Targets - this is a great source

bedbugbilly

New member
I'm always looking for "new and fun" targets to shoot at. In case some of you aren't aware of this website, I thought I'd pass it along. These are great and you can download them and print them yourself. I like to use "card stock" as it makes 'em a litter stiffer and easier to use, especially in windy conditions.

There's nothing that says they can't be used with "front stuffers". I use them when I'm shooting rimfire - SA and with my Henry lever action rimfire as well as with my BP guns.

The link is:

http://targetz.com/index.htm

I personally like the "game" targets as it's good practice for some of the varmints that show up on the farm - i.e. woodchucks, etc.
 
Hello Bedbugbilly! Thanks for the info for targets. Always looking for something else to shoot. Just a suggestion,when my oldest son was just a wee lad,we would take empty shoshells,fill em' with sand,and shoot at em' at 100 yds,with our scoped :D.22s. 20guage or 12 guage will work just fine. It sure is fun trying to hit those at that distance. You will be surprised at how good you will become at it.You will need a scope at 100 yds., but you should be ok at 50yds.!
 
capper - yes, the do work great! I haven't used spent shotgun shells in years - mainly because I don't even own a modern (cartridge) shotgun with the exception of a single 410 that I keep around for critters. When I was a kid, we had a Winchester 410 pump so we always had a good supply of empty shells. Of course those we shot at with the 22 but at a much closer range. I probably couldn't even see 'em now without a scope! :eek:

Suckers make a great target as well - either the flat kind or even the Tootsie Roll Pops. A scrap 2 X 4 drilled for the paper "sticks" allows 'em to stand up. I had a scoped CVA .32 caliber "squirrel rifle" one time that was a hoot to shoot at 25 yards - it was an accurate little gun and it would explode the suckers without a problem. I sold it and now wished I had kept it. I like using the "game" targets but placing them out at various odd distances - i.e 20 yards, 32 yards, etc. - makes it interesting with my 36 H & A under hammer as a person kind of gets used to how their rifle shoots at say 25 or 50 yards but let's face it, varmints don't always appear at "set" distances! :D
 
Someone at my .22 club donated two rolls of targets that came from Marlin Firearms where he worked until they moved.
Since they're on a roll each target needs to be individually cut off the roll. It's an interesting way to print and buy them in bulk though.
It's a nice bright target to use for both rifle and pistol and is better than shooting the paper plates that I usually use.
I suppose that Marlin used them for testing out guns.
Then there's another target that a club officer sent away to a TV network to receive which he then handed out. They were shipped in several large heavy boxes just to promote the TV show "Justified" on the FX network. They also sent large posters which were put up on the wall of our range where the public is welcome to attend our .22 plate matches.
It's amazing that a TV show would print up and ship such large expensive targets just to advertise their show, but they did. They wouldn't just send them to anybody though. They first needed to be applied for and then approved.

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Doesn't printing targets cost many, many times more than buying them in bulk, and still much more than buying a small pack of targets at a store?

A roll of newsprint paper, a cardboard template and a cheap can of spray paint works good and very, very cheap, but most of the time steel targets are about all I shoot.
 
Andy - I really can't answer that. I haven't bought a "store bought" target in years. For myself, I already have the 8 1/2 X 11 card stock so the site that I gave the link to offers me a wide range of targets. The card stock that I have runs about 5 cents a sheet and then the printer ink on top of that. I'm guessing that each target probably runs around 15 cents or so. By printing my own off, it gives me the opportunity to utilize a wide range of targets without having to buy a packet of them.

I shoot at an indoor range when I'm in Arizona for the winter and after I've punched a bunch of holes in the range supplied target (which is a larger sized target - usually I use a SD type target) I can easily take one of the targets I've run off and tape it on to the used target to give me a variety.

Newsprint works fine as you stated but I personally don't care for it due to its lightweight. A lot of times when I'm shooting, there's a breeze blowing and for me it's easier to use the heavier card stock with push pins. Years ago I purchased a bulk lot of larger muzzle loading targets (in fact, I think I purchased them from the NMLRA). I eventually used them up but really hated them as they were printed on newsprint and were a PIA when there was a breeze.

A good variety of steel targets can be a hoot as you at least know when you hit 'em. One of the best matches I ever participated in was on the primitive walk at Friendship a number of years ago. The first station was timed - starting a fire with flint and steel. One guy got thrown out of the match as he had put lighter fluid on his char. The second station was shooting at a kitchen match. I had just finished up building a custom .54 Hawken before going and I took the match head off - much to my surprise and amazement . . and joy! The third station was splitting the ball on an axe and breaking a clay pigeon on each side - that one I didn't do so well on but I did break one pigeon. The fourth station was a tomahawk throw and the fifth station was trying to hit a deer target in the brush. I'm not a big "competitor" but I do like matches like that which are a little off the wall and the targets a little different. The gunmakers match was always a lot of fun as well as the targets were out there at quite a range and usually a breeze to throw you off as well. I don't know which I liked the most on that one . . the shooting or the good natured hassling from the others as you shot.
 
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