best target type for zeroing?

[Forgetful]

What do you find is the bet thing to aim at for zeroing/load development? Standard 100 or 200yd zero with a 6 or 4 power scope. Right now my optic is 4x with cross hairs. I've been using (for a few years) a target I create myself-

Basically a black sheet of paper with a 2 to 4 inch white square in the middle rotated 45 degrees so it looks like a diamond.

So when I shoot this target, I just align the cross hairs with the corners of the white diamond.

Problem is a get eye strain very quick in general plus 4x isn't much magnification for me.

Are there any better target types. Typical black/orange dot doesn't do it for me unless I'm pushing 9-16 power scopes.

[Stlhead]

I get the rifle on paper at 25 yards, then I zero at 200 or 300 yards with a 10" black circle (depending on the match I am prepping for). I fire 10 rounds and repeat as necessary until I like the location of the groups. I am a limited shooter, but with cross hairs only it would be a fine way to go for you.

[Steve RA]

Here is one we came up with:

On light yellow heavyweight paper, we get them done at local Kinko's. X works well with crosshairs as you can see them clearly on target. Squares are exactly one inch.

[Chills1994]

At Lowe's or Home Depot, they sell a big roll of brown craft paper. It is 3 feet wide. They also sell a pinkish colored rosin paper, don't get that.

At the office supply aisle at walmart, they sell a bundle of white cardstock paper. It is 8.5"X11". Then back near the paints they sell day glow pink, orange, and green duct tape.

Cut off a square of the brown craft paper. Tear off little squares of the day glow duct tape. FYI... Duct tape is 1.88" wide, so try for a piece two inches long. Stick duct tape square right in the middle of the cardstock paper. Do this to a few pieces of cardstock actually.

Go down range, to say like 50 yards, staple up brown craft paper first. Then staple up 3 or 4 of the card stock/duct tape targets. Put one right in the middle of the brown craft paper.

When you start shooting at it, aim for the middle cardstock. If none of your bullets initially land on the center white cardstock, they should be somewhere in the brown craft paper, or the other targets. Once you get it where the bullets are zipping through the duct tape, then move onto 100 and 200 yards.

I am not saying my way is the right way or the best way, just how I do it, regardless of how many rounds I have to fire to get on the duct tape. I only make adjustments to the scope after 3 rounds, sometimes 5 .

There is always somebody who comes along and goes "All I have ever needed to fire were three rounds total at a hundred yards. Done! Zero'ed! Outta there!"

Edited December 19, 2013 by Chills1994

[Cy Soto]

I use this one.

[Alaskapopo]

For me it depends on the reticle in the scope. You need a target that you can easily see and place the reticle in the same place every time. I use different targets for different scopes.

Pat

[D__]

Piece of cardboard and a red sticker

[BobS761]

I like a target with 1" grid marks. With my optic, I zero at 100 yards, use a smartphone ballistic calculator, and confirm at at least 200 yards. If the range has farther berms, I'll check there as well.

[steel1212]

Like bob a target with 1" grids for me. Makes adjustments easier and saves time and rounds.

[Forgetful]

Thanks for the input everyone. Good ideas.

I'm going to try and dial in my long range game this year as it's one of those areas where a lot of time can be made up.

[Racinready300ex]

For zeroing if I'm useing a rest I just like a plain sheet with a spot on it. Fire one shot.

Then line the scope up with the spot again, don't move the gun and adjust the scope to the bullet hole. Next shot should be on. Two shots and you are zero'd.

[Shooter115]

For long range practice I use 9" paper plates stapled over used IPSC targets. Using a Burris MTAC it's easy to bracket the dots in the reticle over the plates for groups and the plates size wise are a good representation of the flash targets used at most matches for 300+ yard shots.

[reptoid]

For me it depends on the reticle in the scope. You need a target that you can easily see and place the reticle in the same place every time. I use different targets for different scopes.

Pat

What Pat said x2

[Chucky]

I use the cheap walmart targets and once I have a rough zero I use one inch blast paste's to fine dial it in.

[kampr]

For me it depends on the reticle in the scope. You need a target that you can easily see and place the reticle in the same place every time. I use different targets for different scopes.

Pat

As simple as this.

[DDustin]

This is my favorite for magnified optics. This and the red version of this.

Lately though I've been using a lot of printed up targets especially for red dots and Eotechs.

[Steve RA]

If you shoot a lot, it's quite a bit less expensive to make up a master and then get them printed at one of the office supply stores.

[DDustin]

Hm I never thought of that. It would be nice to have them bigger than printer paper.

[trgt]

I pick up a pad or two of these whenever I'm at Bass Pro:

http://www.basspro.com/RedHead-Rifle-Target/product/10203093/

(Sorry, couldn't link to image)

Pad of 25 is cheap at $4.99, 5 different spots if you want to refine a little between target change periods, 1" grid and nice targets to align with reticle. And I actually like shooting this as a normal practice target.

[DrawandDuck]

I just use a no shoot and a magic marker......

[DDustin]

I pick up a pad or two of these whenever I'm at Bass Pro:

http://www.basspro.com/RedHead-Rifle-Target/product/10203093/

(Sorry, couldn't link to image)

Pad of 25 is cheap at $4.99, 5 different spots if you want to refine a little between target change periods, 1" grid and nice targets to align with reticle. And I actually like shooting this as a normal practice target.

Those are the red ones I meant. That's a great deal, the range near me has them for like .75 cents per target.

[Jesse Tischauser]

I get the rifle on paper at 25 yards, then I zero at 200 or 300 yards with a 10" black circle (depending on the match I am prepping for). I fire 10 rounds and repeat as necessary until I like the location of the groups. I am a limited shooter, but with cross hairs only it would be a fine way to go for you.

Same here except I'll go a little bigger at 300. Usually that large shoot n see target that's black with orange in the center. I'll shoot 5 shot groups sometimes too so I don't burn up all my match ammo. More important than a target is a good rest IMHO.

[DDustin]

I get the rifle on paper at 25 yards, then I zero at 200 or 300 yards with a 10" black circle (depending on the match I am prepping for). I fire 10 rounds and repeat as necessary until I like the location of the groups. I am a limited shooter, but with cross hairs only it would be a fine way to go for you.

Same here except I'll go a little bigger at 300. Usually that large shoot n see target that's black with orange in the center. I'll shoot 5 shot groups sometimes too so I don't burn up all my match ammo. More important than a target is a good rest IMHO.

What do you use for a rest?

[DyNo!]

This one of course:

[Jesse Tischauser]

I get the rifle on paper at 25 yards, then I zero at 200 or 300 yards with a 10" black circle (depending on the match I am prepping for). I fire 10 rounds and repeat as necessary until I like the location of the groups. I am a limited shooter, but with cross hairs only it would be a fine way to go for you.

Same here except I'll go a little bigger at 300. Usually that large shoot n see target that's black with orange in the center. I'll shoot 5 shot groups sometimes too so I don't burn up all my match ammo. More important than a target is a good rest IMHO.

What do you use for a rest?

I run a P3 rest from CTK Precision.

http://www.ctkprecision.com/p3shootingrest.aspx