Scaled Down Targets To Replicate Distance For Dry Fire Training

[Sal Picante]

Don't forget that when you use an 11 yard distance, your muzzle is at 10 yards, and when you use a 33 yard distance, your muzzle is at 32 yards.

When using a short distance, measure from the muzzle to the target.

LOL Whut?

[Rich@CCC]

I realize y'all are talking hand guns and not riffles, but... I have always had a problem with the military(Air Force specifically) QUALIFYING on scaled targets at short range. Any shmuck can hit a 3" tall target at 50 yards with irons on an M16/M4. That same shmuck might have a hell of a time putting a round in man size target at 300yds. Scale targets cannot train you for bullet drop or distance target acquisition.

How much does that effect your IDPA skills when you train with scale targets? Not arguing, just asking as I'm not a competitive shooter.

[Mr_White]

How much does that effect your IDPA skills when you train with scale targets? Not arguing, just asking as I'm not a competitive shooter.

I shoot USPSA, not IDPA, but I think it's still the same question.

Scaled targets are not perfect and practicing on them carries the same rough edges as it does for any other shooting purpose outside of competition. With USPSA, and especially IDPA shooting, distances aren't great enough that bullet drop is a significant factor, but visual focus issues do remain.

What's really good about them though, is that they can be used at home to put in a lot of work, so even though they are imperfect, they are a huge net gain. If I weren't practicing at home with scaled targets, I wouldn't be magically transported to the range to shoot live ammo at real targets at real distances, I just wouldn't be practicing.

[Luger]

If I want to use a half scale target, what do I have to cut in half? Only the surface of the target or it`s width and height?
For example if the original target is 30x40cm (1.200qcm) do I have to use a 15x20cm (300qcm) target or a 20x30cm (600qcm) target?

[Mr_White]

If I want to use a half scale target, what do I have to cut in half? Only the surface of the target or it`s width and height?
For example if the original target is 30x40cm (1.200qcm) do I have to use a 15x20cm (300qcm) target or a 20x30cm (600qcm) target?

I think you need to halve the surface area to have an actual 1/2 scale target. If you halve the width and height, you'll end up with a 1/4 scale target instead of 1/2 scale, just like in your examples. And that's not necessarily bad, because it will be even harder and thus emphasize accuracy even more. As long as that's what you want to emphasize.

[GRV]

If I want to use a half scale target, what do I have to cut in half? Only the surface of the target or it`s width and height?
For example if the original target is 30x40cm (1.200qcm) do I have to use a 15x20cm (300qcm) target or a 20x30cm (600qcm) target?

That depends on what you're trying to accomplish.

If you want it to mimic a target twice as far away, you need to cut both the width and the height in half.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_angle

But, as Mr_White pointed out, the realities of this are more complicated due to the different focal planes and such.

[Mr_White]

That depends on what you're trying to accomplish.

If you want it to mimic a target twice as far away, you need to cut both the width and the height in half.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_angle

But, as Mr_White pointed out, the realities of this are more complicated due to the different focal planes and such.

Thanks for posting that link. I should have gone and looked it up myself before answering - I felt like I remembered there was more complication in there than I gave it credit for. This is why I just go with the non-math 'make the target smaller than I think I need to and figure it is not exact anyway.'

[GRV]

Thanks for posting that link. I should have gone and looked it up myself before answering - I felt like I remembered there was more complication in there than I gave it credit for. This is why I just go with the non-math 'make the target smaller than I think I need to and figure it is not exact anyway.'

Math sucks.

[Mr_White]

Math sucks.

I used to like it. Now that I forgot...a whole lot of it....it sucks.

[Clusterfrack]

Dudes... you're killing me. This is so simple: as you scale the target down, you want the sight picture to be the same as it was at whatever distance the full size target is at. Same in elevation. Same in windage. So that's telling you to scale down height and width--right?