Looking for historical references, please.
Does anyone know the origin of the German (American) ring target with the 25 center? When was that version of the target adopted by the German-American schuetzen clubs and why 25 was chosen for the center?
In researching the target's origin, Biggi Hoelscher (in Germany) graciously assisted by providing me with info relating to old German targets of the same general layout and appearance, such as horizontal-vertical scoring ring numbers. The main difference is, those German targets score 1 on the outer ring and either 10, 12, 20 or 24 for the center ring. (Thank you for your help Biggi)
This research is for the new schuezten book I'm writing.
Thank you in advance for any assistance and feel free to contact me if what I am requesting is not clear.
Below is show our German ring target with scoring rings from 1 to 25.

Mal in au.
Sorry, I don't have any information on that target but I'll bet it would make an interesting research project to find its origins. Do you by chance have an image of that iron target you could post? I wonder how such a target was scored? If the scorer was close enough to see where the bullets hit, he might catch some of the back-splatter
Targets using numbered scoring rings were popular in Europe during the 1870s, perhaps 1860s or earlier (I'm researching that).

John Boy
Thanks for posting that link. I'm sure readers will find it enlightening.
That is the very article that got me started trying to nail down the origin of our 25 ring target. Westergaard states in that article, our German ring target was purely an American design. My research has revealed there were German targets in common use during that same era that don't have a dime's worth of difference between them and our ring target, other than the center scores 24 instead of 25. The target below was one of numerous targets available to shooting clubs in Germany back in the day that have the same basic layout, i.e., black bull with scoring ring numbers running both vertically and horizontally.
I'm trying to sort out when, and how our 25 ring target got started.

Schuetzenmeister
German targets were metric in the catalog pages I've seen. Scoring ring spacing varied. One German target had rings spaced at 1.5 cm (.6 inch approx) another target had 2.5 cm spacing (.98 inch approx). There were numerous target styles and sizes. 
Our (U.S.) German ring target is, of course, defined in inches and the rings are spaced at 3/4 inch (1.9 cm approx) intervals.

40_Rod
Good point about the metric system. It started being adopted in Europe in the late 1790s. "Germany" had adopted it by 1872. The catalog from which I stated scoring ring spacing, was dated 1879. That spread of years I think covers what most of us consider to be the original schuetzen era.

G,day RSW,
                I will do some research this end,can't seem to post plctures with this iPad ,I can send them via email.I think the scorer had a bunker or foxhole,as each shot was fired he would jump out and indicate the shot with a pointer ,then paint it out with white paint, black for the aiming Mark, rings 11to13.The 13 ring 2" in dia. Moved to the rear when strucktc ,tripped a flag to indicate a13 bull, Shooters took turns to shoot one round at a time ,In 1864 front stuffers were the go,we still shoot a version of the Match @200yds. Will have more info when it comes to hand.

           Cheers Mal.

Do any of the long-established Schuetzen clubs have past records or old club histories?  I was thinking of the New Braunfels (sp?) club in Texas or Davenport or Eau Claire.

Good info on old Schuetzen targets