Shot Marker (Review)

[avidflyer]

Lets start this by saying this isnt a discussion about electronic targets, for or against. It's not a SMT vs Adam or shot marker. It's a review about a new system that I bought and thought it would be useful to post about. I don't do reviews and normally wouldn't post about a product, but this has been something Ive been shopping for over the last year and a half, two years.

I signed up for the pre order and was number five in line. Got my target system 3-4 weeks ago just needed time to build a frame and go to the range.

FRAME...

The target frames at my range measure 72x65. I wanted something I could fold and was easily portable to get into a suv. I built a frame out of 1x4's. Original plan was a simple lap jointed frame. My buddy makes furniture and didn't like the lap joint idea said to biscuit it and pocket screw it. We put a small 3 inch hinge in the middle of both horizontal boards. Worked great just what I wanted. For the backer most ranges use some sort of foam board. Lowes had the pink stuff, Home Depot had silver, neither was what I wanted. RP Lumber had 1/2 R board (foam) 4x8 sheets $17 each, needed 2 but it was off white in color exactly what I wanted. Added a piece of small steel up top with 2 carriage bolts and wing nuts to ensure the frame would stay rigid. Measured everything out and glued a F class target to my backer. Cut a slit down the target so it would fold. First target is there as a template to glue the others to. Instructions tell you where and how to install the mic mounts. Installed the mounts and the brain box with velcro. Have about $60 in the target which I thought was cheap.

Off to the range, we really didn't know what to expect. Some of the people I've talked to said the target worked excellent no issues couldn't be happier just plug and play. We showed up to the range this morning about 8 AM. I had the target in the carrier and plugged in by 8:12. The target needed to be calibrated so we used the enclosed calibration target. I went back to the firing line and just fired three shots really didn't worry about wind. Drove back to the pits pulled up the calibration page and made a extremely minor adjustment. Went back to the firing line and shot a 20 round string. Next, shooter shot his string then another. Perect no issues, then went through the rotation one more time. No issues nothing.... just worked. Went back down range checked the target Vs tablet and it was perfect....can't say enough about buying a product and it just working no issues whatsoever. that is so uncommon now be it electronics or firearms.

My opinion worth every penny couldn't be more happy

 

[avidflyer]

 

[1shot]

Great review, at what distance were you shooting?

Lloyd

 

[avidflyer]

Great review, at what distance were you shooting?

Lloyd

So far have just used it at 600

 

[Alexander-M]

Well done, Scott!

I was looking forward to this, and I am glad you did it - Thank You!

Could you post some of the targets as displayed on the tablet (screen shots)?

Thx!
Alex

 

[avidflyer]

Well done, Scott!

I was looking forward to this, and I am glad you did it - Thank You!

Could you post some of the targets as displayed on the tablet (screen shots)?

Thx!
Alex

Will do, I need to get back home and turn the access point on. I believe they’re stored internally on that but it did give me an option to save which we did.

 

[adamjmac]

Excellent thanks for the review. I'm happy it worked well for you.

A couple things to watch out for. I notice you put the sensors far inset of the corners of the target. I'd recommend you move them out to the corners unless you are OK with the smaller active sensing area.

I'm not sure what material your backer is but it's very important that it not be too rigid or stiff. I've seen pink foam at Home Depot and it's light, but it's also very stiff. If you can tap or scratch one end of the sheet and hear it clearly at the other end, then it can carry the vibration from the bullet impact to the frame and might cause problems.

Fire a few shots 12 inches from a sensor and if the shot monitor reports a problem with that sensor, then I'd recommend you cut out the center and use coroplast where the bullets go.

Again, thanks for posting.

 

[PatMiles]

The more I see reviews such as this the more I am looking hard at having one!

 

[Aero]

I sure am looking forward to getting mine!

 

[powderbrake]

I also have a ShotMarker. I built my frame using 3/4 Baltic birch plywood. It is 36" wide X 40" tall. I will only be shooting with telescopic sights, so I did not need a larger target frame.

I routed a ledge around the center opening, and screwed in a 29"square sheet of coroplast (a 4mm thick plastic corrugated sheet, $20 for a 4 X 8 sheet at Home Depot). The sensor wires are held in place by low voltage wire clamps. Since the whole unit fits in the back of my Tahoe, all the wires and microphone bases are permanently attached.

I carefully measured the base locations, and added horizontal and vertical lines, so I can easily center any target that I tape to the coroplast. I have 1/4 thick steel hooks that are set into routed groves on the rear of the frame. This allows me to hang the assembly on the 2x4's that make up our range's 100, 200 and 300 yard permanent target frames. For the 600 yard range, my range's target frames are thinner, only 1" thick, so I added a pair of spacers which are retained by 1/4 -20 threaded knobs.

On my first trip to the range, I placed the assembly at the 100 yard line, and added the calibration target which is supplied by ShotMarker. Took a shot at it, then slid the bullet hole on my tablet to the actual hit location, and the unit was calibrated.

I then ran a series of test rounds for a 105 gr 6BR load that I was developing, using the load development target face. It all worked exactly as expected.

I took the assembly to the 300 yard range and hung it on the existing target frame. I taped a target which I had printed up (which was 1/2 size of the 600 yard IBS benchrest target) right on the cross hairs which I had placed on the ShotMarker frame. I called up the 600 yard IBS target on the tablet, and set it to 300 yards, and proceeded to shoot the target. It all worked perfectly, and I was able to view the shots, and save the data.

Target frame with calibration target



Hooks on the rear


Spacer for 600 yard line



The ShotMarker is a great product, is simple to operate, easy to calibrate, has many, many target faces to use, and will save me lots of time in my shooting at 300 and 600 yards. It comes in a small cloth case (9 X 7 X 7 )which holds all the components, including the tablet. This makes it easy to transport to the range, and you don't forget or lose pieces.

In addition, Adam is a great guy, very responsive to questions, quickly answers emails, and is honest in his dealings. I am also a user of his AutoThrower and AutoTrickler products, and they are also top notch, easy to use and very accurate. I highly recommend his products.

 

[powderbrake]

For those who want to see what the screen looks like, here are the load development screen and the 300 yard IBS screen.

 

[KenOath]

Excellent thanks for the review. I'm happy it worked well for you.

A couple things to watch out for. I notice you put the sensors far inset of the corners of the target. I'd recommend you move them out to the corners unless you are OK with the smaller active sensing area.

I'm not sure what material your backer is but it's very important that it not be too rigid or stiff. I've seen pink foam at Home Depot and it's light, but it's also very stiff. If you can tap or scratch one end of the sheet and hear it clearly at the other end, then it can carry the vibration from the bullet impact to the frame and might cause problems.

Fire a few shots 12 inches from a sensor and if the shot monitor reports a problem with that sensor, then I'd recommend you cut out the center and use coroplast where the bullets go.

Again, thanks for posting.

Can core flute be used as a backer??

 

[Mudeat]

Some great ideas here for etarget frame construction. However, if you have to share the range with manually pulled targets then there will be pullers in the pit along with your etarget set-up. So, for the safety of those pullers you should not have any steel fasteners, screws, hinges, or clamps on your etarget that would cause a bullet to splatter shrapenal or ricochet.

 

[avidflyer]

Some great ideas here for etarget frame construction. However, if you have to share the range with manually pulled targets then there will be pullers in the pit along with your etarget set-up. So, for the safety of those pullers you should not have any steel fasteners, screws, hinges, or clamps on your etarget that would cause a bullet to splatter shrapenal or ricochet.

agree and 99 percent know that. at least hope so....

 

[savageshooter86]

How does the load development target work? Do you aim center and then click next series or something to go to next target on the screen?

 

[adamjmac]

How does the load development target work? Do you aim center and then click next series or something to go to next target on the screen?

It's just a piece of paper and a target to match.

The purpose is to provide 8 aiming marks. Recommended is to aim at the circle and add 1 moa elevation so the shots center on the cross.

 

[Alexander-M]

Is calibration required each time ShotMarker is setup, even if at the same distance as the last time it was calibrated?

What if it is setup at the same distance, but on a different target frame, which may have a slight (to be defined) variation in the perpendicularity of the target frames to the shooting positions?

Thx!

Alex

 

[CADDIE5]

Adam ,
Our F class league uses 3 different targets-MR63C,MR63FC, & a Bakers Target with 6 simulated man silhouettes. How would you add the Bakers target for the e target to score. We're trying to lure some 3 gun guys over to try f class.
Thanks. Steve Zagrodnik

 

[adamjmac]

Is calibration required each time ShotMarker is setup, even if at the same distance as the last time it was calibrated?

What if it is setup at the same distance, but on a different target frame, which may have a slight (to be defined) variation in the perpendicularity of the target frames to the shooting positions?

Thx!

Alex

Calibrate the frame once, it's gtg at any distance and location.

 

[adamjmac]

Adam ,
Our F class league uses 3 different targets-MR63C,MR63FC, & a Bakers Target with 6 simulated man silhouettes. How would you add the Bakers target for the e target to score. We're trying to lure some 3 gun guys over to try f class.
Thanks. Steve Zagrodnik

I am adding target faces that customers request as long as they are standard targets with documented dimensions that are not one-offs. They have to be generally applicable. Like NRA, DCRA, ICFRA, IBS, as well as general load development, generic rings, dots, and some retail targets like Champion, etc. A lot of countries use different standard targets and my priority is getting them all in - Norway, Swiss, UK, NZ, Australia... all have their own systems.