PRS Talk What’s ideal target size for barricade practice

[Dthomas3523]

This has probably been discussed, but oh well.

By barricade I mean pretty much anything you’re laying a single bag on and shooting. No other extra support.

I’m using my tripod with a table(gray ops amp) and a fortune cookie on the table. Will have a barricade shortly. I’m shooting paper so it will be as unforgiving as possible.

So, we know it needs to be smaller than 2moa we see at matches, but not small enough we are wasting time.

So, what’s the ideal size? .75moa, 1, 1.25, 1.5?

Obviously might have to work down as skill increases. So, what’s the end goal......when do you feel you’ve mastered your position/wobble as best as you can get and maintain the ~80% hit ratio needed to be competitive?

Ideally, asking those who have really worked on dialing in their positional shooting off a single bag. Not so much what someone thinks the ideal should be when they haven’t attempted it.

Thanks

 

[BLKWLFK9]

1-1.5 moa targets would be right about right. That's what I use.

 

[ballison]

If you can, try and get different sizes. I have a practice range at home that only goes to 150 yards, so I put up a 2", 3" and 4" target. It lets me vary the target size based on the stability of the prop.

 

[Hoyt7mm]

Unless I drive 2 hours, 100 yds is all I have to work with. I usually just put some 1" stickies on a blank sheet of paper. My goal is to have all rounds at least touch the dot. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't depending on the prop and how stable it is.

I also don't run a clock when practicing this way. I'm just trying to print the best group I can per position

 

[Dthomas3523]

Unless I drive 2 hours, 100 yds is all I have to work with. I usually just put some 1" stickies on a blank sheet of paper. My goal is to have all rounds at least touch the dot. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't depending on the prop and how stable it is.

I also don't run a clock when practicing this way. I'm just trying to print the best group I can per position

I’m sticking to 100yd paper for a while. I have up to 900+ available. But don’t see a practical reason to move further until I’m consistently inside of intended size. Trying to gauge what is reasonable.

 

[PAYDIRT]

If you can, try and get different sizes. I have a practice range at home that only goes to 150 yards, so I put up a 2", 3" and 4" target. It lets me vary the target size based on the stability of the prop.

I'm with you on the stability part, target size goes hand in hand with stability.

 

[morganlamprecht]

usually 1/2" and 3/4" dots @ 100 from a solid barricade because thats what sizes a stack of dots i have are

 

[Kickin45]

@Dthomas3523 Are you doing this for comps or training for engagements? Very different.
If it’s for competition training, whatever is used in those is what I would use to train or whatever the smallest target your comfortable with.

If by chance your training for a shtf scenario, when I had total access to to
Joint Louis/McChord, they had paper human targets set up behind barricades, walls, vehicles etc, with minimal amount of the target showing, if any in some circumstances. It was excellent training.
It taught us that you didn’t need to hit the target to actually hit the target. Go through barriers, depending on barrier or ricochet.

 

[A&8's]

Preface: I am, by no means a pro. For that matter, I'm barely a mid-pack guy. Starting this PRS style game last Feb, I have noticed my hit to shots fired ratio going up since practicing as described below.

I practice only off a tipod with a pan/tilt head and mini sticky GC. No plate, mainly because I don't have one. lol But, seriously, my reasoning is, the tripod is a very small surface area for the single bag to rest on. Also, it offers no other place for my support forearm to rest on, other than the edge of the bag. So, in mind's eye, this is probably the most unstable fixed barricade I encounter in the matches I currently shoot, except for hanging straps. Also, the tripod allows for height varying (Standing, kneeling, etc.) Plus, being able to splay the legs gives me a an angled barricade, of sorts.

Targets: I have a short KYL with 4"-1" targets I set at 200 yards. I remove the 4", so I'm not tempted to make myself feel better and shoot it every now and then. I try to focus mainly on the 2" and 3". From more stable positions on the tripod, I'll go for the 1". But reliably hitting it, isn't too often.

Being a NRL22 MD, I have a ton of barricades, from tank traps, barrels, skills barricade, etc. And I notice an increase in stabliblity on these other barricades after a handful of practice sessions mentioned above.

 

[Ankeny]

So, we know it needs to be smaller than 2moa we see at matches, but not small enough we are wasting time.

No matter the shooting sport, I practice on what I expect to see at a match. The goal is to increase the hit percentage. When 2 moa becomes a gimme, then increase distance or decrease size.

 

[DIBBS]

While frustrating as hell to begin with, smaller targets/aiming points are going to make you a better shooter. Something in the 1-2 moa size, depending on shooting position/stability. Prone target would be on the small end, shooting positional (standing, kneeling, sitting)on the larger side. Aim small....

 

[Sheldon N]

When I shoot paper for barricade practice I'll just shoot at whatever paper is available. I want a very small aiming point, then will judge after the fact how many shots I kept inside 1MOA and how many I kept inside 2 MOA for a rough sense of hit %.

The one I tend to use the most is this target since it has the 1 and 2 inch circles in addition to the diamond for aiming.

 

[Dthomas3523]

When I shoot paper for barricade practice I'll just shoot at whatever paper is available. I want a very small aiming point, then will judge after the fact how many shots I kept inside 1MOA and how many I kept inside 2 MOA for a rough sense of hit %.

The one I tend to use the most is this target since it has the 1 and 2 inch circles in addition to the diamond for aiming.

That’s a good way to look at it. I’m using these for now.

 

[Forward543]

.5-1moa (.2-.3 mil)ish practice should suffice. Paper is kick ass for seeing grouping. Steel a little farther out will make sure you can spot misses. Pick your poison and burn it down.

 

[generalzip]

For strictly a PrS barricade off practice with 2 moa trgets as that’s what you’ll likely get in a match. The idea isn’t just to hit the targets but be fast depending on how well you shoot. For me having a fast time is very important as top 10 is often only separated by 5-6 points. I’ve moved up 3 positions just from PRS skills stages. Now if you are talking other types of barricade I like to see my
Wobble zone less than 1moa unless it’s really unstable

 

[dgheriani]

If I'm shooting paper drills at 100, I like to use 2" squares, the reason being that it's actually harder to shoot a tight group on a big target than a small one, imo. The goal here is to shoot the smallest group you can centered inside the 2" square. You can also identify pot/poi shifts based on different positions and see what tweaks to your position do to poi in different positions. You could do it without time to start and then start introducing time stress when accuracy/precision have become acceptable. I like to be able to build the position and break the shot in 10s or build the position and break 2 shots in 12s.

I take a different approach when shooting steel and normally try and shoot the smallest target available (normally a 4" circle at 300 and at 400 yards) but will go up in size depending on conditions and calibre (when the wind is real gusty 4"@400 with a .223 is a lil sporty). I just concentrate on always seeing where the bullet goes.

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

Maybe this matters, but I'm guessing you are shooting center fire, and not rimfire?

Shooting rimfire, I would say the targets may need to be bigger?

 

[Precision Underground]

Smallest target you can realistically hit 70% of the time. Practice small and match targets look big.

 

[47guy]

off props at 100-200 paper past that 1 and 2moa(or as close as i have)round targets...i start with the 1moa and if i dont hit the 1moa after 2 rounds i transition to the 2moa to see what the problem is...if im not hitting the 2moa then its just going to be one of those special days when i shoulda stayed home and saved a little barrel life LOL!

 

[Gypsy]

A bingo marker is a inch dot. I just keep making clean marks as I go. Cheaper than dots and it doesn’t peel off.

 

[Wheres-Waldo]

I made this target last year with the goal of ultimately doing LESS prone shooting, getting more training out of the ammo I do shoot, and at the same time, monitor my proficiency off of barricades in standing, kneeling and sitting positions, as well as tripod stuff (either as primary rifle support or secondary support).

The whole target can be shot with under 50 rounds

Big circles are 1.5 MOA
Small circles are 1 MOA

Ill shoot a cold bore prone, then a 5 round group prone at the start of the series.

Two shots in a barricade position, then break position totally, and re-engage. 6 rounds total in each

The bottom series is a positional dot drill... Standing, Kneeling, Sitting, Any position x2

Monitor your score and time throughout the months.

EDIT TO ADD: If someone knows how to add a dead nuts 1” calibration to the target somewhere, for use with Mobil group measuring apps, I’d appreciate it!

 

[Secant]

I made this target last year with the goal of ultimately doing LESS prone shooting, getting more training out of the ammo I do shoot, and at the same time, monitor my proficiency off of barricades in standing, kneeling and sitting positions, as well as tripod stuff (either as primary rifle support or secondary support).

The whole target can be shot with under 50 rounds

Big circles are 1.5 MOA
Small circles are 1 MOA

Ill shoot a cold bore prone, then a 5 round group prone at the start of the series.

Two shots in a barricade position, then break position totally, and re-engage. 6 rounds total in each

The bottom series is a positional dot drill... Standing, Kneeling, Sitting, Any position x2

Monitor your score and time throughout the months.

EDIT TO ADD: If someone knows how to add a dead nuts 1” calibration to the target somewhere, for use with Mobil group measuring apps, I’d appreciate it!

I just added a 1" grid to the background. I wasn't sure if you had a rhyme or reason for the dot spacing and/or dashes around the "1" at the bottom. I scaled your image for the dashes and just spaced the dots symmetrically. Let me know if this is in the ballpark of what you are after. The PDF is scaled for standard letter (8.5" x11") - so do not print to fit.

 

[Secant]

I made this target last year with the goal of ultimately doing LESS prone shooting, getting more training out of the ammo I do shoot, and at the same time, monitor my proficiency off of barricades in standing, kneeling and sitting positions, as well as tripod stuff (either as primary rifle support or secondary support).

The whole target can be shot with under 50 rounds

Big circles are 1.5 MOA
Small circles are 1 MOA

Ill shoot a cold bore prone, then a 5 round group prone at the start of the series.

Two shots in a barricade position, then break position totally, and re-engage. 6 rounds total in each

The bottom series is a positional dot drill... Standing, Kneeling, Sitting, Any position x2

Monitor your score and time throughout the months.

EDIT TO ADD: If someone knows how to add a dead nuts 1” calibration to the target somewhere, for use with Mobil group measuring apps, I’d appreciate it!

Here's a cleaner version with a simple 1" dot with cross hairs. I also revised the spacing of the ten (10) 1" dia. dots so that they are 1.8" from center-to-center (i.e. 5 mils @ 100 yards). I static mount my optics to check tracking, but I also like to draft my targets with known spacing for simple gut checks while shooting. Spacing gets a little big, and you might miss just off the edge of the paper. Anyways, let me know what you want revised, and I can probably get it done today or later this week.

 

[Wheres-Waldo]

Those look awesome, thank you! I’ll be saving and using them from now on.

The “1” at the bottom is just to notify that the 1 MOA dots are one shot each.