targets that create interest?

Small propane tanks, a candle for each tank set behind about 5 feet, a lighter, a 223 or 17HMR, and 100 yard range free of combustibles. Snow works good.
 
They're "out of season" now but last fall, the kids had the most fun shooting at the over-production of "mini-gourds" from their garden. The fist sized gourds(still green) exploded nicely when hit, were free, and big enough(2-3" diameter) to hit fairly consistently out to 50 yards. The bigger(4-5") roundish shaped gourds were just right for the scoped 17HMR at 100 yards.
My kids shot a lot of balloons, clay birds, and chunks of 2x4.
 
Steel- provided you're at a safe distance for the ammunition being shot.

It's reactive, and as the poster above stated it never gets old hearing it ring.

You know instantly if you hit, both by movement, and sound. It's best to size the plate relative to distance and accuracy desired (as in, two minute equals a 4" plate at 200 yards). Carry a can of paint, I paint the main plate fluorescent orange and then a bright white circle in the center for a bullseye. With your scope or spotting scope, it's easy to see the location of the hits on the plate.
 
Dueling trees, flipper type targets that you can reset with a shot. Also like vegetables in season, tomatoes, apples, turnips etc.
 
Me and my brother used to shoot at fresh cow pies in the pasture, preferably at ranges that required holding over the targets to hit them, for the challenge.

A dead center hit would make them explode with a loud "pop" noise.
 
Hedge Apple/Osage Orange/Bodark balls.... set on the trees all summer, and on the ground most of the winter, if you get them before the squirrels do. About the size of a softball, they make good handgun targets.
 
Pop can race

Club I belonged to, would let you put pop cans out at 15 Yds. then you shoot , bounce and hop them to see who can get their can across the finish line first @ 25 Yds.
You can have the whole shooting line do this!!! Everybody loved it.

Also a Dueling tree is an excellent piece of equipment for Mano un Mano shoot offs. If your club will allow it:confused:
 
We have had great fun with bowling pins.
Incredibly durable, reactive.
Ask your local bowling alley for some of their old pins.(they replace them from time to time). If you have to pay anything, it's like 50 cents a piece.

7mm Rem Mag won't go through one at 169 yards.
 
little metal critters

what about the little metal critter targets that you knock off, or I guess you could even hang them from a string? anyone used these?

The paint ball idea is interesting. They must be really hard to hit with a 22 LR?
 
Dusty- At 25 yards it is not really that hard. It does cause a splatter and even at my age 54- I get a little laugh out of it.
 
Taregetthat create interest.

We gather and shoot the white plastic bottles that pills come in.They dont shatter or break and they dance in unususal ways when hit. Clean up is easy. Dont' use the brown persciption bottles the shater and make a real mess.
Cheap and easy.:D
 
Playing cards:

4980Target_Clubs_Ace_080606.jpg
 
The primers of a 12 Guage bullet at 100 yards with a 22 ! It makes a pop when hit it's a small target as small as the 22 round itself!!! Try it would a 17 hmr at 150 200 yards and that's impressive shooting !!! If you put a little dry grass around the bullet and see if you can get 5 fire started at 109 yards
 
I like to use empty spray paint cans. I use spray paint for work and empty at least a case a week so I always have them. Sometimes I sneak in full ones so that when they are hit by the shooter and blow up in a ball of red or orange the shooter sees it and gets a kick out of it.

It is all water based, vegetable based. It does make a mess but fades in a couple weeks.

Mel
 
Tennis balls; strewn out about half-way down, you can hit them and knock them down the field... They also provide good targets at like 100 yards; however, it's quite easy to loose them over a berm, especially with larger calibers.

With larger calibers--- used stuffed animals...

For marksmanship training, I like taking clays and making them progressively smaller. Think of it as cleaning up the berm.. Good with scoped rifles.
 
Two of my favorite things to shoot at:

Deck of cards (already mentioned); you can play all kinds of games with one before they are shot out.

Paintballs & Packing tape: Stretch out a long stip of tape across your target but hold off the top edge your of the tape and let your kids place the paintballs in the ledge, thumb down the tape between the balls and fire away. They are a challenge out at 10 yards! You can buy a big jug of cheap ones at walmart.
 
It depends what and where you're shooting.

Many moons ago my high school had a rifle team and an indoor range. I think we had Win Model 52's? & one Anschutz. We used to hang Lifesavers candy on all the protruding screws on the target carriers, and line up JuJubees on the front ledge of the sand trap. We learned it wasn't good to shoot too low at the JuJubees. Sometimes you could hear some splatter coming back. :eek: Back then whoever heard of ear & eye protection?

In my back yard we have an assortment of hanging soda cans, golf & tennis balls, & an old brass dinner bell, all for air guns. The kids like to ring the bell.
 
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