50 and 100 yd accuracy

Dutch, I finally broke down and ordered your system. I look forward to receiving it.

Flint62Smoothie said:

You know ... orange is one of, if not THE worst color for the eyes to focus on whilst shooting!

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Spot on! I think there is general confusion from the fact that blaze orange sticks out/contrasts so much from the woods so well, because it is so foreign to the woods, but that doesn’t mean it is a good color for an aiming point.

I am not an Optometrist, so I can’t explain why this works, but studies have been done from no light to low light to normal light day conditions. The human eye first can identify both green and blue at the lowest levels of light. On a scale of one to ten how fast the eye picks them up, blue and green are a 3 near the low end of the scale. Blaze Orange is something like a 7 or 8, meaning it takes much more light to truly differentiate that color.

Flint62Smoothie said:

I prefer a white bull on a dark background for ”˜load development’ myself, but its not an easy option, i.e., you need to make your own. But the black on neutral background works too.

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I stumbled onto this years ago in the 70’s and purely by accident, while shooting at the Clark Brothers Range in Warrenton, VA. The targets they sold had a Black Bullseye, but a One Inch Off White circle in the center. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but remembered it years later when I had been putting One Inch “Stick On” Blaze Orange Dots on my targets, as an aiming point. It so happened I had to travel to Clark Brothers Range and Gun Shop again to get parts to repair my brother’s shotgun. While there, I again used their targets with the One Inch Off White Circle in the center and THIS TIME, realized how much easier it made to focus on that aiming point.

OK, so since much of the shooting I did was off the bench at 100 yards to function fire and test the accuracy of guns I had re-barreled or worked on, I used the last of the Clark Brothers targets I had purchased. SO”¦I went to Office Depot and bought a package of Avery Labels of 1” diameter White Circles.
https://www.avery.com/products/labels/5410

I then began putting those white circles on the center of the Black Bullseye on EVERY target I fired from 25 yards with handguns to 100 yards with rifles. It has proven remarkable to help me shoot more accurately and MUCH closer to what the guns are capable of shooting.

Flint62Smoothie said:

Try this! What ”˜hold’ are you using? I find for BEST groups that the 6 o’clock hold works best. Try it, tune your load, then once satisfied, then aim dead on ...

Report back please, as to what you find works for you!

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Again, Spot On!! Using the 6 o’clock hold on those 1” White Circles REALLY makes it much easier to get and keep an excellent aiming point for each shot and gives one much better groups.

Gus

Our local range sells targets with a center large diamond shape and four diamond shaped targets on each corner. They are printed in a slightly faded hunter orange shade on newsprint type paper. I find them very hard to see for shooting. I tape 1" square tape in the center of each to give a distinct point to aim at. Otherwise with these old eyes I have a hard time finding a good aim point.

Kansas Jake said:

Our local range sells targets with a center large diamond shape and four diamond shaped targets on each corner. They are printed in a slightly faded hunter orange shade on newsprint type paper. I find them very hard to see for shooting. I tape 1" square tape in the center of each to give a distinct point to aim at. Otherwise with these old eyes I have a hard time finding a good aim point.

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There you go, good for you!

I tried some Square 1" Avery Labels in the center of my targets as well. They also worked "Jim Dandy," but the stores often don't carry the Square Labels in that size, so instead used the White Circles I could find.

So I can see how Square 1" tape pieces would indeed work very well.

Gus

I put them on the target with the corners at the compass points which gives a sharp point to aim at. I usually try to use a 6 o'clock hold for closer work. At a distance, I'm just lucky to see the spot.

I'll have to try that at shorter distances, but like you, I can't tell the difference between round or square label aiming points at 100 yards.

Thank you.

Gus

back in the day my muzzleloader(50cal round ball) would do 1 1/2 - 2"+ at 100 yards(3 shots benched). it was easy for me to do a 3/4 - 1" group at 50 yards(3 shots/benched). take the bench out of the equation, 50 yards goes to 2" or so and a 100 yards is 3 to 4".

that was then, this is now. a 50 cal maxi ball goes 50 yards = 2+" while 100 yards is 4+", this is supported by a primos bipod. don't forget, i am 1 armed :grin: .

3 shots means nothing IMHO. 5 count in matches. When I competed in Light bench/buffalo matches 50's were the norm with x's settling the winners.

At 100 2 inch was the 10's 1 inch the X's.

Shooting like that is HARD not the average shooter will do it.
Guys think 2 inch groups are the norm NOT!

Offhand or from a makeshift rest I bow to you :bow: or call you a liar. :grin:

Now a days 5 hits on a paper plate at 100 from a rest and I am happy. Shooting at big game stops around 60 yards for me.

Flint62Smoothie said:

You know ... orange is one of, if not THE worst color for the eyes to focus on whilst shooting!

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I notice no difference in target bull acquisition between black and orange. I prefer orange as it's much easier for me to see the more defined contrast between the black front sight blade (or post) and the orange bull. I also prefer orange as it's far easier identifying .22 caliber shots at 100 yds through my spotting scope vs a black center.

One-inch white dots at Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Hcode-Stick...&keywords=stick+on+paper+dots#customerReviews

i've never got into competitive shooting, so 3 shots is good for me.

Not a competitive MLer shooter. Realistically no option within an hour of the house. Most interested in first shot with cold clean barrel. Doesn’t really matter where second, let alone third, forth or fifth go when hunting. But 4” at hundred yards consistently with a cold barrel grouping puts you in the winner circle every day while hunting. There are no Xs on animals.

SDSmlf said:

Not a competitive MLer shooter. Realistically no option within an hour of the house. Most interested in first shot with cold clean barrel. Doesn’t really matter where second, let alone third, forth or fifth go when hunting. But 4” at hundred yards consistently with a cold barrel grouping puts you in the winner circle every day while hunting. There are no Xs on animals.

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yep, i'll go with that.

I'm not a competitive shooter either. But for some reason putting a bunch of holes very close together on a piece of paper really wags my tail.

This suggestion is for people with diminishing eyesight. Since my vision is fading with age, I shoot better groups on a larger bullseye target than I shoot on a smaller target. The old rule of thumb is that young eyes shoot center hold and old eyes shoot 6 O'clock hold with iron sights.

Try something larger to index your front sight on. A solid color that sharply contrasts with your sights to ensure you have good sight alignment is of paramount importance when shooting groups or target shooting with iron sights at 100 yards or farther.


If you want to use a paper plate, it will work. Cut the paper plate in half, paint it flat black, then staple or tape it to a white background. Gloss black reflects light, so I highly recommend flat black. If you don't want to cut the paper plate in half, you could lay something with a straight edge over half of the paper plate and spray paint one half of the plate. The flat part of the semi-circle goes on the bottom when you post the target downrange. Use a level to make certain the target is posted level with the earth.

Get the best possible sight alignment in the white just below the flat on the black semi-circle. Level the rear sight with the flat part of the plate, center it left to right and touch the flat with the top of the front sight.

If you don't want to mess with paint, a piece of black construction paper stapled to a white background will work. I've printed the upper half of B-21 targets and used them to help students zero their rifles or handguns since 1988. It works for a lot of people. If you try it and don't like it, the worst that can happen is that you are out a paper plate and a little flat black paint or a piece of black construction paper.

I use post it notes. They come in many colors and sizes and the top is sticky.

why do so many manufacturers use orange bulls when that's the one color you absolutely NEVER want to aim at in the woods?
There are other hi-viz colors that won't lead to bad habits............

Redstick Lee said:

why do so many manufacturers use orange bulls when that's the one color you absolutely NEVER want to aim at in the woods?
There are other hi-viz colors that won't lead to bad habits............

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Agree. Orange dots are easy to see on a target, even at distance.

I want to learn how to shoot like Daniel Day Lewis a.k.a. Hawkeye in, "Last Of The Mohicans," or Mel Gibson in, "The Patriot."

I just ordered Dutch Schoultz's system on the recommendations here. I need help too.
Aim small, miss small.

I also had a hard time seeing both my sights & the target at the same time. My solution is a little unconventional.

I went to the optometrist & got him to give me 2 prescriptions. 1 for reading at 36" & another for distance vision. I then ordered a pair of glasses with the reading prescription in the right lens (I am right handed & right eye dominant) & the distance vision lens for the left.

Shooting with both eyes open I can now clearly see my sights & my target at the same time. I have to put the glasses on about 15min before I am ready to start shooting so my brain can work it out. Honestly its pretty disorienting at 1st but typically after 15min my brain has rewired itself & I can see & shoot just fine.

Good luck! Getting old sucks but its better than the alternative I guess.