# Homemade Shotgun/Pistol Targets



## mtnmanlou (Feb 22, 2005)

I am taking the family shooting in the desert in two weeks and would like to make some targets. Normally, I shoot at the range and all of this is provided. But I this time we will be shooting on BLM land whereever we decide to park the car. What would you recommend for:

Shotgun:

Revolver:

BB Gun:

I am looking for cheap to make, easy to use, safe and fun!!

Love to hear your thoughts


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## tobo6 (Jan 14, 2003)

Beer/pop cans 
AOL disc's, scratched cd's that don't work (hang them with fishing line from a arched stick you can stick in the ground)
Little green army men
pumpkins!
paper plates with a target drawn on


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## Explorer (Dec 2, 2003)

Beer cans for all three, in the air or on the ground. Throw a full one (only one) for the shotgun shooter.


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## Paranoid (Oct 30, 2004)

rifle: anything reactive.

see if you can get your hands on some steel plates, drill a hole and attach some cable wire, then when you pull over by the road get 3 sticks, arrange in a tripod and secure with remaining wire letting the target hang down between, this way when you are 100+ yards from the target you will see it react violently when it gets hit and hear the report. also soda cans are nice.

shotguns, whatever you use unless it is also steel (wouldnt recommend it tho due to how close you'll be) will be destroyed, so, whetever.

pistols: get some cardboard and 2 6' pieces of cheap wood, whatever is in the bin at home depot, staple the cardboard to the sticks, and draw a human bust profile with a marker on the cardboard, shoot it from about 5-25 yards.


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## OneWheelBiting (Oct 31, 2005)

I am a big targets shooter and prefer paper but I am shooting for the best group most of the time. We do have a mini practical pistol course built at a farm we own mainly cause my dad is a firearms instructor. I like to run and gun too. The best targets for that is balloons taped to the cardboard targets. If I am shooting 300 yards or more out I like to fill and cap gallon jugs with jello to the top about 2-3 days before and allow to chill. These make great exploding targets and you get a color spray to verify a round on target.

Later,
Keith


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## Oregonsparkie (Sep 3, 2003)

I personally like filling my balloons with water, it makes it alittle more exciting.


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## Paranoid (Oct 30, 2004)

or, start with the shotgun, then move to the rifle and shoot the shotgun shells.


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## comfortablynumb (Nov 18, 2003)

golf balls... they grow wild on the woody edges of golf courses.

easy pickings.

golf balls make great semi resueable targets.


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## cast iron (Oct 4, 2004)

http://www.tannerite.com/

You will never look at target shooting the same after using this stuff. If you are going to do it, you might as well go big!

Wayne


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## Guest (Nov 10, 2005)

We like to fill pop cans and plastic bottles with water and watch them explode when hit. Also we would tie a pop can on a fishing line pole and cast it out there aways. Shoot at it while someone reels it in. You have to have a stop shooting point so as to not shoot the fisherman. We mostly do this with bow and arrows. 

Try standing clay skeets up on their ends in the sand and shoot at them. Make a wooden backstop and stick a axe into it in the very center. Place a skeet on each side of the axe head. Should look something like this, OlO . See if you can hit the axe head and split the bullet so that it will break both skeets. 

Whatever you end up using, please pick up all your litter before leaving.


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## BlueRidge (Aug 23, 2005)

And when you're done shooting up all that stuff....


_*CLEAN UP YOUR MESS!*_


Or stick with targets that don't require much cleanup. Steel plates as mentioned (watch for backsplash!), paper targets, but no crackers in the desert. They'll never break down. If an area that gets rain, crackers or even hard candies are good.


Since you have a computer, print out some fun targets. I'm sure you can find some pictures that would be appropriate.

I don't have any suggestions, though...


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## comfortablynumb (Nov 18, 2003)

you could shoot the bottle out of his hand if you photoshop one on.


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## OneWheelBiting (Oct 31, 2005)

BlueRidge said:


> Steel plates as mentioned (watch for backsplash


Yeah,

I locked myself out of a farm I bought a few years back thought I would shoot a padlock off with a 9mm pistol damn ripped my jeans off. Lesson learned always use a rifle for this and stay back 10 ft or so.

Later
Keith


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## jeffreyc256 (Sep 25, 2005)

For targets you dont have to clean up try ritz or saltine crackers. If you want something darker try splitting oreos in half, they make great bullseyes.

Kids love the baloons. drink bottles filled with colored water but you have to clean up.


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## Quint (Nov 12, 2004)

If you want some paper targets you can just print out on your computer Remington has some nice ones and best of all they are free:

http://www.remington.com/library/downloads/paper_targets.asp

If you want to buy something I love those metal targets you can get from cabelas and other places. They leave no mess and they're a lot of fun.

Something like these:
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...gets&noImage=0&returnPage=search-results1.jsp

and

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...rch-box.jsp.22&returnPage=search-results1.jsp


You can also pick up a case or two of clay targets and use homemade target stands or these work really well.
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...rch-box.jsp.22&returnPage=search-results1.jsp


Do clean up any mess you make. Leaving a bunch of shot up trash makes all shooters look bad and just gives the feds a reason to close land to shooting of any kind.


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## punkrockpilot (Dec 28, 2003)

This page has free targets you can print at home.

http://www.mytargets.com/


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## bretthunting (Sep 28, 2005)

all kinds of fruits and veggies,(to old for human consumtion of course) and bio degradable, so no cleanup.should be lots of old pumpkins around this time of year.


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

Here are some paper targets
http://www.reloadbench.com/pdf.html


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## wvstriper (Oct 18, 2005)

I get old bowling pins from my local alley. They normally last me a long time.


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## thebeav (Aug 31, 2004)

4x4 sheet of plywood, Bag of baloons. & a staple gun. 
This works great for anything but a shotgun.


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## mtnmanlou (Feb 22, 2005)

Thanks to everyone who contributed to these suggestions. I love all of these low cost and fun targets. The balloons sound like a lot of fun and the kids (and Dad :sing: ) will love this. Aluminum cans or water bottles sound like a okay target for everything including the shotgun. A for when I get tired of blowing up balloons simple free paper targets on cardboard or plywood sounds great.


Thanks again. Lou


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## norris (Dec 25, 2004)

comfortablynumb said:


> golf balls... .


Yes. I second that!
I find they are only good for .22's and don't use hollowpoints. They last about 40 rounds. You have to try it to understand how much fun they are, especially with .22 handguns. This will keep young people (and old) entertained for a long time. Figure an egg carton with a dozen golf balls to a brick of .22.
Now I feel like going golfing...


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## comfortablynumb (Nov 18, 2003)

they are prety tough.

good for zeroing in your scopes on bigger rifles... if you hit one at 150-200 yd.. your scopes set.

lol

I cant, but I'm sure lots of people can.
after 50 yd with a 22...the golf balls are safe.

they are good to teach kids to aim small.

sniper practice... set one on top of an apple... can you whack the ball and not the apple?

:viking:


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