Okay, how about some meat-and-potatos shooting topics, to supplement the
political jabber (my fault).  What are some unique ideas for plinking
targets?  Some of my favorites are:

Rotten fruits and veggies: Because my wife shops on sale, we often end up
with "buy one get one free" 10 lb bags of potatos, which sprout or go bad
before we use them up.  (Despite my obvious Irish heritage, or perhaps
because of it, I'm not overly fond of potatos.) Similarly, when they are
in season, we often end up with half-full bags of apples or oranges going
bad before they can be dried or otherwise used.  They tend to make good
targets, however.  Simply lug to your favorite shooting location (mine, on
the farm, is a branch that has a nice straight piece for about forty
meters).  Pitch the rotting fruit out, reduce it to particles, and let the
rodents clean up the mess.  No walking back and forth, setting up targets
or whatnot; just pitch a few of your favorite (or least favorite...I have
taken aim at rotten broccoli) plantlife toward the target area.  A good
workout for both the marksmanship and pitching skills.  Crumple up the
empty bag and go home.

I've used hedgeapple (Missouri Orange) also, which keeps the mesquitos
away and makes a nice, grapefruit-sized, day-glo green target, but the
cows usually get to them first.  I've also been known, when desperate, to
buy fresh cheap apples or potatos and shoot them up, but I prefer the
rotten types because both it weighs less on my pocketbook (well, in my
imagination...I've convinced myself that by shooting rotten vegitables,
I'm saving money...go figure) and because the rotten kind tend to explode
in smaller chunks, where as fresh veggies tend to split rather than
vaporize.

Balloons: Others seem to like these (filled with a little flour) and they
are a challenging target, but they are a pain in the ass to blow up, and
then you have to replace them every time you nail one.  I prefer these for
use with the Wrist Rocket.

Cans: Cans are, of course, the perennial favorite of plinkers.  Even a bag
full of the f-i-l's used beer cans doesn't weight too much, and they are
good for several shots.  More fun is to fill them with water, set them out
at 50-75-100 yards and shoot them with hollowpoints or Stingers.  You
might only nail one every other magazine (depending on range and ammo
selection) but they are impressive.  Most fun is to buy a case of the
ultra-cheapo stuff from Aldi's and shoot at the pressurized cans from a
distance of no less than 50 meters.  Again, no guarentees of a one-shot,
one-kill (at least, not with *my* 10/22, which is doing good to keep a 1"
group at 25 yards) but it keeps the kill ratio down (thus holding down
expenses) and makes an exceptional performance when hit.  I don't imagine
soda is particularly good for the surrouding plantlife, but in moderation
I've seen no adverse affects.  Usually I sit these up on a stump or cut
log, or occasionally "saloon style", a 2x4 sitting between logs with the
cans on a row.  We've had informal competitions doing this, with big point
loss for shooting the 2x4 and knocking off the cans.

Wood blocks: a while back the f-i-l got a bunch of mill ends from the
local mill to burn in the cast iron stove.  Of course, they burn quick and
without much heat (being yellow pine) so with permission, I made off with
a bunch of 2x4 ends, which are fun for shooting.  I've noticed other
shooters using this type of target, too.

For an improvised target stand, I'll take a (collapsed) cardboard box and
some of those cheap pastie target stickers.  When done, simply find
a clearing and burn the box, targets, and all.  (Not the gun, of course,
and I always keep an eye on the fire until it burns down, then stomp it
and cover it with dirt.)

Bottles: Glass is a big no-no, of course, but one and two litre plastic
bottles make good long-range targets for handgun or rifle.

Tobacco and Coffee cans: I've never used these for a firearm, figuring
them to be too valueable for that, but when I was a kid my dad and I used
to use a tobacco can as a BB trap (leave the lid on and shoot through the
top).  This worked extremely well, even with our one-pump target guns.


Things not to use: paint cans, glass bottles or windows (of course),
aerosol cans, wrecked cars, dried hardwood, and gas cannisters.

The last bears mention; a "safety expert" that spoke to my freshman
chemisty class told an amusing, if stupid, anecdote about he and a friend
took some unmarked gas cannisters out into a field and shot at them with a
"high- powered rifle".  The first one released a stream of chlorine gas.
The second one exploded with a loud "Boom", and according to this "safety
expert" he actually say a piece of shrapnel speed by him.  (Yeah, sounds
like BS to me too, but there you have it.) The third (do you get the idea
that these folks were playing with something less than a full magazine?)
went ballistic, flying up into the air, spinning around, bouncing against
the ground a couple of times, and then striking the police car which came
to investigate the green gas and explosion that was coming from the field.

Needless to say, that was the end of his little "experiment".  He paid
damages, were fined for "disturbing the peace" and "reckless
endangerment", and then, of course, went on to become an OSHA certified
"safety expert".   I don't know why I feel so scared...


These are, of course, pretty common types of plinking targets?  What do
others like to use?  Besides cats, I mean.  (-:

-------------------------Don't Tread On Me!----------------------------
 Shane C. Henry    | Rule #76 of the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition:
 1022 Morrell St.  | "Every once in a while, declare peace.  It
 Rolla, MO 65401   |  confuses the hell out of your enemies."
 shenry@.umr.edu   |                                    -Quark
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sign reported by Clifford F. Thies in Rocky Mountain National Park:

"Please do not feed the squirrels. If you feed the squirrels, they'll become
overweight, and prone to disease. Their population will grow, and they'll lose
their ability to forage for food on their own. They will expect you to feed
them and will attack you if you don't. They'll become like little welfare
recipients, and you wouldn't want to do this to them."

