B8 targets can be very useful in your training. There are many drills focused around using B8 targets. The B8 targets can also be used to fine tune the zero. Shots that land in the X ring and ten ring get you 100 percent of your points in those areas. Shots placed in the nine ring are worth 90 percent, shots placed in the eight ring are worth 80 percent and shots placed in the seven ring are worth 70 percent. When you are firing ten shots each shot is worth ten percent of your score. For example, each shot that is placed in the seven ring you would subtract three points. For shots in the eight ring you would subtract two points since that is an eighty percent. Shots in the 9 ring, you subtract one point and don't subtract anything for shots in the ten and x ring. I like to mark my shots and write my scores on the side of the target so that I can see what scores I have been getting and keep chasing that 100 percent score with nothing outside of the ten ring. I have yet to score a 100 at 25 yards but hopefully one day soon. I tend to trend around 95 and on one occasion scored a 98. It will drive you crazy trying to get 100 but it is a lot of fun trying. The black area that is made up of the X, 10, and 9 ring are about 5.5 inches across. This also happens to be really close to the 6 inch accuracy standard that I hold my self to when I am practicing at speed. The black area also happens to be very easy to see wether you are using iron sights or a red dot.
I like to start my range sessions many times by shooting a group of ten shots slow fire at the B8 trying to keep all the shots in the black area with no time limit. It is a lot of fun challenging yourself to see how many shots you can land in the X ring even though the X ring nets you the same score as the ten ring. I recommend shooting these at ten yards at first. Once you are able to comfortably keep all of your shots in the black area, then start trying slow fire at 25 yards. It was very surprising to me to see that my zero is usually only one to two inches different between ten yards and 25 yards. Also, 25 yards being farther it helps you fine tune the small adjustments you might need to make to your zero that you weren't noticing at ten yards. 25 yards is pretty tough but it is a lot of fun to really push yourself and get better. If you are shooting with a red dot it is really easy to call where your shots went just by seeing where your dot bounced to as you finished pressing the trigger. The B8 at 25 yards is also a fun way to check where you need to hold your iron sights to impact the center of the target. I have shot guns that the sights were set up to align at the center of the target but I have also shot factory guns that were shooting a few inches high at 25 yards. With this I needed to align the sights at the bottom of the black area on the target, with what's referred to as a 6 o'clock hold in order to get shots to impact the center of the target.
There are many fun drills to try with the B8. There is one called "The Test" that Ken Hackathorn and Larry Vickers coined. The standard is from the holster to shoot ten shots from ten yards within ten seconds with a score of 90 percent or higher. This seems like a very practical drill to me for defensive use. Ten yards is a realistic distance in which you might have to use your handgun and the diameter of the nine ring is about 5.5 inches which happens to be about the size of a human head.
Another tough drill to try is Kyle Defoor's Proformance Pistol Hat Qual. This is done with the B8 target at 25 yards. Starting position is from the holster. As the shot timer beeps, you must draw and place ten shots in twenty seconds or less into the B8 and score 90 percent or better. This may seem like a lot of time, but the time goes by very quickly for me as I watch my sights dance all over the black area before I am ready to take each shot.
Enjoy shooting some B8 targets and have a great and safe weekend!
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