Creative Shotgun Targets

[1760yds]

I'm looking for ideas for creative shotgun targets to use in 3 gun or tactical shotgun matches. I'm mostly wanting ideas for shot but slug ideas are okay too. Pictures are always great. Thanks.

[Langenator]

If your match is the weekend of April 15th, would Form 1040s be kosher?

[1760yds]

If your match is the weekend of April 15th, would Form 1040s be kosher?

When I first read this I thought for sure that you had posted this in the wrong thread. However, I think you are suggesting that we use 1040's as shotgun targets Thanks for the suggestion.

[Modoc]

We made up a couple 5 limbed trees from rebar with 2 nails on the end of each. We then put potatoes or apples on the nails and shoot those off with the shotgun. Another interesting one was, one of our shooters found some JUMBO marshmallows that we put on the can tosser. Both of these have been big hits at our cowboy action matches for the shotgun only stage. Full cans of CHEAP DIET soda also work well either on the can tosser or on the ground.

We have used 16" pieces of pipe stood on end that you have to knock over and 24" pieces of HDPE Conduit that you have to move out of a box. I know that these are not "traditional" multi-gun shotgun targets. But they have gotten a lot of miles and smiles throughout the years in our CAS club.

Edited December 3, 2011 by Modoc

[Karl @ GT]

Hello, Here is a short video with a few cool shotgun targets, a set of swingers with double clay target holders, static clay target holders, a windmill with 6 clay targets and a hinged steel 8" circle.

later, Karl @ GT

[1760yds]

We made up a couple 5 limbed trees from rebar with 2 nails on the end of each. We then put potatoes or apples on the nails and shoot those off with the shotgun. Another interesting one was, one of our shooters found some JUMBO marshmallows that we put on the can tosser. Both of these have been big hits at our cowboy action matches for the shotgun only stage. Full cans of CHEAP DIET soda also work well either on the can tosser or on the ground.

We have used 16" pieces of pipe stood on end that you have to knock over and 24" pieces of HDPE Conduit that you have to move out of a box. I know that these are not "traditional" multi-gun shotgun targets. But they have gotten a lot of miles and smiles throughout the years in our CAS club.

Good ideas. Can you explain more about the HDPE Conduit you are moving out of box please?

[Langenator]

If your match is the weekend of April 15th, would Form 1040s be kosher?

When I first read this I thought for sure that you had posted this in the wrong thread. However, I think you are suggesting that we use 1040's as shotgun targets Thanks for the suggestion.

yeah...I figured by April 15th, folks will need an outlet for their frustrations...

[Modoc]

1760yds,

We use 18"-24" sections of 2" dia. HDPE conduit set parallel to the firing line at abuot 7 yards. The shooter has to then move the "snake" across a line 6+ feet behind it. For a small group of shooters, paint kinda works, but grade setting tassels set at 2'-3' intervals make for a better start/stop line. This is usually used in conjunction with other targets like a star, can tosser and or knock downs. We have also incorperated it into a regular CAS stage. If you are good, it only takes one or two shots, but..... I have had to shoot one several times when an end hit turned it perpendicular to the firing line. We figure 1 piece for every 3 shooters, but sometimes they last longer. I will see if I can dig out some pictures and maybe a stage description from an annual match that we used them in.

We seldomly use clays for the flippers because the main range forbids them.

[1760yds]

1760yds,

We use 18"-24" sections of 2" dia. HDPE conduit set parallel to the firing line at abuot 7 yards. The shooter has to then move the "snake" across a line 6+ feet behind it. For a small group of shooters, paint kinda works, but grade setting tassels set at 2'-3' intervals make for a better start/stop line. This is usually used in conjunction with other targets like a star, can tosser and or knock downs. We have also incorperated it into a regular CAS stage. If you are good, it only takes one or two shots, but..... I have had to shoot one several times when an end hit turned it perpendicular to the firing line. We figure 1 piece for every 3 shooters, but sometimes they last longer. I will see if I can dig out some pictures and maybe a stage description from an annual match that we used them in.

We seldomly use clays for the flippers because the main range forbids them.

Thanks for the clarification. I'd love to see pictures if you find them. Also, not to sound ignorant but what is a "can tosser"?

[Modoc]

There are a pair in the background, Can Tosser/Can Thrower You can see them in front of my left elbow. They have an activator plate that either releases a spring of some form to launch the secondary target or falls down to catapult the second target. Both styles are visible. We also use self resetting poppers for shotgun along with "bells" which are sections of old gas cylinders/Old steel fire extinguishers. I am still searching through several years of pictures for some HDPE pipe shots.

A down side is that after the second shooter, a majority of the paint on the activator plate has been shot off.

As an aside Rudy Project Team members, check out the TO's and Shooter's sunglasses

The nice thing about using empty soup/dog food/vegetable cans is that they are easy to clean up and we can take them down to the local scrap yard and get some money back

Edited December 5, 2011 by Modoc

[Modoc]

Here are a couple more pictures of the things that we use for shotgun targets. This one shows an R&R star and some 3" dia. pieces of steel pipe sitting on top of a plate. The plate gives a better surface for it to stand on and a paint ring gives consistent placement when they are reset.

Note that this was a shotgun only stage, so the shooters left the pistols in the gun carts.

Edited December 5, 2011 by Modoc

[Charles Bond]

Grocery stores are always tossing lots of stuff. Cabbage works especially well since you either shoot the head off of the nail or you do not. A single pellet does not score.

Another great idea for soft cover is Christmas trees. By the end of the month your local Lowes, Home Depot and local stands will be glad for you to cart them away. They work really well for about 3 months, are easy to position and then you have a great bonfire with them at a range cookout.

[1760yds]

Great Ideas.

[cas]

I'm working on ideas for a mixed stage shotgun match next year. A mixed bag, some static steel, some IPSC style… we really wanted to have a bowling pin match stage, but pins and birdshot don't mix. Making everyone buy an unknown amount of buckshot doesn't seem like a good idea either so I'm searching for alternatives.

I'm trying to come up with ideas to get the same effect but without the pins. Been thinking about tennis balls, or old baseballs, maybe a mix of both. Making a table out of a sheet of plywood. Perhaps with a small raised border around the edges. Start with 5 balls at the front of the table. Balls have to leave the table to score. Three array like this side by side might be fun with the same feel as a pin match. I have to do some testing.

[sargenv]

I have a couple of "cowboys in a row" racks.. they use them for SASS shoots where the targets are in a row as opposed to a 6 or 8 plate rack side to side.. Last year I set up two of these racks and then used the Steel USPSA target with a 4" hole cut in the center of it.. Shooters had to knock down the steel in a row but had to squat a bit to make their shot effective (ie get enough lead on the steel) those who tried to hose it without getting in line with the steel about 6 yards behind the USPSA cut with a hole in it, would progressively shoot the steel cowboys lower and lower until they were practically shooting the targets in the feet.. and obviously not getting enough lead on steel to make the last target move. I will likely incorporate that into my annual shotgun only match in Sept '12.

The other thing I've used in the past is a static clay behind a self resetting USP.. last year one of my builders put steel pipes behind spring loaded self resetting steel, the only effective way to shoot the pipe was to accurately double tap so that the dwell on the steel being down had a very fast second pattern of shot flying over it and to the pipe behind it.. It caused much gnashing of teeth even among the better shooters.. pump gun guys weren't fast enough to get a second follow up on it and tended to leave targets standing.. I'll never allow something that hard again.

You can get clay target holders that mount in swingers.. that adds something interesting to the standard static clay.