Things to shoot!??

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Posted: 6/1/2003 8:31:32 PM EDT

Hey guys, my first post in the handgun forum.. Anyways in a month or two me and some friends are going to shoot at a non-range place and we want to shoot reactionary things instead of just paper targets (so far we have milk jugs filled with water and empty aerosol cans on our list).. Any other idea's that are fun to shoot and cheap/free?

Also I recently got some junk peices of Lexan (supposedly the stuff bullet proof glass is made of) and I was curious about shooting it with my handguns(.45 and 9mm) and maybe some rifles (.223) Is this a bad idea? could the bullet ricochette right back? I dont want to be careless, but i'd like to see if this stuff really is bullet proof and its another target that isn't paper..

Posted: 6/1/2003 9:06:37 PM EDT

[#1]

Quoted:
Hey guys, my first post in the handgun forum.. Anyways in a month or two me and some friends are going to shoot at a non-range place and we want to shoot reactionary things instead of just paper targets (so far we have milk jugs filled with water and empty aerosol cans on our list).. Any other idea's that are fun to shoot and cheap/free?

Also I recently got some junk peices of Lexan (supposedly the stuff bullet proof glass is made of) and I was curious about shooting it with my handguns(.45 and 9mm) and maybe some rifles (.223) Is this a bad idea? could the bullet ricochette right back? I dont want to be careless, but i'd like to see if this stuff really is bullet proof and its another target that isn't paper..

Ice. Freeze it into a bunch of blocks and then take it to the range in a couple of coolers. You can also freeze the milk jugs if you have the freezer space.

How thick is the lexan?

Posted: 6/1/2003 9:32:14 PM EDT

[#2]

1/4th 1/8th and 1/2 inch respectively.. (2 sheets of each in 12inch by 12 inch squares)..

I was thinking of building a standing target holder thing that maybe could fall backwards if i took some supports out that way if i shot the lexan maybe the bullt would push it backwards and not richochette back in our direction, but i'm not sure if that would work or not?

Posted: 6/1/2003 10:04:39 PM EDT

[#3]

It doesn't sound like you have any sheets that are thick enough to stop 5.56...although maybe the 1/2 inch and .22LRs would work.

Wear eye protection!

Posted: 6/1/2003 10:08:08 PM EDT

[#4]

You might get a slight reaction from a gallon of tanerite. 25-30ft away is a um.....good distance.

Posted: 6/1/2003 10:08:49 PM EDT

[#5]

...almost forgot--I don't think that it will bounce back at you--most likely it will make craters in the lexan, but take precautions just in case it doesn't.

Posted: 6/2/2003 5:32:16 AM EDT

[#6]

balloons work well for me. biodegradable if you can. a couple cents a piece. inflate to desired size. staple or tack. will respond to wind for added element.

Posted: 6/2/2003 5:47:06 AM EDT

[#7]

Best reactive targets for handguns:

Apples
Oranges
Potatoes
Poker chips

Best reactive targets for big bore magnum guns (they blow up real good):

Coconuts
Honeydew
Cantaloupe

Best reactive targets for rifles (These blow up good too, but only with rifles):

Generic cans of loose meat
Large tomato juice/canned tomato cans

All of these targets are fun to shoot, biodegradable, and easy to come by. (Save for the poker chips.)

Posted: 6/2/2003 7:29:38 AM EDT

[#8]

I like old pots and pans...garage sale and flea market ones.
The thicker aluminum ones are not penetrated by a .22LR out of a pistol and requires multiple hit do do so. (All in the same area)
I save up coffee can lids, or even soup can lids too.
Double back tape them to a carboard backing and let loose.
They show hits nicely and can't be removed from the cardboard easily as they "rivet" themselves to it.
Shaving cream cans and the like give a good show, depending if you don't mind a wife with hairy legs.

I guess old R-12 freon canisters are a thing of the past, those were fun, and yes, I killed the Ozone a long time ago!
Before I forget, a BIG welcome to ya, Electricview!

Posted: 6/2/2003 7:29:49 AM EDT

[#9]

Lollipop

You know the 100 for $2.50 kind.

Posted: 6/2/2003 8:13:01 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
1/4th 1/8th and 1/2 inch respectively.. (2 sheets of each in 12inch by 12 inch squares)..

I was thinking of building a standing target holder thing that maybe could fall backwards if i took some supports out that way if i shot the lexan maybe the bullt would push it backwards and not richochette back in our direction, but i'm not sure if that would work or not?

The bullet, if it stops, will be captured by the lexan. There will be minimal danger from splash back. Far less than from shooting steel targets which pose no danger as long as you are wearing your glasses.

That said it is doubtful the lexan (polycarbonate) you have on hand will stop a bullet (maybe will stop a CB cap or .22 out of a pistol). Hygard BR 750 is a UL 752 Level 1 MPSA (.38 Super Automatic) bullet resistant polycarbonate. It is a 3 layer laminate that is 3/4 in. thick. Just guessing the lamination part may be important and, of course, it's thicker than what you've got.

Ought to be a fun experiment none the less.

Kent

Posted: 6/2/2003 10:36:05 AM EDT

[#11]

lexan by itself is not bullit proof.not as we think of bullit proof anyhow.actuarly 2 inches of glass will deflect most bullits.bullit proof glass is 2 inches of glass with lexan or some sililar product layed betwwen the glass.

Posted: 6/2/2003 4:10:27 PM EDT

[#12]

You'll shoot your eye out!

TRG

Posted: 6/2/2003 4:35:49 PM EDT

[#13]

thanks goat:)

Thanks for the welcome Anothergene!

Thanks everyone else! great info here! I got some good idea's of things to take!

About the lexan, Even if it stops nothing It should still be another cool reactionary target to hit (espically if it shatters! Tho cleanup might suck on that one! :) I was just concerned about the possibility of richochette's thats all.. I just want to be as safe as I can be! (I allways wear eyes and ears so I think i should be okay!)

Thanks again everyone!

Posted: 6/2/2003 6:59:56 PM EDT

[#14]

Anything that can't be nailed down. Cans, jugs, old chairs and other objects, electonics, etc. Me and my friends constantly find things to shoot out in the woods, the owner treated the place as a junk yard for a while. WE have found old cars, bottles, barrels, wooden crates, GI Joes and alot of other old crap. Also try to add some difficulty to it. Like if your are a hill or gravel pit test how accurate and how fast you are by having a can roll down a hill and keep shooting it to make it roll back. Or try hitting a target from a moving vehicle, though I wouldn't personally suggest this unless you have a very controlled environment. There is a bunch of stuff that you could try to keep you interested. Even shooting at cans or things of that nature can get just as boring as shooting at paper after while.

Posted: 6/3/2003 4:14:55 PM EDT

[#15]

Clay pigeons. Not really dramatic but you sure know when you've hit 'em. Good hi-vis for distance, too.

Btw, I'm talking propped up, not airborne.

Posted: 6/3/2003 6:25:02 PM EDT

[#16]

(i'd also be shooting a bit of 7.62x39 ak rounds)..

where would be the cheapest place to get some of these clay pigeons? (like reaaaaaly cheap hopefully :) )

Posted: 6/3/2003 6:32:24 PM EDT

[#17]

Any sporting goods store should carry them. Some good places that I have seen only sell boxes of 90 for 2.00, then some places sell them for 3.50, then those 135 boxes can be had for around 3.90. Thats just in my area though.

Posted: 6/3/2003 8:42:46 PM EDT

[#18]

Ditto what MB121 said. I usually get them in WalMart but can sometimes get a deal in Gart Sports (don't know if you have them where you are).

Posted: 6/3/2003 8:50:08 PM EDT

[#19]

hit the local thrift store and use your imagination.

money goes to a good cause, and you're not out a lot of money for most of it.

Posted: 6/5/2003 9:33:00 AM EDT

[#20]

Things I shot this past weekend:

Half empty can of spray cheese (not as interesting as you'd think)

Old can of air freshener (may the outdoors smell mountain fresh

Propane canister (like you use w/ a lantern) attached to a Molotov cocktail. (20 ft fireball)

Shaken up soda cans. (prety good reaction)

Clay pigeons (economical)

Dollar for dollar, go with the propane cannisters.

Posted: 6/5/2003 10:46:25 AM EDT

[#21]

How about buying a few steel spinning targets? Safe, reusable, and no litter (and you don't have to pack a bunch of shot-up junk out of the woods.)

I think I got mine from Cheaper than Dirt for about $20 or so; money well spent.

Posted: 6/5/2003 1:26:18 PM EDT

[#22]

My friend & I have been shooting up a small xerox machine (got a small ball of fire too!) & a empty fire extingusher. I have a small microwave
we're taking out next. In the past I've had an industrial coffee maker, bowling pins, a oven, a washing machine, car doors, toy dolls.....the list goes on & on! Oh yeah, we used a lawn mower recently too.

Posted: 6/6/2003 11:13:16 AM EDT

[#23]

Hang a tire with target inside (or ballon) and let it swing and twist.

Just one important thing to remember is to clean up after yourselfs if it is not your property. We don't need to shoot ourselves in the foot by not getting invited back.

De Oppresso Liber

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