Different colored A zone ?

[Freeborn Man]

Hello,

I was wondering what everyone thought about a different colored A zone for practice? What I was thinking about doing was getting a few A zone sized steel targets and setting them up to not fall. I might put the steel in front of a regular target. It would be easier than pasting targets when I'm shooting by myself. I thought about the full sized steel targets but I wouldn't know what zone I hit without painting every time. Would having a different colored A zone affect anything when shooting regular targets in a match? Does it matter? Should I just try and match the cardboard color? I'm probably over thinking it and just kicking the idea around.

Thanks,

Matt

[ParaGunner]

Having a target with a steel A zone that matches the target would be cool. You would have a audible A zone hit feedback.

[kevin c]

There may be both some good and bad to what you are thinking of.

An A zone by itself is the target you want to hit in any match, so training to hit a target of that size and shape consistently is a good thing. However, the A zone will not be by itself; it is part of and has a specific orientation within the whole target. The perforations are not supposed to be visible beyond a few yards, so knowing where to aim on the whole target face to get the A hit is part of learning the game.

Some folks actually think that hearing the steel being hit trains the shooter away from using his vision to confirm the hit, which is faster and more reliable (I can attest to this - can't tell you the number of edge hits I've heard on poppers that didn't go down, but which I left standing, assuming the ring meant the hit was there...WRONG!!!).

Alternatives: When first starting out, you can try outline the A zone with a marker while you learn where to aim on the target. If you really want to save time taping, consider cutting out the A zone, so that you only tape the "misses".

Actually, for a lot of the drills I do, I don't mind taping the hits, even in the A zone. It gives me more information than shooting into a hole, and also time to think about what I'm doing, instead of mindlessly slinging lead down range.

[sdm74]

You Dont want to condition yourself to hitting steel on paper. Might affect your matches.

Edited May 15, 2011 by sdm74

[Flatland Shooter]

Since I don't seem to hit the A zone that often, I don't need to do this much anymore.

After shooting up the A zone, I cut it out and staple a larger piece of cardboard to the back of the target to replace it. Just cut up a couple of cardboard boxes about 12 inches square and use long staples bent over to hold it in place.

Bill

[Heckler]

Actually, for a lot of the drills I do, I don't mind taping the hits, even in the A zone. It gives me more information than shooting into a hole, and also time to think about what I'm doing, instead of mindlessly slinging lead down range.

Big +1

[stringcheese]

It would be cool too if deer had a bullseye on their mane that showed the correct bullet placement for a heart shot. Or a perp had a bullseye painted on the front of his jacket.

The principle behind no outlined or colored targets in uspsa is for thought conditioning of it's competitors. Like 3D targets for hunters, it helps train your mind for the moment of truth. Which I personally hope I never have to face.

[AWLAZS]

You can use a no shoot to help you find the aiming point on a target. Place the no shoot so it covers about half of the a area on the target

[Freeborn Man]

Thanks for all of the input. I didn't intend to use the different colored A zone for a bullseye, just that most steel I've seen is already painted white. I was going to do it more out of laziness lol.

I came up with the idea after watching a video of Todd Jarrett explaining how to shoot on the move. He was using several full sized white steel IPSC targets. I don't think I would use an all white target because knowing me I would shoot at all the no shoots in a stage. So I thought, hey to save some money get an A zoned sized steel plate and put it over the A zone of a regular target. That way if I was shooting at 25 yards I wouldn't have to go down range every 6 or so shots for feedback. I guess I didn't convey what I was thinking because it was 2am, oops I'm still kicking the idea around.

Thanks,

Matt

[wide45]

Every time you practice, you should be working on your ability to call your shots. You should be taping or painting often.

[Freeborn Man]

wide45, very good point! I guess I will just go with the regular targets then. Thanks

Matt

[eric4069]

Hello,

I was wondering what everyone thought about a different colored A zone for practice?

Thanks,

Matt

Something I do sometimes which is different from the suggestions in this thread. Using plain scrap cardboard target backer I then take a piece of plain white typing size paper and fold it lengthwise to make a rectangle 6 by 11 1/2 inches. I staple this to the cardboard which makes for a very distinct A zone. I understand we shouldn't practice with a contrasting color A zone

all the time but it is nice sometimes. Instead of taping or marking my shots I just staple a new A zone paper on and thus have to mark only the non-A misses on the cardboard.

Eric

[sfinney]

Sometimes every couple years or so I take a marker or pen and trace the A-Zone on the target, ofr a session, just to remind myself exactly where it is.... a center A hit is not center of mass of the target, you have to consciously aim a little higher.