While shooting at traditional scoring targets does serve its purpose. I find that after a while it gets kind off boring, so I start looking for new types of things that are both inexpensive, and fun to shoot. In this post I will cover some of the ideas which I have found through the years. Now, as I mentioned in the last post, you need to know your target, as well as what lies beyond it. So, anything that is very hard, and very flat, offers a more significant chance or ricochet. That is why there are some extra safety rules for shooting at steel targets in matches (usually lead bullets, minimum safe distances and things like that). As well as the targets either being angled in such a way as to deflect the bullet in a safe direction, or having some other means of distributing the energy in a safe manner (like a "pepper popper" target that falls backwards). So, make sure whatever target you are shooting, will not send the rounds coming back towards you, or in any other unsafe direction. That being said, shooting steel in a safe matter is a lot of fun, because it gives audible feedback of a good hit.
One of the characteristics that will make a good type of target stand out is that it gives easily recognizable feedback, which is one area where paper generally fails beyond normal pistol ranges. That being said when I am shooting at paper targets, I usually shoot either at a human silhouette target, or simple paper plates. If you read Marshall's findings that he wrote after World War 2, it makes a strong case for why someone who is training for defend themselves with a firearm should shoot at a silhouette or similar target. You can also find a very good synopsis of the topic in "On Killing," by Ltcol. Dave Grossman.
But, purpose made targets tend to be kind of expensive, which is a reason I like paper plates. You can buy a couple hundred for a few bucks, and they do a lot of things well. First of all they are a 9" circle, which is about the same as most standard bullseye pistol targets, so they are a reasonable size target for a pistol. However, unlike standard pistol targets, they lack aiming reference points, which I like for a couple reasons. First is that a lot of people have a tendency to try to focus on the target while shooting, which isn't really what you want to do for sighted firing. You want to be focused on the front sight, the target should be fuzzy in the background. So, if you take away aiming points on the target, a lot of times people shoot smaller groups, because they focusing on the front sight as long as the target is somewhat lined up. The other reason is that a fair amount of my firearms training that I do myself is defensive in nature. In a self-defense situation, there probably will not be aiming references on an assailant, so, why would you have them on your targets? If you can consistently get a 2-3" group on a paper plate from 7-10 yards with a pistol, then you understand the fundamentals of shooting, and are pretty good at executing them.
One upgrade that you can also use with a paper target are the target stickers that have been out for a few years, that show with a bright color where your shot went. There are a number of different makers and names for them, but if you go to somewhere that sells firearms, they most likely have them. These make it possible to see hits on a paper target at further distances, and can really come in handy for sighting in a new scope or set of sights.
One of my favorite targets to shoot for a long time have been clay pigeons, and not just with a shotgun either. Trap, skeet, sporting clays, or just informal clay sports are a whole lot of fun, but your options aren't limited to that. You can also use them as a rifle or pistol target. They are fairly inexpensive (usually under $10 for a box of 90), so you can shoot a lot of them. They also are easy to sight in on due to their bright orange color, although they have about a 3" diameter, so it takes some skill to hit them. But they provide very positive feedback when shot. You can clearly see the clay turn to dust when hit with a rifle or pistol round, which is a bit more exciting that seeing a new hole in a piece of paper. Also, if you want to have a competition with your friends, see who can get the most hits with a .22 on a clay until it is completely disintegrated. If you start at the top and work your way down, it may be more than you think.
Another good option, especially for rifles at distance, are balloons. Not only will a balloon tell you what the wind is doing at the target, it moves the target around to increase the difficulty. The balloon obviously gives very positive visual feedback as well. The downside is obviously that they are a single shot target, but, if you want to add a bit of stress, and test your skills for hunting, a balloon can be a great target. You need to be able to read the wind, be accurate, and hit a moving target within its arc of movement.
Finally you have basic plinking type targets. Things like old pop or food cans that turn into a moving target when shot with a .22. Water bottles filled with liquid that provide great visual feedback when hit. Or a deck of cards that you and your friends can play firearms poke with (put all the cards face up on a target backing, each shooter gets 5 shots, best hand wins). Or bowling pins. The possibilities are really endless.
Please check with your range safety officer/range master before just putting up random objects as targets, most ranges have rules about what kind of targets are allowed. And if you are shooting at objects like these on private property, be sure to clean up any debris after you are done shooting. Always be sure the target is safe to shoot at, and you have a safe backstop as well. Does anyone else have any fun target ideas that they would like to share? I am always looking for new ideas.
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