After shooting from a steady prone position at 75 yards, I've decided I need to try out some more realistic field positions. What I had in mind is setting up a paper plate at a random distance to approximate the kill zone of a deer. This way, I won't know the exact range nor will I have a printed bullseye to aim at. I'll set up with my bipod and fire a full cylinder. The longest distance in which I can hit the target with every round in the cylinder will be my maximum effective range.

Alternatively, I could save some 1 gallon milk jugs, fill them up with water, and set them out at varying distances. This way I'd know immediately whether I made a good shot.

Thoughts on either method? Or should I just stick with targets at known ranges?

You have the right idea! The way you are going to practice will help you become a better shot with your handguns. Practice, Practice, Practice. Use both the plates & the milk jugs. I even buy paper picture targets of deer, boar, buff, and rams. I practice shooting these targets at various ranges. Practice both free handed & off of different shooting rests you will use in the field.

I use the pig silhouette at 100 yards for offhand practice. I have found that this really gets you tuned up for whatever you encounter. At least this has worked for me.

I need to check and see if my local store has any of those life size deer targets. Those would make for highly realistic practice.

TN LW,

Look up Big Dog Steel on the Net and their packages with stands and 8" steel targets. Grab a shooting buddy (or solo) and play horse - shoot from different distances, positions, etc.

When you hear BANG-CLANG with regularity, your confidence soars.

What I decided to do this year was go steel. I happened to have a few different size AR500 targets that were built for a different type of rotating stand sytem. Pretty poor design. I had a local shop cut them up for me and add a hole at the top.

If you look up "shepherd's hooks" you will see the design. These hooks can be had in the garden section of your hardware store, pretty cheap. Hang the target from the hook. They can be easily transported placed anywhere where you shoot. They ring well, and the hook seems to hold up pretty well.

Craig

Will bullets that hit the targets run the risk of producing an errant ricochet?

It is best to angle the targets so the bullets deflect downward.

I built this rack last fall for instant feedback.

I keep it at my 50 yard berm and we play a horse style game of how many shots, or how long, to work your way from the 10"er to the 4"er.

I have 3 more 10" plates in 3 more racks that I will place at varying distances.

I do the paper plate method. I got my wife and cousin started this way also. Told them they can't take a shot at any distance if they haven't hit 5 shots in a row on the paper plate at the same distance. My wife said it really made her focus knowing that if she saw something at a certain distance, she knew she could either confidently take the shot, or had to sneak up a little.

I like the metal plates. Think I'll be making some of those shortly!!

Rod - great design!

TN LoneWolf - the swinger plates deflect the bullets down as s4s4u suggests, so much so that the bullets/jackets will cut a line in the ground below the target stand.

TN--l shoot IHMSA silhouettes..chicken..pig..turkey..ram.. set at 50.100.150.200 meters..l shoot ''production revolver standing'' class...Great fun and even better practice for hunting

I go to the local gun club and set a regular sheet of paper at 100 yds and shoot at it offhand. It really makes me concentrate on sight picture and squeeze. Than I go to 25 and 50 yds offhand and usually I am pleasantly surprised at the group sizes. If I still have ammo left I shoot at random distances.

Let some one else set your targets out. If you know the area you normally shoot you may have an idea of predetermined range. The targets set out in places you haven't seen before or in different areas makes it a little more challenging but you have the right idea

I wish I knew if there are any IHMSA competitions near where I live. I could probably only hit the 50 yard target, but hey, it's a start.

Try large balloons. Have them move about in the wind a bit. Shoot them at various unknown distances. Might be a good challenge. (I've never done it yet.)

We make cardboard deer and hogs. I set them out and blast away. reflex264

although not done with handguns its still a funny story. we set up a " running deer target" with the deer target on plywood, with wheels on a sloped cable. the problem was the cable was too steep so the target was doing about 35-40 mph. try hitting that with a flintlock rifle. if you got thr space and a few friends a " woods walk" is nice. it helps you look for, identify, and then make the shot.

RustyGunn, that sounds a lot like how our dad used to have us practice for bowhunting out of a treestand, he would air up water balloons and set them at random distances and angles and have us shoot them. I like that idea for firearms as well, it's nice seeing the balloon pop. With multiple balloons and a buddy or two you could turn it into a competition and see if that helps you step up your game.

I've shot balloons but not when they are blowing in the breeze off a string. It is excellent feedback when the balloons pop. Filled with water is fun too.

That's why I'm saving old milk bottles. They're the perfect size target for my needs, and the results are quite spectacular when a bullet lands a solid hit on them.