# Your Ideas On What We Can Shoot At



## Rapier (May 28, 2011)

I just saw a post by HungaJungaESQ in slingshot shooting forum where he's hung up little rubber toys like lizards n dinos n such because he destroys cans to quickly. Our very own Merlin the wize, aka Charles, and I mean that with utmost respect, responded with the idea of cutting out shapes of thick leather. Both fabulous ideas.
I believe that a really good practice target should have what these guys describe as a "*satisfying*" (Key word there did you notice? Well of course you did. It's in bold for crying out loud!) thunk or thwack or ting when you hit em but also it has got to be durable, very durable.
My input was something I'd seen somewhere abouts that entailed taking a spoon and cutting off most of the handle so that you can create a loop with the rest and hang it through that. This one seems like it would work in the satisfaction dept by giving a nice little 'ting' sound when you hit it but also, if you hang it right, it would spin over a few times as well. Not to mention all the nice little dings it would acquire after a time from the shot (in my case a very, very long time) So...
*Any other inovative, interesting or novel target ideas??? The focus being SATISFACTION* (Hmmm, reminds me of that song "I can't get no'oo... satisfaction. I can't get no'oo... Satifaction but I try, and I try, and......." Mick Jagger wasn't it? Yeah well now every time I miss I'm going to hear that bloody thing in my head. Thanks me ya great banana...
Anyway, I'd love to hear some more ideas


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

My indoor 'box does indeed have a spoon hanging on a piece of paracord. The spoon is light enough to spin without deflecting the ammo (unless I hit it too high) and gives off a nice PING when hit.
I'm too lazy to even cut off the handle, although it would probably spin better if I did. Maybe next time, this spoon's about had it.


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## Knoll (Nov 10, 2011)

So* that's* where the baby spoon went!


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## Rapier (May 28, 2011)

Ahh yes M_J and a very lot of satisfying dings it has in it too. Could you post a close up pls? I'd love to see what a target looks like once it's been hit a few times. never seen one befor


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)

Cut one out of 3mm aluminium plate!

You get the gratifying sound, lasts for ages and light enough for plenty of movement.


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

Currently I have only been shooting indoors. My target has been a half inch hex nut hanging from a string.


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## fatboy (Oct 26, 2010)

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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

Rapier said:


> Ahh yes M_J and a very lot of satisfying dings it has in it too. Could you post a close up pls? I'd love to see what a target looks like once it's been hit a few times. never seen one befor


After I took that pic I flattened the spoon back out and cut the handle off. Guess I'll have to taco it up again and post a pic


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## fatboy (Oct 26, 2010)

This is 1.5"x3.5"x3/16"? or there about, steel that gives a nice ting when hit. I shoot normally 50-60'.


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## Rapier (May 28, 2011)

Yeah that happens to me when I post from my fone sometimes fatboy. Have to go back in and edit befor someone thinks im a dill...
That there lil target is a bloody work of art I say. So you just respray it when you've chipped the paint off I guess huh? and the loyal ol black labrador to keep score I see
Thanks for ya post mate. good idea


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

I have shot aluminum plate and spoons. They both make lovely sounds and are light enough to bounce around. One of my problems with hard targets is that I get a lot more bounce-outs with them than with softer stuff. The other problem I had with hard targets is that I like to shoot lead ammo. The lead tends to deform on the hard targets. After shooting spoons for a week, my .44 lead ammo was cut, dinged, and flattened so much that I melted it all down and recast it.

There are other materials that one could use for targets. I would suggest innertubes and old shoe soles as good sources of softer target material that should stand up to a lot of abuse.

By the way ... the leather target idea is not original with me ... I stole it from someone on this forum.









Cheers ...... Charles


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## Sean (Nov 17, 2011)

I've started out at the request of a couple of friends with this rather large spot on the barn, and can almost hit it consitently, only then maybe I'll be able to graduate to hitting the almighty tin can. Shredding cans to quickly? Another lifetime.









sean


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Sean, your consistency on that target will be helped if you shoot from the inside ...









By the way, for those of you that want to shoot spoons .... I suggest you avoid those little souvenir spoons that some women seem so attracted to. I bought a bunch in a second hand store. When I got home I found they are cast zinc, and the handles do not bend ... they just break. So I could not bend the handles to hang them. anybody want to buy a nice set of souvenir spoons, with a couple of broken handles?

Cheers ..... Charles


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

Hmmm, I rhought spooning was when you went out with your girl friend. I stand corrected!







-- Tex


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## philly (Jun 13, 2010)

Outdoors I shoot an electrical box cover, 4" in dia with a 3" orange pastie on it. That is my 15/25 yard target. 11 yards is a 2 1/2" Tennis ball sliced like an orange. It absorbs the shot and falls straight down, I also use this with all my lead hunting ammo. Indoors a golf wiffle ball at 7 yards. I like styroform plates, 7" dia for 25/40 yard shooting. A coke can on the ground to chase around. 
Philly
Philly


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## rubberpower (Aug 16, 2011)

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We went back to shooting beer and soda cans because we shoot only tracers. We get less bounce with aluminum cans and one heck of a sound when you hit it. My method of changing is to put a coat hanger through the bottom and out the top and hook it over a chain. I can change a can in under 10 seconds. Aluminum cans are a free target and they do not break the tracers.


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## Stephen (Jan 17, 2012)

All this talk about targets, and i'm having trouble finding ammo!







But seriously, I have a 50 gallon drum at home that i've put brown paper over and shot at that. If you draw a little target on it, it makes a great long-range target, plus, the shot goes in and doesn't come back out except on rare occasions. Maybe ya'll's slingshots are more powerful than mine, but it works pretty well for me. I like beer bottles too







but that's a mess.


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## pop shot (Sep 29, 2011)

Here's what I shoot at- took the magnets out of the kids toys to hang caps n stuff, works well and feels nice when they flick off. Also the spoon turned spatula. Bathtub catch box works like a charm, but the old workshirts smell like sweat


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Except for having to re-set, bottle caps on magnets are an excellent idea!

Cheers ... Charles


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## Grizz827 (Jan 18, 2012)

I use some of my home made field targets knock em down and ring the bell


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## newconvert (Dec 12, 2011)

how about small pieces of suspended wood?


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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)

Grizz827 said:


> I use some of my home made field targets knock em down and ring the bell


 I like this. Could you show more details?


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## Knoll (Nov 10, 2011)

Beanflip said:


> I use some of my home made field targets knock em down and ring the bell


 I like this. Could you show more details?
[/quote]


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## Rapier (May 28, 2011)

That one by Grizz827 reminds me of someones field targets where you can shoot and knock over a series, say four targets and then by hitting the fifth one they all reset again... gunna have to work on that I think.


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## Abe_Stranger (Jan 13, 2012)

I bought an old wok from a thrift shop and hung it from the ceiling on my porch (I'm an apartment-dweller). It sounds a bit like the bell sportscasters ring during boxing matches, and after over a thousand shots--give or take--there isn't a single dent in it. I use 5/16' bearings at close range, and I'm new to this, so I'm not sure if that's impressive, or mediocre.


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## Grizz827 (Jan 18, 2012)

Beanflip said:


> I use some of my home made field targets knock em down and ring the bell


 I like this. Could you show more details?
[/quote]

Hope this helps. This is from another of my post on a AG forum With pics being worth a thousand words here go's
Here's a real easy one to make you'll need 1 large triangle hinge, one 3/4 x 16 x 6 in pine board 1 magnetic cupboard catch. and 100-150ft of twine. some 7/16 x 1/4 in bolts, And a few wood screws 
The bell is just for fun it rings when you knock the paddle down if you add the bell you'll also need a bumper of some kind i used a small piece of PVC (3/4in) and a rubber chair leg boot 
If you angle the magnet you can adjust the amount of force needed to trip the paddle i use mine with my blowgun or my 38 FPE air guns (And now SS's)
Cut the board 8in this will be the base use the 4in as a face plate drill a 3/4 in hole in it for the reset string These take me around 30 min to make I got the steel face plates from crosman the black washer is kill zone reducer that came with the plates it's 1.5 in dia. and makes a good target make a few and set them at 10 15 25 35 50 yards I have 2 dozen now we use them for field target shoots i make them from scraps of 3/4 in plywood


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## Scrambler84 (Dec 8, 2011)

All these Ideas are great but also with a good catch box I thought about an under extra catch box large just go to the thrift store buying some old coffee cups cool video watching them splatter but you could only use them once but what fun. Just saying


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## desert drifter (Jan 14, 2012)

I use my bowie knife and hawk stop. It is an eight thick slab of cottonwood tree. Its lasted a lifetime, should last for about 3 more I'd say.










'drif


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## pop shot (Sep 29, 2011)

Charles said:


> Except for having to re-set, bottle caps on magnets are an excellent idea!
> 
> Cheers ... Charles


I have 2 traps and I can hang 5 in each trap, for a derby style shoot out

---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=21.385746,-157.722155


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## f00by (May 18, 2010)

Windchimes? Seperate the chimes and cut shorter.


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## Rapier (May 28, 2011)

There you go. Some really top ideas coming out. This is what the interwebs is for. Sharing info that makes all our lives a bit easier... Good on ya's!


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)

f00by said:


> Windchimes? Seperate the chimes and cut shorter.


I'd love to see a set of wind chimes set out one day with about 7 or 8 quality shooters hitting them.

Can you imagine the epicness of a video, of slingshot shooters playing Mary had a little lamb on wind chimes with slingshots ?


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## Rapier (May 28, 2011)

Ha ha ha Bloody classic. Only your brain would think of that.


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## Abe_Stranger (Jan 13, 2012)

I may have responded to this topic before, but I have a question. If one shoots glass bottles in an enclosed area, and can dispose of said glass properly, is shooting bottle still bad? A friend of mine uses tumbled glass as jewelry--she puts broken glass into a modified rock tumbler, then uses it as beads for jewelry--and loves the way beer bottle glass looks in her work. I shoot glass beer/soda bottles, occasionally, using a backstop; then, I cover the ground in a tarp or three, to catch the glass. Should I still feel guilty?


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## newconvert (Dec 12, 2011)

Abe_Stranger said:


> I may have responded to this topic before, but I have a question. If one shoots glass bottles in an enclosed area, and can dispose of said glass properly, is shooting bottle still bad? A friend of mine uses tumbled glass as jewelry--she puts broken glass into a modified rock tumbler, then uses it as beads for jewelry--and loves the way beer bottle glass looks in her work. I shoot glass beer/soda bottles, occasionally, using a backstop; then, I cover the ground in a tarp or three, to catch the glass. Should I still feel guilty?


first off love the changing avatars, secondly its bad if you arent safe and responsible about your trash any time you do anything. that being said it sounds like you are being responsible below, above, sides you might look at the front as well, it would be a shame to lose your vision due to a tiny shard of glass, or a sliver in someone foot due to a missed shard, sounds bad, but its better to prepare instead of saying i wish i would have thought of that. SAFETY GLASSES


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## Jaxter (Jan 23, 2012)

I used to use little water bottles but the ammo would just bounce back out


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## Taco (Feb 2, 2012)

I love shooting at loud, clangy targets as much as the next guy but I do live in the city, and attracting attention to the fact I am out in the yard doing something dangerous doesn't help my cause much.

So, toward quieter targets: I like shooting suspended marshmallows! Bigger challenge: Life Savers. 
My target box always has a suspended sponge, too. Cheap, reaplaceable, and I can cut it to whatever size I want.


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## Abe_Stranger (Jan 13, 2012)

newconvert said:


> I may have responded to this topic before, but I have a question. If one shoots glass bottles in an enclosed area, and can dispose of said glass properly, is shooting bottle still bad? A friend of mine uses tumbled glass as jewelry--she puts broken glass into a modified rock tumbler, then uses it as beads for jewelry--and loves the way beer bottle glass looks in her work. I shoot glass beer/soda bottles, occasionally, using a backstop; then, I cover the ground in a tarp or three, to catch the glass. Should I still feel guilty?


first off love the changing avatars, secondly its bad if you arent safe and responsible about your trash any time you do anything. that being said it sounds like you are being responsible below, above, sides you might look at the front as well, it would be a shame to lose your vision due to a tiny shard of glass, or a sliver in someone foot due to a missed shard, sounds bad, but its better to prepare instead of saying i wish i would have thought of that. SAFETY GLASSES
[/quote]

That's a given. I don't shoot without my goggles, man. Never.


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

Tex-Shooter said:


> Hmmm, I rhought spooning was when you went out with your girl friend. I stand corrected!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I'm pretty sure "spooning" is (or used to be) a position you assume with your mate in bed. You fit together like spoons. It's some of that "cuddling" that wimmen are so fond of.


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## Ethan (Oct 6, 2011)

I use 13 inch hi hat cymbals for 80m shots. I got them off eBay for 2 quid, it's so crap it doesn't even have a brand name on it. Although for normal practise from 10m - 40m i normally I use one of three spoons, well ones a trowel. I am partial to destroying a glass bottle or two.


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## Btoon84 (Nov 22, 2011)

fatboy said:


> This is 1.5"x3.5"x3/16"? or there about, steel that gives a nice ting when hit. I shoot normally 50-60'.
> View attachment 15270


that looks so amazing! indeed a work of art. i love it. and once you "erase" all the bright paint... just re-apply another coat for continued fun... or frame your masterpiece and start a new one : )


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## Litebow (Dec 17, 2011)

I have to second the suggestion by Charles of the leather targets. After he mentioned them in a post awhile back I made a little square of real heavy belt leather, drilled a hole in each corner and threaded a piece of cord thru it, I drew a small dime size eye in the middle with a permanent ink pen for an aiming point. I have hit it hundreds of times with all sorts of ammo. Still like new. Gives a very satisfying "thwak " sound and jumps when hit.

Dave


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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

i shoot at wind chimes all the time with my pfs and B.B.s' as ammo at the piece of flat wood that is hanging from the middle string . its a challenge in the wind when its swaying side to side and spinning .


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## jayw81 (Dec 11, 2011)

Henry in Panama said:


> Hmmm, I rhought spooning was when you went out with your girl friend. I stand corrected! -- Tex


I'm pretty sure "spooning" is (or used to be) a position you assume with your mate in bed. You fit together like spoons. It's some of that "cuddling" that wimmen are so fond of.[/quote]

I have found in the past that spooning leads to forking


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## Rapier (May 28, 2011)

jayw81 said:


> I have found in the past that spooning leads to forking


Ha Ha Ha.. well not all the time coz sometimes forking leads to spooning... Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


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## jburdine1956 (Dec 26, 2011)

I remember reading about some Search and Rescue Snake-eater guys that used .22 rimfire handguns for foraging. They suggested using ping pong balls for plinking and casual shooting. The idea was that if you can hit the ping pong ball you can hit the vital area of anything you are likely to be hunting to eat. The problem is that they don't last too long especially if hit with half inch marbles or steel ball. I've been shooting at 20 oz plastic bottles while I've been getting back up to speed on my shooting, and just found a source for 8 oz settlzer bottles for the progression down in size. I've been looking for another long lasting ping pong size target to use and the spoons are starting to sound like the ticket.


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## WILD BILL (Jan 26, 2012)

Nothing to cleanup and ammo is easy to collect

I use the wheelbarrow for outside and hang the same comforter in the garage for inside.

The inside picture shows various things to shoot out. I have a couple of 3" galv elec box covers ( very tough/longlasting with very few ricochet. The stew can is thicker than most bean cans and produces many ricochets, The scull cap from a whitetail ricochets the worst for ricochets and is very tough.. The small (1 1//" diam. fender washers are the best) absolutely no ricochet and makes for good focus training.

I place a 1" orange dot over the hole. It is pretty neat when you center the bulls eye and shoot through the hole which slightly bigger than the 12mm ammo. Almost as rewarding a match strike or card cut. I did say "almost"


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## trobbie66 (May 13, 2012)

I have screwed some plastic bottle lids to a 2 by 4 .they come in many sizes but most have a common thread.Changeup is easy,and you have another use from your water or pop bottles before recycling. the caps could also be hung on string for movement.


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## Rapier (May 28, 2011)

WTBJR said:


> The small (1 1//" diam. fender washers are the best) absolutely no ricochet and makes for good focus training.
> I place a 1" orange dot over the hole. It is pretty neat when you center the bulls eye and shoot through the hole which slightly bigger than the 12mm ammo. Almost as rewarding a match strike or card cut. I did say "almost"


I really like this idea. I can see Mr. Hays lining up five or so and plinking the middle out of each one in turn.


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