Target Color with no scope

Chadp82

Chadp82

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I am going muzzleloader hunting in Colorado again this year. No scopes allowed.

I haven't found the right paper target for me at 100+ yds yet for open sights to practice.

Tomorrow I am going to experiment at 50, maybe 100 if I have time. I have targets with a red on white bullseye, yellow on black, and then I bought duct tape in neon orange, neon green, and neon pink. I will put a 2x2 neon square on the bullseye. I want to see what color my eye picks up best behind the sight picture. I read that yellow and green wavelengths are the most visible to the human eye. My peep sight has an orange front post and green on the ring.

Scoped rifles are less of an issue. My eyesight is 20/20 after lasik. The contrast is tough at longer distance on paper. I don't have the issue in the field on game.

I would be interested to hear what color bullseye works well for others on open or peep sights.
 
Caldwell has in the past made some targets 4 in the corners and one center one in a lightish blue color, these work great for me with my handguns @ 100 so they might be worth a go for you if you can find them.
 
I always use fluorescent orange dots (bulls eyes) on 100lb white tag paper. Normally, I can see all the holes at 400yds. However, I don't know how this would translate to preparing for a hunt.

Maybe practicing on paper targets with life-size game animals would be better.
 
You are shooting 100 plus yards with a muzzleloader??? I guess you are not using a long rifle.

Simple black on white make a good contrast. The black will make it tough to see bullet holes though if you are hitting the bull.
 
MarkInPA said:
You are shooting 100 plus yards with a muzzleloader??? I guess you are not using a long rifle.

Simple black on white make a good contrast. The black will make it tough to see bullet holes though if you are hitting the bull.
Click to expand...
I practice at 50 and 100 mostly when shooting muzzleloader. I do take a few at the 200 steel, but wouldn't do it hunting.

For Colorado, it's open sights, BP or BP substitute only. We can't use smokeless, pellets, or sabots. It is very restrictive.
 
Last edited:
Chadp82 said:
I practice at 50 and 100 mostly. I do take a few at the 200 steel, but wouldn't do it hunting.

For Colorado, it's open sights, BP or BP substitute only. We can't use smokeless, pellets, or sabots. It is very restrictive.
Click to expand...
You should try Pennsylvania but, that's alright. I like it that way. It was originally designed to be a primitive hunt and that is what I like about it. They have loosened the laws on it recently and I have lost track of the current regulations. It used to be flint only muzzleloading only with patched round ball. .45 caliber or larger.

For me, with my Pennsylvania Long Rifle, a 100 yard shot is doable with some elevation but it is about the limit of what I am able to do. Beyond 100 yards, I either find a way to get closer or let them walk.
 
Mark, I have similar personal limitations due to the regulations. This is my first year with an inline. Prior years were patched round ball and percussion cap.
 
MarkInPA said:
You are shooting 100 plus yards with a muzzleloader??? I guess you are not using a long rifle.

Simple black on white make a good contrast. The black will make it tough to see bullet holes though if you are hitting the bull.
Click to expand...

This is exactly why I do not use black bullseyes. At distance it can even be difficult to see the dark holes in the fluorescent dots if conditions aren't good. Heat mirage makes everything more challenging.
 
Varmint Hunter said:
This is exactly why I do not use black bullseyes. At distance it can even be difficult to see the dark holes in the fluorescent dots if conditions aren't good. Heat mirage makes everything more challenging.
Click to expand...
Yep... Couldn't agree more. So what do you think is the best color bull for seeing bullet holes using a scoped rifle?
 
MarkInPA said:
Yep... Couldn't agree more. So what do you think is the best color bull for seeing bullet holes using a scoped rifle?
Click to expand...

IMO, it's the fluorescent orange that I use is best. You can buy them on Amazon in any size. I use small dots and don't actually aim at the dot. I hold so that the dot sits in the upper left quadrant of the crosshairs. This way, the crosshair doesn't cover the dot. I normally use 1" dots at the 400yd line. If I use a scope with lower magnification, then I'll use 2" dots.
 

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