Rifle Scopes Reticle/target profile matching

[YukonRob]

I'm curious what type of targets others have found to work best with tactical type FFP reticles, specifically I have a Leupold Mark 4 ER/T 8.5x25 with their TMR reticle on a 338LM, and a Razor HD 5x20 with EBR-2B reticle on a heavier 308 bolt gun.

I'm asking this because I realized today at the range that I was straining to index my reticle on the target I was using... there wasn't enough contrast for sharp delineation and worse no marks/lines/edges on the target corresponded with my reticle to line up/center up with. This is a situation that seems to have rather snuck up on me. To explain a little... been shooting since I could hold a rifle, hunting since 14, handloading since high school (I'm 32 currently) and only in the last couple years has my equipment and/or inclination/ability to go beyond what always used to work in that regard seem to have cropped up.
For load development I've always used a grid type target, like this downloadable one from Larue


This has worked great for load development from 100-200 yards, and when I got to the point of shooting a worked up load at distance I'd use regular NRA type round black circle targets or big squares, like these from JP


Now that my precision rifle hobby has evolved to the point where I'm basically shooting to justify my precision reloading hobby, its getting harder to find those little increases in performance/accuracy at the reloading bench. This makes the gains observed on target smaller and smaller, which is forcing me to work farther and farther out to be able to more clearly perceive improvement. Basically diminishing returns has forced me to find a better system of optical alignment for my POA. I find myself wanting to do load development work at 300-600 yards, and none of these targets I've traditionally used seem to be very ideal for that task.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Edit: Hope this isn't the wrong thread for this type of question... it seemed most related to optics...

 

[JByrd]

http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/procovert45/media/IMAG0901.jpg.html

its not super technical but it works quite well. I use white box tape and and a black sharpie. I can make the aimpoint as small as I want "aim small, miss small". if you wanna see EXACTLY what your doing use duct tape no tear fudgeing like paper.i never run out of targets and if you have a box you have a target that sits anywhere and you can fold it down keep it behind your seat.

I use the small dot to get the gun tight short.Then go to the longest target you have available to see how flat shes shooting.of course you need excellent conditions to test the gun otherwise your just testing your wind/terrain reading abilities.I always use the level on the gun for level, don't worry too much about if my target is dead level. 99.9% "that's an exact scientific backed number " are not level,nor does it matter.

I didn't really read your whole post to start....im lazy, but I see what yer getting at now. don't sweat the target.
gun level
aimpoint small as possible
conditions good for testing

those are .264 holes on the tape for dot reference
and I use a 3" stencil cut out of a radiator fluid 1 gal jug for the long target to keep overspray off me mittens.on my 966 yd target I actually have to move off for just a second to make sure im dead center that keeps my aimpoint tight as possible
http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/procovert45/media/346935510_photobucket_1038_.jpg.html

 

[YukonRob]

Awesome, thanks for the tips!
So basically it sounds like the answer is "find the right size circle that works for me"?