Firing guns at dummy targets is a generally safe and fun way to improve shooting skills. But for law enforcement, military, and security personnel it's a vital training exercise. Now, Specialty Targets Inc. (www.specialtytargets.com) has added realism to the training. Its targets fire back.

Using an Ethernet-enabled programmable controller, opto-couplers, and terminal blocks from Wago, Specialty Targets developed the Return Fire Target line. It can initiate a training sequence, detect a hit within a field-selectable reaction time, and report the shooter's action as either pass or fail. Failure triggers the target to fire 0.68-inch-caliber paintballs or nylon balls at the shooter. Says the company, that kind of feedback on shooting skills and reaction time develops reflex skills for survival.

Among the features of the target is field-configurable reaction time for the shooter/trainee. As the trainee's skills improve, trainers can program in faster required-action times.

Trainers can also configure the target to represent friend or foe. If the trainee fires at a "friend," that's considered a "fail," prompting the target to fire the paintballs back at the trainee.

Enabling technology for the Return Fire Target includes the multi-target controller system, software for configuring the controller, remote pendant to reset and initialize the programmed training sequence, and connections for up to eight individual remote-sequence initiators for eight targets.

The Wago products use the company's CAGE CLAMP wiring technology, a screw-less wire-clamping system. The clamping force adjusts automatically to the wire size for vibration-proof contact.

For more information on the Wago controller, see http://www.wago.com/web/index.php?country=us&language=en&key=95.