Reduced target size calculation to simulate distance

[ap3]

I am not sure if this was ever posted here or not so forgive me if I have duplicated the information. As I was looking for a way to work the practice long range rifle on a short range bay I was searching the internet for a formula to convert size to simulate distance on 25 or 50 yard bay. Here is what I found:

(Full Size Target Size)/(Distance to Full Size Target) X (New Distance to Target) = (Reduced Target Size)

example (10 inch flash target)/(200 yards) X (50 yard local bay) = 2.5 inch target to simulate distance

Now I am sure there is a more accurate formuala but this one appealed to me because it was easy to memorize if I was at the range and without premade targets. Of course, it doesn't really do anything to help you with wind or holdovers, but it is handy for practicing shooting long range from difficult positions as well as the ability to use a 22 kit to cut cost.

If someone has a more accurate formula please post.

[Dan Sierpina]

Albert,

It's just as easy to take the full distance and the short distance and do it as a fraction. 50/200= 1/4 Maybe it's less confusing for me to do it that way, working in machine shops for 40 years.

If you want to use paper, contact Charlie Myers and get his 1/2 size USPSA targets. I know, 1/2 size? They are 1/4 the area.

Edited June 14, 2011 by Dan Sierpina

[ap3]

Albert,

It's just as easy to take the full distance and the short distance and do it as a fraction. 50/200= 1/4 Maybe it's less confusing for me to do it that way, working in machine shops for 40 years.

Yea, that makes mathmatical sense!

[timawa]

Can you use AQT at 25 yrds? I know the different sizes of the sillouettes simulate distances. Right?

[ap3]

Can you use AQT at 25 yrds? I know the different sizes of the sillouettes simulate distances. Right?

Sure, but since we always have to shoot at some 10inch plate at 200 or 300 yards that's why I was trying to get that shape on a reduced target in order to improve my skills. One thing is for sure, a 25 yard target is a lot closer to check your hits than a 50 yard target also a better option for using a 22 kit in your AR

For anyone interested I made these targets in 25 and 50 yard increments:

200yfor 50ytarget.pdf200yfor 25ytarget.pdf

300yfor 50ytarget.pdf300yfor 25ytarget.pdf

[timawa]

How about in 175yrds, 150yrds and 125yrds? Not all targets are placed in exactly 200 yrds.

[Charles Bond]

When you reduce target size all you are really doing is shooting smaller targers. Since shooting at distance involves holdover and wind, the a reduced size target at a standard distance really is just a smaller target. It will simulate what you see at the longer distance but that is all it will do.

[timawa]

When you reduce target size all you are really doing is shooting smaller targers. Since shooting at distance involves holdover and wind, the a reduced size target at a standard distance really is just a smaller target. It will simulate what you see at the longer distance but that is all it will do.

+1 You can easily hit small target about an inch in size without problem at 25 yards if it's well zeroed at 25 and better ammo.

[pjb45]

The math is:

(10 inch/200 yards)*50 yards=targets size in yards

You have to convert all numbers to the same measurement; either yards or inches!

10 inch flash

convert to yards

10/36=.277

.277 yards/200 yards*50 yards =.069 yards

.069 yards * 36 inches = 2.5 inches

Just change out the 200 for whatever distance you want to use.

Remember MOA = ~ 1 inch at 98 yards.

Edited June 17, 2011 by pjb45

[ap3]

You don't have to convert the target size to yards because the yardage changes represents a ratio of the principal value

(10/200)x50 still equals 2.5

Even though you can't use these targets for holders or wind they have a lot of value at learning to shoot groups offhand or as part of practicing shooting difficult shots from different

positions. I can have a good wind read know my hold over

and still miss because my technique is weak

If you can put 5 shots in a 2.5 inch circle at 50 yards offhand on a consistent basis then you must be beating me at all the matched

Edited June 17, 2011 by ap3

[ChuckS]

The math is:

(10 inch/200 yards)*50 yards=targets size in yards inches

[pjb45]

My Math teacher would be ashamed of me.

[Mickster]

I have found that a beer bottle cap at 25 yards simulates a flash target at 300 yards on 1x pretty good.

[Mr.Kirk]

The first perfect score that I ever shot was at a reduced range prone match. It turned out that I had just been too far from the target.

And, I couldn't read wind..

Most rifle accuracy is measured in MOA. If you average, 1" per 100 Yds = MOA. If you are shooting at 6" circles at 300 Yds that's 2MOA. To duplicate this you would want 1" circles at 50 Yds, 2" circles at 100 Yds etc.

Like said before, you still aren't getting the full treatment, just working on the hold.

[smartash]

Hello this is new guy from Pennsylvania. This reply is 6 months from last post I was surfing on target distance issues to see what was there. There is a more accurate way to calculate either sizes or distances by using angular size equations. Basically if you have a calculator handy with trig functions it is angular size = 2*arcTan(size/2*distance)

We are involved in interactive target systems which use small almost 3” spot targets. The reason we know this is to simulate other target competitions like SCSA Steel Challenge for Airsoft guys. We do have an online calculator if anyone is interested. This is accurate for the distances on your forum as well as calculating a shot to the moon.

I will check in on this forum again it looks very strong.

[KungFuNerd]

I shoot reduced targets most of the time.

Just remember that your bullet size is HUGE compared to the reduced target.

So keep MOA in mind

[dchang0]

Can you use AQT at 25 yrds? I know the different sizes of the sillouettes simulate distances. Right?

Yes you can--this is pretty much how I got started into 3-gun. I say "into" because I came out of the Appleseed Project and went into 3-gunning on 400yd targets and did quite well.

There are two big differences, of course:

1) height over bore at 25yds comes into play for ARs

2) wind and bullet-drop hold-overs

But the fundamentals were there, so the AQT is valuable enough, even though it isn't a perfect replacement for actually shooting on the real targets at the real distances.

[gdboytyler]

When I practice at the local 25 yd indoor range I scale the target for distance and draw an outline above or below the target to simulate the hold over and point of impact.

For example, with an 18” BBL, scope height = 2.6”, 55 gr bullet with muzzle vel = 3285 fps, and 50 yd zero, theoretical bullet drop at 300 yards is -3.07” which is equivalent to -0.3 mills. Meaning you have to hold over +0.3mills in order to hit the center of the target.

At 25 yards, bullet drop is -1.19” or -1.3 mills. Therefore if you use the 300 yard hold over at 25 yards the bullet should impact at 0.9” below the center of the target: (-1.3 mills + 0.3mills = -1.0 mills). At 25 yards, -1.0 mills = -0.9”.

So I would scale my 300 yard target for 25 yards put a light target outline 0.9” below the actual target. Depending on how big the actual target is, the target and the offset outline could intersect. If I hit the offset outline at 25 yards then I know I had the correct hold over for a simulated 300 yard target.

[ap3]

When I practice at the local 25 yd indoor range I scale the target for distance and draw an outline above or below the target to simulate the hold over and point of impact.

For example, with an 18” BBL, scope height = 2.6”, 55 gr bullet with muzzle vel = 3285 fps, and 50 yd zero, theoretical bullet drop at 300 yards is -3.07” which is equivalent to -0.3 mills. Meaning you have to hold over +0.3mills in order to hit the center of the target.

At 25 yards, bullet drop is -1.19” or -1.3 mills. Therefore if you use the 300 yard hold over at 25 yards the bullet should impact at 0.9” below the center of the target: (-1.3 mills + 0.3mills = -1.0 mills). At 25 yards, -1.0 mills = -0.9”.

So I would scale my 300 yard target for 25 yards put a light target outline 0.9” below the actual target. Depending on how big the actual target is, the target and the offset outline could intersect. If I hit the offset outline at 25 yards then I know I had the correct hold over for a simulated 300 yard target.

Now, that is a cool idea

[jwfuhrman]

The range I run Multigun matches at is a pistol range, 95% of the bays are 25-30 yard with 1 bay, if i push it and maybe piss off the Range BoD I can get 50. So what I do is use 1/2scale USPSA and 2in Newbold self healing targets. Seems to work.

[The Virus]

You mean something like this:

[kneelingatlas]

He must be an IDPA guy!

"DEPLOY TACTICAL SNARL!!!"

Edited August 15, 2013 by kneelingatlas

[Alaskapopo]

When you reduce target size all you are really doing is shooting smaller targers. Since shooting at distance involves holdover and wind, the a reduced size target at a standard distance really is just a smaller target. It will simulate what you see at the longer distance but that is all it will do.

Very true but if all you have is a short bay its better than nothing. I also like using reduced sized paper targets for handgun as well to mix things up.

Like this stage.

[fireman489]

He must be an IDPA guy!

"DEPLOY TACTICAL SNARL!!!"

bahahahahahaaa

[Moltke]

For a minute I thought the tiny target video was serious.