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Simple topic here, looking for input from Match Directors. How do you pick the color to paint your targets? Do you put much thought into it or just go with the old stand by, black or red?

 

I am curious and looking for some insight and wondering how many of you actually consider the importance of color of the targets.

 

 

Just curious,

 

Ketchum Quick

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Old standby, black or red? Don't often SEE red, literally & figuratively.

 

Much depends on the background, but I like black for pistols targets and ANY contrasting color for rifle. If the background is dark, white or bright yellow for rifle. Yeah, white disappears in smoke, unless the background is in deep shadow. Red, against a green background, is nearly impossible to see, as are white pistol or rifle targets if the background is light-colored dirt.

 

Often I will paint a target white (or black) and outline it in black (or white, respectively).

 

For long range, BRIGHT yellow or international orange are pretty good, unless you are in yellow grass country.

 

Well, it all depends on the background. Sigh.

 

eGG

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Well, it all depends on the background. Sigh.

 

eGG

+1

eGG is absolutely right! MD's should consider what's behind the target before they paint it.

 

In most cases my personal preference would be for black targets, but my views are not shared by all. Our two local clubs have a many-years-long tradition of using patriotic colors: Red for shotgun, white for rifle, blue for pistol, and these generally work for us IN OUR BACKGROUNDS. I have shot in places where it seemed that the MD actually tried to hide the targets by painting them in colors only a shade or two lighter/darker than the background, and this WAS NOT fun for even the heathen smokeless shooters, much less us BP crazies! I know that to save money, clubs often by mis-mixed paint for a cheap price...unfortunately most of these colors seem to be in the green/brown color bands, which don't work very well here in the midwest. Of course, with the drought conditions we've had this year, a nice BRIGHT green just might show up really well...You really do have to consider the background.

 

CS

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Hello,

 

At the Tejas Caballeros, I paint the targets - mostly because that was how they did them before I started, as follows:

 

Rifle: White with red border and a red star for a bullseye

 

Pistol: Blue with a white star for a bullseye

 

Shotgun: Black with a white "RIP" as a bullseye on the tombstone and coffin shaped targets

 

I know the bullseye don't matter for counting, but I think it may help with "aim small, miss small" for some

 

we had Christmas tree bullseyes in December and 3 leaf clovers on St Patricks day, etc.

 

Cowboy Small

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Depends on your background. If you shoot in a darker area, trees and undergrowth you'll probably want to go with a little lighter color, I don't like green or yellow. If all the targets are in the open prarie and bright sunlight I'd prefer black. You can't please everyone, just try to please the masses.

 

 

LL'

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:FlagAm:

 

I am old fashioned -- kinda like the duke was

 

I use

Red

White

&

Blue

 

alternating on each stage, no set pattern

 

(easily seen colors)

the voices make me doo it

:FlagAm:

 

 

I hear Mike's voices............Red, White and Blue :FlagAm:

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Guest diablo slim shootist

Red white and blue are nice but...if you shoot black powder(and I do sometimes) white targets literally disappear after the first couple of shots .We just painted all our targets blue and

this color works even for color blind shooters(who can not distinguish red and green)I really

like them painted blue seems my misses have gone way down ;)

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Red white and blue are nice but...if you shoot black powder(and I do sometimes) white targets literally disappear after the first couple of shots .We just painted all our targets blue and

this color works even for color blind shooters(who can not distinguish red and green)I really

like them painted blue seems my misses have gone way down ;)

 

staggered, colors work well with black powder

I shoot that alot tooooooo ;)

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For a couple of Chorro Valley's annuals I painted the targets grey. When asked why I painted them grey I replied, "What color were they at the beginning of the match?" The reply, "Grey". I then asked, "What color are they now?"..."Grey".

 

Fillmore

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Read somewhere that a light to medium blue works good under most conditions. That is what they used at the MO. State Match. Worked for me and black powder. Does not blend into a cluttered background. I don't care for white. Red seems very hard to see in a tree background. Bright yellow stands out the best. That is why training aircraft were painted yellow a long time ago.

Two clubs I shoot does all white the other club does black and white. They work except the white is harder to see in the smoke.

Just my 3 cents worth

Wyandot

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As a black powder shooter I don't like white targets. Seeing a white target in cloud of white smoke is more difficult than seeing a contrasting color. Mostly I see black targets with the exception of diamonds and hearts painted red. Since many locals shoot Winter Range and EOT we like our targets painted the same. It helps us prepare for the big matches.

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Usually black because we have light brown dirt berms. I like to put white boarders to help "see the edges". If it aids the shooters I'll color code certain targets to help understand a shooting sequence. Then we use blue, green, red, etc.

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...we use a lot of bright blue and orange for rifle and revolver targets and black with white for shotgun targets for our annual/State match...

 

...for monthly, we use black mostly...

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You might want to do some research on color blindness......it's a lot more prevalent than I ever knew.....After much research the FL State championship landed on a bright blue in 2010. It has been received very well. After talking to a couple of shooters after our match in January....IF.....I was still in charge I would probably outline them with another color.....I would have to ponder that for a bit to figure out the color combo.

 

Red and Green are definitely to be avoided. That's the most prevalent type of color blindness. White sucks for the BP guys.....Black is ok depending on your background.....can get lost if there are shadows.....

 

here is a pic of the blue targets http://www.laststand.org/BlueTargets.jpg like I said I would probably go with a border on these now.

 

Stan

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One of the worst target color layouts was a state match where every other stage changed color on rifle and pistol targets. Stage One black pistol white rifle. Stage two white pistol black rifle. On and on for the whole match.

Wore out two felt tip pin's changeing front sight on every stage! Adding black removing black on and on and on and on......You get the Idea!

 

Also if you choose red, green or blue out line the targets in white for the color chalenged (blind) shooters, If you don't know who they are just use those colors and they will tell you who they are. You don't need to ask how I know but I thought it was a good Idea at the time

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Guest Chance Ramsay, SASS#18962

Red, white, blue, or black but put a boarder of a different color on it.

Chance

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Depends on your background. If you shoot in a darker area, trees and undergrowth you'll probably want to go with a little lighter color, I don't like green or yellow. If all the targets are in the open prarie and bright sunlight I'd prefer black. You can't please everyone, just try to please the masses.

 

 

LL'

+1... I hate green and yellow. Black or blue if you please. Red is OK as a marker target like on a sweep where you're 2nd gun is on 4 or somesuch is appreciated.

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You might want to do some research on color blindness......it's a lot more prevalent than I ever knew.....After much research the FL State championship landed on a bright blue in 2010. It has been received very well. After talking to a couple of shooters after our match in January....IF.....I was still in charge I would probably outline them with another color.....I would have to ponder that for a bit to figure out the color combo.

 

Red and Green are definitely to be avoided. That's the most prevalent type of color blindness. White sucks for the BP guys.....Black is ok depending on your background.....can get lost if there are shadows.....

 

here is a pic of the blue targets http://www.laststand.org/BlueTargets.jpg like I said I would probably go with a border on these now.

 

Stan

[/quote

 

Stan,

 

I am red-green and blue-green color blind. I could hug any Match Director who takes color blindness into account. Blue targets work best for me.

 

One color that can impose a real problem for poor sighted shooters is black. Expecially on short, ground hugging, shotgun targets. I saw an example of this not too long ago. There were short black s.g. targets staked to the ground and they were surrounded by some very fertile looking black dirt. It didn't help that it was raining that day also.

 

I would encourage Match Directors to look at target color when setting up their match.

 

Thanks for the replies, they have been helpful.

 

KQ

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