Are you tired of shooting the same clay or paper targets? Do you wish to make your range practice a little more enjoyable and difficult in some ways? We've come up with a few ways to make your next range day more thrilling and enjoyable.
When using a firearm, always keep safety in mind. Avoid combustible goods and other potentially dangerous items. Also, stay away from materials that are potentially detrimental to the environment.
For shooting practice, you can use almost anything, even old appliances and toys. Targets that make plinking sounds, burst, or produce pleasing effects undoubtedly add to the excitement. Below are some fun shooting targets that you can make with materials you have at home or that can be bought at a relatively low cost.
1. Sand Bags (or bottles filled with sand)
Credit: Edwin Sarkissian
Do you want to learn more about bullet entry patterns? A nice study or presentation can be made with a bag or bottles filled with sand, flour, or glitter. Keep in mind, though, the cleanup. This investigation of penetrating forces should be conducted with biodegradable materials.
This is an excellent method to get hands-on experience with each type of bullet, from hollow point to full jacketed, and everything in between. They're employed in a variety of ways and for a variety of causes. This is an excellent visual approach to learn what each one does and why they do it.
2. Fruit
Credit: Harold E Edgerton
Fruit is another fun shooting target, especially given the various calibers utilized and their effects. Depending on the caliber used, the fruit can crack, smash, or explode.
Making a recording can be both educational and entertaining. Fruits never fail to put on a good show.
3. Tin Can
Credit: Andrey A
Using conventional tin cans for smaller rounds like a 22 caliber, whether for pistols or rifles, never fails. The sound of the tin being struck, as well as the occasional flipping in the air, never fails to satisfy.
Lining them up in a row, on the other hand, can be entertaining. This will make the game more difficult for you and those around you. You can build a pyramid or a tower by destroying one of them at a time. This will assist you in improving your aim while also making it enjoyable.
4. Tic-tac-toe
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When you have more than one person, this is an excellent game for shooting practice. Have you ever tried your hand at tic-tac-toe? To build a tic-tac-toe board, all you need is a plain sheet of paper. The size of the target depends on the shooter's competence.
This is another wonderful method to design a unique game while still forcing you to focus on your target practice. When creating your board, keep safety in mind. Use something light and airy for the backing and framing.
5. Balloons
Credit: Moheen Reeyad
Balloons are very inexpensive fun shooting targets that are simple to produce. They're light and will move with the wind, making them a very unpredictable moving target. You can further increase the difficulty by making marks on the balloons.
While balloons are fantastic for practicing precision shooting, investing in a portable air pump can save you a lot of time if you plan on using them for an extended period of time. You can also use water balloons for some added fun.
6. Hard Candies
Credit: Guns and Ammo
Once you start plinking hard candies, the hostess at your favorite restaurant will keep restocking the dish of after-dinner mints. They can be propped up or hung from dental floss or fishing line.
Shoot the hanging candies while they're swinging from dental floss for an extra challenge. Shooting the floss strands is a fun task as well.
7. Milk Jugs
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Milk jugs can also be used as fun shooting targets. For some long-range fun, set them out at a distance and spray paint them bright orange to make it more challenging.
8. Golf Balls
Credit: US Army
Have you been having a bad day at the golf course? Go to the shooting range instead of the driving range. Take aim at those cheap range balls at the bottom of your golf bag, and you'll quickly discover which sport is more fun.
9. Eggs
Credit: Kirsten Joy Weiss
Do you have a batch of eggs that are past their sell-by date? With an offhand pistol shot, scramble them in style. Eggs make excellent reactive targets and are a lot of fun to play and experiment with.
10. How To Build A DIY Target Stand
Credit: Jason Hanson
At any shooting range, a target stand is a must-have. When you need to hang paper or steel shooting targets, this DIY target PVC stand comes in handy.
You'll need eight 1.5 by 24 inch pieces of black ABS tubing to put it together. If you want to reduce your labor to a minimum, this size is easy to obtain pre-cut, or you can buy a long piece of pipe and cut it yourself. Two black ABS connector "tees" are required next. These hold the vertically oriented pipe components, which in turn support the target. Four black ABS "elbows," which join the corners of the base to form the square, are also required. Last but not least, you'll need two 58-inch-long hardwood furring strips.
With these components on hand, putting together the target setup will take less than 15 seconds. After it's all put together, attach a piece of cardboard (about 23 by 35 inches) to the furring strips and hang your target. One of the numerous advantages of this stand is that it does not readily tip over due to its wide base.
In Conclusion
When it comes to shooting targets, you don't have to spend a lot of money. You can make use of certain household items to make your own DIY targets. All of these targets for shooting practice are both enjoyable and demanding, as well as portable.
These fun DIY targets will keep the pennies in your piggy bank. Be sure to share any of your favorite homemade (and safe) DIY targets that aren't on this list.