Solution For Tearing Target Holes / Tear Drops?

[Timberwerks]

Lately I've been having a bit of a problem with not getting clean holes, especially if the pellets hit close to one another. I'm using a good quality target the B-40 made by The National Target Company. All my guns are in the 500 -525 fps range. Could it be that we are having a run of damp weather and it's affecting the paper? Or should I try Kruger targets? For now I'll try storing targets in an air tight container and see if that helps.

Any other suggestions?

[marky-d]

Are you using a backer of some sort? I find even putting an old target or two behind your main one can often provide enough support to reduce tearing.

marky-d

[Timberwerks]

I do use a cardboard backer however I should replace it more often. Perhaps applying masking tape to the back of targets will help?

[bking]

At my club we solved that problem by ditching the American targets & buying Kruger. Backers didn't help much and the Krugers are excellent quality & weren't more expensive.

[Timberwerks]

I just ordered a pack of 250 B-40 Kruger's. The tearing wouldn't be that much of an issue for manual scoring but I started using the Target Scan app and I need to clean up the targets before scanning.

[Rover]

You may find this funny:

We have a bunch of old U.S. made targets at our range, but only use them for practice. There are usually a bunch of used Kruger targets around, too, since we use them for matches.

If we put a used Kruger target behind the crap targets, we can get ten shots with no tearing and reasonably clean holes.

Further, because of the different dimensions of the paper, we can rotate the Kruger target 90 degrees after each firing...getting forty shots before trashing them.

I've heard that holding your mouth right works, too.

[Star7]

I am not trying to be snide but I consider the "good quality" and "National target" to be mutually exclusive.
It does help a bit to dry the targets out. A warm oven and storage in a plastic bag might help you out.

[spektr]

Well thank God nobody has mentioned spraying them with cheap aqua net hair spray. Yes it works long enough for Kruger's to arrive.....

[deadeyedick]

During winter we used to microwave targets before a competition which improved hole cutting for the competitors and made it much much easier for the scorers.

Apart from that nothing beats quality targets...or quality anything for that matter.

[fc60]

Greetings,

This post has been most informative.

I like the bit about using discarded Kruger targets for backers. Never thought of that!

On a side note, I have been collecting all the Kruger targets from the Junior shooters. I turn them around and use them for testing ammo as the Kruger target cut such nice clean holes.

Cheers,

Dave

[Gwhite]

I am not trying to be snide but I consider the "good quality" and "National target" to be mutually exclusive.
It does help a bit to dry the targets out. A warm oven and storage in a plastic bag might help you out.

Anyone who has shot on either "American" or "National" brand targets and then tried Kruger, Cibles or Edelman targets would ever use the phrase "good quality" to describe the former.

[Timberwerks]

Good to know now about National. I assumed that they were good quality because of being sold via Champions Choice. Oh well, Krugers will be here soon.

[Gwhite]

Their .22 targets are OK, but they use the same paper for their air gun targets. The slower pellets just make a mess when they hit that sort of paper.
Champion's Choice probably sells a lot of the regular targets, and just carry the full line of National stuff.

I believe the difference is both the heavier weight of the good paper, but also the better targets use shorter fibers.

[Timberwerks]

The Kruger's arrived today. A stack of 250 sit about an 1" taller than a stack of 300 National's!

[Kallysan]

Once you use a Kruger you will never settle for less.

[Walnut92]

FWIW putting masking tape on the back has proved a bad idea for me - the next pellets cause large pieces to rip out. I think the comment made elsewhere about target papers with short fibres makes sense - and masking tape gives you the longest fibres you could ask for!

[Timberwerks]

I just had a 30 shot session with the Kruger targets. I can't believe the difference, there is no going back to lower quality targets!