I’ve tried a lot of targets. Silhouettes, steel, goofy zombie prints. But I keep coming back to the NRA B-8. It looks plain—just a black bull with clean scoring rings. But you know what? It keeps me honest. It tells the truth. (Guns & Ammo recently highlighted the B-8’s resurgence and why it still matters here.)
Here’s my full hands-on breakdown of the B-8 if you want to dive deeper.
If you’re curious about the broader debate around the organization behind this bullseye, you can read more at Stop the NRA.
What I Actually Use It For
I use the B-8 for pistol most of the time. Slow fire, timed fire, dot zeroing—basic stuff, but it works.
- With my Glock 19 (Gen 5), I run “The Test” at 10 yards. Ten shots, 10 seconds. If you want the full breakdown of this drill, Primer Peak has a clear step-by-step guide here. I mark a pass at 90 or higher. Last month I shot a 94 in 9.8 seconds. Felt good. The next run was an 88. That one stung. The B-8 does not lie.
- With a Ruger Mark IV .22, I shoot groups at 25 yards. A quiet lane, steady hands, and I can ride the black. Best slow-fire card this spring was a 96. I took a photo and, yeah, I bragged a little.
- With my P365 XL, I check my red dot zero on a B-8 at 15 yards. One day all my hits drifted left, just a hair. The pattern was clear. I made a tiny windage tweak and it centered up. The B-8’s rings make that call easy.
For timer work, I like “The Super Test.” That’s three strings at 5, 10, and 15 yards. Score 270+ and I smile. Last week? 274 with a low-left flyer I can still see in my head.
Paper, Ink, and the Stuff That Matters
I’ve bought stacks from National Target and Action Target. The paper is firm and tears clean. Holes are easy to score with 9mm and .22. I tried a variety of NRA targets, and this is what actually worked for me. Cheap copy paper prints will do in a pinch, but they fuzz at the edges and fold in outdoor wind. If I print at home, I use a heavier sheet so the rings don’t bleed.
The “repair center” version is my go-to. It’s the bull only. I tape it over a chewed-up backer and keep rolling. I keep a roll of tan tape and a pack of little black pasters in my range bag. I’ll patch between strings and keep score clean. Sounds nerdy. It kind of is. But it helps.
One small gripe: under bright indoor lights, the black can glare a bit. On older eyes or with a green dot, the bloom hides tiny errors. A simple fix is to dim the dot or shade your lane. Not fancy, just works.
Why It Pushes You (In a Good Way)
The black bull is bigger than a quarter but smaller than your ego. It builds pressure. You feel it. That’s good. It forces a steady grip, clean sight picture, and a real trigger press. If I yank one, it shows. If I get lazy with follow-through, the 8-ring tells me.
There’s also rhythm. Ten shots. Breathe. Tape. Score. Repeat. On a cold morning, with coffee still doing its thing, the B-8 lets me settle in. I can hear my timer. I can feel my front sight lift and land. Simple and honest.
Real-World Notes From My Bag
- The official targets hold staples well and don’t rip easy in wind. My home prints? They flutter and curl when it gets breezy. Spring range days made that clear fast.
- Birchwood Casey makes a bright “splatter” bull that pops hits. It’s close to a B-8 but not exact. Fun for eyes, not for strict scores. I use them when I’m teaching a friend.
- If you can’t see hits in the black at 25 yards, a cheap spotting scope or even a phone on zoom helps. I’ve also used a silver Sharpie to dot a hole before I take a photo. Not fancy, but it shows the group.
- For new shooters, I flip the target and aim at the white rings first. It cuts the “black hole” stress. Then we move to the center once the fundamentals settle down.
- Working with an NRA-certified instructor also sharpened my fundamentals—here’s my honest take on that experience.
The Good, The Bad, and The Little Things
What I like:
- Clear scoring rings. Fast to grade. No arguing.
- Works for drills and pure group work.
- Repair centers save money and space.
- It shows trends—left pull, low left, all of it.
What I don’t love:
- Hard to see holes in the black from far away.
- Bright overhead lights can wash the center.
- Packs cost more than home prints (worth it, but still).
A Quick Story That Stuck
One indoor night, I ran “The Test” cold with my Glock 19. First string, clean. Second string, I rushed the last two shots and dipped into the 8-ring. Third string, I took a breath, smoothed the press, and finished at 92. Not my best, not my worst. But when I laid the card next to last month’s, I could see the shift—tighter core, fewer fliers. That’s the B-8. It maps your habits.
Before I wrap up, here’s a curveball: spending time on the firing line teaches you that live, real-time interaction can sharpen any skill—or, at the very least, make an experience more personal. The same principle applies far outside the range, even in the realm of adult entertainment; if you’ve ever wondered what jumping into a live-video platform entails, check out this straightforward guide to joining an adult cams site at InstantChat’s blog for tips on registration, privacy, and getting the most value from interactive shows.
And if you’d rather skip the screen entirely and connect with someone face-to-face in North County, consider exploring the local dating scene through this casual-sex guide for Escondido—it walks you through discreet sign-up steps, safety best practices, and how to land a low-pressure meetup without the usual small-talk grind.
Final Call
The NRA B-8 isn’t flashy. It’s not cute. It’s a mirror. If you want a target that builds skill and tells the truth, keep a stack in your bag. I do. For my money, it’s the most useful paper target I own.
Score: 9 out of 10. Loses a point for visibility in the black at distance, but earns it back with results. Honestly, that’s what counts.