April 14, 2014
By Dusty Gibson
Shooters of all ages enjoy the immediate feedback of popping reactive targets. Introducing youth shooters to plinking with reactive targets is a great way to get them engaged and keep them interested in shooting. Adding fun target challenges to range time can also boost hand-eye coordination and make anyone a better shooter.
If you've been lucky enough to get your hands on elusive .22 LR ammo , maximize your rimfire fun with common household items that make for excellent plinking targets.
Keep the pennies in your piggy bank with these great plinking targets, and be sure to share any of your favorite homemade (and safe) plinking targets not appearing on this list.
Golf Balls Golf game got you down? Get off the driving range and go to the shooting range.
Eggs Got a batch of eggs past their expiration date? Scramble them in fashion with an offhand pistol shot.
Playing Cards Missing a few cards from the deck? Now you have dozens of great targets.
For an additional challenge, try the
2x2x2 Range Drill , or turn the cards sideways and try to slice them in half.
Balloons Save your breath for a few balloons and you'll be racing your friends to see who can pop them faster. For an extra challenge, blow up water balloons instead of regular-sized balloons.
Fly Swatter It may seem strange to bring a jar of jelly to the range — but you'll be singing "Shoo Fly Don't Bother Me" the first time a fly lands on a sugary drop of jelly. Just keep an eye on the jelly and be ready to pull the trigger.
Hard Candies The hostess will be refilling the tray of after-dinner mints at your favorite restaurant once you start plinking hard candies. Prop them up or hang them from strands of dental floss or fishing line.
At-Home IDPA Paper or plastic? Next time you're at the grocery store, ask for paper and make your own
IDPA practice targets.
Simply cut the bottom out of a paper bag and then make a few small cuts to form the silhouette shape. Also try using old cardboard boxes to closely mimic the structure of standard IDPA targets.
Milk Jugs & 2-Liters The exploding milk jug in this photo was subject to 00 buckshot, but liquid containers are fun to shoot with just about anything from .17 HMR to Magnum slugs. Set them out at distance and spray paint them bright orange for some long-range fun.
Shotgun Shells Have some fun with all of those empty shotgun shells laying around the range. Make the shots more challenging by shooting at 20 or even .410 gauge shells.
Neon Poster Board Zeroing-in a rifle doesn't have to be a headache. Neon poster board provides a large canvas for shots to land and gives immediate visual feedback on shot placement. Maximize value per sheet of poster board by drawing circles in a grid pattern with black marker.
Strike Anywhere Matches Heat it up at the range with a well-placed shot on the tip of a strike anywhere match. Just make sure you're in a controlled environment where the fire can be easily contained. Thanks to G&A reader Luke W. for the strike anywhere suggestion.
Marshmallows Those fluffy bird-shaped candies are more enjoyable at the shooting range than in an Easter basket.
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