Shooting target

A "splatter"-type paper target shot with 69-grain Sierra MatchKing .223 Remington bullets fired from a Savage 10FP rifle — 25 shots at a distance of 100 yards (91 m), all hitting inside the bullseye within a 1-inch grouping

An electronic scoring board used for stangskyting in Norway in 2007 showing the number of hits for each shooter after the first half.

Shooting targets are objects in various forms and shapes that are used for pistol, rifle, shotgun and other shooting sports, as well as in darts, target archery, crossbow shooting and other non-firearm related sports. The center is often called the bullseye. Targets can for instance be made of paper, "self healing" rubber or steel. There are also electronic targets that electronically can provide the shooter with precise feedback of the shot placement.

History[edit]

Most targets used in shooting sports today are abstract figures of which origins often are not given much thought, but given the military and hunting origins that started most shooting disciplines it is not hard to understand that many of the targets at some point originally resembled either human opponents in a battle or animals in a hunting situation. For instance, the well known circular bullseye target might originally have resembled a human torso or an animal being hunted.^{[citation needed]} Notable instances of shooting targets with martial origins which are considered abstract today, are the field targets used in Det frivillige Skyttervesen where the original intent was to resemble amongst other wheels of vehicles (S25 target), barrels (tønne), bunker openings (stripe 30/10 and 13/40) or enemy personnel (1/3, 1/4, 1/6 and 1/10 figure, minismåen, etc.). The origin of these targets are not usually given much attention (or is even known by most shooters), and have been kept around for variation and tradition.

Types of targets[edit]

Some types of targets are:

Steel targets
Paper or cardboard
Frangible (such as clay or tiles)
Self healing rubber target

Paper or electronic[edit]

Paper targets like these are useful for sighting in firearms.

Steel and other reactive[edit]

Reactive targets are designed to move and/or bounce along the ground when hit. Reactive targets are often used for plinking, which refers to casual shooting practices aiming at informal target objects such as tin cans, glass bottles, steel barrels/plates, or anything else that draws the shooter's attention.

A Cabela's branded "Self healing ground bouncing reactive" target
Drum

Explosive[edit]

Targets are designed to explode when stuck with a bullet traveling at a suitable velocity to induce detonation.

Exploding target detonation
Exploding target detonation

Archery sports[edit]

World Archery Federation[edit]

FITA targets are used in archery shooting competitions within the World Archery Federation. The targets have 10 evenly spaced concentric rings, generally with score values from 1 through 10. In addition there is an inner 10 ring, sometimes called the X ring. This becomes the 10 ring at indoor compound competitions, while outdoors, it serves as a tiebreaker with the archer scoring the most X's winning. The number of hits may also be taken into account as another tiebreaker. In FITA archery, targets are coloured as follows:

1 & 2 ring: White
3 & 4 ring: Black
5 & 6 ring: Blue
7 & 8 ring: Red
9, 10 & inner 10 (X) ring: Gold

The FITA target is used in target archery by the World Archery Federation.

3D archery targets[edit]

3D targets are life-size models of game used in field archery.

A coyote "3D target".

Dart[edit]

Dart targets are a special form of bullseye targets.

Darts in a bullseye target

Firearm sports[edit]

Air rifle field targets[edit]

In the outdoor air gun discipline field target metal targets of various shape and forms are used. The metal plates are often shaped to resemble small game animals, although there is currently a move towards simple geometric shapes.

A crow-shaped, knock-over metal air gun field target. The black painted metal paddle must be hit to make the target fall over, and the target can be reset by pulling the orange cord attached to the face-plate.
Another crow-shaped, knock-over metal air gun field target. The black painted metal paddle must be hit to make the target fall over, and the target can be reset by pulling the orange cord attached to the face-plate
A rat knock-over metal air gun field target.

Clay pigeons[edit]

Clay pigeon targets are usually used as flying targets for clay pigeon shooting, formally known as Inanimate Bird Shooting.

A 10 cm (4 inch) clay pigeon.
Clay pigeon throwing machine.

International Confederation of Fullbore Rifle Associations[edit]

In fullbore target rifle within the International Confederation of Fullbore Rifle Associations (ICFRA), competitions can be held in either a short range or long range format, with distances either in yards or meters. F-Class shoots at the same targets as Palma, but during the scoring process an extra inner ring (which is half the diameter of the V-bull) counts only for F-Class. While short range is shot at a different target size for each of the six distances, long range is shot at the one and same type of target at different distances.^[1] Below are the official target sizes, and approximate subtensions in milliradians and arcminutes depending on distance.

Metric ICFRA International Match Targets and F-Class Targets (Short Range): at metric distances:

	300 m		400 m		500 m		600 m
	(image missing)		(image missing)		(image missing)		(image missing)
	Subtension	Angular size	Subtension	Angular size	Subtension	Angular size	Subtension	Angular size
Aiming Mark	600 mm	2.0 mil	800 mm	2.0 mil	1000 mm	2.0 mil	1000 mm	1.7 mil
Extra inner ring (F-Class only)	35 mm	0.1 mil	47.5 mm	0.1 mil	72.5 mm	0.1 mil	80 mm	0.1 mil
V-Bull	70 mm	0.2 mil	95 mm	0.2 mil	145 mm	0.3 mil	160 mm	0.3 mil
Bull	140 mm	0.5 mil	185 mm	0.5 mil	290 mm	0.6 mil	320 mm	0.5 mil
Inner	280 mm	0.9 mil	375 mm	0.9 mil	660 mm	1.3 mil	660 mm	1.1 mil
Magpie	420 mm	1.4 mil	560 mm	1.4 mil	1000 mm	2.0 mil	1000 mm	1.7 mil
Outer	600 mm	2.0 mil	800 mm	2.0 mil	1320 mm	2.6 mil	1320 mm	2.2 mil

Metric ICFRA International Match Targets and F-Class Targets (Short Range): at imperial distances:

	300 yds		400 yds		500 yds		600 yds
	(image missing)		(image missing)		(image missing)		(image missing)
	Subtension	Angular size	Subtension	Angular size	Subtension	Angular size	Subtension	Angular size
Aiming Mark	560 mm	7.02 moa	745 mm	7.00 moa	915 mm	6.88 moa	915 mm	5.73 moa
Extra inner ring (F-Class only)	32.5 mm	0.41 moa	42.5 mm	0.40 moa	65 mm	0.49 moa	72.5 mm	0.45 moa
V-Bull	65 mm	0.81 moa	85 mm	0.80 moa	130 mm	0.98 moa	145 mm	0.91 moa
Bull	130 mm	1.63 moa	175 mm	1.64 moa	260 mm	1.95 moa	290 mm	1.82 moa
Inner	260 mm	3.26 moa	350 mm	3.29 moa	600 mm	4.51 moa	600 mm	3.76 moa
Magpie	390 mm	4.89 moa	520 mm	4.89 moa	915 mm	6.88 moa	915 mm	5.73 moa
Outer	560 mm	7.02 moa	745 mm	7.00 moa	1320 mm	9.93 moa	1320 mm	8.27 moa

The Metric ICFRA International Match Target and F-Class Target (Long Range): at metric and imperial distances:

	Subtension	Angular sizes
	(image missing)
	Subtension	700 m	800 yds 731.52 m	800 m	900 yds 822.96 m	900 m	1000 yds 914.4 m
Aiming Mark	600 mm 23.6 in	0.86 mil 2.95 moa	0.82 mil 2.82 moa	0.75 mil 2.58 moa	0.73 mil 2.51 moa	0.67 mil 2.29 moa	0.66 mil 2.26 moa
Extra inner ring (F-Class only)	35 mm 1.4 in	0.05 mil 0.17 moa	0.05 mil 0.16 moa	0.04 mil 0.15 moa	0.04 mil 0.15 moa	0.04 mil 0.13 moa	0.04 mil 0.13 moa
V-Bull	70 mm 2.8 in	0.10 mil 0.34 moa	0.10 mil 0.33 moa	0.09 mil 0.30 moa	0.09 mil 0.29 moa	0.08 mil 0.27 moa	0.08 mil 0.26 moa
Bull	140 mm 5.5 in	0.20 mil 0.69 moa	0.19 mil 0.66 moa	0.18 mil 0.60 moa	0.17 mil 0.58 moa	0.16 mil 0.53 moa	0.15 mil 0.53 moa
Inner	280 mm 11 in	0.40 mil 1.38 moa	0.38 mil 1.32 moa	0.35 mil 1.20 moa	0.34 mil 1.17 moa	0.31 mil 1.07 moa	0.31 mil 1.05 moa
Magpie	420 mm 16.5 in	0.60 mil 2.06 moa	0.57 mil 1.97 moa	0.53 mil 1.80 moa	0.51 mil 1.75 moa	0.47 mil 1.60 moa	0.46 mil 1.58 moa
Outer	600 mm 23.6 in	0.86 mil 2.95 moa	0.82 mil 2.82 moa	0.75 mil 2.58 moa	0.73 mil 2.51 moa	0.67 mil 2.29 moa	0.66 mil 2.26 moa

International Practical Shooting Confederation[edit]

In matches organized by the International Practical Shooting Confederation, both steel and paper targets are used. Currently the only paper targets used for handgun is the IPSC Target (formerly Classic Target) and the 2/3 scaled down IPSC Mini Target (formerly IPSC Mini Classic Target). Additionally, for rifle and shotgun "A3" and "A4" paper targets and the "Universal Target" is used. For steel targets, standardized knock down targets called "poppers" are used. The two approved designs are the full size "IPSC Popper" (formerly IPSC Classic Popper) and the 2/3 scaled down version "IPSC Mini Popper" (formerly "IPSC Classic Mini Popper"), while the Pepper Popper and Mini Pepper Popper is now obsolete.

The octagonal IPSC Target (formerly known as the Classic Target) is a cardboard target used in all disciplines within the International Practical Shooting Confederation.
The full size IPSC Popper (formerly known as the Classic Popper).
IPSC Mini Popper (formerly known as Classic Mini Popper), a 2/3 scaled down version of the IPSC Popper used to simulate greater distance.
Pepper Popper, no longer used in IPSC competitions.
Mini Pepper Popper, no longer used in IPSC competitions.

International Shooting Sport Federation[edit]

Within the International Shooting Sport Federation mostly various bullseye targets are used, with variances depending on disciplines. For shotgun clay targets are used.

	25 m Rapid Fire Pistol		25 m Precision Pistol		50 Meter Pistol		10 Meter Air Pistol

	Subtension	Angular size	Subtension	Angular size	Subtension	Angular size	Subtension	Angular size
Inner Ten	50 mm	2 mil	25 mm	1 mil	25 mm	0.5 mil	5 mm	0.5 mil
10 Ring	100 mm	4 mil	50 mm	2 mil	50 mm	1 mil	11.5 mm	1.15 mil
Subsequent Ring Increase	80 mm	3.2 mil	50 mm	2 mil	50 mm	1 mil	16 mm	1.6 mil

	50 m Running Target (Rifle)		10 m Running Target (Rifle)
	(image missing)
	Subtension	Angular size	Subtension	Angular size
Inner Ten	30 mm	0.6 mil	0.5 mm	0.05 mil
10 Ring	60 mm	1.2 mil	5.5 mm	0.55 mil
Subsequent Ring Increase	34 mm	0.68 mil	5 mm	0.5 mil

	300 m Rifle		50 m Rifle		10 m Air Rifle

	Subtension	Angular size	Subtension	Angular size	Subtension	Angular size
Inner Ten	50 mm	1/6 mil ≈ 0.167 mil	5 mm	0.1 mil	(Determined by scoring gauge)	-
10 Ring	100 mm	1/3 mil ≈ 0.33 mil	10.4 mm	0.208 mil	0.5 mm	0.05 mil
Subsequent Ring Increase	100 mm	1/3 mil ≈ 0.33 mil	16 mm	0.32 mil	5 mm	0.5 mil

Metallic silhouette[edit]

In metallic silhouette shooting only knock down steel targets featuring animals are used.

Metallic silhouette targets featuring a chicken, pig, turkey and ram, scaled to appear as they would if placed at the correct distances from the shooter. Scale in minutes of angle, correct for NRA high power rifle using yards.
A Hunter Field Target (HFT) metallic target in the form of a Rat.

Popinjays[edit]

The Popinjay (from the French papegai, or "parrot") is an ancient form of target for crossbow shooting. Originally a bird tethered in a tree, it developed into a complex painted wood target atop a tall wooden pole. The popinjay would form the centrepiece of a major shooting contest and many shooters would try their skill repeatedly against the same target. Scoring was awarded for shooting off various parts of the target.

A Popinjay target used for Adler shooting during the 2010 Rutenfest Ravensburg festival in Germany

Human silhouette[edit]

Human silhouette targets are use for military, police and civilian firearms training.

NATO E-type Silhouette Target
Human silhouette target
A digital target range at the firearms training simulator on Kunsan Air Base waits to be used.
Swiss military targets

Mannequins[edit]

Mannequins are sold for use as practice targets. Examples include The Ex, which resembles a woman, and another resembling former United States President Barack Obama.