Targets
Short version: for zeroing a rifle, buy paper or adhesive shooting targets with a grid. For practice where you want feedback without walking downrange, buy AR500 steel and a stand. For shotgun days, the clay throwers are on this shelf too. Birchwood Casey, Do-All, Bash, Caldwell and Champion make up most of the 272 products.
Keep going
shooting range gear · shooting ear protection · shooting glasses · range bags · shooting tripods · rifle bipods · turkey choke tubes · airgun pellets
Choosing shooting targets by job
Match the target to the session. A sight-in needs a record of every hole, while a long practice string mostly needs fast feedback, and a shotgun day needs something in the air. The table below sorts the shelf by job.
| Type | On the shelf | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | Champion Visishot and Scorekeeper, Birchwood Casey Eze-Scorer, Allen EZ Aim | Zeroing, group measurement, scoring |
| Adhesive / splatter | Birchwood Casey Shoot-N-C and Dirty Bird, Splatter Shot, Allen EZ Aim Splash | Seeing hits from the bench |
| Steel | Bash AR500 and AR550 gongs and silhouettes, Caldwell AR500, AR-MOR, Do-All | Audible hits, longer distance practice |
| Self-sealing | Do-All Impact Seal | Plinking without a target change |
| Clay | Do-All manual and automatic traps, Caldwell Claymore, Trius, MTM, Champion | Trap-style shotgun practice |
Paper and reactive targets for sight-in
Paper targets are the honest ones. A grid lets you count clicks on the turret instead of guessing, and the Champion Scorekeeper sheets are labeled by distance (50 ft and 100 yd versions sit side by side here). Reactive targets add a color ring around each impact, which saves trips to the spotting scope at 100 yards. Turkey hunters will find patterning targets from Quaker Boy and Allen, the right paper for testing a new load through turkey choke tubes before spring. Duck hunters checking patterns through waterfowl choke tubes can use the large Champion and Birchwood Casey sheets the same way.
Need a quick sheet tonight? Our printable shooting targets page builds them for free.
Steel targets and stands
Steel is the fun shelf. Bash Target Supply carries most of it, with AR500 and AR550 gongs and silhouettes, plus a run of stands and hooks to hang them. Caldwell adds AR500 animal shapes (coyote, deer, prairie dog) and dueling trees, and the Caldwell and Do-All rimfire pieces are sized for .22 practice. Read the manufacturer guidance on caliber and minimum distance for any steel target before hanging it.
Steel at distance pairs naturally with a solid rest. A precision bipod or a tripod steadies the rifle, and a spotting scope tells you where a miss went. If you want a number behind the drop, the shooting chronograph shelf has a radar unit.
Clay pigeon throwers and airgun targets
Clay throwers run from MTM hand throwers you can toss in a truck door to Do-All automatic traps (a Do-All wireless remote is listed here too). A manual trap is the middle ground for a few friends and a pasture. Airgun shooters have their own corner: Allen and Do-All pellet traps, Daisy Shatterblast targets and a Red Ryder starter kit. Pellets and BBs live on the airgun ammo and accessories shelf.
Shooting Targets FAQs
What is the best target for sighting in a rifle?
A paper grid target with a clear center aiming point. The grid makes scope adjustments easy to calculate, and an adhesive splatter target works well if you cannot see holes from the bench.
What does AR500 mean on a steel target?
It is a hardened steel grade commonly used for shooting targets. Each target still carries its own caliber and distance guidance from the maker, so read that rather than relying on the grade alone.
Do I need a stand for paper targets?
Only if your range does not provide one. The Champion 2x4 stand, Caldwell target stands and Allen paper target stand are here, along with a Champion staple gun for hanging sheets.
Can I use these targets with an air rifle?
Paper and adhesive targets work fine. For a backstop, use a pellet trap; several are on this page.