What are your favorite targets?

[appalichian hunter]

On the swingers, go to your local fire dept. and ask about worn out 2- 1/2 or 3 in. fire hose. It works great for attaching steel plates to frames.

 

[TrapperDude]

If your good with that torch, cut out some cowboys shaped like they're doing a quick draw.

 

[JamesA]

My favorites would be IHMSA targets, chickens, pigs, turkeys and rams. I gave my son all the ones I had along with the pantograph patterns I used to make them. Now, I like to shoot at clay pigeons...they disappear in a cloud of dust when you hit them. Our shooting range has metalic targets, different sized circles and a man silhouette in almost every pit.

 

[Brazos John]

and a man silhouette in almost every pit.

Paint him to look like a special person in your life or in the world.
But don't post the photos!

 

[Joemolf]

Steel plates are my favorite.

Evil Roy and Texas Star

 

[appalichian hunter]

Paint him to look like a special person in your life or in the world.
But don't post the photos!

I have a suggestion, but best not post it

 

[IronHand]

Bowling pins. Get some cheap, or free, from a bowling alley. Screw a big eye in the top and hang from a limb. Safe, almost indestructible, challenging. Mine are painted like red coats.

Ironhand

 

[Joemolf]

I have a suggestion, but best not post it

he’s pretty cool much better at takening the heat then well you know.
I have another similar desperado that just beautiful if you’re okay with steel target being beautiful. Actually like it better has a heart swingers. Too much fun I only shoot lead has the correct angle for ground deflection. The company unfortunately that makes the other went out of business following the pademic in early 2020. I hope he’s okay. The Texas star is a blast but lugging out is a task. Fun. That Despardo target I believe I got it from action targets same with the star. Thanks

 

[Ninering62]

just wait for this fall and all the campaign signs are left up and down the road. Targets for free! with a satisfaction quotient of 100!

Good idea & since I take neither political side anymore, I'll equally enjoy non-discriminently blowin holes in whichever ones I can get.

 

[TarponStalker]

I like to shoot at BBs tossed into the air.

Not really. Just seeing if y’all are paying attention.

 

[duewer1]

We use steel targets for our woods walks. They hang on a T Post on a back angle to deflect frags and a short chain section gives them amazing reactivity. The single mounting point enhances harmonics so the steel rings like a bell.
Here is a video of one of our plates being shot with a 12 ga slug @ 25 yards. Gravity holds the target in place very nicely.

Thats cool! Ive never seen one mounted like that

 

[duewer1]

If your good with that torch, cut out some cowboys shaped like they're doing a quick draw.

Im good with the torch but I’m lacking on the artistic side.

 

[ohio ramrod]

Bowling pins. Get some cheap, or free, from a bowling alley. Screw a big eye in the top and hang from a limb. Safe, almost indestructible, challenging. Mine are painted like red coats.

Ironhand

When I was in high school ( early 1960's) we got chipped bowling pins from a bowling ally and turned the plastic off of them on a lathe and drilled down the center and used simple lamp sockets to male lamps which we sold through the bowling ally. They were made from hard maple and really finished out nice. It was a good source of spending money for young farm boys.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I'm slowly working on building my own shooting range and I'm needing some inspiration. What are your favorite targets to shoot at while on the woods walk or other shooting range? I'm a farmer and I have access to a decent amount of junk steel laying around, so materials shouldn't be a problem. I'm decent with a torch and a welder so anything is on the table- knock down targets, swinging targets, slot shots, anything. Thanks in advance!

YOU'RE IN LUCK!

It's an election year. WAIT what does that have to do with target shooting, Dave?

So two days AFTER election day is TARGET STAND DAY..... You have to check your local jurisdictions but, most states require that election signs posted along the public right-of-way must be removed by the candidates within 24-48 hours after the polls close. BUT THEY DON'T in many cases. What this means is that after the legal time period, the signs posted along the roadway (NOT in somebody's yard) must disappear, and you can help yourself.

SOME are the weaker H shape, and you don't want those. Look for the ones that are shaped like a ridge pole and two upright poles... П ..., These tend to hold the bigger signs and are much more sturdy, and in fact, will hold a 6" steel plate suspended from above. We have polling places at our schools, so often the school grounds folks gather up those, BUT they don't go beyond school property to do so, and that's where I score mine.

You can hang clay pigeons, or make your own reactive targets from Ship's Biscuit dough to hang from these as well.

I like AR-500 steel plates, since when I bought mine they were pretty inexpensive, and with soft lead BP projectiles they will last forever. Mine were 1/2" thick and IF one also might shoot something modern and high powered, that would be the way to go, otherwise 3/8" AR-500 is fine for just BP.

Boiler plate is also good for the guys cutting out their own reactive "clang" targets. Other steels often don't work well, and cast iron, like an old griddle, nah, a .530 round ball will grease right through something like that...

LD

 

[Surfinator58]

I have a bunch of old tie plates I picked up in a scrap yard they're great because you can shoot them with anything up to about a 50 BMG and not do any damage there half inch thick Steel in the center probably more like three and a quarter inch I just paint them white hang them off of a steel rod and shoot them with everything I have

 

[Surfinator58]

YOU'RE IN LUCK!

It's an election year. WAIT what does that have to do with target shooting, Dave?

So two days AFTER election day is TARGET STAND DAY..... You have to check your local jurisdictions but, most states require that election signs posted along the public right-of-way must be removed by the candidates within 24-48 hours after the polls close. BUT THEY DON'T in many cases. What this means is that after the legal time period, the signs posted along the roadway (NOT in somebody's yard) must disappear, and you can help yourself.

SOME are the weaker H shape, and you don't want those. Look for the ones that are shaped like a ridge pole and two upright poles... П ..., These tend to hold the bigger signs and are much more sturdy, and in fact, will hold a 6" steel plate suspended from above. We have polling places at our schools, so often the school grounds folks gather up those, BUT they don't go beyond school property to do so, and that's where I score mine.

You can hang clay pigeons, or make your own reactive targets from Ship's Biscuit dough to hang from these as well.

I like AR-500 steel plates, since when I bought mine they were pretty inexpensive, and with soft lead BP projectiles they will last forever. Mine were 1/2" thick and IF one also might shoot something modern and high powered, that would be the way to go, otherwise 3/8" AR-500 is fine for just BP.

Boiler plate is also good for the guys cutting out their own reactive "clang" targets. Other steels often don't work well, and cast iron, like an old griddle, nah, a .530 round ball will grease right through something like that...

LD

I use those as well they're great aren't they

 

[Howard Pippin]

I have a bunch of old tie plates I picked up in a scrap yard they're great because you can shoot them with anything up to about a 50 BMG and not do any damage there half inch thick Steel in the center probably more like three and a quarter inch I just paint them white hang them off of a steel rod and shoot them with everything I have

A few years ago, I made a Buffalo out of those tie plates And plugged all the holes with chopped off spikes, the Buffalo was about 2 feet long and 18 inches tall. By golly they shot that so much with high-powered rifles at the shooting range, that they finally shot it apart. I didn't make it for 7 MM's, But they must've thought so so I didn't make any more. It was quite a job, especially tracing out a Buffalo and then cutting it out.
squint

 

[deerstalkert]

I have a bunch of old tie plates I picked up in a scrap yard they're great because you can shoot them with anything up to about a 50 BMG and not do any damage there half inch thick Steel in the center probably more like three and a quarter inch I just paint them white hang them off of a steel rod and shoot them with everything I have

i have been tripping over one of these for years just outside my storage shed! today it finds a new meaning in life!

 

[hangfast]

Here is a target we like a lot because I can reclaim almost 100% of my lead using this system.
Works on a standard T Post
And it it reactive with a good CLANG when hit.

 

[Robby]

Hanging gong's, water filled milk jugs, in that order.
Robby