Range Testing
Let’s start with the fun part. Guns are less like horseshoes and hand grenades and more like a game of billiards. Angles and shot placement matter, and these Threat Down targets judge you for every single shot you take in real time.
It’s kind of like art. Every target turns into a unique splattered Jackson Pollock painting with bullet-sized holes inside the silhouette of a monstrous zombie or yeti.
The paint splatter is significant, so make sure you only shoot these at an outdoor range. Here’s what happened to my zombie target when I hit it with my ATI Nomad shotgun featuring an 18.5-inch barrel and using some chamber adapters for 9mm and .45 Long Colt at 20 yards.
And here’s the kind of splatter and chaos you can expect when you lobotomize a yeti’s frontal lobe with some well-placed 3-inch #2 goose loads from the spicy little ATI Nomad 12-gauge shotgun:
The targets are obviously for fun, but there’s a nice level of realism to them as well. That included a kind of simulated vascular constriction that delayed bleeding in the zombie target after I put handgun rounds into its lungs, heart, and brain. There was a short pause after the shot, and then a stream of paint blood flowed like syrup out of the wound.
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That was followed by a clot-like/hemostatic slowdown of the bleeding over time. The shotgun shells, on the other hand, painted the target’s front with fine splatter at close range.
Since each pocket of paint is self-isolating, you get far more shooting time than with most reactive targets. Plus, you have a quick – but not instant – visual identification of your impact point. If you let out three quick but poorly aimed shots, you can’t just adjust to compensate because the target instantly tells you to shift your aim.
That’s not how living threats like yetis or the walking dead work. I’m fairly sure of that last part, anyway. Regardless, these targets do a great job of keeping you honest as you train.
How It Works
“Our goal is to bring innovative, exciting, and fun targets
for you to take your next range day to the next level.
Don't shoot boring targets, train with Triumph!”
The Threat Down Bleeding Zombie/Yeti Targets use brightly colored blue and red paint that is environmentally safe and water-soluble. You get to see where you hit, but that doesn’t limit what happens to other areas of the target as you continue to shoot.
If you get paint on something, it’s easy enough to clean it off after you’re done shooting.
Patented in 2019, this is a far more impressive system than the watermelons, balloons, and cabbages filled with ketchup I’ve used in the past. Triumph Systems stuffs these targets with around 100 individually sealed paint cells as “splatter packs” that attach to a corrugated target base.
As stated in Triumph Systems’ patent: “The splatter pack is formed by an array of chambers that are arranged in a staggered pattern. As the pack bursts, the fluid explodes out and leaves a splatter pattern on or about the target panel … Each one of the chambers in the interior portion of the splatter pack are intersected by at least one of the channels that are formed between adjacent chambers.”
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It’s a fairly straightforward concept, but it’s very pleasing once you go hot at the range. I left my targets in the sun for a bit to dry them out before throwing them back into my car to take home. Since then, I haven’t noticed any leaking or issues with rubbed-off paint.
The zombie and yeti versions are 30 inches tall and 22 inches wide. They fold into thirds for a package that is closer to 10x22 inches for transport to the range.
Recommendations
Shooting reactive targets is a blast, but it also has practical uses. There’s a lack of consequences when you shoot at cheap paper-only targets. I’ve never felt stressed when I patterned my hunting shotgun or zeroed my rifles at the range on a basic paper target.
These would be great as targets for friendly competitions at the range or for some final testing at the end of a training session. Whatever you do, I highly recommend shooting these targets with friends around.
I giggled and laughed alongside my range buddy when we hit the yeti in the head using #2 12-gauge goose loads with the extremely budget-friendly and compact ATI Nomad shotgun.
However, you really must pick your shooting location well. Make friends with a farmer or hit an outdoor range that isn’t worried about a little paint on the grass or target holders. As you can tell by the yeti target, a 12-gauge shotgun will send paint flying.
These targets aren’t cheap and come in at around $19.99. You can save a bit of money if you buy several at once. I consider these a treat to shoot, and they’re well worth the money if you can share the experience with other people on a special occasion.
Final Thoughts
Reactive targets are fantastic training aids for many reasons. They add depth and color – literally in this case – to your shooting experience. They make shooting fun and engaging, but they also add a level of practical functionality.
This type of target helps you train in a way paper targets and dry fire never can. It’s not uncommon for training programs to use balloons hidden inside hanging paper bags and hollowed-out cabbages filled with ketchup to train designated marksmen and snipers.
Realistic targets react to getting hit, and killing paper doesn’t do that process justice. These were a genuine joy to shoot, very well made, and they're honestly something I'll be coming back to buy as gifts for friends.
