Target backing

[Tims229]

I'm planning to join in on the 10 meter pistol matches this season. What do you folks use behind your targets so the nice holes punch cleanly? I have a good pellet trap to catch the pellets, but the surface is uneven. Is there something that I can attach targets to that I place in front of my trap that will support the target well enough to allow those nicely punched hole?
Thanks for all replies

[ac12]

Tape the target to plain cardboard.
Recycled cardboard boxes, cereal boxes, etc.

With a pistol, unless the group is TIGHT, you should be fine for several targets before you have to replace the backer.

With a rifle, because you tend to group tighter than a pistol, you need to move the target around on the backer and/or replace the backer when you shoot a hole in the cardboard such that there is no cardboard behind the bull.  Because at that point, you have no backer behind your target paper, and the target will tear.

And shoot WADCUTTERS.

[Tims229]

Thanks, that's easy enough. Yes, I have some wad cutters that I've been shooting. They punch better holes, but knew there was a way to make them nice clean holes for easier scoring. My trap is a 5 gallon bucket filled with rubber mulch and gorilla tape over the top. Works very well at catching and stopping high energy pellets, but it's not flat enough to get nice cleanly punched holes. If I attach my target to cardboard and place that in front of my trap it should work well. Thinking I may get some heavier paper to print my targets from also.

[Taso1000]

AC12,

Would gluing the target paper to the cardboard with glue stick be beneficial?  I figure the cardboard is single use versus trying position bulls over an unshot area?

I am just thinking out loud   

I like using the dedicated target paper but I am seeing the benefit of cardboard backers now.

Thank you,

Taso

[blueflax]

"Thinking I may get some heavier paper to print my targets from also."

You really need target paper to get clean holes. The paper is especaly milled for that. The fibers in the paper are shorter and arranged in randum direction vis being long and parallel. There is over 100 years of technaloy in target paper. Targets in the store are often on thin paper and will tear. Get targets with an NRA lisence number printed on them. That means that the demintions are correct as well as being printed on target paper.

Ron

[Taso1000]

If you look here in post # 15, Hector Medina has recommended these papers:

http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=112003.0

I bought both weights and they cut nicely without tearing.  If I remember correctly it was also cheaper than the card stock I bought that still snagged and tore.

Thanks,

Taso

[Tims229]

Thanks guys

[TimmyMac1]

Corrugated Plastic target backers is what Open Grove Bench Rest Uses. The consistency to holes gives the scorer the best opportunity to get good results. Open Grove is old school plug and score Technology so round holes are important if the scores are going to be real. Wadcutters can usually be done with a cardboard backer as long as the target setter moves the grid so a fresh area that's unshot will be on offer each time a new card is put up. Heavy Card Stock is the best paper because it is high in fiber and strength. Best Value is printing multiple targets on Cover stock (17" X 11")which is also large enough to fit a WORLDS BR Target (full size). Heavy Cover or Card Stock is the Paper Nomenclature.
Cloroplast is what Joe F calls the yellow Plastic Corrugated material we use at OGBR. He knows where to get it. World Class is all Joe Knows.
TimmyMac1

[ac12]

Taso
A glue stick would be better than tape.
But to use the backer several times, by moving the target on the backer, the glue stick might not work if you cannot peel off the prior target.

Shooting AR, the holes tend to concentrate, so moving the target around the backer from target to target gets you more life out of the backer.  Just don't position the target too close to the edge of the trap.  I did that ONCE, never again.  At 5 meters, the pellet hit the side of the trap, and a fragment bounced back hitting me in the face, less than 2 inches from my eye.  Really made me glad that I use safety shooting glasses.

Shooting AP, the holes are generally less concentrated, unless you are GOOD, so you can get more than 1 target use out of a backer.

And now that the elections are over, you missed a great source of coroplast.

[Taso1000]

AC12,

Actually, after the elections I did look for signs to use but I only could get one.  I cut into 4 pieces and use them for my rubber mulch trap.

Taso

[TimmyMac1]

Any Municipal or National Election is a grand opportunity to go get a huge number of corrugated plastic Target Backers complete with stands. I always go the long way to the polls and collect all the Target/stands I can while it is still dark. You're providing a Public Service!
TimmyMac1

[patseale]

LOL...... that's for sure.

[wheelie]

I keep a lot of the white school glue here and glue all my sheets on cardboard. When the sheets are on my pellet trap at home I just put a fresh paper in the clamps in front of the one glued on. When I go out to club I always grab the ones mounted on cardboard. Gives me reason to recycle cardboard because I am never is short supply of it. For inhouse archery I cut out targets and glue them on my Reinhart 18 in 1 target. I also have score cards made for the targets also for friendly competitions with friends. Even shooting alone I keep my high scores.

[sixshootertexan]

I found a good source of free corrugated plastic at Lowe's. They have the stuff you put down in flower beds to keep the weeds from growing. The boxes are made from it and gets thrown out after the boxes are empty.