your favorite reactive target?

[edgeofhell]

I must admit my friends and myself go through alot of pumpkins on sundays...........bricks are fun too

whats your favorite enemy?

[yorec]

Bowling pins - they react fantastically and don't go fly out of sight quickly if set on a large pad without a fairly solid hit from a heavy caliber. They take a lot of punishment (many hits) and I have a good source for freebees.

But they're still a pain to set up each time. Sigh, can't have everything.

[sjstill]

Paintballs taped to the target face are fun, as are old Tootsie Pops :D

[progunner1957]

A terrorist :D

[rugerdude]

liberals, Ilike to hear em' squeal :D

[mete]

I like big game hunting. For a 50' range ,put up animal crackers and use 22 pistols with iron sights. It's a fun challenge.

[Phil306]

A living, breathing , thinking, human being. I prefer to use simunitions, name your poison, airsoft, FX, whatever...Nothing better then going up against a real person, shooting REAL projectiles at you.

Thin The Herd

[BillCA]

Golf balls make excellent reactive targets.
Used to be a driving range near here and I asked them what they did with the recovered balls that were too badly damaged (usually with a "smile" cut into the ball). Instead of tossing them out I asked them to save me a bucket or two and I'd pay him $5 a bucket (about 40 balls).

Place these on top of berm, on top of posts or simply on the ground at about 10-15 yards. When hit, they tend to hop around. When hit squarely they tend to take off for about 200 yards!

Have any old or contaminated flour around the house? Pour that into some restaurant style portion cups and tape behind the X-Ring of your targets to get a "puff". This is especially good when practicing point-shooting.

Soda pop cans are a favorite too. Scoop about 3/4" of dirt into the bottom for stability and then add about 1/2 ounce of water. Let stand while you target shoot and after about 1 hour put them out standing up. Use these for point-shooting skills as well, with blank paper or reversed targets behind for correcting your point of aim if they're not on the ground.

[Tuckersdad]

One of my favorites for the 12 guage riot gun are gallon milk jugs filled completely to the top with water and capped tightly. I turn my back and my son puts about six of them at different distances and at different heights (on the ground, fence posts, etc). After he is back in front of me and assures me the range is clear, I whirl and attempt to get all six, rapid fire. They explode fiercely when completely full. I use them to attempt to keep my skills up with the "home defense" shotgun.

[Cowled_Wolfe]

I only do .22s at range (I'll have a centerfire one of these days!), and my .50 muzzle loader (inaccurate)... But these should be fun.

Old, inedible apples are nice, especially if you're in a forest where the animals will eat the remains.

Popcans fulla water are good. If you want the cans to pop a bit more, and you don't mind paying a bit... Use unopened cans. Wasteful, but fun.

Finally, if you're not up for walking, find a good, long, bendy stick (7 to 8 feet minimum), Prop it up into an arch, then hang popcans using some string. Use 1/4" of dirt in the bottoms to keep them in place. Don't bother with this in windy areas though.

[edgeofhell]

great ideas gang!
keep em coming and thanks!

[rolling thunder]

Soup cans or any similar cans filled with water. Also, some fella told me about some (I think I got it right) Tannerite(sp?). I'd like to try for fun. makes any target that much funner...

[Hawgleg44]

I like old gas grill propane tanks. With all the new BS regulations (I don't know if it's just MA or federal), you can't get the older ones filled anymore. And, most scrap yards won't take them unless they are "perforated". Well, that's where I come in. I load up the back of my truck with them and go to the range. Usually distances from 100-200 yards for plinking with handguns and rifles (you need a rifle to punch holes in them at that distance). Every once in a while I would get one with a bad valve that somebody couldn't empty first. They dance around pretty well then.

After a day at the range, I just toss them into the metal dumpster and pick up another truckload the next time.

I keep one tied up between two trees on the riverbank behind the house, too. For handguns at around 30 yards, it's reactive in the sense that it's moving and you can hear it, but it just dents, no holes yet. It has to crack sometime soon though.

[Cowled_Wolfe]

I keep one tied up between two trees on the riverbank behind the house, too. For handguns at around 30 yards, it's reactive in the sense that it's moving and you can hear it, but it just dents, no holes yet. It has to crack sometime soon though.

For some reason, I'm thinking "The propane tank that got away..."

[Hawgleg44]

:D :D :D

Ok, suspended between two trees. How does that sound?

[Smith66]

I like to use clay pidgeons, myself. They work pretty well for practicing point shooting, as well as longer distance (out to 30 yards) shooting. If you get a hit, you'll know it

[Cowled_Wolfe]

Ok, suspended between two trees. How does that sound?
What if it grows legs? What if it cuts itself down? What if it retaliates... :eek:

[durt_b1ker]

Anyone have some hints for securing a cheap supply of bowling pins?

[Cowled_Wolfe]

I recall reading somewhere that bowling allys get rid of old, beat-up bowling pins by the crateload. Good luck hunting.

[Chiram2003]

For Tannerite (http://www.tannerite.com)

Personally, I go for the Clay Pigeons at around 75yds with a .22LR. Bowling pins are fun at around 100yds against a red clay backstop...stand out very well. You can also get some 3/4" roundstock steel and build a frame (not inexpensive and requires welding skills) and weld 3/8" flatstock steel to the top and you get the "ding." Carry a couple of cans of spray paint and you can paint over where you shot. Ahh, fun at the range. :)

[Hawgleg44]

Years ago, I worked at a welding shop and did a lot of structural steel. I would use the drops from the I-beams (some heavy for rifles, some lighter for handguns). I would cut some angle iron about 18-24" and use them for the base. I would just stand the angle iron up and angle it forward a few inches at the top, just so the back of it is just at the top of the angle iron base. That would push the bullets downward when they hit.

I would not recommend shooting at these targets any closer than 50 yards because, just like any steel target, handgun or weak rifle rounds, will ricochet.

[shaggy]

Tannerite. You'll definitely know when you've scored a hit...unless you're so deaf you wouldn't notice something like a stick of dynamite going off downrange. Seriously, if you like big booms, try some tannerite, but do it from a safe distance and follow the directions. Its powerful stuff and can be very dangerous if you're not careful. I made the mistake of setting a charge much too close to a bowling pin and the blast sent the pin flying about 70 yards.

Helium balloons. Get a cheap tank of helium, some balloons, and some string from a party supply store. Fill the balloons, tie one end of the string to the balloon and the other to a rock or piece of wood. On a good windy day you'll have nice bobbing reactive targets.

[smalltownguy]

empty 12 guage shotgun hulls stood on end. great for .22lr.

[VirgilCaine]

SSSSHHHHHHH, here's a cool trick for yer friends.

take couple of buffered asprin tablets and put them in the freezer for a few hours. make an excuse to go back into the house and grab them.

tell yer unsuspecting shootin' pals that you'll toss up an asprin and break it with one shot from yer .22 pistol or whatever.

touch it to yer yer tongue fer "good luck" (you must do this) and toss it in the air and shoot.

the concussion of the muzzle will bust the asprin!

very funny!

you can also light a "strike anywhere" match with a .22 at about 15yds with practice. the trick is to first wipe any lube off of the .22 round, and you must have something behind the match, such as a shoot-n-see to reference yer shot. place a round just over the match and it will light.

another is to place an old axe out at 15-20yds, blade toward you. then place a clay target on both sides of the axe about 4 inches back and tight against the axe head . take a .22 and place the pin/crosshairs right between the clays. you will split the bullet and bust the two clays.

i must have too much time on my hands!

[bill k]

I use an 8" round 3" thick piece of steel hung from a stand I made. We set this out 5 to 600 yards which is the limit at our range. You shoot, then a second or so later your here the clang.
Spry paint all your hits prior to each trip to the range. Then you'll be able to see how good of a long range shooter you really are.
I've had a couple of friends hit it every shot. The vast majority of so called shooters brag about how great of a long range shooter they are. They always end up being o-fer as many shots as they tried or possibly have one hit.
As the great Stone Shooter once said,"If there's lead in the air, there's hope".

[Dave Markowitz]

Clay pidgeons.

Overripe fruit from the supermarket or farmer's market. Nice splatter and environmentally friendly.

[DarkKnight01]

the neighbors cats !! ! if you hit em in the back legs theyll jump around alot so you can practice for follow up shots on moving targets... hehe no im joking... i like milk jugs full of water... color in a small bullseye on the side with a marker works good.... cans of cheap soda are great as well like the "sams club" soda from walmart if you dont mind spending $3.00 or so for a case of them their great... shake em up and set em out and they explode when you hit em =) good fun... also clay pigeons are good... but if you compare the cost of them to a case of 24 cans of cheap soda versus 20 pigeons the price isnt too different... i think the cans are more fun =) i just use clay pigeons for skeet shooting... if only they would make a hand held launcher for soda cans :p :D

[gifted]

WalMart sells small disks, about two inches in diameter, as airgun targets. They look kind of like minis, and the kit I was looking at had two stakes that held a disk, and a dispenser thing that would drop feed six to shoot at. You shoot one, and the others drop down. Like I said, they are intended for airguns, but I'm sure a .22 will work as long as you don't hit the holder. I plan on trying it this weekend, I'll post a report afterwards.

[Hollowpnt]

When I lived in Oklahoma it was prairie dogs with a .270, the ranchers would even pay for my ammo.
Now I live in Kalifornia so PETA wouldn't approve. So its fallen oranges strewn about the range from 50 to 100 yards or so with a .243. Its fun to see how quick you can bead in and move own. Making Minutemade all the way.
Nerf footballs are good to, moving target after the first shoot, they don't last too long though.

[Hawgleg44]

If you really want to see some exploding oranges, or anything else for that matter, with your .243, try some Federal Premium 60gr Sierra Hollow Points. They are explosive when they hit something. It sounded like I was hitting woodchucks with a baseball bat when I hit them with it.

[Cowled_Wolfe]

if only they would make a hand held launcher for soda cans
Got a little spare money? I'd be glad to work one up for you in a jiffy... They're great for making snowmen blow in half.

[DarkKnight01]

hehe thats tempting Cowled_Wolf... if you can get me some pics of what you have in mind i may consider it... explain to me what youve got in mind... and how it works.

[FirstFreedom]

I like charcoal briquets - your hands get dirty in placing them, but they're very cheap and (relatively) environmental friendly. Challenge to hit also. Potatoes 2nd place. Clay pigeons 3rd (they're not just for shotguns anymore!)

Oh yeah, any and all small or medium or large bottles or jugs, filled with water - including milk jugs - but unlike the others listed above, you have to clean these up afterward - not a big deal.

[Cowled_Wolfe]

DarkKnight... Basically, I run a spudgun off my air compressor. It could easily be adapted to a bicycle pump, however. The other option would be classic hairspray combustion ones. I don't have any pics yet, but I'd be glad to answer any questions you've got if you want to build one for yourself. All it takes is a trip to any major hardware store.

As a side thought... You could even rig up a small foot or stock switch easily... Instead of yelling 'pull', you could just step or press a switch on your gun like one of them tac-lights!

Total construction costs: $15 to $100.
Total construction time: 20 minutes to 5 hours.
Time spent waiting for glue to dry: Priceless.

Edit: You're probably best off building one for yourself since shipping a large, odd-shaped object is kinda akward at best.

[mjf1911]

Full 2 liter bottles...especially when containing a carbonated beverage!

[ALexK]

One of my favorites is a coffe can full of burning gasoline. The gas makes a small fire while burning in the can but when a rifle round hits the can and vaporizes the gasoline it is most impressive! I also like the BBQ propane tanks, but for maximum fun crack the valve and light the stream of propane. Then stand back (at least 30 feet!) and blast away. The first time I did it I was 20 feet away and the fireball was too close for comfort.

[jacketch]

Tacos. You can leave them for the birds afterwards.

[dr.magnum]

Those free AOL disks you get in the mail, or pick up at the checkout at Walmart. Try to hit the hole in the middle, or just bust them up. They can also be hung from branches.
Old paint cans full of old paint can be fun too. I hit one at 75 yards with a Mosin Nagant once. The lid flew 20 feet in the air.

[Chiram2003]

Not sure about everyone else, but I'm really liking this thread. Getting some wicked ideas. :) Going to try the asprin thing with some friends and see if I can get some money riding on it. Gotta practice first, though. Thought about buying some Tannerite and burying it under two inches of dirt THEN shooting it. Spray paint cans are fun. Another good "reactive" target is a candle on a windless day. Get within 15 feet of either side of it with a .357Mag and it goes out. My dad said that when he and his friends were in the Army National Guard, trees were fun. They shot M14s and used a pencil to punch their targets. If you can find a hill you can get on with a tree at the bottom (can't remember what type of tree, so I can't tell you), gumballs are fun. So are pine cones, for that matter. :D

[CopeLC]

cats...and I'm NOT joking.

[SNoB]

Sometimes I use those small disposable propane canisters as pistol targers, they make noise and bounce around, they also take alot of abuse. Its fun setting up half a dozen or so and seeing who can knock them all down fastest. Next time you go camping, save your propane cans!

[saskuach]

No-one has thought of this before? JELLO!! Make it in a gallon jug and (optionally) take it out. But you have a nice, clear blob of target matter that's fun to look at after you're done shooting.

pardon the enibriation

[MissMak]

Do you make it super concentrated so it holds up?

[38SnubFan]

I have an old computer monitor sitting on the floor here in the living room I'm planning on using as a target. Gonna see if I can take it somewhere and run an extension cord, to hit it while it's lit!

-38SnubFan

[Nnobby45]

Can I say Muslim terrorists who would destroy our country as my fantasy target? Ahh, why not! :D

Since my trooper days are long behind me, in a war in a far off place, I'll have to stick with Buckhorn beer for now. The stuff really blows up. :)

[jonathon]

My favorite target is unopened pop(in the can). This one group had bought a TON of shasta a few years before this(yes, years), and they found it spoiled! So they were goin to throw it out and we said we'd take it. Best fun there ever was, they would explode when you hit them with a gush of colored liquid... Didn't last long and pop is kinda expensive to buy just to shoot.. ;)

[novus collectus]

When I first saw TFL as a result of a google search I saw this very thread mention Tannerite. Now I have a case and all I have to do is to leave the state to use it. Hope this thread is still going after I blow some up.

How about taking red paintballs, honeycomb shaped cardboard with backboard, and a paper target with Bin laden on it. Tape the paintballs in the holes of the honeycomb, cover it with the osama bin laden target, and tilt 30 degrees so that the "blood" flows out the bullet hole and down his face. Got the idea two days ago and I am itching to see if it works.


And then I'm gonna tape a 1/2 pound of Tannerite to Bin Laden's face on the target and videotape him go BOOM and then I'm gonna send it to Al Jazeera. :D

[jonathon]

Hmm I like the idea of the paintballs...

Eggs are also entertaining(with a .22)

[abelew]

Bowling pins, spent shotgun casings, soda cans, clay pidgeons. Cheap (pidgeons), usually found at ranges (pidgeons, spent shotty casings, bowling pins-some ranges), or brought with you (pidgeons, soda, bowling pins).

[abelew]

Bowling pins, spent shotgun casings, soda cans, clay pidgeons. Cheap (pidgeons), usually found at ranges (pidgeons, spent shotty casings, bowling pins-some ranges), or brought with you (pidgeons, soda, bowling pins). Stuff that blows up isn't up my ally, since I have nowhere safe to do so. Sorry about the repost, I was trying to add a thought, and it doubled my post.

[almark]

35mm film canisters are pretty nice to shoot too. One of the nicer aspects is that you can fill em with water or flour at home and not have to worry about it leaking all over the place as you drive to the range. They do get a bit hard to see at long ranges though... perhaps a bit of orange spray paint would do the job... :)

[Hawgleg44]

Years ago, my friend and I were gunshop hopping, and he found a new Marlin 1895 .45-70 that he couldn't leave without. So, we picked up a few boxes of ammo and went out to the plains to try it out. From a safe distance (or so we thought), we started shooting at concrete blocks left out there from an old building. Most of them just fell over when hit by that big thumper, so we made several trips downrange to stand them back up. I took one shot at a block which had been hit several times, and it exploded like someone tossed a hand grenade at it! We were shooting from about 50 yards away and we both were hit by concrete pieces, along with his truck.

So, the old, solid concrete blocks are fun targets with a powerful rifle, but only at a distance of 100 yards or more. 50 yards is just too close, as we learned.

[too many choices!?]

Soda bottles and the like are great with froZen water in them. They jump and slide! :D

[saskuach]

Yeah, I try to make the gelatin more concentrated, but it depends on the size and what you're shooting with as to how it really behaves.

[Double Naught Spy]

http://www.evanstarget.com/pages/5/index.htm

My favorite reactive target is a Shaffer Shifter made by the folks in the link above. I have a couple of different sizes with different thicknesses to use based on the gun and caliber being shot.

The target is hung by a chain from a tree limb or cross bar. Mine are hung from about 15 feet up. To start, you simple start the target swinging, step back to an appropriate distance, and then shoot. As bullets impact, the swing will change in speed and direction. Since the target swings free, it continually changes position along 3 dimensions, mostly in distance from the shooter and laterally. However, because it swings at the end of a chain, it continually is changing elevation as well. While in motion, it will spin after being hit. Since it has target planes on both an X and Y axis, it is three dimensional. So, the spinning of the target does not preclude shooting at the target and the shooter does not have to shoot form a particular direction relative to the target. So the shooter can work on shooting on the move without losing a target face as can happen with simple flat targets when the shooter moves too far laterally.

As with the Temple Texas incident and the North Hollywood Bank robbers, shooters often talk about the difficulties in making head shot on moving targets. No doubt there is some very real concern in that regard. Those moving targets (heads) are apt to move in any axis and few folks have a way to shoot targets that would be comparably difficult short of simunition training. The shifter target is a pretty darned good training substitute.

One thing that I have found in introducing folks to the shifter targets for the first time is how difficult the targets seem to be to shoot by the new shooter, even if the shooter is experienced. This aspect indicated to me that concerns over shooting small moving targets (such as heads) is really very difficult for somebody who hasn't had to deal with that sort of moving target, such as folks who do a lot of typical IDPA, IPSC, or even 3 gun shooting. The frustration on the face of a shooter becomes readily apparent by the end of the first magazine. One friend in particular who could easily shoot inside a 6" circle of a stationary target at 10 yards blew threw 40 rounds of .45 acp with only 4 hits on the 6" shifter. After a quick break and reload, the notion of dealing with a small target in motion sunk in and he wsa able to hit about7 or 8 out of every 10 at 10 yards.

We also tried carbines at 25 yards. With an AR15, he did much better with his first couple of mags than he did with a pistol. By the fifth or sixth mag, he was doing extremely well. So I changed him over to a Beretta Storm carbine in 9mm and he immediately started missing most shots. What was the difference? Not the gun, but bullet velocity. At 25 yards with a .223, if your sights are properly on target and you are aimed anywhere other than the rear edge of the target, then the slug was able to travel the 25 yards and impact the target without the need for leading the target. With the 9mm round, it became necessary to am a couple of inches ahead of the center of the target so as to compensate for target motion and the much slower velocity of the 9mm round. Once he discovered the need for leading the target, his hit rate rose dramatically.

In timing the full lateral swing of the target from one side to the next, the target was traveling between 4 and 8 mph. It was closer to 8 mph when the target swung perpendicular to the shooter. When the aspect of the swing to the shooter changed, such as swing at an angle .45 degrees from perpendicular, the lateral speed from left to right was slower from the shooter's perspective, but the distance from the shooter was changing.

The shifter target is a nifty target to have for fun plinking and for defense shooting drills. The one limiting aspect is the need for having a location and materials from which to hang the target. I used trees in two different ways. The first was to simply hang the target from a high limb about 10 feet from the tree. The second was to string a chain between two trees that didn't have limbs suitable for hanging. So, the target was hung by a single chain attached to the chain strung between the trees.

[oldgunnut]

Get a good supply of balloons.
Get a shoe box (or similiar size).
Stand box on end so lid faces away from you.
Cut a hole from the top end down large enough for a piece of string only.
Inflate balloon, tie string to it, place in box with string pushed through hole.
Tie the hole to your favorite target stand.
Tape target over the shoe box with the head where the balloon is.
Shoot target in the right spot, balloon pops, target falls to the ground.

Try with larger boxes, and go for heart lung shots.
Try different sized balloons. As long as they are bigger than the hole.
Try hostage targets.
Try animals.
Almost endless fun.

[1BadF350]

My favorite was a fully charged 5 pound ABC fire extinguisher. Incredibly reactive when drilled dead center with a .270. :eek: That yellow powder really is impressive when you hit the thing. :D

[Duxman]

Back in my grandma's farm we had an old barn that was just abandoned. It was full of bats, and they just hung there upside down during the daytime. Perfect reactive target. They fall when you hit them. And if you hit a bunch, it would result in a massive flight of bats - during the sunlight hours.

Rats were also a common pest, and since they were the size of cats: Perfect reactive target. They hide, so stalking them was much fun. And they do pose a threat - rabies when they bite, so there is a small element of danger. Plus they ate the crop - rice and corn, so you are doing something good for the farmers. :D

I heard that cans of Spam make a big spat when hit. Have not tried this yet. Nice idea with the shoe boxes and balloons.

[1BadF350]

Oh yeah cans of SPAM are great. Point blank with a 12 gauge load of number 8 shot is cool. I'll bet at 100 yards with a .22-250 would be cool too.

[Randy in Arizona]

About 25 years ago I went to a shoot in Arizona that had 70% Dynamite as targets. Two sticks held together with silver duct tape. Good aiming point, rather obvious when you connected! :D :D :D :D

[XDoctor]

Very few of my reactive targets are ever environmentally friendly. We have six big blue tarps to catch the mess most times.

Top Ten Reactive Targets.
10. Stuffed Animals
9. Plastic Easter Eggs
8. Clay Pidgeons
7. Computers
6. Any wood furniature
5. Cantelope
4. Spray paint.
3. Light Bulbs
2. CO2 Bomb. (see instructions below)
1. Expanding Spray Foam


Take an empty 2 liter soda bottle and put some baking soda in the bottom. Add vinegar, cap tightly, give a few light shakes and move away from the bottle. These are grossly dangerous, I don't suggest making them. Ever.

[ScoutinStAugustine]

I take a bunch of water balloons and fill them up to different sizes, then freeze them. Put them in a cooler when you go to the range. The balloon slides off easily, and in one piece, and when you hit 'em with a hollow point, even a .22, there's a shower of ice. I recommend that you shoot no closer than about 20 yards.

[MartinR]

- Ice cubes

- potato chips

- posts (2x4, 4x4, small trees, etc) - shoot in half

- metal plates (sized for range and firearm) set so you don't have to re-set them.

[Dre_sa]

spray paint cans! with a .22
also water melons with a 30-06

[chopstick1]

I like using large plastic/rubber dinosaurs you can buy from the dollar store. they're large and can really take some punishment!! even multiple .308, .223, .45 rounds. also at the range here we have a 50m little backstop, I set up those old green army men we had when we were kids and play sniper with a .22. free aol cd's from walmart is always a great idea. try building a pvc pipe target frame then hang the cd's. it costs around $4.00.
if you have some time and range space you can make a reactive moving target. use a furniture mover (basically a square with 4 free spinning wheels at each corner). attach rope on the 9 and 3 oclock (opposite) sides. set the target 20 ft or so in front of you. on the 9 o clock side run the rope in a 45 degrees angle towards you though a screw eye (dug into the dirt) about 10 ft away, then 45 degress to you attach it to your left hip. do the same with the right. now when you move to your left, the target will move to your right. of course someone could be behind you pulling on the rope while you're doing this too. try it at night with light for more fun!

[big daddy 9mm]

this is the most funny thing I have ever heard! I would love to do the comp monitor idea! let us know how it works if you get a chance to do it. this is really stupid but if you get about 4 decks of cards and rubber band them very tightly together and shoot it with a 9mm, the result is very entertaining. I think shooting cats is going to far. I have personally shot 4 cats so I do know how it feels. I only shot them because they were trying mess with 'our' cats. And you dont 'mess' with our cats :) . they were very good shots ( 3 of them) I did not find it amusing though. the last time was right before dark and I hit it with my 22 rifle in the back end and it just ran away but his rearend was going side ways as he ran and I felt so bad that it was not a clean shot. it was in the winter too so my hands were ice cold. Please know that I am not a greeny by any means but if a cat is not messing with you dont mess with it. only a sick and evil person would shoot cats out of pure entertainment. perhaps someone should shoot you to show you what it feels like. I am sure that it would burn like hell :mad:

[claude783]

I usually pick up baby food jars at garage sales. They can be filled with dyed water. Cheap, make a nice reactive target.

Have also taken zip lock bags and filled them with flour, duct tape to a steel plate (have a 4" thick plate) when hit with a high power, the flour really puts on a show!

[Capt Charlie]

Uh, Duxman, you might want to think twice about the bats. Several species are on the federal endangered species list, and game wardens know that. Also, not trying to sound like a tree-hugger here, but each bat eats several thousand mosquitos a night.... including the one with West Nile that's targeting you :eek:

[almark]

Anybody ever shot one of those "snap-lights" (chemical glowsticks) at night? I'll bet the spray would be impressive.

[Ac1d0v3r1d3]

...the computer monitor thing, no good. they're full of poisoness chemicals. bad for the envoronment and bad for you. Unless its one of those LCD flat screen ones, and in that case i'll take it off your hands...for a nominal fee :D

[Malamute]

Rocks. Out to several hundred yards they show hits well, particulary with high power rifles. Even 22's show hits when conditions are good, and dry dirt around them show where your shots go when you miss. We shoot pistols out to about 300 yards at rocks and steel plates. Weed stems, sticks, empty rifle and shotgun shells, things thrown in the air where safe, scrap wood blocks, trash at the landfill, old cars,........

Running rabbits with pistol or rifle are good, as are squirrels and grouse (sitting in trees), and with an added bonus of being able to eat the targets after you're done. Cottontails are good, deer and coyotes are good practice too. I eat the deer, I don't eat Jackrabbits or coyotes. Some guys like jacks tho.

Clay targets are very good, particularly in the air. As in with a shotgun. I'm not really a shotgun person, liking rifles and pistols more. But the shotgun shooting I do when visiting family is very good practice, and a lot of fun. For those that haven't tried skeet and sporting clays shooting, it ain't as easy as it looks. Trap isn't as interesting to me, I like the crossing shots and more movement of skeet and sporting clays. All this translates well to rifle and pistol shooting, the lead needed to hit moving targets. We also like to do unusual stuff, like the thrower sends a bunch of targets in a flury, the shooter doesn't know when or how many. I do this with my model 12 winchester with about 6 rounds in the gun. Starting with an unloaded gun when the target is thrown is good practice too, or one in the gun, but two or more targets thrown. Left handed shooting, shooting other guys guns (like every shoots the guy on your right's gun), shooting as they come over your head from behind, laying on your back on the ground, etc are all good games. Follow the leader is good, first guy makes the rule for the shot, everyone else has to make the same sort of shot.

After practice of the sort afforded by these things, the "headshots" discussed so often don't seem that tough.

[racinstylez]

When I was a kid and had my .22 rifle we use to live on a big farm land about 10 acres up in Buckhead, GA. I would line up a set of used beer bottles and shot em off the fence. I would also hang old soup cans from the trees in the wooded area way behind the house and pretend I was a spy or something and shot em jumping around and what not. I use to love going hunting for squirrels or rabbits as well. I wouldnt eat em, but my next door neighbor would give me some money for them. So that was my cash for more ammo. :p I miss being a kid :( :(

[Webleywielder]

I shoot bullets at Oreos and surplus fruit (grapefruits/oranges) because they are spectacularly biodegraded.

I shoot comments at TFL because some create spectacular responses.


"In a world devoid of semiautomatics, a properly set-up Webley is the ultimate full-size self-defense handgun."

[Ohio Annie]

The wounded ones ooze green sap and cry piteously so one must shoot them again. I shoot them on the tree with a .410 and on the ground with a pistol.

[hso]

Squeeky rubber dog toys! Cheap and amazingly durable.

[stevelyn]

Commercially and homemade reactive steel targets.

[Capt Charlie]

Lumps of coal! When hit they "explode" into a satisfying cloud of black dust. :cool:

[big daddy 9mm]

please tell me what is the kick like on that fine piece of a$$ kickery you have there? I have heard that 45.70 have the same kick the common 12 guaug . your reply would be very useful as I wanto also get the awesome 45-70 caliber gun.
they should make a desert eagle in 45.70 just to see if someone would buy it.
thanks a bunch!! :cool: :cool: