bored with paper, skill & fun possible?

8

870pilot

New member
looking for some new "games" to play at the range out back... one shooter, two shooters? exercises if you will, that strengthen my handgun/shotgun skills AND give me a chance to do something other than put holes in B-27 targets...

maybe a game that you learned from an old timer who taught you how to shoot to modern day scenarios that the LEO's or military use? just to make trips to the range more challenging. include new ideas for targets too? (safe targets :) trainers and range officers really encouraged to chime in. thanks :cool:
 
I am a huge fan of shooting metal plates. At my old range it was allowable, other ranges now frown on it (thinking it will riccochet I guess).

For 100 yd or more rifle it was a 12" x 12" section of bulldozer blade with two holes cut in it (blowtorch) at top. Thick chain hung from posts held it in place. You could hear the 'pang!' from where you shot and know you hit the target. Very gratifying.

For pistol, had a friend with a metal plate setup mounted on a small trailer. He would attach it to the car, bring it to the range and wheel it down to the pistol range.

You can buy individual metal targets of all types. Here is one place for example: http://www.letargets.com/html/steel3.html
 
I don't know what kind of environment you have to shoot in but when I want to have some cheap fun and improve my marksmanship I'll take a couple dozen sporting clays, my .22 pistol, a brick of ammo and a lawn chair out to where I shoot. I'll set the clays up at different ranges spread from 50 to 100 yards or so, then I just plop down in the chair and see how long it takes to break them all. It usually provides a good hour or so of entertainment and long-range pistol practice and after all is said and done I've only spent a couple bucks on ammo and targets.

The really long shots are especially rewarding when you see that clay break and it really helps me learn how to judge distance and adjust point of aim. IMO it's a damn fine way to spend an afternoon.
 
I watched a Discovery show where a police dept. trained snipers to shoot helium filled balloons tied on a string to a remote controlled car. They would tie two different colored balloons to the car and one would be the hostage and the other would be the BG. Looked like a ton of fun.
 
I'm not sure what you mean by "out back" but I'm going to guess you mean outdoors. The dualing tree would be pretty dun for 2 people to compete against each other (although make sure of minimum distances to avoid ricochets).

For indoor ranges, I used the target with 5 numbered targets and try to shoot them as quickly and accurately as my shooting partner calls them out. I'm sure a timer would make it much more competitive rather than "guesstimating" the time it took to get your shots off.
 
Do a search on here and elsewhere for

"dueling tree" and "reactive target".

If you take a friend, a dueling tree is a hoot. Set one with say, 4 or 6 plates on it at a distance at which hitting it is anything but easy with the chosen guns from the chosen stance (unsupported, bench, whatever). Put two plates on the left side and two on the right, say go and start blasting. The first one to get all 4 or 6 plates onto his opponent's side wins the game. If people with unequal skills, you can use pistol vs. rifle as a 'handicapper' to the pistol-user.

http://www.metaltargets.com/DuelingTrees.htm
http://www.mgmtargets.com/dueltree.htm
http://www.policeone.com/police-products/training/products/press-releases/76746/
http://www.bernardjtaylor.com/PaintingPages/Ohio1/Paintings059duelingtrees.htm (wait, that's not right.... :) )

The threads on reactive targets will give you all the ideas you need for that.
 
Sniper Training Cubes

I work with Just Shoot Me Products. www.ballistictec.com

Try out our Sniper Training Cubes. In case you haven't seen them, they are a 4"x4" Ballistic Polymer Cube. When you hit one, they will jump in a very unpredictible way. Every time the Cube lands, you will have a 4" surface to shoot at. Even while shooting by yourself they are a blast. If you have a buddy or two shooting with you, try Cube Racing.... Try to shoot your Cube across a predetermined finish line before the others. They come in multiple colors, which helps to keep them straight.

The Sniper Training Cube is for rifle caliber only, so if you are using pistol calibers, be sure to check out the Pistol Cube.

If you go to the homepage, you will see the Cubes.

Greg
www.ballistictec.com
 
Using old crap from around the hous and free junk from garage sales is fun. We have a couple car doors and dolls. I would really like to find some mannequins but dont know where. If its colder out, ice is really fun too, freeze up some 1gal ice cream buckets, take the chunk of ice out and have a blast, they usually only take one shot from anything >.22 but the explode pretty nicely. The R/C car idea and balloons sounds like a lot of fun, unless you are with people who are bad shots then it only lasts a few minutes.:D Old furniture can be a good time, fun to see how long it takes to "saw" the legs off.
 
I often buy a couple of dozen eggs and set them out in the desert at various distances. They really explode when you hit them, and I don't feel bad about feeding the ants and coyotes with the remains. I hope that's not ecologically irresponsible!:rolleyes:
 
Take up one or another form of competition as available near you. IDPA or IPSC with the pistol, skeet with the shotgun. Somebody keeping score on you and posting it to compare with others is a powerful incentive to improve. And it is fun, you get to hang out with all sorts of people. And can learn from some of them.
 
check out www.uspsa.com .i joined .have'nt competed yet ,but it looks like alot of fun. and you can use standard production pistols.they have matches all over the world and the USA.have fun shoot straight
 
thanks

lots of great ideas on what to shoot... i'm leaning towards "heavy metal" !

being in vermont, joining any type of organized association requires a LOT of travel even in-state is a couple of hours away... i'd love to organize a "tactical" type shoot at the local club, but i think i would raise a few eyebrows...

if anyone recalls different "scenarios" ie. more game-oriented exercises, i'd love to hear them... and i did google "tannerite" DANG :rolleyes:
 
take a length of 2x4, and drill some 3/16" holes in it about 1" deep. put golf tees in the holes, and put paint balls on the tees. Shoot the paint balls off, then shoot the tees.

Or....... when the bugs come back out, fill a 35mm film cannister with sugar-water, and spread some on a used up target......it's not big game hunting, but it's different......
This fly was bagged at 50 yds with my Remington 40X and a Weaver T-36. Some of the guys I shoot with, enjoy shooting bugs more than paper targets.:p

fly.jpg
 
Jayb,

That is some crazy shooting! I hope they were horse flies! The regular house flies are friggin tiny! Forget about fruit flies. Those guys are even smaller. My problem is with open sights, I probably couldn't even see a dragon fly much less shoot it!
 
I shoot in remote spots of the Mojave Desert. There are tall hills (more like small mountains) that make excellent back-stops, and many of the places that I use will afford 1,000+ yard shooting distances.

Since the back-stop hill affords safety, I've set up several moving target "systems". One is a pulley system, with one side placed at a high point so that the target will glide across the shooting area. By attaching a rope to the gliding target pulley, it can be returned to the high point for another down-hill ride. It's great for handguns and rifles! The actual target needs to be attached to some wood, so that it hangs enough below the target pulley (you don't want to shoot that pulley!).

How about an adrenaline-pumping "Hogan's Alley"?
I set up several starting points with certain distances to the actual shooting points. The shooter will run from starting point "A" to shooting point "A", fire at the target(s), then move to starting point "B". Another run, to shooting point "B", engage the target(s), then move on to starting point "C"....and repeat the run and engagement of the target(s).

If you set up this type of course, do it WISELY, with safety the major concern. You may want to run without loaded firearms, but have them at the shooting points, ready to go. Depending upon your creativity, you can set up multiple targets, use wood to simulate structures, and even set up pop-up targets with "shoot/no-shoot" scenarios.

For the lazy shooters, buy a cheapie R/C truck.
Tie some string onto the rear bumper, and have it long enough so that you won't shoot the the truck.
The target can be an empty aluminum can, or anything that is light enough for the R/C truck to be able to tow at a somewhat decent speed behind it. Of course, level ground is the best, but if the towed aluminum can bounces up, it's a lot tougher to shoot at. When the target is hit, you drive the truck back to you. I use this with .22 handguns, but I guess that it could be used for other firearms.

Over-ripe watermelons, oranges, pumpkins, tomatoes, and other fruits/veggies are fairly good "reactive" targets. Out-of-date eggs are great for long distance accuracy targets.

If you shoot at steel or aluminum targets, CLEAN it up afterwards! Glass is a definite NO-NO! Paper and wood targets are okay, but it's best to either pick up afterwards or to burn them. Just keep YOUR remote shooting area CLEAN, for if you leave your trash out there, other shooters might think that it's "okay" to make it a trash dump!
 
Make up some steel pepper poppers (steel targets that are set on hinges and in the shape of a modified b target) Look it up on IPSC or IDPA tartget stuff. With two targets you can set them so one will criss cross the other depending on which falls first.

You and your buddy can pick a distance and draw and fire your handgun to see who is fastest in knocking down the target (loser resets:D :D ) Add targets and move back as you get better and use your shotgun at 35 meters. The shotgun needs to be laying on table in front (barrel down range:D ) and empty. See who can knock down the targets fastest with loading, then add more targets.

Like the others before me, steel ractive targets will get you there and you will enjoy the competition.:) Always wear ear and eye protection, this is a must as steel does create splatter. BE SAFE

25
 
Fun Targets

Some of my favorite targets are:

1 gallon plastic milk jugs full of water
cinder blocks (kinda messy)
bowling pins
cans hung by the tab on a string between 2 trees
spinning metal targets
metal deuling post
 
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