why bulge the target out??

[zimmerstutzen]

I once competed at alot of the same places as Roger Fisher, and maybe he knows.  There was a fellow that would always staple one side of his target to the backer and then bulge the target out away from the backer before stapling the other side.  He did it at every match, every target.  It always held the middle of the target about a half inch forward of the backer.    Once  up at Jacobsburg about 1985, I saw someone pull the corners and staple it flat, thinking they were helping him and he got pretty huffy about it and put it back with the bulge in the middle.

What earthly purpose could there be for doing that?   

[billd]

It makes it a closer shot!   

[bgf]

Maybe he had some sort of vision problem and doing so helped him see the target correctly.  If he was trying to cheat otherwise, I think he was only cheating himself as it would disperse his shots slightly further from center on the short axis.

P.S. -- I also know one or two shooters who hang their targets crooked to differentiate them, so they don't shoot someone else's -- possibly they can't always make out the numbers above the hangers.

[SCLoyalist]

 Could be the target not being flush with the backer would make the holes more visible through a spotting scope.   Or, maybe he was counting on a bigger ragged hole more apt to cut a scoring line.    Shooters believe in all sorts of superstition and voodoo, so heaven only knows.

[Roger Fisher]

Should be able to recall that goin gs on; but can't remember it happening much less who it was....

So the question is: why would he insist on doing that?  Other than voodoo, I would suggest that posting a loose target or posting the target over a 'shot out', section of the backer would cause a larger and ragged shot hole. Said shooter may have been one that would take advantage of a 'newer' range officer and claim a one hole group when in fact he simply shot one shot (or more) in the bank.  Of course the 1 hole 'group' would have been in the 10 ring....   I know of that practice occuring and the answer was to use a target with 3 bulls or crows or squirrels or/or/or!  This was at shoots using 3 shot targets in lieu of 5 shots...  I think your man had that practice in mind when he insisted on puffing out the target in that manner.   

What say you...

[Daryl]

I know dang well that with my luck, if there was a ragged hole, it would run outwards and drag the centre of the ball's hole to the next lower point.

[cable]

i had a friend who shot his flintier a lot and claimed he could hit a 4" or 6" balloon more consistently and at longer distances than a 4" or 6" target, of the same color and placed exactly the same.  he is a rather brilliant guy, seriously, a research physician, and more or less accidentally discovered this.  maybe the eye can 'outline and define' a 3D target more easily. from an 'evolutionary' standpoint this might make sense.

would be interesting to do a little testing of this idea?!

[Candle Snuffer]

i had a friend who shot his flintier a lot and claimed he could hit a 4" or 6" balloon more consistently and at longer distances than a 4" or 6" target, of the same color and placed exactly the same.  he is a rather brilliant guy, seriously, a research physician, and more or less accidentally discovered this.  maybe the eye can 'outline and define' a 3D target more easily. from an 'evolutionary' standpoint this might make sense.

would be interesting to do a little testing of this idea?!

Maybe so, Cable?

However, those that I've shot against who have made the claim they are better at hitting "fun" targets then shooting at black scoring rings, well they can't seem to hit those either...lol 

The guy must of had some reason for wanting his target bulged out, but who knows for sure what that is?

[squire]

Maybe he's just superstitious.

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

I once competed at alot of the same places as Roger Fisher, and maybe he knows.  There was a fellow that would always staple one side of his target to the backer and then bulge the target out away from the backer before stapling the other side.  He did it at every match, every target.  It always held the middle of the target about a half inch forward of the backer.    Once  up at Jacobsburg about 1985, I saw someone pull the corners and staple it flat, thinking they were helping him and he got pretty huffy about it and put it back with the bulge in the middle.

What earthly purpose could there be for doing that?  

How much of a bulge did he have? (Sounds dirty) I'll try it I can use any advantage possible.