DavidMarlow Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 I'm not sure if this is the appropriate area for this, and if not, please let me know where it should go. I have an idea I've been kicking around for some time and I wonder if anybody here has seen it, done it, or even heard of it; I'd like to try putting together a shooting competition where the targets are water-filled milk jugs. Everybody likes shooting at things filled with water, and a pistol, or even better, three-gun match where all the targets are water-filled milk jugs seems like it could be a whole lot of fun. It seems like an action shooting match where things blow up could make a decent fundraising event as it would be more spectator-friendly than a typical USPSA or IDPA-type match. My question for members here is what kinds of special considerations or possible hurdles might I want to keep in mind before beginning this effort? I know bullets do srange things when they hit water, but I can't see it being any more dangerous than a match involving steel targets. Come to think of it, water-filled jugs and steel targets would be even more fun and reduce the total number of milk jugs needed. The number of jugs is, of course, an issue, and I would probably have to either keep the round counts on stages low or restrict the number of competitors (Unless I could get match sponsorship from Hiland, of course). My last question on this is how should I go about trying to get match sponsorship from established companies? Should I just start contacting different companies when I get the match planned out and approved at a club, or should I wait until we've done a couple of them to establish credibility? I have zero experience in organizing matches, but I would love to see something like this take place, escpecially if I could make proceeds go to a worthy cause like local food banks, or the Wounded Warrior Project, or even local 4H shooting programs. I appreciate any input that might help me plan this out more intelligently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Smith Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 Just a suggestion here if you want to draw a diverse crowd. Rather than milk bottles filled with water, consider empty plastic soda bottles of different sizes. Reason is, these can take a surprising number of hits before they have to be replaced and if you do it right, they can be knocked down with a .22 (you can also do these as hanging targets). Have everyone bring their .22's and have some people can use if they don't have one. Have a supply of ammo on hand for sale as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elkboy Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 One of the main things to consider when designing a stage is reset time. If it takes 10 or 15 minutes to remove the destroyed targets and reset the new ones it will take too long to run your squads through Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin c Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 I second the idea of using soda bottles. Easier to find in numbers (you just have to beat the scavengers to your neighbors' recycling bins on trash day Shucks, even paper cups of water should make a nice splash if hit by a pistol slug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMarlow Posted November 11, 2011 Author Share Posted November 11, 2011 Good thought on the reset time, elkboy. If I fill all the containers prior to the match, reset will still take longer than scoring and taping paper targets, but it shouldn't take too much longer. Target stands might be an issue, as I doubt having them all sit on the ground would be much fun. I like the idea of using 2 liter bottles, and the suggestion of using 20 oz soda bottles has me thinking of using those as bonus targets for scoring purposes, kinda like disappearing targets in USPSA. The recycling bin thing brings up another thought; since it's something outside the norm, chances are decent that I could get local news coverage (after I've run a couple matches first to work out all the bugs), and making a point that all containers are going to a recycle point afterward rather than into a local landfill where they'd otherwise go could give local tree huggers a warm and fuzzy. Well, except for all the toxic metal being launched through the containers into the hillside, but noone's perfect, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steviesterno Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 I shot a match with a stage using those Hugs juice bottles. It was 3 man 3 gun, all firing at once. Guy in the middle with a shotgun, rifles out to 25 yards. It was a BLAST!!!! they were just set up on a 2x4, and were easy to replace. Hits were obvious and it was a lot of fun. We went through cases of the jugs, but we still talk about that being the most awesome stage ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmorris Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 I am thinking if many people show up you would have a mud hole. What about ballons? A bunch of trash to pick up but dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdphotoguy Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Clay pigeons are another inexpensive target and it's obvious when they are hit, plus reset time would not be to bad and no clean up, they are biodegradable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMarlow Posted November 12, 2011 Author Share Posted November 12, 2011 Yeah, that much water would result in a muddy mess, but I don't think it'd be any worse than a two-day match in the rain. And as anybody who has ever shot water-filled milk jugs can attest, there aren't many reactive targets more fun than that. Even after I get the plan for the match ironed out, it'll still be at least a couple months just to collect enough jugs and bottles to have a decent-sized match. I really hope to get this done and post some stuff online sometime after the new year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midvalleyshooter Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I used to set up shotgun side matches and sometimes would use milk jugs for the first target. They make a huge splash when hit solidly with a 12 gauge and are a lot of fun. We used steel poppers and/or clays in holders for subsequent targets. The milk jug targets are time consuming and are a bit of a mess to clean up. But they are loads of fun in the summer time! Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midvalleyshooter Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 And as far as collecting the jugs ask your shooters for help. Its amazing how many jugs will show up when you put the word out:) Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelShooten Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 I'm not sure if this is the appropriate area for this, and if not, please let me know where it should go. I have an idea I've been kicking around for some time and I wonder if anybody here has seen it, done it, or even heard of it; I'd like to try putting together a shooting competition where the targets are water-filled milk jugs. Everybody likes shooting at things filled with water, and a pistol, or even better, three-gun match where all the targets are water-filled milk jugs seems like it could be a whole lot of fun. It seems like an action shooting match where things blow up could make a decent fundraising event as it would be more spectator-friendly than a typical USPSA or IDPA-type match. (1/2 gallon?) Jugs full of water will take a lot of water. The PET soda bottles tumble over but they don't really split open all that well. Hardly explosive. They do funny things when full of actual soda but otherwise are not impressive Try this out: Collect some intact but empty cans and fill them to the brim with ordinary tap water. They should burst when hit squarely. (with rifle rounds they blow up spectacularly) They are small targets but safe to shoot them at point blank range (say, close enough to get wet) out to whatever distance that they become too challenging. If the tab hasn't been torn off it makes a good way to hang it. Use a 5 gallon bucket of water for filling stations. You can submerge over 20 cans in the bucket. Pull out a full one and sink some fresh ones as you go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Take a screw on bottle cap. Screw it (with a real screw) to a 2x2 through the bottom of the cap, such that the cap fits flush to the board. The "female" part of the cap will then be available so that you can screw a (fresh) bottle to it. The 2x2 will serve as a top frame rail. The bottles will hang from the 2x2. You can put a number of caps on a length of 2x2... making a rack of targets. You can even switch out the 2x2 "racks" between shooters. Have a number of racks, and they can be prepared while the squad waits their turn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djeffers Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Here is another thought. With all the different bottle types, you could have 1 gallon jugs on one stage, 20 oz. soda bottles on another, 1/2 gallon jugs on another, etc. Then for variety you could throw in an all steel stage and then a stage with clays and/or a carnival stage with a little bit of everything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint-M Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 That's an awesome idea. Next time I stop by Lowes I'm going to grab a handful of 2x2's to make a tree out of 2 liter bottles at the bottom and work out to those tiny coke bottles. I can't believe I never thought of something like this before! CM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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