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Type of Paper Used for Air Pistol Targets

Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2019 5:07 pm
by B Lafferty
For printing one's own air pistol targets, can anyone advise what paper stock is used in making official B-40 targets--weigh and type of paper? Thanks in advance.

With this be 30 or 40 weight Kraft paper?
https://www.uline.com/BL_1952/Kraft-Paper-Sheets

Re: Type of Paper Used for Air Pistol Targets

Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2019 6:45 pm
by atomicgale
NO! Not homemade targets. DON'T DO IT!!!

Try this instead:

https://www.kruger-us-targets.com/

Re: Type of Paper Used for Air Pistol Targets

Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2019 7:21 pm
by m1963
atomicgale wrote: Tue Jun 11, 2019 6:45 pm NO! Not homemade targets. DON'T DO IT!!!

Try this instead:

https://www.kruger-us-targets.com/
Exactly, right!

The best way to use the search function on this forum is to conduct an initial search (in this case search the Olympic Pistol forum, only, for the word, “paper”). Once those results are back search within them for a subset (in this case the word “target”). It should yield 27 pages with recommendations going back to 2000.

The consensus of all those posts, and our recommendation based on experience is, it is cheaper to purchase purpose made targets. Kruger are great targets.

Best regards,
m1963

Re: Type of Paper Used for Air Pistol Targets

Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2019 7:56 pm
by spektr
One should also remember that at roughly 6 cents a piece, a Kruger B40 should be the last place you should be a tightwad........

Re: Type of Paper Used for Air Pistol Targets

Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2019 8:02 pm
by Gwhite
B Lafferty wrote: Tue Jun 11, 2019 5:07 pm For printing one's own air pistol targets, can anyone advise what paper stock is used in making official B-40 targets--weigh and type of paper? Thanks in advance.

With this be 30 or 40 weight Kraft paper?
https://www.uline.com/BL_1952/Kraft-Paper-Sheets
If you are just trying to save money, do the following:

1) Buy ONE pack of good targets
2) Learn to keep all your shots in the black
3) Read this post: http://www.targettalk.org/viewtopic.php ... 48#p222248

Re: Type of Paper Used for Air Pistol Targets

Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2019 6:17 am
by B Lafferty
The cost of the paper I linked to is 1.5 cents per sheet. The cost of ink is negligible. I can put two bulls on each sheet and fire five or more shots per bull for practice. The Kruger single bull target is 6 cents ea. plus shipping. I may not live to use all 4,600 sheets of paper, but I can leave the remainder as a bequest to anyone interested. ;-)

So again, my question is what kind of paper is Kruger using? It appears they're using a 50lb to 55lb Kraft board/paper.

Re: Type of Paper Used for Air Pistol Targets

Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2019 7:41 am
by Rover
I go with the other guys; screw homemade.
Keep in mind homemade will NOT be legal for competition.

Here is cheaper for International AP (4.9 cents):
https://www.kruger-us-targets.com/index ... -usas.html

I don't know what kind of paper Kruger uses except that it is short fiber. In my own attempts, I have been unsuccessful in finding good paper.

Re: Type of Paper Used for Air Pistol Targets

Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2019 8:42 am
by jckstrthmghty
A trade secret. Probable agreement/contract from the supplier not to release details or produce for other markets. They are most certainly aware that if the community had access to a similar paper we would print out our own and only buy certified retail products for competition.

With all sincerity good luck on your search.

Re: Type of Paper Used for Air Pistol Targets

Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2019 9:28 am
by thirdwheel
Target paper (card) has very short fibres so tears very easily, normal stuff has long fibres so interlinks and gives it strength. It is specialist stuff and not available on the open market, Buy the real thing and enjoy scoring rather than guessing.

Re: Type of Paper Used for Air Pistol Targets

Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2019 9:58 am
by dulcmr-man
I shoot a monthly postal league with a few friends. When we started doing so, we were using the American made targets and had one heck of a time scoring because every shot tore the target instead of making a clean hole. It's really frustrating. Virtually ALL of the reading I've done here indicates that none of the work arounds work as well as the Kruger or Edelman targets. I doubt you will find commercially available paper that will give you satisfactory results, but go ahead and give it a try if you wish.

When comparing cost per target don't forget to factor in the time and frustration you will experience when you kludge together a home made substitute. IMHO you will be much more satisfied using the best available targets in the long run.

Good luck in your quest.

Dennis

Re: Type of Paper Used for Air Pistol Targets

Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2019 10:40 am
by Gwhite
jckstrthmghty wrote: Wed Jun 12, 2019 8:42 am A trade secret. Probable agreement/contract from the supplier not to release details or produce for other markets. They are most certainly aware that if the community had access to a similar paper we would print out our own and only buy certified retail products for competition.

With all sincerity good luck on your search.
Even if you could get the paper, printing targets may not be that simple. For the same reason it makes clean holes, running it through a laser/ink-jet printer that doesn't have a very straight paper path could break the paper. Kruger targets won't bend very far before they snap in two.

If you have a printer with a straight paper path, you should be OK. If not, the cost of such a printer would pay for a LOT of targets.

Re: Type of Paper Used for Air Pistol Targets

Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2019 11:41 am
by tkinva
I'm using 32Lb laser paper for my targets.

Hammermill Paper, Premium Laser Print Paper, 8.5 x 11 Paper, Letter Size, 32lb Paper, 98 Bright, 1 Ream / 500 Sheets (104646R) Acid Free Paper

It costs about $16 a ream on Amazon Prime.

I use a regular laser printer to print the targets.

I tune my pistols to about 600 fps. At this speed, they leave nice clean holes.

Re: Type of Paper Used for Air Pistol Targets

Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2019 12:11 pm
by SteveT
I have successfully run thin targets through a laser printer to print custom target images on the back (no scoring rings, horiz or vert bars etc.). I don't think it would work with the thick target paper, but never tried.

and +1 to all the advice. Any normal paper will tear and rip with each shot. I recall years ago someone suggested baking paper in the oven to make it more brittle, so it punches cleaner holes. Seem like more trouble than it's worth.

Re: Type of Paper Used for Air Pistol Targets

Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2019 7:58 am
by Kallysan
I've tried 20 different papers, and none of them gave good results. Just buy Kruger, you will never have anything to complain about afterwords.

Re: Type of Paper Used for Air Pistol Targets

Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2019 9:07 am
by spektr
tkinva wrote: Wed Jun 12, 2019 11:41 am I'm using 32Lb laser paper for my targets.

Hammermill Paper, Premium Laser Print Paper, 8.5 x 11 Paper, Letter Size, 32lb Paper, 98 Bright, 1 Ream / 500 Sheets (104646R) Acid Free Paper

It costs about $16 a ream on Amazon Prime.

I use a regular laser printer to print the targets.

I tune my pistols to about 600 fps. At this speed, they leave nice clean holes.
Dont go to Canada. My understanding is that any air pistol over 500 FPS is classed as a firearm......

Re: Type of Paper Used for Air Pistol Targets

Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2019 11:03 am
by william
spektr wrote: Thu Jun 13, 2019 9:07 am
tkinva wrote: Wed Jun 12, 2019 11:41 am I'm using 32Lb laser paper for my targets.

Hammermill Paper, Premium Laser Print Paper, 8.5 x 11 Paper, Letter Size, 32lb Paper, 98 Bright, 1 Ream / 500 Sheets (104646R) Acid Free Paper

It costs about $16 a ream on Amazon Prime.

I use a regular laser printer to print the targets.

I tune my pistols to about 600 fps. At this speed, they leave nice clean holes.
Dont go to Canada. My understanding is that any air pistol over 500 FPS is classed as a firearm......
Don't go to Canada? What? Do 10 minutes' worth of paperwork; pay $25CDN at the border, all of which has been discussed here many times over. Then go have a good time in Canada.

As for the original topic, yet one more completely superfluous thread - Steve Swartz wrote everything that needed to be written about target paper (as well as electric triggers) years ago.

Re: Type of Paper Used for Air Pistol Targets

Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 10:15 am
by B Lafferty
Thank you to everyone who replied with suggestions. I've found a workable solution for practice targets and will reserve use of the Kruger targets for competition. I printed a target on 20 lb buff paper and then put a blank piece of paper behind it and stapled them together in all four corners. The result is acceptable for practice and is cost effective.
Image

Re: Type of Paper Used for Air Pistol Targets

Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 10:30 am
by T191032
Quote :

"or printing one's own air pistol targets, can anyone advise what paper stock is used in making official B-40 targets--weigh and type of paper? Thanks in advance."

"The result is acceptable for practice and is cost effective."


Been there, done that, tried it. Results :

24-lb, 28-lb, 32 lb, even 64-lb card stock. For the informal online competitions, I've found they work ok, with a piece of cardboard behind them. Do not really recommend the 20-lb. Got cleaner holes with heavier paper.

And for *serious shooting* BUY your targets, like these more knowledgeable fellows are saying.

Re: Type of Paper Used for Air Pistol Targets

Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 12:09 pm
by B Lafferty
T191032 wrote: Fri Jun 14, 2019 10:30 am Quote :

"or printing one's own air pistol targets, can anyone advise what paper stock is used in making official B-40 targets--weigh and type of paper? Thanks in advance."

"The result is acceptable for practice and is cost effective."


Been there, done that, tried it. Results :

24-lb, 28-lb, 32 lb, even 64-lb card stock. For the informal online competitions, I've found they work ok, with a piece of cardboard behind them. Do not really recommend the 20-lb. Got cleaner holes with heavier paper.

And for *serious shooting* BUY your targets, like these more knowledgeable fellows are saying.
As I wrote, for practice they're cost effective. For competition, such as on netcompetitor, it will be Kruger.

Re: Type of Paper Used for Air Pistol Targets

Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 5:12 pm
by gimgim
B Lafferty wrote: Fri Jun 14, 2019 12:09 pm As I wrote, for practice they're cost effective.
Not really. There is no way you can score with those holes once you start getting better groups.
(I use Kruger, 10 holes per target, and patch each targets once)