A target positioning method based on simulation primary adjustment and experimental error analysis was proposed to improve the efficiency and precision of target positioning in a high power laser device. A 3-CCD sensor was used to positioning and the "OpenGL" graphics software was used to capture CCD simulation images and to construct a cylindrical cavity target and a target-sending mechanism virtually. Then, the positioning precision of the experimental system was discussed, including the image detection error, the calibration error of 3-CCD sensor and the movement errors of the target-sending mechanism. The accuracy of the positioning method was confirmed in the simulation system independently by adjusting the target to a desired position without errors. In the experiment, the precision of the target positioning is less than ±5 μm and the orientation error is ±0.015°. It indicates that the simulation primary adjustment can be implemented from the experimental platform, so the working efficiency is improved. The experimental result shows that the proposed method satisfies the precision requirements of the target positioning in high power laser devices.