John G
Member
Go to the Salvation Army or the Volunteers of America. Buy all the bowling balls they have. They'll also have cheap books and tons of used toys.
What to shoot at...
- Thread starter Seancass
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5x5
Member
Seancass
Member
since i really suck at cooking, i think 2 frying pans and a pot have volunteered to become targets. and thats in less than a semester i've ruined that many. thats what i get for shopping at walmart. i'll be shopping around for similar stuff in the next week or so.
Dusty Rusty
Member
At Knob Creek, I killed a minivan and several old appliances. Love to shoot bowling pins, paper plates, steel targets (love the sound of a hit), accidently killed a tree once, clays, you name it--I'll shoot it, along as it's legal of course! 
geekWithA.45
Moderator Emeritus
Helium filled ballons on a string wafting in a gentle breeze make challenging handgun targets, as do chunks of wood suspended by rope, and any number of tincan type targets propped up on whatever's handy.
Make sure the balloons are tied to something you can see easily, so as to make packing out your garbage easier.
Make sure the balloons are tied to something you can see easily, so as to make packing out your garbage easier.
Seancass
Member
can you buy large rolls of paper somewhere to make targets out of? i guess wrapping paper will be really cheap soon.
PotatoJudge
Member
I've heard that many newspaper printers will give away unfinished reams of paper that are too short to justify loading. Might be worth a shot.
Found a stash of abandoned old dirt-covered PCs in a shack near a school once. Towers and moniters of ruined IBMs from the early 90s. They'd been sitting out in this shack for god knows how long and were pretty useless so I figured no one cared. Loaded up as much as I could.
They made excellent AK and 12 guage fodder.
Toilet paper rolls are good also.
They made excellent AK and 12 guage fodder.
Toilet paper rolls are good also.
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Remember that you've got to police the area and pick up every bit of debris if you don't own the land your shooting on. We've got enough of an image problem without adding to it by being slobs also.
DRZinn
Member
Golf balls.
A good hit with a .45 is good for 150-200 yard drive.
A good hit with a .45 is good for 150-200 yard drive.
Seancass
Member
i had a revelation. we often shoot in a friends graval pit that is still used. recently he got upset with us because the place was left a mess by people shooting down there. it wasnt the way we left it last, so we picked it up anyways. He was also worried that the wood targets we shoot at might hurt his tires and also the nails that hold the targets together. they are two boards nailed together to make a T shape that stands up. SO i am now going to make these targets using a dowl in place of a nail. just drill a hole in each peace and pound a short length of dowel in there. if i am feeling like it, i will use a little glue.
just a thought for people on others' property: be considerate of them and think of stuff like this!! watch out for nails or other objects which are easy to miss and could cause someone a lot of trouble.
just a thought for people on others' property: be considerate of them and think of stuff like this!! watch out for nails or other objects which are easy to miss and could cause someone a lot of trouble.
Sharps-shooter
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- Nov 7, 2006
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newspapers
tacked to a sheet of plywood or osb or whatever. The idea is you shoot at the pictures, and tell the others what you're shooting at, e.g. "This one's going for dilbert's head".
Big game animals, if you have any handy. Makes a delicious snack for later.
An upright log with an old hat on it. great for simulating headshots.
A cofee can , turned upside down on a garden stake. It will usually spin around if you hit it.
Cinderblocks and bricks (kind of messy; works well with big rifle rounds).
Renaissance paintings and Ming dynasty vases.
Cathode ray tube displays (old computer monitors). a lot of these are being thrown out these days, now that flatpanel is becoming popular. They sort of implode when you hit them, and the case catches most of the shattered glass. Put them on cardboard to make cleanup easier.
tacked to a sheet of plywood or osb or whatever. The idea is you shoot at the pictures, and tell the others what you're shooting at, e.g. "This one's going for dilbert's head".
Big game animals, if you have any handy. Makes a delicious snack for later.
An upright log with an old hat on it. great for simulating headshots.
A cofee can , turned upside down on a garden stake. It will usually spin around if you hit it.
Cinderblocks and bricks (kind of messy; works well with big rifle rounds).
Renaissance paintings and Ming dynasty vases.
Cathode ray tube displays (old computer monitors). a lot of these are being thrown out these days, now that flatpanel is becoming popular. They sort of implode when you hit them, and the case catches most of the shattered glass. Put them on cardboard to make cleanup easier.
Furncliff
Member
I can recommend ice targets. Fill some zip-lock or similar plastic containers with water and don't hog the freezer. The ice blocks explode when hit, no enviro impact. I'm a woodworker so I have access to circular saw blades. I hang-'em from a wire. TING.
The ice blocks explode when hit, no enviro impact. I'm a woodworker so I have access to circular saw blades. I hang-'em from a wire. TING.ZeSpectre
Member
I like to swipe those "vote for" signs after the elections. They make great target stands.
I love the printable "target games" on this site... http://www.targetz.com/fun01.htm My friend and I have a lot of fun with the "dynamite" one. Takes about 3 good hits with a .22 to "cut the fuze".
dleong beat me to the computer hardware one but I haven't done that in a LONG time as I have noplace that would let me shoot that sort of stuff.
Vanilla wafers, that's a good one that I will have to try.
I love the printable "target games" on this site... http://www.targetz.com/fun01.htm My friend and I have a lot of fun with the "dynamite" one. Takes about 3 good hits with a .22 to "cut the fuze".
dleong beat me to the computer hardware one but I haven't done that in a LONG time as I have noplace that would let me shoot that sort of stuff.
Vanilla wafers, that's a good one that I will have to try.
SaMx
Member
I second golf balls. Hit them with a .22
Brian Williams
Moderator Emeritus
raw eggs
Darth Muffin
member
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2005
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- 184
Another +1 on the old computer equipment. Try a computer case with a half-pound of tannerite in it It flew about 75 feet in the air.
My local LAN gaming group does "hardware shootouts" from time to time. Yes, we pick up everything and then some.
If you're ever attacked by a hard drive, you'll need more than a .22.
It flew about 75 feet in the air.My local LAN gaming group does "hardware shootouts" from time to time. Yes, we pick up everything and then some.
If you're ever attacked by a hard drive, you'll need more than a .22.
12GA00buck
Member
Whatever you shoot at be sure to clean in up. I was out at my favorite public range and there was a no shooting sign posted. I'm guessing all the trash left by the idiots before us ruined it for everybody. Brass is fine, I actually like the look of scattered brass all over the ground, but be sure to pack out your trash.
I like pop cans, old computers, water bottles, clays, assorted targets etc. It is also fun to split logs with slugs
I like pop cans, old computers, water bottles, clays, assorted targets etc. It is also fun to split logs with slugs
The-Fly
Member
anything that moves. 
Just kidding of course (except if its a rabbit or prairie dog).
Just kidding of course (except if its a rabbit or prairie dog).
I don't know, they banned shooting anything except metal spinning or paper targets or some such nonsense. Too much trash was being left by lots of people. Well people have continued to leave trash and now they are enforcing it, driving around policing the outdoor area more, and considering legislation to give the ban teeth. I heard something about fining people a few thousand dollars if found with non paper and metal spinning knock down targets on the range and calling it littering which has similar fines here in CA.
The most fun targets are those that take damage and give some insight into the ballistics of the round. Water filled containers etc. Someone left an empty propane tank stuck on a stake in the ground that was a blast to shoot at. Please though take the trash with you, they are adding so many restrictions and rules and big brother oversight because of the expense of hauling away so much trash every year.
Enough people are already scared and anti gun, if people start associating recreational shooters with trash the way they associate smokers with cigarette butts it will be one more strike against us.
P.S. many towns have banned smoking altogether, others have banned smoking on or near a beach, and on any public road or sidewalk (CA law already bans smoking indoors in any public place). I don't smoke but wow it sure illustrates the amount of persecution a minority group can recieve when an object or activity they do has been declared undesirable. Most of the outdoor legislation is due to Cigarette butts, though the PC response by politicians is health concerns...even outside on a beach with heavy wind.
There is no reason the same approach will not be taken with shooting, legislating originaly trash, next it is brass casings that are 'unsightful' and filled with dangerous lead products that hurt the children when they pick them up, or play in a puddle downstream, next it is the lead your launching into the enviroment itself. It all starts and gains momentum and public support because of trash left out.
The most fun targets are those that take damage and give some insight into the ballistics of the round. Water filled containers etc. Someone left an empty propane tank stuck on a stake in the ground that was a blast to shoot at. Please though take the trash with you, they are adding so many restrictions and rules and big brother oversight because of the expense of hauling away so much trash every year.
Enough people are already scared and anti gun, if people start associating recreational shooters with trash the way they associate smokers with cigarette butts it will be one more strike against us.
P.S. many towns have banned smoking altogether, others have banned smoking on or near a beach, and on any public road or sidewalk (CA law already bans smoking indoors in any public place). I don't smoke but wow it sure illustrates the amount of persecution a minority group can recieve when an object or activity they do has been declared undesirable. Most of the outdoor legislation is due to Cigarette butts, though the PC response by politicians is health concerns...even outside on a beach with heavy wind.
There is no reason the same approach will not be taken with shooting, legislating originaly trash, next it is brass casings that are 'unsightful' and filled with dangerous lead products that hurt the children when they pick them up, or play in a puddle downstream, next it is the lead your launching into the enviroment itself. It all starts and gains momentum and public support because of trash left out.
ChefJeff1
Member
I'm going shooting with y co-worker tomorrow if it's not too cold. I like cans, spent shells, firewood, jugs. I thought about shooting sole old playing cards snd playing poker or 21 o something like that. I also liike shooting old food like potatoes or that dried up orange in the back of your fridge.
larry_minn
Member
One of my favorite targets was a plastic tank. I had fun with it as a child but it would never have any been worth anything. I shot it with bolt action .22 and blew off tread. Then I hit it just below turret and it blew off. I went to look and could stick them back on and shoot it again and again. (later with duct tape to hold stuff together) It went thru 5 mags (7rd) before there was not enough left to shoot at.
A dualing tree is a great game. (3-4 targest on each side of center post. You get all 6-8 targets on other side by shooting them to win.)
A dualing tree is a great game. (3-4 targest on each side of center post. You get all 6-8 targets on other side by shooting them to win.)
There are alot of spent shotgun shells laying about at the public range, and they make challenging targets for a .22 at about 50 yards, especially if they are hung from a bit of cord tied to the target/stand. Condiment packets that you get with fast food are good, but can be messy for otherr shooters who follow you.
I have several hard drives that I'd like to open up on, but no place to do so.
jm
I have several hard drives that I'd like to open up on, but no place to do so.
jm
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