Buying your first shooting target can be overwhelming. For most buyers and beginners, the foremost concern is to choose between paper and steel shooting targets. No matter whether you are training as a part of your hobby, or need shooting targets for competition, there are three major aspects to consider – effectiveness, pricing, and safety. In this post, we are reviewing the pros and cons of steel shooting targets.
Pricing
Steel targets are more expensive as compared to paper targets for obvious reasons. High-end steel targets are meant to be used professional and for extensive use, so the prices are obviously high and justified. You can expect the target to last for thousands of rounds at the least. The pricing can be a tad high for another reason – shipping. Since steel is heavy, the weight makes the shipment more expensive, but you can always get discounts and offers on good target, so the shipping price increase doesn’t really make much of a difference.
Safety
The biggest concern with shooting targets made of steel is safety, especially for beginners. Even when you are following the recommendations of manufacturers with regards to the distance meant for safety, projectile risk is considerably high, and the shot may rebound, which is obviously not what you expect. Make sure that you are not using targets that are made of mild steel, because that does tend to increase risks. Hardened steel is your best bet, and make sure that you buy your shooting targets from a brand that offers a warranty on the product. Some will offer a lifetime warranty on steel targets, which is absolutely great.
Effectiveness
For training, steel shooting targets are great, and you can get an instant feedback, which helps in improving muscle memory. The ease of scoring hits makes steel an ideal choice for competitions, and there is no need to think of replacement during an event, which is usually the case with paper targets. While steel targets do cost a lot more upfront, the price is worth paying for effectiveness, and you can even choose to go for a silhouette you like.
Final word
If you use steel targets as recommended, these are good investments for the long run, and are ideal for those who want to train with firearms. For professional training, nothing really beats a steel shooting target. Make sure that you buy online for a good offer and do check all suggestions of the manufacturer.
