Shooting Metal Targets vs. Paper Targets

An ongoing debate, many shooting enthusiasts tout the benefits of using metal targets, while other shooters claim that paper targets are the superior target of choice. Jumping Targets highlights the pros and cons between both metal targets and paper targets.

- Steel Shooting Targets – These metal targets offer immediate feedback for shooters. Providing instant reactions, these metal gun targets offer shooters instantaneous responses, as they can hear and see shot accuracy. Military and law enforcement personnel often use steel gun targets, as it provides them with efficient feedback to know if they need to alter their shooting stances or aims. Additionally, psychologists say there are benefits to hearing and reacting to sounds, which helps program the body’s muscle memory, reinforcing positive behaviors. The body learns to subconsciously repeat the same variables that are required to produce the same results. Providing instantaneous feedback, metal targets help to increase shooting speed, accuracy and make training efforts more successful. This is a vital skill in tactical shooting and in hunting, as it helps invoke several senses, which allows shooters to react faster and more accurately. Moving metal targets offer substantial training benefits. As these spin and move, they not only provide instant feedback, but also help shooters of all skill levels.

- Paper Shooting Targets – Paper targets help shooters sight-in advanced rifles and are commonly used for law enforcement agency qualifications. Paper targets allow people to precisely see where their shots hit, which is important for illustrating group shots, where shooters are supposed to hit the target in the same place each time. Paper targets come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, including offering score zones, qualification criteria for matches and different shooting stages. Paper targets are more affordable and flexible for some shooting events.

While paper targets are more affordable, metal targets offer the benefit of extended use and can be used for several years. Jumping Targets offers AR500 steel, which helps prevent ricocheting and dangerous bullet fragmentation. Jumping Targets also features targets that have precise angles, allowing bullets to safely ricochet at 20-degree angles.

- To summarize, metal targets offer the following benefits over paper targets:

- Targets offer immediate feedback, which includes visible bouncing, spinning, rocking, falling or wobbling.

- When metal targets are hit, they produce a distinct sound. Since metal targets can be used for years, they are more cost effective in the end than paper targets.

Shooters receive instant feedback, which allows them to spend more time shooting and less time rearranging paper targets.

References:

http://www.actiontarget.com/should-i-shoot-on-paper-or-steel-targets/