I like to take some fun targets out in to the desert and plink at em.  I genereally use things like:

*Plasctic Bottles filled with water and a few drops of food coloring
*Old computer components that don't work any more
*Some crappy old toys that I find at GoodWill

My question is this: Would it be safe to shoot at a plastic milk jug full of ice?hooting
Thanks guys.

Sounds fun, would like to know also

We fill 2 liter Coke bottles with water and some food dye. Freeze 'em, and take 'em to our shooting place. When we get the bottles out of the cooler, we rub the outside of the coke bottle to break it loose from the ice. Cut off the bottle with your pocket knife, throw the bottle in your truck and leave ice block on the range.
2 liter ice block blows up pretty nice when hit with a rifle projectile.
Purple food coloring is best.

When you are done shooting, there is no mess to clean up if you take your cut off plastic bottles with you when you cut them off.

We always shoot our rifles at the ice blocks at ranges of 200 yd+, so I can't help you with the close range stuff.

Try shooting at vegetables and large fruits.  They explode nicely and the mess is biodegradable.

Only trouble is you are left with all those chunks of ice lying around all over for years to come. Bad for the environment.
Oh... you live somewhere where the ice will melt into water...I get it.
Just kidding. Couldn't resist. Bored.

Quoted: Try shooting at vegetables and large fruits.  They explode nicely and the mess is biodegradable.

I do that occasionally, but it is expensive.  Grocery stores no longer give away fruit/veg that has gone bad or out of date...siting lawsuit reasons...

I had some not so ripe pumpkins, that didn't survive the first freeze and they make a nice splat when hit...  

We grow gourds in the backyard.  Makes nice targets that will react.  We place several on the 50yd berm and some more out on the 100yd berm.  It's a blast and they're free!  

http://home.sw.rr.com/willum/gourds.jpg

bowling pins. They don't disinigrate like in the movies. Easy clean up.

We go to the dollar store and get these 3 inch tall Army men. One of use will be a sniper for the tan side and one for the green side, with a scoped rifle you can remove body parts. This is all usually done at a range of 25-75 yards.

You know all those damn stopped up spray paint cans in the garage you just can't bring yourself to throw away?  You really think you will get them unstopped?  

Bring them to the range.

Especially pretty is red, yellow, and orange.  

A lot of spray paint now uses propane for propellant instead of freon as in days past.  If you have been wanting to find something cool to do with your tracers...

You know those damned nasty tomatos and cucumbers your neighbor gets out of his garden and keeps dropping off on your doorstep?  You can tell him how much you enjoyed them, he'll bring more.

I like writing my initials on old refrigerators, washers, dryers, etc.  Those are more of the "target of opportunity" category.  And TV's and computer monitors are fun.

That old rusted out 5 gallon propane tank for that gas bbq pit you don't have anymore?  There you go.  Make sure it has a little gas left in it.

I can go on and on, I have the sport of "plinking" down to a fine art.

I never thought about the plastic soldiers and .22's... that sounds like a lot of cheap fun with a 10/22 or Marlin 60.  (We used BB guns for this as kids)  Can you make little rags for their heads?  Or dab some light blue model paint on the helmets!!!  Cool!!!

Quoted: You know all those damn stopped up spray paint cans in the garage you just can't bring yourself to throw away?  You really think you will get them unstopped?   Bring them to the range. Especially pretty is red, yellow, and orange.   A lot of spray paint now uses propane for propellant instead of freon as in days past.  If you have been wanting to find something cool to do with your tracers... You know those damned nasty tomatos and cucumbers your neighbor gets out of his garden and keeps dropping off on your doorstep?  You can tell him how much you enjoyed them, he'll bring more. I like writing my initials on old refrigerators, washers, dryers, etc.  Those are more of the "target of opportunity" category.  And TV's and computer monitors are fun. That old rusted out 5 gallon propane tank for that gas bbq pit you don't have anymore?  There you go.  Make sure it has a little gas left in it. I can go on and on, I have the sport of "plinking" down to a fine art. I never thought about the plastic soldiers and .22's... that sounds like a lot of cheap fun with a 10/22 or Marlin 60.  (We used BB guns for this as kids)  Can you make little rags for their heads?  Or dab some light blue model paint on the helmets!!!  Cool!!!

Thats the funniest shit I have read in a while. Great stuff dude! I'm gonna try the tracer/paint one too.

Quoted: My question is this: Would it be safe to shoot at a plastic milk jug full of ice? .

Uh, YES.

Geeze, it's only ice.  I've shot steel plate and concrete at those distances.

If you're feeling stressed, shoot a gallon of water from about 5' away with a 12ga.   You will get wet, but you feel like you're right there "in it".


BTW-When shooting major appliances you do need to exercise some caution. If you walked up within a few feet of a refrigerator and shot the compressor with a Super Blackhawk, the bullet could make a little dent and deflect into the ground just in front of your foot.  Don't count on handgun rounds to pierce motors, compressors, etc.

This has been a public service announcement.

TANNERITE

I wonder what happens when you shoot a bottle of propane that has a lit flare taped to it....

Quoted: I wonder what happens when you shoot a bottle of propane that has a lit flare taped to it....

Ohhhh..... I saw this one on RealTV..... It looked like fun! All the same I'll let you do it and post pics...

JIM

I wait until after Halloween and buy the hell out of pumpkins, dirt cheap.

BTW, if you aren't shooting at organic (read: biodegradeable) things, haul out yer trash.

Frozen water baloons are fun to shoot.