So my oldest son is turning 6 in April and I feel he is ready for a Ruger 10/22 of his own. Lord knows he's had more than his fair share of experience with mine and I think he's clearly ready for an autoloader of his own now to go with his bolt action. Problem is we really enjoy our reactive targets and he has clearly gotten bored with the clays, suckers, paintballs, and water balloons we normally shoot. We need new ideas for fun reactive targets. Any help would be appreciated.
Reactive Rimfire Target Ideas?
- Thread starter Maser
- Start date
There are a number of spinners and similar type targets for sale on line.
What my boys like is taking out the older (carefully chosen) toys of their yesteryear. Nothing quite like scoping in Bob the Builder's little plastic pals to say goodbye to the pre-k days. They don't shoot anything collectable, expensive or what I think their kids might want years from now but everything else is fair game. Those have been some of our best shoots.
I would point out though that he might just be tired of shooting and want a break. Some kids are like that.
What my boys like is taking out the older (carefully chosen) toys of their yesteryear. Nothing quite like scoping in Bob the Builder's little plastic pals to say goodbye to the pre-k days. They don't shoot anything collectable, expensive or what I think their kids might want years from now but everything else is fair game. Those have been some of our best shoots.
I would point out though that he might just be tired of shooting and want a break. Some kids are like that.
Uncle Buck
New member
The spinners are great fun. For those who think they are the cats meow when it comes to shooting, try hanging a few plastic bottles from a string.
When you hit them, they fly around. The better the shooter, the smaller the bottles.
When you hit them, they fly around. The better the shooter, the smaller the bottles.
g.willikers
New member
Maybe it's the shooting style, and not so much the targets, that is the cause of his boredom.
Static, slow fire can get that way, even with entertaining targets.
Can he do some run n' gun where you shoot?
Or some hunting or defensive practice, with targets at various distances and heights, using cover and such, without the running?
Static, slow fire can get that way, even with entertaining targets.
Can he do some run n' gun where you shoot?
Or some hunting or defensive practice, with targets at various distances and heights, using cover and such, without the running?
carguychris
New member
Do you have Bois d'arc (aka Bodark, Horse-apple, or Osage-orange) trees in your area?
Bois d'arc fruit (aka horse-apples) are Nature's perfect .22LR reactive targets.
Unlike other fruit, they're cohesive enough that .22LR bullets don't blow them completely apart, but they're not so cohesive that the bullets just poke tiny holes in them; they come apart in good-sized chunks. Shoot them into progressively smaller and smaller chunks for added challenge. 
Most property owners will let you take as many as you want because they're almost worthless as a food source for livestock or anything else. (Most animals won't touch them, and the ones that will eat them usually only do it after all other food sources are exhausted.) Did I mention that they're biodegradable, so there's no cleanup?
The only problem is that AFAIK they're out of season right now.
Bois d'arc fruit (aka horse-apples) are Nature's perfect .22LR reactive targets.
Unlike other fruit, they're cohesive enough that .22LR bullets don't blow them completely apart, but they're not so cohesive that the bullets just poke tiny holes in them; they come apart in good-sized chunks. Shoot them into progressively smaller and smaller chunks for added challenge. Most property owners will let you take as many as you want because they're almost worthless as a food source for livestock or anything else. (Most animals won't touch them, and the ones that will eat them usually only do it after all other food sources are exhausted.) Did I mention that they're biodegradable, so there's no cleanup?
The only problem is that AFAIK they're out of season right now.
I have heard of using golf balls or tennis balls and chasing them around by shooting at them.
I was in the sporting goods aisle at WallWart the other day and they had spinners for cheap. They also had some cubes and other shapes that you can put on the ground and shoot at. You also have to chase them around.
I was in the sporting goods aisle at WallWart the other day and they had spinners for cheap. They also had some cubes and other shapes that you can put on the ground and shoot at. You also have to chase them around.
Easter Eggs.
We have a large extended family with a tradition of dyeing eggs ...... dozens and dozens of them: You can only eat egg salad so many times.
So, every Easter, in the afternoon, we have a second Easter Egg Hunt, with .22 hollow points.
Brightly colored, biodegradable, challenging, exploding targets. What's not to love?
We have a large extended family with a tradition of dyeing eggs ...... dozens and dozens of them: You can only eat egg salad so many times.
So, every Easter, in the afternoon, we have a second Easter Egg Hunt, with .22 hollow points.
Brightly colored, biodegradable, challenging, exploding targets. What's not to love?
Joe Chicago
New member
Do your boys make plastic models? I used to shoot old tank models with a pellet gun to great effect when I was kid.
Thanks for the ideas guys. And no, it's not a case of my boy being bored with shooting in general, I know for a fact it's just the targets. Our normal shooting spot always has lots of trash laying around and when he gets bored with the targets we normally shoot, he will see something on the ground and ask if he can shoot it. I know how kids are. Wasn't long ago I was one myself. Kids do have a short attention span so it's no wonder why he gets bored with the same targets and looks to new targets.
Crunchy Frog
New member
My club has a no metal targets rule. That even knocks out the off-the-shelf swinging targets that have metal frames or hinges. Targets on the ground are also discouraged if not prohibited.
I bought one of the rubbery plastic targets that are designed to bounce around on the ground. A couple of bucks worth of pvc pipe yielded a frame that would slip into the standard target stands. I suspended the target by a string and made a metal-free reactive target that I don't have to chase.
I bought one of the rubbery plastic targets that are designed to bounce around on the ground. A couple of bucks worth of pvc pipe yielded a frame that would slip into the standard target stands. I suspended the target by a string and made a metal-free reactive target that I don't have to chase.
Eggs are great with a 22. I've also used the cheap hair color from the 99 cent store it sends a color stream into the air when hit. The small bag of flour is one that keeps on giving, it puts out a little puff each time its hit. The small color drinks in the plastic bottles can also be fun.
g.willikers
New member
How about wood targets.
Wood is easy to work with, cheap and works quite well with .22s.
Even with centerfire, for that matter.
Just print out targets and paste them to suitable sized wood squares.
Either hang them to make swingers, so there's no need to reset, or use them like falling plates or silhouette targets.
There's no end to the possibilities without going broke.
Wood is easy to work with, cheap and works quite well with .22s.
Even with centerfire, for that matter.
Just print out targets and paste them to suitable sized wood squares.
Either hang them to make swingers, so there's no need to reset, or use them like falling plates or silhouette targets.
There's no end to the possibilities without going broke.
plumbercrack
New member
Must be a strong kid. A 10/22 is kind of heavy for a 6 yo. But try the impact rolling targets. They are fun even for us big kids. You might want to look into the .22s at walmart. I can't remember if it was Marlin or Mossberg that made a shorter more lightweight .22 for kids.
old tennis balls make a great reactive target with .22s. They last a long time and move after every shot making it progressively more difficult. It's fun to start them at 25 yards and see just how far back you can keep rolling it. If you have two you can make it a contest.
Golf balls are also great, but they jump a lot farther than the tennis balls.
Golf balls are also great, but they jump a lot farther than the tennis balls.
Vt.birdhunter
New member
We have a RC 4x4 with a fiberglass snow-marker standing up about 2 feet as a target holder.
Tough to beat balloons/old t-shirts/targets tied to the stick running around your range on the fun chart.
If your hitting paintballs, try the plastic army guys (I get 50 for a buck at the dollar store, variety of colors for different teams)
Lots of fun taking out his "army" before he takes out yours.
Tough to beat balloons/old t-shirts/targets tied to the stick running around your range on the fun chart.
If your hitting paintballs, try the plastic army guys (I get 50 for a buck at the dollar store, variety of colors for different teams)
Lots of fun taking out his "army" before he takes out yours.