The link has a photo of the new target.

https://www.armytimes.com/arti...marksmanship-targets

New targets cut ammo use for soldiers zeroing their weapons

By: Ken Perrotte, May 13, 2017 (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Ken Perrotte)

The Army’s new zeroing target is finding favor at training ranges — and saving units some serious ammunition.

One of the new target's designers — Sgt. 1st Class Ash Hess, a master marksmanship trainer with the Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, Georgia — said initial feedback from the field is that the number of rounds it takes to zero M4 and M16 series weapons has dropped approximately 50 percent.

The reason: The new target eliminates guesswork and the potential for arguments about how many clicks it takes to accurately move the point of impact.

“If it takes three clicks per box and you’re only doing two, it’s going to take you all day to get across the paper," Hess said. "And you’re expending rounds each time you do it. The new targets are based on minutes of angle [MOA], and the adjustments for the most common optics are printed on the bottom of the target. Everybody using the target knows what the adjustment is supposed to be. It’s an easy target to understand."

With average shooters, Hess said, it took 18 to 35 rounds to zero a weapon with the old targets. That's now down to 10 to 15 rounds.

The target can also be used as a scoring target for conducting short-range marksmanship and pistol training.

The target does away with the familiar silhouette in the center, instead using a center diamond surrounded by concentric circles. It’s overlaid on a 1 MOA grid, which is designed to work with the primary sighting optics used today.

The targets are available on heavy stock Rite in the Rain waterproof paper, as well as regular Army paper stock, Hess said. Shot groups tend to show up better on the Rite in the Rain paper, likely due to its heavier weight, Hess observed. The unique waterproofing properties might also factor into cleaner impact marks.

According to Adam Rotruck, government sales representative for JL Darling LLC., owner of the Rite in the Rain brand, the new zeroing target, as well as new “Alternate Course C Qualification” and “Slow Fire Qualification” targets combined for sales of more than 100,000 in the first quarter of 2017.

“We are extremely encouraged with the growth in such a short period of time, especially since the NSNs [national stock numbers] weren’t assigned until late January of 2017,” Rotruck said.

Hess says he sometimes hears soldiers say the new targets are not yet posted in training doctrine, but pointed to new versions of Army Training Circular 3-22-9 that include details on the target.

The target, and others, can be purchased at http://www.riteintherain.com/search?q=targets . The zeroing target also can be requisitioned by its NSN (6920-01-660-0348) or via GSA Advantage.

Thanks for the link, I will have my supply guys order some of these before our next M4 range.

How long were the old targets in use? How long has the M16 family been in use? How is it soldiers cannot figure out the distance covered when it clicks once, especially when they have been doing it for years.

Things like this scare the crap out of me especially when statements about it taking 18-35 rounds to zero average shooters. What in the name of Zeus is going on that the norm cannot be identified and remembered.

I like the concept, but it doesn't account for the desired offset needed when zeroing at 25m for a 50/200 zero.

quote:

Originally posted by guardianangel762:
How long were the old targets in use? How long has the M16 family been in use? How is it soldiers cannot figure out the distance covered when it clicks once, especially when they have been doing it for years.

Things like this scare the crap out of me especially when statements about it taking 18-35 rounds to zero average shooters. What in the name of Zeus is going on that the norm cannot be identified and remembered.

Exactly! I have a stack of the old 25m silhouette sight in/zero targets. I usually get the job done in 10 rounds or under and confirm the zero at the actual range.

My last build of a semi lightweight KISS carbine using mostly take off parts and such was a total of 6 rounds.

First 3 low just off the grid, counted the grid made the changes on front sight and 3 perfectly centered rounds, confirmed zero at 50 and 200m and it was on. Total was 16 rounds.

After which I shot a couple of groups, and some steel targets at unknown ranges and did some drills.

For a total of 150 rounds.

The Army still can't figure out how to train in marksmanship with the M16 weapons family and targets that have been in use from what the 60's? My God! They really need to get some instructions for their instructors on how to shoot!




ARman

I dunno, I am all for innovation but come on. I never had a problem with the old target. Three to see where it hits, three after the correction, and three for confirmation. Move to the firing line.

I would have never thought BZO'ing was so difficult....

In my experience it’s not the target that impedes zeroing, it’s shooters who can’t put three shots into a group that can be covered by a saucer at 25m/y.

And a black bull’s-eye isn’t ideal for any sort of sight. If the optic has a crosshair reticle, the target should be an open diamond with the preferred calibration grid. If it has a center illuminated dot, the target should be a well-defined ring that the dot just appears to fit in without much clearance all around. Plus if they’re zeroing at 25 meters, parallax issues due to misaligned eye position must be considered.

quote:

Originally posted by Strambo:
I like the concept, but it doesn't account for the desired offset needed when zeroing at 25m for a 50/200 zero.

Well, big Army, and the rest of the military for that matter, doesn't really care about 50/200 zeroing, as they use a 25/300 zero.

I like and use a 50/200 zero, primarily because I use my rifle for LE ops, in primarily urban/suburban settings. Therefore I am much more likely to need to engage targets at 15m or less, and it's extremely unlikely that I would ever need to engage a target outside 200m, ever.

However, that's much different than what the Army needs. They are starting with zeroing at 25m, and theoretically when they move out to 300m they can simply verify that the zero is correct. Which is why the target states, "WEAPON IS NOT CONSIDERED ZEROED UNTIL CONFIRMED AT TRUE DISTANCE."

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
In my experience it’s not the target that impedes zeroing, it’s shooters who can’t put three shots into a group that can be covered by a saucer at 25m/y.

OMG, THIS X1000!!

I don't know what has happened since 2013, but Army standard for the 25m zero range was 18 rounds to zero your rifle. The target was double sided and had the number of sight adjustments needed to center a group with both the M16 and M4 rifles. You could also zero an ACOG or M68 CCO. Once zeroed you had a 'hard' 25-300 zero and you were all set. In my time I have encountered troops who needed more than 18 rounds to zero, but it was either an equipment issue or a lack of BRM, not the target.

Picture, from the riteintherain.com link in the OP


Not an M16 owner, but I am a fan of the idea of putting specific information directly where it is useful in context, and this looks like a good design in that regard.

Assuming the guidance is correct, of course (not my specialty).

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:
Picture, from the riteintherain.com link in the OP


Not an M16 owner, but I am a fan of the idea of putting specific information directly where it is useful in context, and this looks like a good design in that regard.

Assuming the guidance is correct, of course (not my specialty).

Issue with that target is how much does it move for the M4, or the M68 (aimpoint M2) Acog, ELCAN or other optic .

The issue is the info of what one click is at 25m is not retained and the shooters cannot shoot.

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:
Picture, from the riteintherain.com link in the OP
...

That is an old zeroing target. The article says the new one is NSN 6920-01-660-0348, this one:

http://www.riteintherain.com/r...-meter-target-m4-m16

quote:

Originally posted by Sigmund:
The reason: The new target eliminates guesswork and the potential for arguments about how many clicks it takes to accurately move the point of impact.

I had to read the article a second time to pick out this little jem of wisdom. The new target has the MOA that each sight or optic uses printed on the face for all to see. The old target assumed you actually knew your equipment and how to adjust it.

quote:

Originally posted by Sigmund:

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:
Picture, from the riteintherain.com link in the OP
...

That is an old zeroing target. The article says the new one is NSN 6920-01-660-0348, this one:

http://www.riteintherain.com/r...-meter-target-m4-m16

NSN, now there's a term you don't hear every day! I think I'll fill out a 1250 for a few!

quote:

Originally posted by Tommydogg:
NSN, now there's a term you don't hear every day! I think I'll fill out a 1250 for a few!

Well according to the May 2017 Fed Log a package of 100 will set your unit back $18.60 American

I used Fed Log but if anyone is curious about an NSN they can go to Web FLIS public site: