needs. Use the smallest you can see will at the distance you choose.

I balance the bull on the top of the front sight, with the smallest possible sliver of white between the top of the front sight and the bottom of the bull. You can adjust the sights to hit anywhere on the bull you want. On a levergun with open sights, I like the group to be just over the top of the front sight.

Hold the bead right in the middle of the gong, and check for group size, group cannot be more than 6" from POA. If it groups well adjust sights so shots hit centre of gong
As I said, it works for me

[Sixgun]

Griff,
On the gong shooting.........yea it works....if you don't mind running down and repainting it every five shots.------------------------6

[TedH]

For testing accuracy at 100 yards--------------black 4" sq. on white paper with a flattop front sight........6 oclock hold

200 meters----same but 8" square-------------------6

That's exactly what I started off with last weekend. Going to try the inverted T and 4" circle this weekend. Interested to see if there is a difference in group size with the same load on the different targets.

[Borregos]

Griff,
On the gong shooting.........yea it works....if you don't mind running down and repainting it every five shots.------------------------6

Sixgun, it is good exercise, unless I get the golf cart out

[M. M. Wright]

At one time I competed in a lot of "Hog Shoots" and "Turkey Shoots" with open sighted 22. I shot a couple of 74 Winchesters that I opened the rear sight to a U and a patridge front. You are allowed any type white cut-out marker on a black shingle. An X made with your pocket knife is the bullet target but you can make your own cut-out. I always used a square, sized to be the width of my front sight and pinned it to my shingle so the placement would let me at least try to cut the X.

The black shingle came from charring it in the fire back when. Range was 50 yards or so and almost everyone shot prone, rested on a log used to mark the firing line. The guy holding the shoot would bring a couple of hogs, kill, scald, scrape, gut and quarter them right there. Sometimes a goat and some turkeys or geese too. You paid your money and took your shot. Once I won 1 3/4 hogs. Had to make brine and soak my bacon and hams before smoking but I had my winters meat.

So I was actually aiming at a black square, sized (about 2 1/2 inches) to be the same width of my front sight at 50 yards. The flat topped front sight allows very accurate vertical alignment.