Interesting target

[Wolfdog91]

Found these free targets on guns University after hearing about them from one of the guys in Eric Cortina's podcasts. Basically their made so they trick the eye and camouflage you bullet holes. As also if y'all know from previous posts I've been struggling with target anxiety so figured why not. Downloaded them and added a little dot in the middle for a aiming point. And man I'll tell you I was so much calmer shooting these . And I seriously couldn't see my group from 27 yd with a 10x scope. Actually would have worked better if I dialed so mu groups wasn't hitting inside the white but still. And check it out !

I mean still not one hole but compared to alot of the really good guys but it's been an improvement.

 

[Sandstorm]

You may be on to something..and if it works use it for practice by all means.

 

[tmwinds]

Target anxiety??

 

[ArtinNC]

That would drive me NUTS .

 

[Wolfdog91]

Target anxiety??

That's what everyone has been saying it it. Basically it's like this. Give me a target like say a shot gun shell, a steel gong, a rock , even animals when I'm hunting , I'm extremely clam. Shooting soothing like that doesn't really phase me.
However you give me a paper target and tell me to shoot groups it's like I have buck fever . I'm nervous as hell, can't seem to relax and just " not worry about it" . Most peoel it's the opposite, they can shoot paper all day no problem but you put them in ana anime or other targets they freak out. I'm the opposite for some reason.
I can zero a gun just fine which is weird but when it comes to trying to shoot the smallest group I can...o boy
Will say though as frustrating as it is it's extremely fun for me
Had a post about it earlier last week

 

[Wolfdog91]

That would drive me NUTS .

Well I'm already kinda nuts so guess it cancels it out for me

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

But those won't "calm you mind when you shoot a scoring target". In other words, aim at the targets that are a problem, but dry fire only. So no bullet holes to "worry about". When you are bored with dry fire, you are "cured".

 

[dellet]

Lots of ways to beat what that target is designed to help with. Basically if you can’t see your hits, they can’t make you anxious. You can accomplish the same thing by moving the point of impact outside the field of view with scope adjustment or distance. A 22 caliber hole is pretty tough to see at 300 yards.

You say you can hit anything but paper because it’s fun. Use that to your advantage. How many shots can you slide through the center of a washer with a 1.5 caliber hole?

If the anxiety is building with each shot, shoot one till it’s boring. Then move to two shot groups, then three. Keep it fun.

It’s really hard to break the habit of screwing up a good 5 shot group by reaching around to pat yourself on the back when the first 3 touch, but I hear it’s possible. Still trying to prove it.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

That could possibly be the dumbest target ive ever seen. You need to be able to watch your group form in real time to know any adjustments you need to make

 

[Gargoyle]

I can see the value in using this target for your purposes and for load development on the fundamental level. I have shot some of the best groups of my life when I couldn't see the impacts.

 

[Wolfdog91]

That could possibly be the dumbest target ive ever seen. You need to be able to watch your group form in real time to know any adjustments you need to make

Ah yes , if that's what you where doing it's would be a horrible thing to use but , that's actually not what I'm doing with them at all. I'm not adjusting with these or zeroing ect. Really they would be better IMO if they where completely blotchy with just a biggish red dot in the middle.

With these since I can't see my impacts all I can really do is just keep focused on trying to make each shot as well as possible. Like load development,I don't care where by group is on paper really I just want to see you hat that load will do. If I adjusted for evey shot in a 5rd load test well.....

Honestly when I'm shooting a regular paper target where I can see my impacts I'll be 100% honest and tell you I catch myself going " ok that one hit to the left .....mabye just hold right a little and you can make this look nice" like it's basically subconscious. With these it's Basically......ok I have no clue where that went whatever don't care same as the last.

I mean besides me I've noticed when I'm helping people sight in alot of folks get terrible groups of I tell them where each shot hit. If I don't tell them I've noticed the groups are much smaller.

It's all a mental reconditioning thing more then anything I suppose

 

[Wolfdog91]

I can see the value in using this target for your purposes and for load development on the fundamental level. I have shot some of the best groups of my life when I couldn't see the impacts.

Same ! And I'll tell you something else that kinda crazy I've shot some absolutely AMAZING groups with lower power setting on my optics. Got a Nikon buckmaster 3-9 with a very fine cross hair on 8x I can't explain it but it's such a joy to shoot groups with that at 100yd. It's like it amplifies that little black diamond in that 1" sticky . Like a zen moment or something. Slapped a 8-32 on the same rige and crank it to 30 and geeeeezzz !!!
And when I hear these short range bench rest guys talking about using 40-60x scopes @100yd and their as stable as they are absolutely blows my mind !
Then again alot of these guys have been pulling triggers since I was in diapers so

 

[Wolfdog91]

But those won't "calm you mind when you shoot a scoring target". In other words, aim at the targets that are a problem, but dry fire only. So no bullet holes to "worry about". When you are bored with dry fire, you are "cured".

The thing is I do that a good bit actually heck I'll go as far as dry firing on the actual target I shoot. I mean most of my practice is in my front yard ( speaking of my .22lr) so I can just open my door and be completely set up , rest ,mat, bipod every the exact same as when I'm shooting , but just dry fire . But man when I put a live round in and I know it's "time " o boy.
It's kinda like when you where a kid and you studied your as soff for a test felt like you knew everything left right and side ways but when the day comes and you look at the first answer you just go blank and brain dump everything.....yeahhh it's kinda like that. If that makes sense .

 

[Dgd6mm]

I test differently depending on what I want to learn. This target would not bother me in the least if it met my needs.

 

[K22]

If you are unable to call your shots in practice, then you're missing out on one of the most effective ways to correct errors in fundamentals.

I would work on curing "target anxiety" rather than pushing it into the background. I'd be willing to waging that once you become familiar with this target, the "anxiety" will return because you have not addressed the root cause of the problem.

"Target anxiety" might just be another way to described poor trigger control, poor follow though, failure to focus on the reticle, inconsistent hold of the rifle, anticipating the recoil and riding it, etc. Work on these fundamentals, do not try to run away from them - address them if they are a problem.

As I mentioned in a previous post, shoot at a blank target with no discernable bull, just scoring rings can be an effective tool to diagnose problems in fundamentals. But once you identified the problem, you should work on correcting it with a target you intend to use long term with a defined aiming point.

 

[Gargoyle]

Same ! And I'll tell you something else that kinda crazy I've shot some absolutely AMAZING groups with lower power setting on my optics. Got a Nikon buckmaster 3-9 with a very fine cross hair on 8x I can't explain it but it's such a joy to shoot groups with that at 100yd. It's like it amplifies that little black diamond in that 1" sticky . Like a zen moment or something. Slapped a 8-32 on the same rige and crank it to 30 and geeeeezzz !!!
And when I hear these short range bench rest guys talking about using 40-60x scopes @100yd and their as stable as they are absolutely blows my mind !
Then again alot of these guys have been pulling triggers since I was in diapers so

You are moving along just fine in your quest to shoot bugholes. Self reflection, debreifing, identifying problems and taking steps to correct & improve. target panic is a real condition. I went through the target panic phase and I had deja vu reading your comments on the matter! I had an aversion for bullseyes for many years. I shot steel plates, I shot a dot on a paper target. Put scoring numbers on something and it was over! LOL

The high magnification at close range is still under the "target panic" syndrome. You can see all the little micro bobbles of the crosshair and that gets you riled up! No way can my No.4MK2 enfield shoot better than some of my precision rigs. Hook them to a machine to support and pull the trigger and I'll guarantee that the enfield will come in last. So, when I shot better groups with my enfield than some scoped precision rifles...that validated my mind is the only thing throwing a wrench into my precision/accuracy endeavors!

I saw target panic effects on a macro scale once. In the mid 90s I was a marksmanship instructor in the Marines. The qualification course changed from "bullseye score" to "hit or miss". I had less Marines come for remedial instruction after the change and many more Marines got their expert badges. I fully believe the course switch didn't get easier by default. The Corps doesn't seek to make a Marine's life easier I think target panic was lessoned across the minds.

"Too many mind" was a line in the movie "The Last Samurai" and I do my best to remember that line when I find myself slipped out of subconscious mastery into conscience sabotage!

 

[Uthink Uknow]

Is it really April 1 already?

 

[Wolfdog91]

If you are unable to call your shots in practice, then you're missing out on one of the most effective ways to correct errors in fundamentals.

I would work on curing "target anxiety" rather than pushing it into the background. I'd be willing to waging that once you become familiar with this target, the "anxiety" will return because you have not addressed the root cause of the problem.

"Target anxiety" might just be another way to described poor trigger control, poor follow though, failure to focus on the reticle, inconsistent hold of the rifle, anticipating the recoil and riding it, etc. Work on these fundamentals, do not try to run away from them - address them if they are a problem.

As I mentioned in a previous post, shoot at a blank target with no discernable bull, just scoring rings can be an effective tool to diagnose problems in fundamentals. But once you identified the problem, you should work on correcting it with a target you intend to use long term with a defined aiming point.

Yes ! I actually meant to respond to that , sorry I didn't. Now I must say, I don't really understand what your saying about shooting a blank target I guess, I'm probably just over thinking it but can't really wrap my head around shooting something without a aiming point of some kind. Seem to me I'd just be having my sight dancing around in the center ring I guess . I've never shot f class or similar though so maybe that's what your supposed to do ? Idk it just doesn't makes sense to me. Not saying it's stupid or anything, not saying that at all just saying I don't quite understand.

 

[Wolfdog91]

Is it really April 1 already?

Nope just another day in my ADHD fueled fever dream of a life

 

[Wolfdog91]

You are moving along just fine in your quest to shoot bugholes. Self reflection, debreifing, identifying problems and taking steps to correct & improve. target panic is a real condition. I went through the target panic phase and I had deja vu reading your comments on the matter! I had an aversion for bullseyes for many years. I shot steel plates, I shot a dot on a paper target. Put scoring numbers on something and it was over! LOL

The high magnification at close range is still under the "target panic" syndrome. You can see all the little micro bobbles of the crosshair and that gets you riled up! No way can my No.4MK2 enfield shoot better than some of my precision rigs. Hook them to a machine to support and pull the trigger and I'll guarantee that the enfield will come in last. So, when I shot better groups with my enfield than some scoped precision rifles...that validated my mind is the only thing throwing a wrench into my precision/accuracy endeavors!

I saw target panic effects on a macro scale once. In the mid 90s I was a marksmanship instructor in the Marines. The qualification course changed from "bullseye score" to "hit or miss". I had less Marines come for remedial instruction after the change and many more Marines got their expert badges. I fully believe the course switch didn't get easier by default. The Corps doesn't seek to make a Marine's life easier I think target panic was lessoned across the minds.

"Too many mind" was a line in the movie "The Last Samurai" and I do my best to remember that line when I find myself slipped out of subconscious mastery into conscience sabotage!

Can't tell you how happy I am to hear someone else delt with the same stuff ! Grew up shooting crappy hand me downs that didnt fit me ,no ear pro, constantly being told not to Waste ammo while shooting off a fence post so yeah I've developed some....quirks I guess you can say that I reckon many didn't
The human mind is a weird thing