laststandonzombieisland

Basic skills training with your Springer is more than just working on paper targets. To help train shoot/ no-shoot, magazine exchanges, target transition and other tasks to shooters, I like to run a series of drills with a series of five freestanding steel plates.

Paper targets have the place but I have a special part of my soul that loves the sound that lead makes on steel when flying in excess of 800fps. That auditory ‘ting’ of a good, solid hit on metal can be heard even through the best of earpro, giving instant feedback to both the shooter and those observing. The plates we use at the range are homemade with I-stand bases that extend up to a single post with an 8.5×11-inch flat, set to a slight forward angle to help break up rounds and negate ricochet chances. These plates are painted white with a rattle can every few range days to help observe hits and wobble just a bit when hit but do not fall down.

I like to stagger the plates as seen above in groups of two singles and three musketeers, but this can be changed up into any grouping you prefer.

If you are good with metal, you can make your own on the cheap with some angle iron, metal sheeting, and some rods. If you aren’t, you can always modify this to use cardboard stapled to 2x2s set in some quickcrete inside a pickle bucket. You don’t get the ‘ting’ but you still can set up a string of easy targets on the quick and cheap.

For safety, stay at least 7 yards (21 feet) outboard of the target and of course wear your eye and earpro as well as any ballistic vest if you have one (especially if you typically wear one anyway such as in LE or security) to help ensure protection against ricochets.

For the drills to go with the plates, checkout my column at X D  Forum.