^{Portions of this article appear in a larger article I published to the Snub Noir blog which requires a paid membership.}

One of the things we as shooters, whether recreational or defensive, always need is a target. Without something to safely fire at for training or practice which gives us relevant feedback there can be no training or practice.

It turns out that eight inch circular shape mimics the space located between the notch at the top the sternum, xiphoid process at the bottom of the sternum and between the nipples on the torso of a human. That simple bit of geometry is why the B-8 has been, and continues to be, so popular with elite professionals and trainers.

But while the B-8 is a “jack of all trades” as a pistol target, defensive shooters are often striving to find something that will make their shots more tightly focused, and more telling at the other end. To that end the 3×5 index card, oriented vertically and centered on the chest or horizontally over the ocular area of a silhouette target brings the training experience to the next level.

Likewise simple dots and circles are used in diameters from one to four inches to promote accuracy. Specialized drills such as Dot Torture lean heavily into front sight focus and trigger control, both of which are vital to defensive handguns shooters using iron sights. But like so many things in life, good instruction in shooting is often a “simpler is better” exercise. There is also an issue with some ranges that forbid the use of anything remotely appearing like a human form as a target.

Recently our friend Michael Burgess sent me some samples of a target he has created that steps into the breach of being a target for all disciplines, from casual skill building to serious defensive training that also will not rustle the jimmies of those sensitive to firing on humanoid shapes.

Any drill or qualification that calls for a B-8 can be fired on this target. The top circle and dot, which are useful for a variety of precision exercises, are an exact scale from four yards away of a B-8 at 25 yards, with a similar sight picture and alignment. That feature is particularly useful to instructors pressed for time, since we never have enough time on the range with our students, as we can keep the student in one place and still present them with the appearance of a more distant target.

I have been using the HIPS target as one component of my range sessions for several weeks now and am happy with all that I can do with it. The sharp blacks printed on crisp white stand out perfectly even on a cloudy day. Under bright sun the target areas really pop visually.

The HIPS target is available directly from Michael Burgess. You can reach him to order at msrtco69@gmail.com

^{Photo credits B-8 sourced at Targets4Free, other photos by author}