Paper or steel targets for 25m?
- Thread starter johnsack2001
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BCRider
Member
AGREED! ! ! !
I think it's because we want to see or hear a reaction to the shot. The whole experience is somehow less fullfilling if nothing falls over, busts into pieces or at least DINGS! with the hit.
Oh sure, shooting a nice tight grouping on paper or cardboard is also rewarding. But it's on a more intellectual plane that lacks the visceral reward of a reactive target.
One of the most fun targets I've shot is a bit steel falling line of 5 targets which can be reset with the pull of a rope. Not only do they DING! but they fall down as well. The only thing "funner" than this would be a carnival shooting gallery like set of tracks where the targets move across and demand to be shot down before they "escape" off the other side.
johnsack2001
Member
I just looked at my local sporting good store and he has a set of 5 self resetting 4" steel targets rated up to .50 AE for $70 per set and they can order in the IDPA frames and targets price still unknown as they have to call their supplier.
M2 Carbine
member
One more plus for steel targets. I just finished some laser practice in the dark.
Not that I ever miss you understand,
but if I did there's no doubt about it when shooting at steel targets.
Not that I ever miss you understand,
but if I did there's no doubt about it when shooting at steel targets.
jad0110
Member
Steel, paper, I enjoy and use both.
Been there done that. I enjoy doing a little tin/steel can rolling with a .22. Other targets I've used (and always clean up) include:
- Water filled containers (milk jugs, soda bottles, plastic peanut jars, etc)
- CD Roms I need to destroy (shooting them is more fun that cutting them up with sissors)
- Phone books
- My kid's toys, once they are broken beyond repair
- Old cell phones (battery removed)
- Unopend soda cans (shake up good first for some fizzy fun)
- Broken alarm clocks
- A mailbox
- Dead ceiling fan (out past 25 yards due to ricochet risk)
- Pumpkins (you wouldn't believe how tough these things are)
- Toaster oven (glass door removed)
- Computer keyboard (exciting, but cleanup is a PIB)
Basically, any assorted junk that is going in the trash anyway (or that I spot on the curb) that I can make safe by removing batteries, glass, etc. Also, just be mindful of ricochet risks.
The keyboard was fun. Hit it with a blast of 12 ga birdshot (#8). Scattered keys everywhere, which wasn't that fun to clean up. I only found a few keys, most notably the ? O and Y .
I had a messed up toilet I wanted to take out to the farm one day. Teach that !@#$ a lesson. Decided the cleanup wouldn't be worth it. I regret it now. Coulda woulda shoulda filled that turd up with a few pounds of tannerite. There's a thread starter, "how much tannerite to make a toilet disappear?" 
Been there done that. I enjoy doing a little tin/steel can rolling with a .22. Other targets I've used (and always clean up) include:
- Water filled containers (milk jugs, soda bottles, plastic peanut jars, etc)
- CD Roms I need to destroy (shooting them is more fun that cutting them up with sissors)
- Phone books
- My kid's toys, once they are broken beyond repair
- Old cell phones (battery removed)
- Unopend soda cans (shake up good first for some fizzy fun)
- Broken alarm clocks
- A mailbox
- Dead ceiling fan (out past 25 yards due to ricochet risk)
- Pumpkins (you wouldn't believe how tough these things are)
- Toaster oven (glass door removed)
- Computer keyboard (exciting, but cleanup is a PIB)
Basically, any assorted junk that is going in the trash anyway (or that I spot on the curb) that I can make safe by removing batteries, glass, etc. Also, just be mindful of ricochet risks.
The keyboard was fun. Hit it with a blast of 12 ga birdshot (#8). Scattered keys everywhere, which wasn't that fun to clean up. I only found a few keys, most notably the ? O and Y .
I had a messed up toilet I wanted to take out to the farm one day. Teach that !@#$ a lesson. Decided the cleanup wouldn't be worth it. I regret it now.
Coulda woulda shoulda filled that turd up with a few pounds of tannerite. There's a thread starter, "how much tannerite to make a toilet disappear?" Smokin Gator
Member
First I made 3 pvc stands for IDPA type cardboard targets. I had a couple of 3/8" armour plates that I rigged up on metal t posts. Worked ok, but not great. I ended up getting a total of 4 10" and 1 12" Armour round plates. I found some target stands that you can use witht the standard 1x2's to staple cardboard and paper targets to. They also have, in the center, 2x4 post holder that you can mount your steel plates to. Actuall there is a bracket that you bolt the target to that sets right on top of the 2x4. So with the same stand you can use cardboard or steell targets. I have 5 of them for my plates. I just got a full size steel USPSA sillouete with another stand for it. I shoot ICORE (double action revolvers) and at the bigger matches they use a lot of steel. Mark
Dnaltrop
Member
Shooting outdoors, (woods, not outdoor range) my favorite (Single Action) targets are spent shotgun shells left by Inconsiderate idiots who don't pack out what they pack in. ( Aim small, miss small )
Stick them on twigs, low shrubs, blades of grass... but shooting the support only counts if you call the shot beforehand.
I've shot small .22 sized steels, but not larger plates. Eldest gets to work them on my sister's property.
I've also shot myself in the leg with a Wax round, when a Phone book I was shooting curved JUST enough to U-turn the wax round into my leg,.. Nice little bruise, those shotgun primers alone can REALLY send those things flying. ( http://www.gunfighter.com/waxbullets/ << LOVE these)
) Stick them on twigs, low shrubs, blades of grass... but shooting the support only counts if you call the shot beforehand.
I've shot small .22 sized steels, but not larger plates. Eldest gets to work them on my sister's property.
I've also shot myself in the leg with a Wax round, when a Phone book I was shooting curved JUST enough to U-turn the wax round into my leg,.. Nice little bruise, those shotgun primers alone can REALLY send those things flying. ( http://www.gunfighter.com/waxbullets/ << LOVE these)
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exavid
Member
I go with paper for accuracy practice and steel, cans, water bottles and such for fun plinking.
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