3.5x5 shipping labels -- practical accuracy

[GJM]

For the last year or so, we have been putting small bits of tape on many of our dry fire targets and some of our live fire practice targets to encourage "looking at a spot." As part of discussion around a number of Stoeger's recent videos on target focus, YVK commented that putting your red dot on a small piece of tape would seem to encourage dot focus since you only see your dot when it covers the tape.

That led to discussion where my wife related Max Michel's technique for shooting steel, where you look at the steel and when your dot is surrounded by a sufficient amount of white, you fire the shot. We then thought that might be a good technique on paper, where you visualize a target area.

After a trip to Staples, we found 3.5x5 mailing labels. Just had a great range session with labels on some targets to denote a target area, and in separate use for zeroing, draws and practical accuracy drills. Our belief is if you can hit a 3.5x5 target on demand, at speed, you have a reasonable handle on accuracy for games and defense. These targets also work well at promoting target focus.

Here are the labels we bought.



And, what they look like on a dry fire target compared to tape.

[mmc45414]

There is a ton of stuff out there that is cheap and easy, differant sizes and colors. I bought:

4" White dots
1.5" Green dots

And I bought these 2.5" round Averys with the intend of printing some cross hairs on them, but that might be a bigger PITA than I expected. I started with Word, but maybe PowerPoint would be a better approach.

[breakingtime91]

Awesome idea. Thanks George

[PNWTO]

There is a ton of stuff out there that is cheap and easy, differant sizes and colors. I bought:

4" White dots
1.5" Green dots

Those dot stickers are great. I usually raid the dollar store in the nearby redneckville for them once or twice a year. Plus 3x5 cards and 8” party plates and I’m set.

[jandbj]

Fun fact :
USPS Priority Mail labels measure 4.25”x5.5”

[rd62]

I use 3x5 self adhesive labels too but I found a big ass roll of bright orange ones on Amazon and they've been great.

[Shawn Dodson]

I suggest you place your sticker on the IPSC target so the top of the sticker is in contact with the top of the A-zone line. This covers the heart and aortic arch.

The sticker in your photo is too low.

[1Rangemaster]

Good thinking @GJM (and wife!).
From my perspective, that label could represent a side shot to the torso, but I’ll defer to the MDs here if that is out of line.
I’d also put forward that standard PostIt notes-the little squares could be useful at close range-within 7-10 yards say- for a precision shot(upper CNS).
I’m privileged to have contact with some US military veterans who have said that 8.5x11 sheets are gtg also(see Claude Werner).
So we can scale back and forth as we deem necessary.

[fatdog]

Just gave me an idea of what to do with these zebra labels

[GJM]

I suggest you place your sticker on the IPSC target so the top of the sticker is in contact with the top of the A-zone line. This covers the heart and aortic arch.

The sticker in your photo is too low.

In this instance, I want the sticker in the middle of the A zone, as opposed to a spot more anatomical, but the great thing about the stickers is you can place them wherever you want for whatever reason.