Tech Tip: How to Print Better, More Durable Targets
Most of us have access to a printer at home or at work. That means you can print your own targets. You’ll find hundreds of free target designs online, including dozens of downloadable targets on our AccurateShooter.com Target Page. If you’re feeling creative, you can design your own target with a computer drawing program such as MS Paint.
Paper Stock Is Important
If you want your self-printed targets to show shots cleanly (and not rip when it gets windy), you should use quality paper stock. We recommend card stock — the kind of thick paper used for business cards. Card stock is available in both 65-lb and 110-lb weights in a variety of colors. We generally print black on white. But you might experiment with bright orange or yellow sheets. Forum Member ShootDots report: “They sell cardstock at Fed-Ex Kinko! I use either Orange or Yellow. That makes it easy to see the bullet holes clearly.” On some printers, with the heavier 110-lb card stock, you will need to have the paper exit through the rear for a straighter run.
Here are some Target-Printing Tips from our Forum members:
“Staples sells a 67-lb heavy stock that I have settled on. I use the light grey or light blue, either of these are easy on the eyes on bright days. I have used the 110-lb card stock as well and it works fine. It’s just a little easier to print the lighter stuff.” (JBarnwell)
“Cardstock, as mentioned, works great for showing bullet holes as it doesn’t tear or rip like the thin, lightweight 20-lb paper. I’ve never had a problem with cardstock feeding in the printer, just don’t stick too many sheets in there. If I need three targets, I load only three card stock sheets”. (MEMilanuk)
“I’ve used Staples Sticker paper. This works well and no staples are required (joke intended). It helps if you put slight tension on the lighter weight paper when mounting it on the target frame.” (Mac 86951).
Here are some tips for using lighter weight paper (if you want to save money or your printer won’t work with heavier stock):
“20-lb bond works pretty well for me if I use a spray adhesive and stick the entire back of the paper’s surface to the backer board.” (Lapua40X)
“I use the regular 20-lb paper but the only time it tears is when there is no backer to support it. This can be an issue when going to a public range and the backer are all shot out. I use a large construction paper backer that I clip onto the stands.” (CPorter)
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Tags: 110-lb, 65-lb, Card Stock, Colored Targets, Kinko's, Paper, Printer, Printing
Another piece of software for target design is MS Publisher. Squares and circles can be precisely sized and placed. I have used it for years with a wide carriage printer.
Because my HP can print dbl-sided by rolling the paper around the platen, card stock is a little too stiff: I cut the NRA targets from my range into 3 useable 8.5×11’s that feed great thru my inkjet.
Especially when the PO made small groups, more sheets can be salvaged.
For what it is worth, I tested targets at 300 yards using a wide range of colors. Chartreuse Green was the best for seeing bullet holes (25x scope.
I encapsulate all my targets then they don’t rip as they get shot and its easy to see holes close together.
I missed this one the first time around. These are useful tips. At my suggestion friends have applied package and wide masking tape to the back of targets printed on regular office paper, in the areas where they anticipated bullet holes. This use of materials that we all probably have around the house has largely solved their tear out problems.
Here’s a link to blank ‘target paper’ in 8.5 x 11. I use it in my laser printer in conjunction with OnTarget TDS software.
http://www.pistoleer.com/shooting-targets/custom/
http://ontargetshooting.com/tds/
For those that shoot NBRSA/IBS group matches I have a program for printing targets on back of your competition targets. 100 yrd target has 35 (Mothball is the exact same size as the official target) and the 200 yrd has 20 targets. I cut the target paper to 11″ and feed into printer. Easy/Fast and cheap and the best thing is you are using official target paper. Contact me if you want the program.
well – American Target in Denver sells targets to anyone – their sight-in target (14×14) sells for $29.50/250 (tag – which is a heavier paper) – or less than 12 cents a target……delivered to your door in about 2 days…can’t be much easier than that…if you amortize the cost of an ink jet cartridge – your not much ahead (and maybe behind)