Why the Classic B-27 Police Target Teaches the Wrong Lessons

The short version: The B-27 silhouette was the standard police qualification target from the 1960s into the 1980s, and it still hangs on plenty of ranges. GAT Daily's Travis Pike argues its scoring rewards the wrong shot placement and makes hits too easy to show you what needs work.

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Pike's first complaint is placement. On the B-27, the X-ring sits low on the silhouette, so a shot that drops into the belly can outscore one in the upper chest, the area most defensive shooters are taught to aim for. The head area carries no score at all. He says you don't need an anatomically correct target to train well, and points to the bullseye-style B-8 as a popular alternative, but if a target is human-shaped, it should at least reward sensible shot placement.

His second complaint is size. The scoring zones are so large that an average shooter can hit them with little effort, which hides the problems you go to the range to find. In his view the design reads like a target built to help officers pass a minimum qualification score rather than to build real skill.

The article closes with a short history. The B-27 descends from the Colt Silhouette target made famous by exhibition shooter J. Henry "Fitz" Fitzgerald, which became the B-21 and was refined into the B-21X with a smaller, higher bullseye. Separately, the B-18 target was combined with the B-21 outline, and that combination evolved into the B-27. The practical takeaway for your own practice: pick targets with smaller, sensibly placed scoring areas so your groups tell you the truth.

Key takeaways

• B-27 was the standard police target from the 1960s until the 1980s
• Its X-ring sits too low, and lower hits can outscore upper-chest hits
• The head area earns no points
• Oversized scoring zones make it hard to diagnose shooting problems
• Alternatives mentioned: the B-8 bullseye; the earlier B-21X placed its bullseye higher
• Lineage: Colt Silhouette, then B-21 and B-21X; the B-27 came from combining the B-18 with the B-21

Summary by Lucky Patriot based on reporting by GAT Daily. Deal links are affiliate links; Lucky Patriot may earn a commission. Prices change quickly, so confirm at checkout.