Iron Chickens

[biliff]

Finally got a nice spring day yesterday so headed to the BP range. Punched some paper for awhile with the flintlock and then started in on a 1/2 dozen or so iron chicken targets the sillouette shooters had left set up on the 50 yard line. Not only did I hit 'em, but the .58 sent 'em flying in a most satisfying manner. Sometimes just knocking something over can be down right fun.

 

[Robert an saa fan]

Have to agree.

Love that sound when hitting heavy metal targets !! :thumbsup:

 

[MikeChapin]

Can't agree more. Every year at our club's annual primative shoot someone will set up the silouettes. Sometimes as part of the primative shoot but most of time just for fun after everything else is finished. Nothing more satisfying than knocking down a standing bear at 200 yards or prarie dog at 100. Fun stuff

 

[2172]

Bill, agree..we've just set up a half dozen clangers at varying distances so the guys who finish their 3 targets will have something to shoot at...I don't know why it took us so long to do this...we have a Buffalo set up at about 175 yars, and people have been wasting ball on it for years...we should have figured out that meant an interest..Hank

 

[shmrck1]

Bill,
Yep, your right!!!!
snake-eyes :hatsoff:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Just be careful not to damage those silhouette targets. If they are made from 1/2 " armor plate, they are fine. But if they are made from thinner metal, that is not hardened and tempered, they will bend when hit repeatedly with heavy slow balls and slugs.

If you want to have targets for your BP shooters to plink at, try using swining bang plates, rather than standing metal targets. The standing target have their own weight, PLUS the friction of the base on the stand to overcome before they are knocked aside. They take much more of a beating than does a swining bang plate. The other benefit of a swinging bang plate is that you don't have to call a halt to shooting while someone goes down range and sets the targets back up. If you hit it, you get a great " gong " sound, and the plate swings. That makes scoring hits much easier.

Now if you are wanting to shoot for a group, to see how well you can hit a target at that range, you need to do that kind of shooting some time when other members are not present, so you have the range pretty much to yourself, and won't interrupt other people's shooting to go down and examine your groups. A good spotting scope comes in handy for this kind of work. Kust give the banger a new coat of paint, and then keep track of your hits by using the scope to spot them.

 

[J.D.]

Just be careful not to damage those silhouette targets. If they are made from 1/2 " armor plate, they are fine. But if they are made from thinner metal, that is not hardened and tempered, they will bend when hit repeatedly with heavy slow balls and slugs.

I know that you are warning readers to be aware that heavy balls can damage silhouette targets owned by the club. However, when those targets are damaged at our club, we just turn 'em around and shoot the dents out. That may not work so well if the targets are baddly bent near the base, but it's an easy way to remove those concavities that result from repeated hits.

If you want to have targets for your BP shooters to plink at, try using swining bang plates, rather than standing metal targets. The other benefit of a swinging bang plate is that you don't have to call a halt to shooting while someone goes down range and sets the targets back up. If you hit it, you get a great " gong " sound, and the plate swings. That makes scoring hits much easier.

The will work for for informal shooting, but I don't think swingers are allowed for NMLRA matches.

Besides, those silhouette matches make for a grueling afternoon, and the time required to reset targets is a welcome break for the competitors, especially for us more mature competitors. :v
J.D.