home made reactive target?

[MinnesotaFats]

i posted this in rifle country but figured id get more responses here so here goes.. im a big fan of tannerite exploding targets. i was just curious if anyone knows of a safe legal way to home make a target that when shot, reacts in a cool way? it doesent have to explode like tannerite but something that visually lets you know you hit it at 200 yards.

 

[v8stang289]

2 liter bottles filled completely with water will let you know they've been hit, food coloring can make it a bit more fun. I like to shoot balloons as well, because you can vary the size and they let you know immediately if you scored a hit.

 

[Rembrandt]

Bowling pin swingers....pins, eyebolts, and some rebar.

A welder and little imagination with some old planter parts.



Computer operated prairie dogs....units sit below ground and pop up.

Once again....a welder and a little imagination.

 

[TCB in TN]

Balloons with a little baby powder in them. Empty water/soda bottles filled with water and food coloring (as mentioned above), or filled with water and frozen (ice is pretty reactive). Can use empty soup can to fill and freeze too, colored ice is cool when it explodes.

 

[MinnesotaFats]

a buddy of mine props up a beer bottle full of gasoline with a burning candle under it in low to zero wind conditions and sits back a 100 yards and shoots the bottle... dosent seem safe to me. im lovin the suggestions sor far, keep em comin!

 

[Ryanxia]

A pair of electronic ears and a steel plate should let you know when you hit (ears should pick it up at 200 yds), not as fun but cheap, easy and repeatable.

Sometimes I pick up a 6 pack of cheap cream soda at walmart for $1.49 and shake them up.

 

[Ranger Roberts]

I hang old pots and pans (I grab them for cheap at flea markets/garage sales) from my target stand. It's fun to hit'em when they're swinging. Groundhogs make great reactive targets as well!

 

[smalls]

Ecotargetmold.com

An ice tray mold of targets. Been meaning to order a couple myself.

 

[Tim the student]

Cut some cardboard 4x4, then tape 3-4 layers together. Tape some 550 cord guts from it to hang from your target stand. Its cheap, easy, reacts when you shoot it, and will move with the breeze, making shots more challenging.

 

[coloradokevin]

I don't know if it is legal or not, so don't blame me if you try this and get in trouble... but, there are some recipes for homemade Tannerite that can be found online if you do a bit of looking. I know at least one person I've bumped into at a range claims that he tried it and it worked. Your mileage may vary (I just buy the stuff at the store).

I saw one guy make an interesting reactive target for long range shooting. He set up a cardboard IPSC type target, and taped a can of cheap red spray paint to the back of the target, behind the head area for a "special effect" on a head shot.

 

[tarosean]

 

[essayons21]

Its been posted here before, but ammonium nitrate (drug store instant cold packs - make sure they say ammonium nitrate as the active ingredient) and fine mesh aluminum powder (e-bay, 1 lb for $10) makes a slightly less sensitive tannerite. All legal as long as you mix it at the range before you shoot it and don't store or transport it.

 

[BADUNAME30]

Yyyyyyyep.
And let's not forget ...

 

[ADKWOODSMAN]

When I used to take my (4) children shooting they enjoyed to vaporize the 10 oz. size colored water drinks with the 22-250. Try it, you will like it. They used to cost about 20 cents.

 

[jstein650]

Good old rocks are pretty underrated if you're shooting something like a .223 and a good 100 yds. away. If you have hedge apples in your area, they are a blast when you can collect them in early fall. (and they last a long time if you can stock up on them)

 

[SabbathWolf]

I wanna get some of those orange rubber bouncing ball target things.
You just toss them out and shoot. They bounce all over the place. Looks fun.

 

[mrhill]

Jumping Jacks are fun also. If you got the eyes for it, Aspirin.

 

[plsander]

Had great fun shooting shotgun hulls with a .22 when I was learning to shoot. 4 of 5 times they would jump and land standing up due to the weight of the brass vs the paper.

 

[hso]

"Dixie" cup of ice.

Fill with water, freeze, drop in ice chest and head to the range. It doesn't take any time for them to slide out of the paper cups and you get to reuse the cups.

 

[tarosean]

Jumping Jacks are fun also.

I didnt make this.. But here is my blind person jumping jack... lol

 

[FitGunner]

Pop cans/bottles, aerosol cans, water-filled jugs, water balloons, old lighters, pots and pans, and fruit (watermelon, melons, etc.).