Zeroing targets

[Mat7530]

Hi all
jet wondering what people are using for zeroing there rifles,
i normally use a big stump of wood buts it's a little heavy to lift around, I don't have a permanent range generally use a farmers field, I have been thinking of making something that folds out and isn't to heavy and maybe using one of them hardox gongs, it needs to stop a 30-06 and a 308
chees

 

[deeangeo]

Piece of 2x1 post & house for sale card pinned to it. Doesn't need to be too tall, enough to stick in the ground & easily replaceable. Reasonably sturdy & not too heavy.
If you don't have a backstop I can't imagine it's safe to shoot.

 

[badbob]

No matter what you use you need a good earth bank, back stop
especially if you are lying down. bullets often pass straight through
quite substantial logs.

 

[jcampbellsmith]

I have a couple of pieces of light ply in the boot of the car. They have a light post attached to one side. They're big enough to take a sheet of A4 paper without the target overlapping the post. I do shoot at gongs occasionally, but not closer than 300 yds. The gong below is at 400 yds.

Regards

JCS

 

[Hereford]

I use a target jammit stand - and a big rising earth backstop - if you've been using a stump then hopefully you've had a rising backstop behind it and your query makes sense, otherwise you need to re-think. Most of the ranges I've been to have witness bullet holes through RSJ's - a stump ain't going to stop much.

Quick sense check told to me by a wise old shooter (this applies for range or quarry) - hold your hand at arms length and put two fingers together horizontally on the back of whatever your shooting at - if you can see sky above your top finger it's not a safe shot

 

[paul o']

I had a polycarbonate roof on my old conserve and this is prefect as a target backing light but it takes tons of hits gave a few sheets to some guys who still have it on there range jusy use gaffer tape to hold the targets up and your good to go add a bit of 1x2 with a point and two plastic grip clamps happy days, back stop is a must but that's teaching you a suck eggs .
. my gong setup
poly go's in same place

 

[Markfox]

As said you want at least a rising earth bank and if you can put your target sheet on a few railway sleepers stacked behind one another it'll help the bullet to breakup and slow down

never fire into anything that contains Flint , rock or brick as you'll increase your chance of a ricochet but I'm sure you know all that anyway

 

[Mat7530]

The stump is about 2 ft deep there is no chance of a bullet going through that!! I do shoot at the bottom of a very large bank, there is a house at 10 o'clock on top of the hill I know the chances are almost impossible but I would just be more at ease stooping the rounds if using ply, this is why i use the stump as it won't go through but is just a little heavy

 

[Jones57]

I used to use millitery ranges and to see the paths of tracer rounds exiting the sand pits doesn't half make you think . i do know one thing a stump of woods not good enough , must be a solid earth type backstop .

 

[norma 308]

for quick zero cardboard box with stapled target for longer session in wind council road sign with wooden insert with middle cut out for target again stapled on
N

 

[Mat7530]

I used to use millitery ranges and to see the paths of tracer rounds exiting the sand pits doesn't half make you think . i do know one thing a stump of woods not good enough , must be a solid earth type backstop .

Its an oak trunk

 

[Hungry hunter]

Your trunk may stop the first couple of shots but it won't take long for the centre to turn to pulp. Then it becomes a heavy piece of paper.
If the back stop isn't good enough to stop the shots you may find a new place to zero.
Better safe than sorry

 

[Hereford]

Its an oak trunk

Not being funny, but are you aware of what a 30.06 or .308 round is capable of?

 

[Webley Boy]

Two 3ft bamboo canes, 4 wooden clothes pegs and a light card backing board. The canes easily poke into the ground and the height adjustment is easily achieved by moving the board up or down with the clothes pegs.

 

[Mat7530]

No not got a clue, generally use them for roost shooting pigeons out of trees! I wish I never bothered with the post I was only asking what people are using I don't need a lesson on backstops!

 

[bryn]

A large yellow folding wet floor sign with an a4 piece of plywood bolted to one side to staple paper to.

Bryn

 

[Hereford]

No not got a clue, generally use them for roost shooting pigeons out of trees! I wish I never bothered with the post I was only asking what people are using I don't need a lesson on backstops!

MTM Case Guard Compact Jammit Stand and 6mm poly carb backboard (£14 ish) - small and light for zeroing



Dont get knickers in a twist and instead expect questions about dubious practices - especially on an open forum for an activity which is open to scrutiny. I don't think anyone is coming at it from the 'idiot' angle. IMO it is better and less labour intensive for the bullet to pass through the target into a safe backstop, rather than having to change out battered and splintered ply every time you use it

 

[jackfish]

I know my Bullets pass through a big compact bale of hay and into an earth mound before stopping! It's surprising the power behind them. Makes you think twice before taking any shot or at least it should do!

 

[deeangeo]

No not got a clue, generally use them for roost shooting pigeons out of trees! I wish I never bothered with the post I was only asking what people are using I don't need a lesson on backstops!

It would appear you do.

No one on this forum has been unhelpful or even disrespectful. You told us what you use as a backstop & on the basis of what you outlined, your backstop seems inadequate at best.

All responses have been responsible and an attempt to help.

 

[Alantoo]

Hi all
jet wondering what people are using for zeroing there rifles,
i normally use a big stump of wood buts it's a little heavy to lift around, I don't have a permanent range generally use a farmers field, I have been thinking of making something that folds out and isn't to heavy and maybe using one of them hardox gongs, it needs to stop a 30-06 and a 308
chees

No not got a clue, generally use them for roost shooting pigeons out of trees! I wish I never bothered with the post I was only asking what people are using I don't need a lesson on backstops!

The reason people are asking you about the back stop is because you stated in your first post that you wanted a portable lightweight device to stop a 30-06 and a 308.

I used the large disc end of heavy Beech forked trunk for a while as a bullet catcher, it was in front of a heap of soft earth with around a mile of rising ground behind. I used the Beech until a friend tried my rifle and did not follow the instruction to keep to the target bull in the centre of the butt (multi bull target sheet). One of his shots splintered the edge and went I know not where...I hope into the earth bank behind. Ever since I just have a paper target stapled to a cardboard box in the same place, so that the risk of any ricochet/deflection is minimised. Everything now just goes straight through and into the earth bank.

Alan