As a traveling firearm instructor, I get the opportunity to see a lot of law enforcement ranges. Some of them are filled with amazing technology. Turning-target systems, live-fire shoot houses, and state-of-the-art force-on-force buildings can be found on some of the more well-funded ranges. Even the most rudimentary ranges have a bunch of useful items like portable target stands, plastic barrels to simulate cover, shot timers and dummy rounds.

Unfortunately, many of these ranges seem to use the same targets over and over, creating a visually boring training arena. Even ranges with a bunch of different targets available seem stuck in the rut of using the same targets repeatedly. This is boring. Regardless of department size or budget, there are easy ways to keep your shooters interested. Some of the targets used here are free. Some will take creative accounting to get them on your range, but here are some targets we can use to maximize our training time.

Lots of choices

About 45 years ago, many law enforcement agencies made the conscious decision to get away from training with bullseye targets and started using humanoid-shaped targets exclusively. This wasn’t all bad, but there are some truly fantastic drills that use bullseyes. For example, the tried-and-true B-8 bullseye target can be used to effectively train how to balance speed and accuracy. You can find this target online for free with minimal effort. One of my favorite drills with this target is Justin Dyal’s five-yard roundup. This drill tests a shooter’s ability to deliver effective hits under time duress and only uses 10 rounds.

Justin Dyal’s five-yard roundup

The starting position is holstered and concealed or a duty holster fully secured at the five-yard line. All strings have a 2.5-second par time. Any shot fired after the 2.5-second par time is -5 points.

• String 1: One shot draw from concealment or from a duty retention holster
• String 2: Four shots from ready
• String 3: Three shots from ready, strong hand only
• String 4: Two shots from ready, support hand only

A perfect score is 100 points all shot within the par time. Scoring 90 points or better is the mark of a skilled shooter.

I know I may be biased, but my favorite general-purpose targets are the Combative Firearms Training Target from Multi Drill Targets (tinyurl.com/bdceh3c7). This two-sided target can meet the goals and objectives of most courses of fire. It has a silhouette target on one side with properly placed scoring zones in the upper thoracic area, marked with numbers that can be used to assess penalty times on timed courses of fire. Two reduced B-8 targets at the top corners add training opportunities without having to spend time changing targets between drills.

On the other side, a photorealistic target depicting an obvious threat with well-placed scoring zones that are only visible up close. Depending on the ambient light conditions, once shooters get beyond five yards, the scoring zones disappear. When using the threat targets during training, we see a significant number of hits below the combat-effective area. Once this is pointed out to shooters, they make an adjustment and start placing rounds in the areas most likely to result in rapid incapacitation. The threat side of the target also has its own set of command targets consisting of different shapes with numbers and letters inside, providing further training options without needing to change targets.

Moving targets

Another training item I see missing from most law enforcement ranges is moving targets. When I talk about moving targets, I’m not talking about static target stands that turn and present a target and then turn sideways after a pre-set time. These are good for shoot/no-shoot training, but they’re mostly used during qualification courses to set the par times between strings of fire. Instead of turning targets, moving targets are targets that make officers track a threat across the range while staying aware of
nonthreats and other use-of-force factors. Not only do these keep training fun and interesting, but courts have mandated that law enforcement officers train with realistic moving targets.

Available for less than $300, a swinging target is a budget-friendly option. When activated, these start off swinging fast and gradually slow down. They are perfect for introducing moving targets into training. A nonthreat set up in front of a swinging-threat
target hidden behind barrels is like a threat leaning out from cover and moving back behind it with a nonthreat in the way. Swinging targets holding two different targets are also available and are another fantastic way to obscure a threat target with a nonthreat.

Last year, Challenge Targets released a new target called the Swinger Elite. As Brad Brune, president of Challenge Targets, told me, “It’s a similar concept to the traditional swinger, but the motion is derived from three rotating steel plates that are offset to the side opposite the cardboard target.” 

This makes the Swinger Elite move up and down and left to right in an unpredictable manner. Sometimes it starts off slow and speeds up as the rotating plates start to synchronize with the cardboard swinger. The pace and movement change erratically as the steel plates are shot and fall to the ground. It is a fun target that will challenge any skill level while working on moving targets and decision-making (tinyurl.com/yc78kjms).

Marathon Targets has recognized a fundamental gap in our training programs. The problem is that the only time we do live-fire training with realistic moving targets is in combat. This isn’t the best time or place to learn new skills. Marathon Targets has eliminated this training gap with AI-driven, armored, autonomous robotic humanoids that look, move and behave like people.

Marathon’s AI-driven robots drive autonomously across the entire range, are always aware of their surroundings and communicate with each other to synthesize a convincing and challenging tactical environment. Robots never leave their movement area, so they won’t draw fire outside the mapped safe zone. Instructors can also individually control different robots.

When hit, the Marathon Targets robots flinch and groan when wounded and shriek and fall when “killed.” Separate hit zones can even simulate adversaries with body armor, and instructors can program the robots to require multiple accurate hits in “fatal” target zones before activating the target to shriek and fall. This allows live-fire training to move from static marksmanship to a decision-making exercise on moving targets (marathon-targets.com).

Go train

When it comes to preparing officers for the realities of a deadly force encounter, it is critical we teach them how to shoot well. The mechanics of running the gun are important, and we should never lose sight of helping to build better shooters. But life is more interesting when you try new things, and firearms training is no exception. Take time to consider how target selection can help meet training goals and change them up on a regular basis to keep things interesting. Always using the same target is boring, so get out of the rut and make training more effective and enjoyable.