# What do you use as targets?



## Curtis (Apr 30, 2013)

Hey guys, lately I switched from shooting soda cans to shooting plastic water bottles. The cans made a satisfying ping when I hit them, but only lasted a handful of hits. I find the water bottles last much longer, and it still makes an obvious muffled impact sound.

I was just wondering what kind of targets you guys used, and I was wondering how you secure them for shooting (I hang my bottles from string hanging on my catch-box).

I'm thinking there must be some creative methods and targets out there that I'd like to try!

Thanks! - Curtis


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## SuperMonkeySlinger (Jan 28, 2013)

Hello Curtis! ,
Plastic bottles last longer without a doubt, fill them with a little water and watch them EXPLODE !!  
Another thing that lasts around 250 shots, is a campbells soup can, they are very fun to shoot.

What i do is i just throw my pop/soup can down in the road and start walking while shooting it, kind of like walking a dog ! i shoot the can when i get within 10 yards of it in the road so it keeps on moving. It really helps my skill with hitting a moving target because the can it almost always rolling in the road.

Take care!,

SMS
( By the way, i live out in the country, very few houses live near me so i can tear up pop cans in the road all day!


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## abagrizzli (May 2, 2013)

Usually I kill cola cans, some pizza boxes, some pine cones. The first target was plastic doghouse (though it's not fun - marbles punch through it too easily, then you have to gather them from all the territory).


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## Saderath (Jan 1, 2013)

A little plastic cap from a chair leg!


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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

plastic bottle caps, beer bottles, beer bottle caps, paintballs, horseflys, wind chimes, and what ever looks like a target at different heights and distances.


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## Tentacle Toast (Jan 17, 2013)

Well, after anything living (pests, feral cats, etc) has scattered or perished, I like to spot quasi-stationary objects (SPECIFIC leaves on trees, pine cones, etc) & aim for those. Seems to help with keeping the eye honed too...aside from that, wine bottles make a groovy sound upon detonation..


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## HerecomestheBOOM (May 9, 2013)

I really like Birchwood Casey shoot 'n see targets, just stick them on a piece of cardboard.

I also have a bunch of these saved up for when I go play outdoors:


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## abagrizzli (May 2, 2013)

Imperial said:


> plastic bottle caps, beer bottles, beer bottle caps, paintballs, horseflys, wind chimes, and what ever looks like a target at different heights and distances.


Oh, c'mon, just say it. I'M CHUCK NORRIS. :king: I do not shoot targets. Targets shoot themselves when I just look at them. :neener:


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## PorkChopSling (Jan 17, 2013)

Well, I use to shoot at this coconut wind chime and it made a very satisfying sound when struck. I just finished my first catch box and so i had these 1/4" thick trunk leather i cut into different size targets, then my more artistic other half and a good friend of ours marker painted them. I have them hung by stitched on tabs, rope, or paper clip. Been shooting at them all day and the leather gives a nice smacking sound that is very rewarding.


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## August West (Jan 21, 2012)

A 2" square piece of thick leather hung in front of the catch box has lasted longer than anything I have ever used and makes a pretty nice slap when solidly hit. Also those little energy shot bottles make nice targets.


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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

abagrizzli said:


> Imperial said:
> 
> 
> > plastic bottle caps, beer bottles, beer bottle caps, paintballs, horseflys, wind chimes, and what ever looks like a target at different heights and distances.
> ...


if i were chuck norris, id actually hit my targets.  but i am improving, little by little. . .

btw, did you know that when the hulk gets mad, he turns into chuck norris. 

dr.bruce banner --> incredible hulk --> CHUCK NORRIS !


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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

Tentacle Toast said:


> ...aside from that, wine bottles make a groovy sound upon detonation..


what the he!! you shooting out of your slingshot- mortar shells ?


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## Arturito (Jan 10, 2013)

the bottles caps aren't good, breaks at first hit ... I use a thick food can such as Cambell's (the best sound either) and when you cut it in the middle can still using both ends ...

Cheers

Arturo


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## flipgun (Nov 14, 2012)

Pill bottles like naproxen and stuff like that. I poke a hole in the bottom, tie a loop of string or paracord and string it through the hole from the inside. The knot on the string keeps it from coming off. Makes a good noise and lasts quite awhile. But August is right, leather works best.


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## Tentacle Toast (Jan 17, 2013)

Imperial said:


> Tentacle Toast said:
> 
> 
> > ...aside from that, wine bottles make a groovy sound upon detonation..
> ...


Oh, with a pinch of nitric acid, & a dash of glycerin, the target becomes the shell....LoL, I joke...


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## toolmantf99 (Feb 16, 2012)

3" square of double thick leather, 4" square of leather, or a spoon folded over a string running across the catchbox. I like the leather because it does give a nice slap noise, last about forever and you can draw a center dot on it with sharpie. The spoon is nice as a spinner. I used to use soda cans, but they don't last long. My experience with soup cans, is that I can't keep the ammo from bouncing out of the catchbox.


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)

Usually beer cans and a set of knock down targets I made with 50mm round aluminium discs. Paper targets from time to time.


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## PUNISHER (Sep 21, 2012)

I shoot leather targets.

They last forever and makes a great sound when hit.

You can buy a bundle of scrap leather at your local hobby store.

I get mine at a place called hobby lobby.

The last time i bought some it only cost about $5.00 and they had a piece of leather that was a neon orange in it.


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## leon13 (Oct 4, 2012)

Bull&#39;s eye




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leon13


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Apr 29, 2013


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2



the big one is 10 cm and the small one 4,5 cm, 4 - 6 mm thick 
if any body needs some let me...









  








Bull&#39;s eye




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leon13


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Apr 29, 2013




holds a lot of shots the color starts to fall off thats oal









  








traveling amo box




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leon13


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Nov 13, 2012




the inside









  








traveling amo box ( swedish bloue and jello manufaktur )




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leon13


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Nov 12, 2012


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2



leather`s bull ai






works for me ( 10 cm & 5 cm ore 3,93 inch & 1,96 inch, the bulls ay is round about 3 cm / 1,18 inch )

chears

if any one nead one pm me i like to trade ore just help out


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## Strom (Apr 9, 2013)

Beer cans hung from string.


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## mr. green (Nov 3, 2012)

Cans don't last but it's fun. I also use plastic vitamin bottles or those Tylenol/Aspirin bottles. The bigger the bottle, the louder the sound.

They go out of shape but you can re-shape them back.


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## NoobShooter (Sep 15, 2012)

I've got a 1 inch socket hanging in my catchbox.. It rings pretty nice when you hit it.. I also just nailed a 12 inch frying pan to a tree and it makes a great target for long distance shots, and sounds pretty badass when you hit it.. Other then that, chasing beer cans on the ground until they're out of site is pretty fun..(lose a lot of ammo though)


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## Curtis (Apr 30, 2013)

Thanks for the input guys! I'm definitely going to make some leather targets, and Hrawk, those knock down targets look awesome! It makes sense to use thicker cans and pill bottles, so I think I'll try those too!


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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)

Empty shot gun shells are fun targets.


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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

Beanflip said:


> Empty shot gun shells are fun targets.


i bet full gun shells are funner. :blink: .

you just reminded me of the fun i used to have shooting at empty shotgun shells with by lil b.b. rifle as a kid.


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

I love shooting pepsi cans. The fact that they don't last long is exactly the point! :lol: Cutting them in half in the fewest shots is my current favourite game. I'm tempted to make a contest of it.

Spoons and leather discs are going onto the menu very soon. I have a new catchbox to christen.

Big plastic drink bottles - do not want. Too many bounce-backs.

I made some plaster of paris balls and some stand-up targets not unlike Q's clay birds. They're fun to destroy in a cloud of white dust. You could probably dig up some clay and make something similar for no cost.


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## ruthiexxxx (Sep 15, 2012)

air gun targets mainly. I get big cardboard cartons and fill them with layers of cardboard to back the targets. This works just as well with the slingbows. When a carton is shot to pieces then it's easy to reclaim all the ammo trapped inside .


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## ruthiexxxx (Sep 15, 2012)

but other things make a nice change. a good use for aluminium cooking pans !


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## SlingDaddy (Sep 24, 2012)

I recently switched from cans and plastic bottles to leather discs. The leather targets are smaller (more of a challenge) and last forever - the loud "thwack" they make when hit is actually quite satisfying too!


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## Jeff Lazerface (May 7, 2013)

im gonna hang up crap that i buy for 10-50 cents at the thrift shop, like a rap music CD.


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## ruthiexxxx (Sep 15, 2012)

Jeff Lazerface said:


> im gonna hang up crap that i buy for 10-50 cents at the thrift shop, like a rap music CD.


don't let 50Cent catch you !!


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

I'm pondering ways to make a reusable, self-resetting bullseye target. Perhaps concentric metal or hard leather discs that spin on an axle when hit, but come back to the flat position under the influence of a small magnet...

Who wants to make the prototype?


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## ruthiexxxx (Sep 15, 2012)

Think it's time for new targets !


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)

ash said:


> I'm pondering ways to make a reusable, self-resetting bullseye target. Perhaps concentric metal or hard leather discs that spin on an axle when hit, but come back to the flat position under the influence of a small magnet...
> 
> Who wants to make the prototype?


Post up a sketch and I'll see what I can do 

With that catch box I posted above, I had always planned to have a simple string reset mechanism on the drop downs but never got around to it.


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

> Post up a sketch and I'll see what I can do
> 
> With that catch box I posted above, I had always planned to have a simple string reset mechanism on the drop downs but never got around to it.


 It was your drop downs that got me thinking about this. I envisaged a mechanism whereby each hit made an already knocked down one pop back up. Some kind of simple hydraulic or pneumatic system would work. I can't think of a purely mechanical version yet.


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)

ash said:


> > Post up a sketch and I'll see what I can do
> >
> > With that catch box I posted above, I had always planned to have a simple string reset mechanism on the drop downs but never got around to it.
> 
> ...


Oh that's a piece of cake man. Rimfire targets have been doing it for decades.

You shoot the bottom 4 targets and they swing around and sit horizontal on the bar connected to the top target. Shoot the top target to reset the bottom 4.

Just copy the design but make it from something lighter like aluminium for slingshot energy levels.


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)

These guys also make AWESOME targets, especially when shooting with a friend.

Known as a 'Dueling Tree'.

Each side of the target is painted a different color and when hit swing around to the other side.

The idea of the duel is that you both start with an equal number of targets on your side and the first person to have all the targets over at the opponents side wins.

(this pic is showing the target from the back so you understand how they work)


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Here's a sketch of what I was imagining. In drawing it I've realised that hitting the axis of the pivot would be bad news, so maybe there's another way to do this. I have something in mind, but will gladly hear better ideas.


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)

Hmmmmm.......

I'm thinking with a setup like this, you would be better off using a target that was say 10mm thick and have the central pivot rod run dead center of all targets. Centered horizontally as well as in the depth.

You could do away with the magnets and just have a hex nut or something else glued in the back to make them bottom heavy.

This way, anything but a dead center horizontal hit on any of the three discs would cause a spin with the bottom heavy weight bringing them back to start position.


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

That's exactly what I started with, but moved the pivot up so that the centre dot had enough clear space to pass bigger ammo.

My next idea is to have just the rings, each one suspended by its own lever/rod from the back, all going up to a pivot. When hit they would swing backwards and then fall back into place..... Kind of an upside-down and concentric version of your drop-down discs.

It would be nice if their return to position was delayed like a screen-door closing damper, but that's probably a bit luxurious considering how primitive the shooter is.


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)

Start a new thread dude.

I don't want to completely hijack this one as I think there's a lot of work we can do on this. Head is already swimming with ideas.


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Done like a done thing: http://slingshotforum.com/topic/23657-automatic-target-ideas/

And now back to your regularly scheduled progremme.


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## Arturito (Jan 10, 2013)

I am greedy with the food cans, when halved I use top and bottom left until this









Cheers

Arturo


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## danjk36 (Jan 9, 2013)

i use biscuit tin lids for long range , lovely sound when hit and last ages and for short range i use lids off jam jars


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## Winnie (Nov 10, 2010)

I've been thinking for some time now about building a cigar box sized catch box with bottle cap sized targets that is completely self contained. I figure I could make slingshots small enough to shoot BB's. It should be fairly straight forward putting magnets in front of coat hanger fabricated uprights holding the targets in place. A hit to knock each one down and the last shot that levers them back up into place.
I'm envisioning putting it on the floor out in front of my favorite chair, opening it up and grabbing the slingshots contained within and firing away.
I suspect the skills would be transferable to real life.
Maybe it's time for me to stop thinking about it and just do it.
winnie


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## FWV2 (Mar 10, 2013)

Hrawk said:


> ash said:
> 
> 
> > I'm pondering ways to make a reusable, self-resetting bullseye target. Perhaps concentric metal or hard leather discs that spin on an axle when hit, but come back to the flat position under the influence of a small magnet...
> ...


Hey Hrawk! you just need a sixth disc to reset the first five! and the first of the five you knock down resets the sixth I've seen somewhere?

Fwv2


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## Syphacii (Nov 1, 2012)

I use the empty tins from pies. They don't last long but when you hit them theres a satisfying thud.


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## flippinout (Jul 16, 2010)

I use the cut outs from slingshot manufacture. These are the bits of negative space from the FlipKung made from 1/4" aluminum. They are durable, reactive, and challenging.


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## Btoon84 (Nov 22, 2011)

flippinout said:


> View attachment 34604
> 
> 
> I use the cut outs from slingshot manufacture. These are the bits of negative space from the FlipKung made from 1/4" aluminum. They are durable, reactive, and challenging.


Nathan, looks like your catchbox is blood splattered!!! Lol tell us what you're really shooting at!!!


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## flippinout (Jul 16, 2010)

It is an old t shirt material bed sheet stuffed with guts and peanuts.... Duh


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## Jokur (Dec 20, 2013)

This idea has probably been posted before... Coins were brazed to nails using a propane pipe torch.


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## Alexdermietzel97 (Oct 30, 2013)

For my airguns I use xtra strong mints, could work for a slingshot marksman.


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## Alexdermietzel97 (Oct 30, 2013)

When I'm plinking from a fair distance, I like to hang plastic plant pots on some string. They start to swing and sway with the impacts and wind, very good fun.


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