[cheapshot]

Anyone have any really "different", "cool", ideas for 22 targets? The grandkids are wanting to shoot again this weekend, and i'm runnin out of ideas. The cardboard boxes, soda cans, etc. are getting pretty boring. They're both pretty good shots and really safety conscious. Good all-around shooting partners. Just wondered if anyone had any ideas to make it a little more interesting for them. Thanks for any help!

[HAMMERHEAD]

Have you looked at the steel reactive targets for .22s?
Some are quite inexpensive and kids seem to love them.

[cheapshot]

Originally Posted by HAMMERHEAD

Have you looked at the steel reactive targets for .22s?
Some are quite inexpensive and kids seem to love them.

I've looked at some and almost picked up some when the farm store had them on sale last winter. Got sidetracked that day and didn't get to bring any home. I think you're right. They'd probably like those. Glad you reminded me! Thanks!

[RedHaze]

Balloons are always good.


I picked up about a dozen pieces of 2x6 in about 4-5 inch sections from Home Depot for one whole dollar from their 'scrap' wood. Makes great reactive targets for longer range. A .22 is more than enough to whack them and knock 'em down. And they last a good while.

The regular kids ball pit colored plastic balls are cheap, and a fun colorful reactive target. They jump and spin and fly everywhichway. You get 100 of them for between 10-15 bucks.

Another favorite of mine. Old shotgun shells, which can be easily found scattered practically all over the informal range out here. Stand them up on end, at whatever distance and have at 'em. High brass is easiest to make fly, as a solid hit to the brass sends the shell skywards spinning like a top.

[DJ Niner]

Animal crackers/cookies. Turns any plinking session into a "big game" hunt. The pieces will mostly dissolve in the next rain storm, or feed feed local critters/birds. The hardest part is getting them to stay upright while being shot at; I think the best method I've seen was using a short section of scrap 2x4, laid flat, with a slot ripped in the top edge. Make the slot the right size for the cracker-animal feet to sit in, so they will stand upright. Or, they can be stuck to a piece of cardboard with a twisted strip or inside-out loop of masking tape.

There's no worries about wounding critters in this game; any hit at all and the crackers virtually explode, even with CB or other low-speed ammo.

Another similar but non-critter option is the Necco wafer round candies that come in a roll. I've also used suckers/lollipops, but they leave a lot of sticky residue chunks that can stick to shoes and end up stuck in the house or car carpets/rugs, and the sticks have to be picked-up at the end of the session.


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[glock_collector]

Word of caution, kids shooting steel can be risky...Barney would be a better choice...

[concretefuzzynuts]

If they are shooting in a field, balloons on a light breezy day make great moving targets. Have fun and be safe.

[JaPes]

How about pop culture cartoon targets?

[cheapshot]

Some pretty good ideas here! Thanks! And as always, safety will be top priority!

[Travclem]

eggs, old fruit, etc

Steel is my favorite.

http://www.jumpingtargets.com/collections/all

[427]

Army men.

[vafish]

Tape some paint balls to a piece or cardboard. Very challenging and fun when hit.

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[Rutha73]

I like golf balls. Throw some out close and they become more challenging the more you hit them and farther away they get. I have also been thinking of trying to rig some up to hang off a frame so they stay at one distance but will swing. Maybe a 2x4 frame and some 550 cord drilled through the middle.
ETA: if you can find 35mm film cans, fill them with flour. They make a nice white cloud when hit.

[GSSF17]

We do balloons for fun, and when precision is the goal, we do paintballs and playing cards.

[Bill Keith]

Sweet gum balls and pine cones

[CDR_Glock]

I like Arntzen Steel targets. They have different shapes. I use boring IPSC and Round steel plates.

[cheapshot]

More great ideas! Thanks! Just what i was lookin for!

[Leigh]

The bright orange clay pigeons are fun.

[Golddog]

+1 on clay pigeons and used golf balls. The golf balls jump when hit right and the clays shatter nicely, leaving more pieces at which to shoot.

[CanMan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...AKnVej9o#t=15s

[vafish]

The mini clay pigeons are challenging as well.

[Schrag4]

Got the idea from hickok45, a twist on shooting tin cans. Put a few rebar posts in the ground and place tin cans on the top. They really dance around when hit with 22s. I like to put varying sizes up, from the huge cans to tiny ones (like rotel cans). Downside is they will eventually dance off the post so bring several posts/cans so you don't have to go down there and reset them all the time.

Also, if there are hedge-apples around, they make pretty good 22 targets. They're very reactive. Little bits go fllying pretty far, as they basically split in half when you hit them, creating smaller and smaller targets. The downside is they're very sticky.

+1 on spent shotgun shells. I don't own a shotgun but last time we were at the range with our friend who does own one, it eventually dawned on us to try this - (I had heard about it before, just never had the opportunity. It was pretty fun, sometimes they fly up pretty far, like 20+ feet.

[The Hawk]

Colored ice cubes are fun to shoot at. Cut a gallon plastic milk jug in half, fill bottom with colored water and freeze it. Easy to remove ice and lasts a while with .22s.

[allegro]

I do this thing quite often. I have shot almost everything imaginable.

With .22's, clay targets (orange) are a lot of fun.

Shotgun shells are a blast, and given greater distances can be a real chore to hit. On top of that, they take many hits and still stand up for the next round.

I stole the tin-can idea from Hickhok, and that too is a great "hands off" system of targets. For me, it was difficult to remember to score the cans prior to shooting.

My most acquired targets still seem to be discarded beer cans. They take a lot of hits, move quite easily and are easy to see at any age. Clean up is not fun, lots of jagged edges, but they always seem to be where I shoot.

Be careful and enjoy

[Glockdude1]

Originally Posted by Leigh

The bright orange clay pigeons are fun.