Super cheap targets

[Owen Sparks]

I went out to do some quick test firing today with my pistol at the local sandpits. This good red dirt holds for a long time so there are lots of sheer cliffs that make for a safe backstop. Rather than haul out a bunch of targets, stands, staple guns and tape I simply brought a cheap can of black spray paint from the dollar store. I then sprayed a serise of 3" black dots directly on to dirt cliff face. A good hit will just about obliterate the spot. a near miss is obvious as it leaves a good sized crater. You can paint dinner plate size spots to practice double taps as it usually takes several hits to knock off enough dirt to remove them. A .99 cent can of paint will last for several practice sessions and makes for some good fun reactive targets without having to haul a load of stiff to the range.

 

[jrfoxx]

heh, pretty good idea.nice job.

 

[RONSTAR]

Im gonna have to try this out. +1 for you

 

[M2 Carbine]

I do something like that for 50-100 yard pistol shooting.

I have a 2x2 foot piece of steel plate that I keep painted black and use white spray paint to outline a 14 inch wide silhouette.
After 10-20 rounds the whole target can be renewed in a couple minutes.

 

[Furncliff]

Ice... it does require some pre-trip prep, but it explodes nicely and there's no clean-up.

 

[benEzra]

 

[scrat]

nice holes

 

[Marbles]

Re: benEzra: Range, caliber, gun, position...

Here is another good recommendation from theboxotruth.com.

Using a 25mm size stamp = 4 MOA at 25yds. Good enough for practicing with .22s if you can get all of your rounds in 4moa off bench.

 

[ZeSpectre]

collected sources for FREE downloadable and printable targets.

 

[bogie]

Clay pigeons, if you don't need to worry about cleanup, and have a good vertical berm behind them.

Shooting them in the air, or sitting on the ground, is dangerous.

 

[TallPine]

Pine cones set on stumps

 

[justin 561]

http://www.targetz.com/targets07.htm
http://www.mytargets.com/

 

[rondog]

I met a guy that swears by Vanilla Wafers glued to a piece of cardboard for targets. Water balloons are fun too.

 

[sharkhunter2018]

I like that. I've used rattle cans to spray on targets. Cheap and easy.

 

[alemonkey]

I like using cheap paper plates. A couple of bucks for a hundred or so.

 

[xx7grant7x]

if you drink soda, empty pop/beer cans are fun plus you get the movement/noise feedback and if you get them moving you get a little moving target practice, this does involve a little cleanup however targets are free with many beverages and with brightly colored cans you get something that stands out against the dirt/sand/grass berm that you're shooting at

 

[JackBurtonJr]

Use water balloons filled with air, but before you blow them up put a tablespoon of flour into the balloon. When you hit it it looks like you dropped an artillary shell on the range.

Or... use animal crackers at short range and pretend you are on a big-time safari.

 

[mp510]

Bowling pins are also a great, cheap, target. Around here, used ones sell for a buck or two. They can stand up to a bit of shooting too.

 

[10X]

I download targets from the net for free.
We always have empty copier paper boxes at work, so those are my target stands.
I take them home when done shooting unless someone else at the range wants them.

 

[M2 Carbine]

I print these by the thousands.
Buy the cheapest ink you can find online and set the printer to the worst draft quality and the targets are very inexpensive.
At work I even use to bring home all the used 8.5x11 inch paper that was normally thrown away and print targets on the back of it.




This is another target I made up on the computer. At first I didn't especially like it but it has become a favorite target.
I print that 4x6 inch ellipse on almost all my targets. As a personal limit I consider any hits outside 4x6 inches a miss.

 

[Chipperman]

I like using cheap paper plates. A couple of bucks for a hundred or so.

Same thing for me.

 

[chris in va]

Bowling pins are free.

 

[Blackbeard]

I wonder if you could make a target out of sand? Maybe form it into a wet ball and get it to dry that way. Good reactive target and no cleanup.

Any thoughts on how to get it to stay together?

 

[alemonkey]

Maybe if you mix the sand with something, like flour & water?

 

[benEzra]

Re: benEzra: Range, caliber, gun, position...

7 yards, 9mm, Smith & Wesson 3913 Ladysmith, Weaver stance.

3 shots, 3 holes, but the top two are siamesed.