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Shooting things vs targets

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I've always found that when I am shooting paper targets, I am trying to be super precise...Hit the 10 ring on a benchrest target or keeping all my shots within a certain radius. When I am shooting at things, I don't have to be as precise, and the area for the target( say a paintball) is much larger than the area for a bullseye on a paper target. I'm a little more relaxed, because I have a target I can hit without having to shot it "dead-center" in order to score a hit.
When I get together with friends to have a fun shoot, we are always shooting cans or bottles...etc. But when we want to see who's a better shot, we move to paper.
Most people would rather be shooting things over paper targets. I get enjoyment shooting either.
It will be interesting to see what others feel on the topic.
Mike
 
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The paper vs paintballs analogy is a good one. I think with paintballs, BD has separated the 10 shots into ten events and not the ten shot cumulative head trip that you get with that target staring back at you. I’ll be the first to admit that the 10th shot is, many times, a living hell of doubt and insecurity. Placing a shot near the point of aim is preferable to placing it on an exact spot. Paintballs offer that “liberating” experience.

Also it is really fun to shoot paintballs.

Ron
 
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"blueflax"The paper vs paintballs analogy is a good one. I think with paintballs, BD has separated the 10 shots into ten events and not the ten shot cumulative head trip that you get with that target staring back at you. I’ll be the first to admit that the 10th shot is, many times, a living hell of doubt and insecurity. Placing a shot near the point of aim is preferable to placing it on an exact spot. Paintballs offer that “liberating” experience.

Also it is really fun to shoot paintballs.

Ron
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Makes sense because I always start off doing great but end up slipping. I normally don't shoot paper except to sight in my scopes, but I would like to get better shooting paper....
 
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I've been trying to avoid paper with my Discovery .22 because it's too frustrating to see one or two a bit off the mark so I've been shooting "things" instead. Like the rest of you I've found it's much more enjoyable and satisfying to hear a THWAP, THUD, PING or PLOP and to watch things move or fall down on impact. Most of the "things" are relatively large (in comparison to a bulls eye) and soon the challenge is gone. Then I start getting more picky about where I hit the "things".

Cans, for instance, quickly loose excitement by themselves until you start aiming for the spot on the 7-Up cans at 45 yards or start doing rim shots. The rim, being thicker and at the top of the can, really makes them jump and spin when you hit it. Instead of just shooting a plastic bottle try shooting the cap off. Or laying them down, pointed at you, and shoot through the hole.

Tried shotgun shells for the first time this weekend at about 40 yards. Great fun and they really flip and fly when you hit them dead center. Also tried shooting .22 shells at 20 yards. That was really fun because you could hear them ZING! as they flew on impact. At that range it was almost too easy so I moved them back to 28 yards. That proved quite challenging and there were many more misses but very satisfying to connect.

I've found the more precise I am about trying to hit my "things" or the smaller the "things" are that I'm aiming at the higher the level of satisfaction that comes with a direct hit. But at the same time a miss isn't near as frustrating as a flyer in a 5 shot group on paper that ruins everything. When I miss a "thing" I just reload and re-aim with more conviction.

Even big "things" stay fun when you practice shooting off hand or give yourself only one or two seconds to find the target and take the shot.

Alan
 
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Another perspective on it--

Typical paintball = .68". 

Using a .22 cal air rifle for example, to 'hit' a paintball at 50 yards is about a 2 MOA shot (just a hair under actually). .9" ctc gets the job done. Not really a difficult shot with good equipment.

On paper, most would be disappointed if they could not hit a circle almost 1" dia at 50. I suspect that the pulled shot ruining your group is within that circle.

I tell buddies at work that I regularly shoot aspirin at 30 yards with my AA200 .177. Sounds really impressive until you do the math and then you realize it's not that difficult of a feat!
 
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When at the range attempting (and usually failing) to shoot tighter groups or reach out past 30 yards, I get frustrated pretty quickly. To combat this, the "things" I shoot at are pinecones up in the trees (not to worry, nothing around to get hit with ricochets etc). A usually start with just the cone, move to small ones when that becomes easy, and finish with trying to shoot 'em out of the trees (via hitting the stems/branches they are hanging from). No matter if I miss or hit, it's more relaxing than looking at a bulls eye, etc.
 
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