Unique DIY Targets

[Dusty44]

OK.  The grandchildren are back in school.  I am still regrouping from Summer.  I have time on my hands,  at least briefly.  Here is one result of looking for something to do on a day when it is too hot & humid for comfortable shooting and there is too short a length of time to go to the range anyway.

In a forum somewhere,  maybe this one,  maybe not,  the question was asked about targets for a private shooting range or shooting area.  Here is an answer for those who are sufficiently bored.

Targets for a place where individualized targets are practical.  What about -  -    - ??

In IE or Google Images.  I called up "Gremlins."  Squirrels and groundhogs might work if you prefer.  Or whatever.  Collect some images in a suitable folder.  Print them to an appropriate size.  Cut them out,  tape them to a water bottle or soda can.  Done.  Ready.  Take them to the shooting place and have fun!!

Whether or not there is a notice,  the artwork should be treated as copyrighted.  Copyright does not affect personal,  private use.  Don't even think about selling any of this unless the artwork is your own or you paid for it and have a solid contract in writing.

A simpler way might be the little bottle topped with a 'canned meat' can,  shown in the pics at the bottom.  Tape around the top can and a tape collar to keep the tape strips tight to the neck of the bottle.

In more detail:  My examples were printed on a 1/2 page;  turned the paper over so the second image would print on the other half.  I used 3-hole notebook paper because that is what is currently loaded in my printer. 

Printer paper might be better or it might be the same except for the binder holes?  Heavier paper that works well is "Bristol Board."  An office supply should have this stuff.  Slightly stiffer and heavier paper;  I load printer paper in the bottom of the printer and it makes a U-turn for printing.  I load Bristol Board in the rear vertical paper holder because it feeds with only a 90 degree turn.  Should work well in your printer regardless of the path the feeder uses.

Cut out the images.  I see no reason to get too involved;  arms and legs might be cut free just enough to not wrap behind the support 'system.'  This was done with the examples in the pics.

Support devices can be very expensive and time consuming.  To get my empty soda cans I had to raise several children who eventually married and provided me with some grandchildren who then pressed me to buy soda in cans.  These grandchildren then managed to create empty soda cans so I could do this project.  There may be other ways to acquire empty soda cans?

Package sealing tape works very well in a lot of ways.  Small strips attach the cut-out images to empty soda cans,  empty water bottles,  backing cardboard cut from the empty boxes your gun parts arrived in,  cereal box cardboard.

The targets are very light.  Some dirt in the cans or bottles might be good.  Kool-Ade is cheap;  do not mix in the sugar;  maybe thin the mix with more water than the basic directions to get colored (reds and blue,  maybe more) water (?) to give bottles or soda cans weight?  (Would love to see some pics of small containers hit by 22LR and 223 Rem;  long-lens close-ups of the fluid spray.  Stills or short videos?)

Rules for shooting Gremlins/gnomes/other small mythical (magical) creatures:  Shots only count if it is a solid hit in the head or main upper body.  Reasonable distances:  15 - 75 yards for 22LR;  50 - 150 yds for 223 Rem or larger CF cartridges.

Want some real challenge?  Try maybe making some dragons.  Package sealing or duct  tape as needed.  Soda can or foam drink (fast food) cup body;  soda straw neck sticking out about 1/2 the length of the body;  cereal box cardboard head-  a tube of the cardboard or whatever just big enough to wrap around the last joint of your thumb;  tail of soda straw long enough to balance the thing;  wings of simple design to suit your taste supported by more soda straws (straw pushed through a hole in each side of the body,  just barely on one side,  extends on the other side to support the wing.  One straw for each wing);  hang it with a short length of string from front to back of the body  (6 inch body,  12-18 inches of string?) and a second long string to a tree branch (?) or other strings high above (?).  This system is similar to a kite,  easier to get the balance point.  Do this on a day with gusty light wind so the moving target is unpredictable but will hold together.  You will need an uninhabited mountain as a backing berm,  of course.  Hits count if:  you take off the head,  in the main body,  take off a wing.  No shotguns.  20 - 75 yards.  Annie Oakley Award if you shoot off the head 10 times on the same day without hitting the body.  Unlimited (except by your pocketbook!) number of shots.  Annie Oakley Gold if you are using a muzzle loader from at least 50 yards.

[imschur]

This a wonderful post, I love it.

[Microgunner]

That sounds like a lot of fun.

Along the same vein (reactive targets) I want to try one of these really badly.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/TARGET-203

[asmurff]

Sounds like a great project for a rainy day with grandkids!

[Dusty44]

Cabela's in Allen,  TX  has a lot of those reactive targets on display.  I can only wonder where the buyers shoot with them?  When I had a farm where I was allowed to shoot,  I had a big gulley that I fixed up into a 70 yard (maximum) range.  The gully walls made a protected alley and backstop.  The cows could be chased out and the little range was safe for people and animals.  Otherwise,  on the pasture,  it was miles of flat with roads and houses and livestock out there scattered so safe shooting would be impossible.  I recently made a trip to the East Coast and will forever be envious of all that natural oversized backstop berm (I do not remember the term or name the locals have for those natural bullet-stop formations).

Anyway,  the little orange targets in all the shapes are quite expensive.  The soda-can goblins are intended in part to be a dirt-cheap alternative. 

I once observed a husband & wife playing pistol-team at my area public range.  They each had a 9 MM semi-auto pistol with hi-cap mag;  they were shooting a foam fast-food drinking cup that was on the ground.  They dropped it on the ground at about the 3 yard line of the range where there is a blank space in the shooting lanes and alternated shots between them.  It appeared they never missed,  kept the rapid cadence steady, and chased the cup beyond the 25 yard line.  They were both having great fun and doing excellent shooting.  The rules on the new posted signs say that kind of shooting is now forbidden.

[asmurff]

Our gun club will not allow you to shoot targets on the ground for fear of ricochets. The ground here can be so hard it does make sense. The only exception are the rabbits on the Sporting Clay ranges.

[lmao_37]

Iam making a 1/2 I inch steel gong at work out of scrap metal I have the plate welded just need to grind off the splater and make the A frames now and spray pain the gong

[asmurff]

We use steel plates in our "Tactical Rimfire" matches, I love the instant feedback.