Target Taper Alternative

The Unofficial IPSC List has noted that CED offers a different target taper, which is, in the minds of some people, superior to that previously sold by TargetTaper.COM.



The "Quick Patch" target taper (above) sells for $79.95, compared to $44.95 for the T-4000 Target Taper (below).

One advantage of the Quick Patch model is that it " . . . will handle most brands of full size patches available on the market today." The pasters shown in the Quick Patch picture looks like the kind of pasters which you can get from Target Barn for hand-patching targets.


The price from Target Barn for these pasters is $3.50 per two rolls of 500, making it competitive with the price from CED.

I have to admit, I do prefer these pasters because they're bigger than those used by the T-4000 Target Taper. It doesn't make much difference usually, except that the larger pasters make it EASIER to completely mask a .45 caliber bullet hole. Why? The pasters for the T-4000 are easily 3/4 inches on one dimension, but only about a half-inch on the other. The Target Barn pasters mentioned above seem to be about 3/4 inch square.

Also, the larger patches provide more area to stick to the cardboard, and may stay on the target more reliably when sloppily applied.

On the other hand, the patches sold by CED for the T-4000 cost just $2.50 for a 1000-paster roll. Compare this to the $3.50 price for 1000 of the larger pasters, which cost 40% more.

The Quick Patch gun costs about 80% more, the patches used for the Quick Patch cost 40% more.

(Also, you can buy a new T-4000 plus 25 rolls of tape [12,500 pasters] for $92.95 in the "Club Kit". The same price will buy you a new Quick Patch $79.95 and $13 worth of pasters . . . 3,000 pasters and you have a dollar left over to fritter away as you please.)

On the other hand, those who have used both prefer the Quick Patch for ease of use, and I have already cited the advantages of the larger pasters.

I suppose your choice will be a matter of personal preference. I've managed to get along fine with the T-4000 for three years, and after going through about 100 rolls of pasters the taper is still working fine, so I probably won't change. However, The Hobo Brasser has been experiencing problems with the tape jamming in his T-4000 for several months, and nobody can figure out what the problem is.

On the other hand, he has feeding problems with his Caspian, too.