Randy,

Joe Dobryznsky's article on the Zettler brothers (May/June '24 edition) page 10:

At the two days' shoot at Cypress Hill Park in 1890, the Zettler marksmen had something entirely new to offer in the shape of a target, the like of which had never been seen before on this side of the Atlantic. It was the new Berlin ring target, with twenty-five 1/2-inch rings, and differed from the old-fashioned German ring target therein that the center was only ½ inch wide and 3 inches long. The other rings formed an ovoid instead of a circle. There were two reasons for the adoption of this target. First, its novelty, and then the fact that the American marksmen would have to fire at a similar target during the international shooting festival in Berlin on July 2nd and 3rd and that they would have a chance of getting used to an entirely strange object, which was best described as a combination man and ring target.


This stood out as the only thing I've seen about origin of the 25 ring target. Similar to you everything I've seen in the German literature references 10,12,13, 20 or 24 but no 25 rings. Perhaps Joe can say where he got that information from? 

-Dave

Was there an offhand version of the Parkenfarker target?

Randy,

I'm just speculating but perhaps Zettler's ovoid target is the origin of the 25 but later others circularized it but kept 25 as the bullseye?  

Thanks for the picture, I've also seen a similar one from the 8.15x46R book which like your image does NOT have any targets going up to 25. 

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From the above book it mentions the ovoid target was used for 300m "Feldscheiben" target up through around 1901 after which it became circular. The 175m "Standscheiben" on the other hand was always circular. 

I'm wondering then circularizing the target for 200 yard (191m) shooting in the U.S. was in a way consistent with the "Standschieben" targets but why they kept 25 as the bullseye I still don't know either. 

-Dave

CharleHunter
Thanks for posting the pic of your target.
Mal posted that the center (13 ring) button is 2" diameter. That makes the target about 50" (1.27 m) in diameter. Is that correct? That's one BIG chunk of cast iron!
Please post photo(s) and results of you upcoming match.
It's welcoming news to see clubs maintaining the old matches.

Thank you Charles for posting the pic of the cast Iron target used at Casternbull Range ,fond memories of that most difficult match. I shot it with my REM.Rolling block 40/65 and a custom Martini in 30/222. Say Hi to Charles T. for me. Cheers Mal in au.