Targets

Targets divide by what you are trying to learn. Paper shows exactly where each shot went and lets you measure a group, which is the only way to diagnose anything. Steel gives instant audible feedback and makes practice faster and more engaging, but tells you nothing about your group.

Steel has rules worth respecting. Use hardened AR500 or better, hang it so it can swing rather than bolting it rigid, angle it slightly downward to deflect fragments into the ground, and keep the minimum distance the manufacturer specifies — typically ten yards for pistol and a hundred for rifle. Steel with craters in it should be retired, because a pitted face throws fragments back unpredictably.