Shooting Games

[WolverineFury]

Howdy all, a few friends and I are going out shooting this Saturday. We plan in sighting in our hunting rifles, patterning our shotguns, and shooting skeet (just from a hand thrower). I was just wondering if anyone has some suggestions as to different games one could play to spruce up the fun a little bit. Either in the rifle, or shotgun department.

 

[Hunterdad]

We play a version of "pig" at my trap club. Shoot at different distances and angles. It's a lot of fun

 

[oneounceload]

"Skeet" is an actual game and it is not from a hand thrower. That would be pasture clays
Here is what Skeet is about:

http://www.remington.com/en/pages/news-and-resources/downloads/brochure-downloads.aspx

 

[Virginian]

If you move around so you can shoot different presentations from the thrower it will add a lot of variety. I bought an electric thrower and a remote and I can now shoot about anything imaginable presentation wise. Good practice.

 

[Snowblind]

We had a lot of fun just trying to shoot at the same clay pidgeon. You know, one person throws, two people shoot, whoever hits it first wins, then the loser throws.

 

[WolverineFury]

That sounds like it would be quite fun Snowblind, we'll have to try that one out.

 

[Centurian22]

My buddy and I did a mock up "three gun" course one time that was a blast. Start with pistol in holster with 8rds in mag, empty chamber, four targets (8.5x11 piece of paper on cardboard backed target stand at different distances, on command "threat" time starts, draw, rack slide, two rds per target in order closest to farthest with having to sidestep or lean to shoot the fourth hiding behind one of the other three. Drop slide (held open from last rd), re-holster on way to pick up shotgun (pump in our case) loaded with two shells, fire one at a paper target, upon hearing the shot a buddy throws a clay, fire at clay, open action set shotgun down, (this is all in front of the rifle range line had the place to ourselves). Run around into rifle line and pick up our bolt action .308 w/4 rds in the mag. Four 8.5x11 paper targets at 100yards with a 4-5inch orange circle in the middle of each page. One shot per target, open bolt, gun down hands up time stops. Scoring by time: pistol +0 sec for hits on page, +2 sec for missing page but hitting cardboard. Shotgun +5 sec for missing page, +5 sec for missing clay (assuming a good throw), rifle +0 for hitting orange, +2 sec for hitting page outside of orange, +5 sec for missing page.

Total time, add 'penalties' = score. Lowest score wins. It was SO much fun. Unfortunately due to ammo shortage we only ran the course twice each but still had a lot of fun. Did incredibly well for never having competed in anything like this before.

 

[peacemaker45]

A rifle game that my dad and I often play is to set up an odd number of clay pigeons on the berm. At the buzzer, both start shooting at the outside, working in. Whoever breaks all his own birds, plus the center first, wins. Loser walks down to set up the next round. Pigeons work well for centerfires @ 100 yards. If we manage to find a longer range, I'd like to try it with water bottles or something.

A variant for .22s is to shoot the pigeon, then shoot the pieces, then the pieces of the pieces, etc, until all the orange is gone.

 

[Steve C]

For shotgun games you are really going to be shooting trap type games rather than skeet since you won't have a high and low house to throw birds from.

Some good trap games are as listed.
Usually in these games money is involved to make it interesting.

2 or 3 gun cut throat or Annie Oakley where shooters stand in a line and the first 2 or 3 get ready. The first guy gets the first shot, at the bird if he misses then the 2nd guy can shoot, if he breaks the target the first guy is out, and for a 3 gun if he misses the 3rd guy can shoot and if he breaks then the first 2 are out. If a shooter fires out of turn he puts himself out. You can extend the game if you allow a buy back where a shooter that is put out can pay another ante and go to the end of the line. The last shooter standing, wins. If you have enough shooters you can pay 2nd and 3rd place from the pot at less value of course.

Here is a pic of an 2 gun Annie Oakley starting out.



A variant of the 3gun game can be played as an "all gun" where every subsequent shooter can try and put out the previous shooters as long as the target is in the air. In an all gun the next shooter to be up is usually the last shooter that did not shoot or shot after the target hit the ground. You usually need at least a 1/2 dozen shooters or more for a decent game.

Another fun game is a "Bushwhacker". The first shooter hits the target and if the second shooter can hit a piece of that target, (assuming there's a piece large enough left) he puts out the first guy. If he is unable to hit a piece the first guy is safe and then its the second shooters turn to be in the hot seat with the 3rd guy being able to put him out. To win this game it is best to powder the target so you don't leave any pieces for the bushwhacker to break. Again, last man standing wins.