Humanoid Paper Targets

smurf hunter · Mar 9, 2010

I'm hoping some of the veteran shooters can help me make sense of what I've observed.

Being a fairly new to shooting ranges, clubs and guns in general, I've noticed some subtle, but interesting cultural differences regarding paper targets.

Most public indoor ranges sell targets. Some have all manner of targets, including zombies, osama bin laden, humanoid silhouettes, to simple grid targets.

I've visited and read rules from a few places that strictly prohibit use of humanoid targets. Most of these are less public - either private member only places, or limited public use.

I'm neutral either way, and actually prefer a grid for sighting in or other serious practice. Is there something to this rule, or not?

dobeman · Mar 9, 2010

fear of profiling any particular humanoid racial group. Pure PC run amok.

Weebs · Mar 9, 2010

Would a smurf target count as humanoid?

SSG · Mar 9, 2010

I remember when I got into archery, peeps laughed when I asked why archers never shot at human targets....

wichaka · Mar 9, 2010

If you're shooting bullseye, or working on basic skills, any target will work.

When working on combat/street stuff, I would recommend human photo targets...not silhouette type.
You can get black/white photo targets fairly reasonable. get the type that have the scoring areas, but are light enough so you can't see them unless you're right up on them.

Riot · Mar 9, 2010

wichaka said:
If you're shooting bullseye, or working on basic skills, any target will work.

When working on combat/street stuff, I would recommend human photo targets...not silhouette type.
You can get black/white photo targets fairly reasonable. get the type that have the scoring areas, but are light enough so you can't see them unless you're right up on them.

Agreed...I loved one range I went to in North Carolina that had all types of human targets. One even had a guy behind cover that looked like he was turning fire...another had a guy that had a gun pointed at you with one hand and in his other hand it was empty- almost like he was saying "don't shoot". Then another one with a hostage...I thought it was cool that they had such a diversity of firearms you could rent and targets and such there. Very knowledgable, but very expensive!

Now all I have is a "Hole in the Wall" that price gouges every firearm that crosses their hands because they hardly have any other private dealers to compete against.

mjz52 · Mar 9, 2010

Riot said:
Agreed...I loved one range I went to in North Carolina that had all types of human targets. One even had a guy behind cover that looked like he was turning fire...another had a guy that had a gun pointed at you with one hand and in his other hand it was empty- almost like he was saying "don't shoot". Then another one with a hostage...I thought it was cool that they had such a diversity of firearms you could rent and targets and such there. Very knowledgable, but very expensive!

Now all I have is a "Hole in the Wall" that price gouges every firearm that crosses their hands because they hardly have any other private dealers to compete against.

I've had good luck at The Columbia Gun Rack. No target range though...

Blitzkrieg · Mar 16, 2010

Redcap · Mar 17, 2010

Blitzkrieg said:
<broken link removed>

Aim for the mustaches!

wichaka · Mar 17, 2010

Redcap said:
Aim for the mustaches!

Even on the one in the middle!

speelyei · Mar 18, 2010

those little plastic green army men are an excellent target at 50 yards

tallshipsgo · Mar 18, 2010

speelyei said:
those little plastic green army men are an excellent target at 50 yards

Never thought of that before! Excellent idea! I've shot computers, monitors, cans, bottles and a bunch of other stuff (and yes, I've always cleaned up) but not the cheapo army guys!

By the way, in Northern California (where I'm pretty recently from) they didn't allow anything but standard bulls eye (and grid) type targets. Silhouette/humanoid-type targets were strictly forbidden on account of fear of being targeted by the gun banners and media as promoting a killing mentality. Stupid? Of course, it was California. Some ranges wouldn't allow targets that depicted animals (you've all seen the targets with squirrels on them I'm sure - not allowed). I cant speak to that here however those same types of fears might have something to do with bans on usage of those types of targets.

I'm going to Bi-Mart and getting three or four bags of plastic toys! Great idea...

tallshipsgo · Mar 18, 2010

By the way, the local news outfits actually did send reporters out to the ranges to see if those types of targets were being used specifically to demonize guns, owners, ranges, etc. Thankfully, I suppose, they were not in use and they had nothing all that interesting (though they did show a couple of guys with the uber scary "ASSAULT RIFLES"!) to report. Can't begin to express my pleasure at NOT being there anymore.

Blitzkrieg · Mar 18, 2010

Evergreen range in Thurston County won't even allow bowling pins :s0114:

But they do let me put up small zombie targets

Some guys use golf balls hanging on tape, from the wire

smurf hunter · Mar 19, 2010

cool ideas for non-paper targets

Which of those (golf balls, plastic army men) are typically palatable for indoor ranges? Has anyone ever been told "no" using this stuff?

Member 5605 · Mar 19, 2010

I want a target of some thug crouching behind a car holding a gun sideways doing a blindfire. Car must have at least 8" of clearance from ground. So one can work on their feet shooting.

Blitzkrieg · Mar 19, 2010

Dyjital said:
I want a target of some thug crouching behind a car holding a gun sideways doing a blindfire. Car must have at least 8" of clearance from ground. So one can work on their feet shooting.

You've watched Crossfire trail one more time than I have! :s0114: