A 3D target such as the Tac-Man is especially useful for shooting from the side, something that can’t be replicated with other targets.

For a long time, I never gave much thought to what I shot at on the range--paper plates, IPSC targets, silhouettes or a plain piece of cardboard--it just didn't matter. But as the sophistication of my training increased, I realized that different types of targets work best for certain purposes.

Elaborate pop-up steel plate systems and other expensive target systems are fun, but they aren't necessary for good defensive training. There are many inexpensive options that not only have tremendous potential but also offer training options that steel systems can't match.

Bullseye Targets
I doubt there is a shooter out there who has not shot a typical bullseye target at one time or another. It is the target that I learned on, and most others probably did as well. Properly used, the shooter simply aligns the sights and places them at the bottom of the black circle.

Bullseye shooters use this sight picture for ultimate accuracy. Keeping the sight picture aligned at six o'clock--the bottom of the circle--provides for a precise, consistent sight picture. Of course, the sights must be adjusted so the point of impact is at the middle of the target at a specific distance. This is a good example of the target being a perfect match for a purpose--in this case, precision shooting.

Aiming the sights in the middle of the target, as combat shooters do, is not as precise because it is not easy to judge the exact middle of the bullseye.

Bullseye targets are great for learning the fundamentals, but if the goal is realistic defensive training, this style of target falls short; most bad guys don't wear bullseyes on their clothing.

Human-Shaped Targets
One step closer to the reality of defensive shooting is the IPSC or IDPA target. Formed roughly as a human figure, the shape of the IPSC/IDPA target represents a torso and head. A-zone hits (center hits that are the top scoring areas in competitions) and the B, C and D zones are delineated on the cardboard.

These types of target are preferable to a bullseye target for defensive shooting practice because they prepare the shooter for aiming at an ambiguous body shape rather than at a well-defined target.

Notching up the reality with IPSC/IDPA targets is easy. Adding a T- shirt and hat along with some facial features drawn with a magic marker can do wonders. Whenever I do this in my classes, there is always a least one person who complains that he or she can't see the A zone. “You won't see it on the street either,” I tell them.

Adding realism is vital to better preparing a shooter for the worst-case scenario: having to point a gun at a person for real. We've trained ourselves never to point a gun at anyone--and this ingrained behavior may actually cause us to hesitate when we need to act. Using realistic targets, in realistic situations when possible, can help us overcome this. And that leads us to the next rung on the target-reality ladder.

Photographic Targets
These targets depict people in various poses; some threatening with weapons, some not. Stick-ons are available with pictures of weapons and normal objects that can be used to turn threatening targets into benign ones and vice versa. Practical applications of photographic targets vary, but the two primary purposes are for adding realistic visuals and for judgment training.

The best way to use the photographic targets for judgment training is to shoot them blind. Have a training partner set up the scene so the shooter has no idea what he or she will face until the target comes into view.

The shooter then has to make instant shoot/no shoot decisions based on what the target is holding (a bottle, gun or wallet, for example) or doing (sitting on a bicycle or brandishing a weapon).