Subversive 4th of July Picnic idea: The return of the shooting gallery.

[geekWithA.45]

For nearly 50 years, our neighborhood has had a quasi official block party, which includes food, fun, a parade, and games and prizes for the kids.

I'm thinking this year, there's going to be an airsoft shooting gallery booth on my front lawn.

I'm considering two: a plinking range, with spinners, knock down ducks and the like, and a "target" range for scored target shooting, maybe with a few cheapo trophies for high score in various age ranged divisions.

I'm thinking if we can iron out the details, we can make a "howto" pdf, and folks can roll these things into their own local festivities.

So, practical questions:

A) Has anyone ever run anything like this? What worked, what didn't?
B) For the "plinking" range, the more interesting the stuff to shoot is, the more attention/fun it will draw. Is there a collection of directions on making cheap but interesting active targets that are easy to reset?
C) For the target range, considering most will be n00bs, what's a challenging but appropriate distance and target size?
D) What's the best model airsoft rifle for this purpose?


Also, I'm planning it to be a "stealth" excercise. There will be no NRA or gun rights prosyletizing, just "Good, clean, old fashioned American fun."

 

[FieroCDSP]

Be sure to fasten the airsoft guns to a steel dummy cord, or they'll walk off. People will steal ANYTHING.

 

[Fly320s]

Keep the targets close... say 20 feet or less.

You'll need light-weight targets to get the airsoft pellets to knock 'em over. Maybe cardboard cutouts of various shapes and sizes.

I don't know about the airsoft guns, so I can't recommend one. But, get two or three if you can.

 

[GTSteve03]

For the guns, I would recommend a Glock and an AK, the Glock by KWA and AK by Tokyo Marui.

Might as well get the most eeeevil guns and show them how they won't magically jump up and start shooting.

 

[1911ShooterTJ]

Too bad AirSoft pellets won't set off tannerite, that wou'd be a whole lot of fun

I'd agree with under 20 feet, those airsoft pellets just don't have enough umph to knock down a whole lot past that. I'm not sure if they would penetrate full cheapo coke cans, I doubt it but you could see. Maybe someone else has more experience than I do with AirSoft guns. I have only shot my buddies a few times.

I know they will make holes in paper targets pretty well, which would give them instant feedback how their shot was. So maybe a few homemade bullseye targets would work, although probably only for an older age crowd who want to be challenged. The little ones just want to shoot something.

 

[yhtomit]

This sounds like a great, great idea! A few ideas:

- Even without direct proselytizing, make sure you emphasize safety to every single shooter before they so much as touch a gun.

- for (small) kids, I think you should make the parents be there at least for the first time. Avoid "We had no idea!" surprises.

- Related; make everyone wear eye protection

- set up some sort of bullet-catching backstop (sheets crimped such that the airsoft pellets roll forward and into some buckets?

- prizes! Visit a dollar store Good place for creative targets, too. (Can airsoft pellets pop the average balloon?)

timothy

 

[scout26]

Since I have zero experience with Airsoft, will they pop ballons ???

Kids love reactive targets......

 

[Mannix]

They can depending on the power of the particular gun you are using.

Look for guns that shoot 325+ fps with .2g bbs and you should be able to deal with slightly over inflated balloons, no problem. Haven't tried it myself, but that will also go through one side of a pop can(and the other side, though not as reliably).

As for a specific model, that depends on what your budget is. If you're willing to plop down $300 you could get a nice AEG version of one of those "evil" rifles that is sure to make the soccer moms nervous .

As a general rule of thumb, never buy a gun that costs less than $50, though some ok ones can be had for around $40. There are also certain brands you should avoid like the plague.

If you just want your basic run of the mill rifle, I would suggest this. Shoots at 370fps w/.2g bbs, should do the job.

 

[yhtomit]

It's not airsoft, but I'm thinking of getting a few of these:

http://www.fogdog.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2077734

http://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2005/08/1377-another-crosman-classic.html

I say "a few" rather than "one" just because my credit card's rewards program has them (pay for tuition on a credit card, and the points rack up ...) at a better conversion ratio than they do for many other things -- just about $50 / each, in real world dollars. Would be nice to have a few at an upcoming family reunion, so the kids can all shoot at targets against each other.

When I saw it (just yesterday) I thought of your shooting gallery -- seems like one that has some advantages; smallish kids could hold it like a mini rifle, but it's large enough I think it would help discourage sticky fingers. Also, it's single shot (minimizes spray fire and ammo wastage), and you can pump it fewer times for nearby balloons than you'd pump it for distant zombies

timothy

 

[geekWithA.45]

Heh.

Progress!

The wife wrangled herself onto the kid's entertainment committee, and slotted in the [oldWestFont]Rootin' Tootin' Shootin' Gallery [/oldWestFont] as an official activity, with wide support of the other committee members.

There's going to be a plinking session in the morning for the older kids, and shoot for score & ribbons after lunch. I'm running 3 divisions: kids 6-12, 13-18, and adult.

For guns, I ordered a pair of $35 M-14 springers.

I've designed the tarp enclosed range, using the hill in front of my yard, and a pile of 2x4 I have in the garage.

Last item will be plinking target design, and test assembly. I'll post pix as it starts coming together.

 

[geekWithA.45]

Sweet smoking diety!

The rifles arrived.

I ordered 2 of these http://www.airsplat.com/Items/AR-VB-92058-M14.htm for $35 each, and I'm stunned at how good they are.

I've got to put it side by side to my real m1a scout squad, but it's preposterously close to the real thing.

The mag release, safety, and action cycling all work just like the real thing.

The SIGHTS ARE ADJUSTABLE, for crying out loud!

Sigh.

If only they had this sort of thing when I was a kid.

I'll letcha know how they shoot after work.

 

[General Geoff]

Hey, if you need anyone to help.. uhh... zero them in, lemme know. I'm probably not too far away from ya. Heck, I'll even lend you a Walther P99 and IMI Desert Eagle, both spring action airsoft guns.

FWIW: I plan on picking up this Tokyo Marui M14 when I get enough loose change; from what I hear, you can even swap furniture between a real m14 and the TM airsoft version.

 

[Mannix]

I have that same gun , not bad for shootin' cans and such. I tried mine on a balloon with .2g and it worked ok, just need to over-inflate them a bit. Also good for putting holes in paper(or cardboard boxes).

 

[geekWithA.45]

First signs of resistance...handilly defeated.


My wife reported the first signs of resistance @ the picnic committee meeting.

A Surprise Ally Decloaks:

The first objection was reasonable, centered around questions and concerns of safety, which the neighbor vouched for. I hadn't tallied her firmly in the ally column, but that's where she is now.

(Incidentally, one of the subversive purposes is to smoke out friends, allies and enemies, while I play dumb. "Aw, shucks, it's just good, clean, old fashioned American fun....")

The interesting objection:

The second objection was not reasonable, and bears at least a little bit of discussion. Two women on the block "wanted the rootin' tootin' shootin' gallery removed" from the block party, "because some parents might not want their kids to play with guns". gwa9 replied that anyone with concerns is invited to take it up with us, and any parent who doesn't want their kids to participate is free not to.

Apparently, no further objection was sustained, and the RTSG remains on the official agenda.


It's interesting. Not having been @ the mtg, I cannot determine, nor can gwa9, as to whether the 2 women who objected were being pre-emptively solicitous of the concerns of others, or if they were the actual objectors, seeking to avoid owning their objection.

If it's the second case, where they're afraid to publicly own their objection to guns, I count that as a win. People should be reticent about foisting anti American views upon others.

If it is the first case, I think that's a problem, because that means that the antis have people working for them who are not committed to the anti gun cause. This same dynamic is also a force multiplyer in the arena of political correctivism, where people chill their speech and deeds not so much because it actually _is_ offensive, but based on the theoretical possibility that someone, somewhere might be offended.

 

[Geno]

Can we come to the party?!?!?!?!

Post #2,600

 

[ubik380]

Suggestions based on shooting galleries I've seen:

1) Have a "you have to be this tall to shoot" line marked on the booth
2) Use rifles only (users know where they're pointing)
3) Have a bench low/high enough so that the shooters can rest elbows on it

and most important-
4) Attach a cable or light chain to the business end of the barrels that can be pulled down and locked, and have a barrier that will absorb rounds if fired when the rifles are "locked down". This will allow you to make the gallery safe so you can reload, change targets and (most importantly) take a break!

I have a feeling that your booth will be the biggest attraction of the day! Have plenty of ammo, use a spring-type rifle and have a spare to replace the one(s) that break.

And be ready for next year when everyone wants you to do it again!

 

[Im283]

I feel sorry for the kids whose parents are not going to allow them to touch your guns. Who knows though, maybe the anti parents will come aorund to it after they see it being run safely and how much fun the other kids are having. You darn well those people will be getting a major earful from their kids about wanting to do it.

I wish there was something like your party around here.

 

[Lew]

I think it's just gonna be a huge success! Great idea, Geek.

 

[General Geoff]

If the RTSG ends up being a runaway success, maybe you can arrange for a followup range session too... there might be more prolonged interest in target shooting than you anticipate!

 

[NCLivingBrit]

Airsoft are such a great way to get folks interested in shooting. I know they tend to be the province of "teh maLLninJa!" but they teach all the basics, are almost silent, inexpensive and almost free to run if you recycle your ballshot.

Your gallery should be a lot of fun. I you wanted a good reactive target, those Wal mart brand bags of animal crackers are great. They explode nicely when hit by even the .15g and .2g airsoft pellets and they're cheap as can be. Cleanup can be left to the neighbourhood birds if you're short on time and any not used can be eaten. I did a noob shoot at one of our Airsoft club events, where kids could "big game hunt" their choice of prey. If they hit it, they got a unit patch sticker (this was a Stargate themed LARP group, so we had patchs and ranks and all that gamer stuff!) and a duplicate of their chosen (and now exploded) cookie. If they missed, they just got the cookie.

As you could go as many times as you want, everyone got as many cookies as they wanted and we went though nearly a pound of airsoft ammo

 

[Caimlas]

I you wanted a good reactive target, those ... animal crackers are great

Hey, that's what I was trying to think of. "Hmm, what reacts violently when hit by a low-velocity, low-weight projectile?" I oculdn't come up with anything, because I'm not familiar with airsoft enough to know what kind of delivery force they have.

Maybe glue a large quantity of animal crackers to popsickle sticks for 'reactive targets', and take a 2x4 with a planed groove down the center (or just little slats for the popsickle sticks) and put it out at 15 feet for people to shoot at (timed?). That'd be a hoot, though you'd go through animal crackers and popsickle sticks really, really quickly. 1 cracker and 1 popsickle stick for every 2 rounds? every round? who knows what you'd need, but you'd need a lot, I imagine.

Alternatively, something like rice cakes might also work, or even something homemade like (just thinking out loud here) small 'bags' of flour made out of (say) tissue paper ("poof" on hit).

Also, put up tarps at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions to deflect any possible horsing around from people walking nearby. Make sure there's a clear divider line between those who are playing, and those who are waiting (and there will be people waiting).

 

[NCLivingBrit]

Rice crackers are actually pretty tough, like packing foam segments. Which is about how they taste......

Saltines are pretty good though, if a touch dull compared to the thrill of hunting the deadly cracker-lions and wafer-gorilla...

 

[NewShooter]

How about water balloons for targets? I'm not familiar with airsoft so I dont know if it will penetrate the target.

 

[NCLivingBrit]

Within about ten, fifteen feet a decent airsoft will puncture a soda can if you hit the side square on, so water balloons shouldn't be a problem. There's something about rice cakes though..... if you've ever had to chew one, you'd understand

If they sell them here, Tarian (and Daisy I think) sell a line of chalk targets in safari shapes/prey species shapes that explode merrily when hit by an airgun pellet or airsoft BB. I used to shoot them all the time back home, much fun and they come with a pinhole for suspension with thread, which makes the target rotate for a little more challenge.

 

[yhtomit]

Here's an idea for a rule: "No adults whose kids aren't allowed to shoot are allowed to shoot ." Probably won't bother them at all, but sends a (IMO gentle and appropriate) message about responsibility / maturity, and in a poking-mild-fun kind of way. (If it was *merely* poking fun, I wouldn't suggest it )

timothy