TargetTalk

I am wondering, what do good AP shooters do with targets at home ranges (those who do not want to spend a fortune on electronic ones). Go and change target every shot? Never shoot for results? Have multiple targets set up at the same time (though this would require changing positions between shots)?
I did not mind changing targets every 10 shots while I could find all holes there. Now occasionally I have problem finding fifth hole in a 5 shot one (though still occasionally shoot 7s). What's next? Start saving money for electronic target (I'd rather spend on better gun)?

option 1) shoot 10 per target, change it manually and use targetScan app
option 2) https://free-e-target.com/

Shooting on Kruger targets should work for 10 shots. They punch such a clean hole you would have to be consistently shooting above 550 before it became a problem finding your 10 hits. Targetscan can usually figure it out. If you start shooting cloverleaf groups through the X, then shoot 5 shots. If your 5 shots become one hole, its time to try out for the US team.

If you are practicing, don't worry about an exact score. Work on shooting tight groups and eliminating fliers. Whether or not a shot was a 9 or a 10 is pretty meaningless if you've also got a 7 on the paper...

If you can keep all your shots inside the 9 ring, you will have a pretty competitive score. The exact value will wander about a bit, but that's noise, and not terribly important.

brent375hh wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 7:01 am Shooting on Kruger targets should work for 10 shots. They punch such a clean hole you would have to be consistently shooting above 550 before it became a problem finding your 10 hits. Targetscan can usually figure it out. If you start shooting cloverleaf groups through the X, then shoot 5 shots. If your 5 shots become one hole, its time to try out for the US team.

I was talking about Krugers, and Targetscan is actually worse than me :)
I am _very_ far from US team level, but still yesterday had 2 cases of 5 shot targets where I could not identify where one of them went. Still trying to nail down the "feeling". I already know my worst problem to work on - inability to stop a shot that is going to be bad.

Gwhite wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 7:53 am If you are practicing, don't worry about an exact score. Work on shooting tight groups and eliminating fliers. Whether or not a shot was a 9 or a 10 is pretty meaningless if you've also got a 7 on the paper...

Keeping regular exact scores is what keeps me motivated. I am in a contest with aging body and eyes, and for now I am winning (pretty easy for a beginner / somebody who last shot competitively more that 30 years ago, wondering when it will stop).
Perhaps somebody knows an exercise that does not require exact scoring, but still is precise enough to give a point or two improvement week over week (roughly corresponding to a score improvement)? I've tried amount of <9(<8, <7), but they do not seem to capture improvement well/granular enough

Azmodan wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 12:04 am option 1) shoot 10 per target, change it manually and use targetScan app
option 2) https://free-e-target.com/

Yep, I am starting to think seriously about the latter. I am using TargetScan, and usually I have to correct it in unclear cases (or even in clear ones, too many false positives and negatives). I think it may work better on scanned targets than with integrated camera, will check next time.

I use a single bull B-40. Ten shots per target scored with Target Scan. Kruger targets may not be readily available now in the US. I have some that I'm saving for now. I've been using National Targets which punch holes almost as well as the Krugers. Interestingly, Target Scan seems to "prefer" reading the National targets. The coloration/contrast is much different with the Krugers. I prefer the Kruger contrast over the Nationals for my aging eyes, but the National targets are readily available whereas the Kruger targets are not at present.

The competitions I've done at at a range have all used four bull B-40 targets, ten shots per four bulls. I prefer the single bull by far.

UnGe wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 8:57 am

Gwhite wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 7:53 am If you are practicing, don't worry about an exact score. Work on shooting tight groups and eliminating fliers. Whether or not a shot was a 9 or a 10 is pretty meaningless if you've also got a 7 on the paper...

Keeping regular exact scores is what keeps me motivated. I am in a contest with aging body and eyes, and for now I am winning (pretty easy for a beginner / somebody who last shot competitively more that 30 years ago, wondering when it will stop).
Perhaps somebody knows an exercise that does not require exact scoring, but still is precise enough to give a point or two improvement week over week (roughly corresponding to a score improvement)? I've tried amount of <9(<8, <7), but they do not seem to capture improvement well/granular enough

Use group size then. If you can shrink that, you are making progress. The scores will be there when it matters.

I often shoot 20 shots on a target with the only goal of not shooting any 8s. I only manage to succeed about once a week.

Like others have said, spend more time on your form, and less about score. Your group size, and as important, group shape, will help you be on your way at this stage of the game.

Gwhite has it exactly right!

Two shots in one hole in the seven ring will be your REAL problem!

Gwhite wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 10:16 am

UnGe wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 8:57 am

Gwhite wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 7:53 am If you are practicing, don't worry about an exact score. Work on shooting tight groups and eliminating fliers. Whether or not a shot was a 9 or a 10 is pretty meaningless if you've also got a 7 on the paper...

Keeping regular exact scores is what keeps me motivated. I am in a contest with aging body and eyes, and for now I am winning (pretty easy for a beginner / somebody who last shot competitively more that 30 years ago, wondering when it will stop).
Perhaps somebody knows an exercise that does not require exact scoring, but still is precise enough to give a point or two improvement week over week (roughly corresponding to a score improvement)? I've tried amount of <9(<8, <7), but they do not seem to capture improvement well/granular enough

Use group size then. If you can shrink that, you are making progress. The scores will be there when it matters.

One of the nice features with TargetScan is that it gives you the mean group radius for any given series or targets.

I don't have any problems with shooting 10 shots on a target as they rarely go through the same hole!
I find I shoot a tighter group on a blank target. Really need to work on ignoring the black!

Hello-

Sign up for the CMP Ace’s Postal and they will send you targets to use, quarterly-

https://thecmp.org/youth/aces-postal/

You could try the Orion system. One could get started with it for $290. Plus, you can participate in virtual matches.

http://www.orionscoringsystem.com/orion ... oductID=27

Best regards,
m1963

m1963 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 4:36 pm Hello-

Sign up for the CMP Ace’s Postal and they will send you targets to use, quarterly-

https://thecmp.org/youth/aces-postal/

You could try the Orion system. One could get started with it for $290. Plus, you can participate in virtual matches.

http://www.orionscoringsystem.com/orion ... oductID=27

Best regards,
m1963

https://monthly.netcompetitor.com/2750/about.html

I've posted it on here before but I've had a lot of similar issues with being able to score targets once my groups started turning into a big hole that new shots could pass through.
I set up a target camera using an old smartphone running security camera software, with a monitor by my shooting stand showing the actual hits on a 2-3 second delay. Now I can shoot, watch the hit, and record each shot one at a time. I very rarely lose track of a shot now, and I get instant feedback every time.
I do plan on buying an electronic scoring target at some point in the future, but in the meantime, my current solution cost me nothing.

McMadCow wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 5:55 pm I set up a target camera using an old smartphone running security camera software, with a monitor by my shooting stand showing the actual hits on a 2-3 second delay. Now I can shoot, watch the hit, and record each shot one at a time. I very rarely lose track of a shot now, and I get instant feedback every time.

Nice idea. Would you mind sharing details of the set up?

UnGe wrote: ↑Tue Jun 08, 2021 7:55 pm Nice idea. Would you mind sharing details of the set up?

Sure, it's a pretty easy setup.
-Pellet Trap
-2 Lights
-Old Smart Phone
-Monitor

I have my smartphone in front of the pellet trap. I'm running a security camera app that uses the camera. I use CamOn, but any IP Camera or ONVIF app will work. Then to view it, you just need either a security camera viewer app (IP Cam or ONVIF) or you can just point your browser at the IP address and port number that the viewing cam is broadcasting on. For my setup in my place, I have an old monitor with a Roku attached to it. As luck would have it, there's an app on the Roku library that views IP cams, so that's super easy.
Because of the protocol, the feed is probably 2 frames a second, on a 2 or 3 second delay. So I can shoot, look over at the monitor, and see the impact. I basically never lose track of shots and because it's magnified I can be very specific. I'd have to go to 5 shots per target for scoring if I didn't have the target cam setup.
I do want to buy some proper electronic scoring target at some point, but I've been really happy with my current system. Being able to do accurate scoring is great, but the best part for me has been the instant feedback.

Very nice!

Let extend this thread to showcase not as nice as yours, but ugliest home set ups. I hope I'll win the contest!
(For my picture it is also a puzzle "find the target")

UnGe wrote: ↑Wed Jun 09, 2021 9:18 am Very nice!

Let extend this thread to showcase not as nice as yours, but ugliest home set ups. I hope I'll win the contest!

IMG_1011-2.jpg

(For my picture it is also a puzzle "find the target")

Points added if you shoot through the vehicle.......