Bowling pins are fun. Most bowling alleys have old ones for $1 each.

I always wanted to get a big box of molding clay so that you can see the cavity different rounds produce.

When I go to my folks place to shoot (middle of no where) I will lay 20ga shotgun shells on their side and shoot (from 100 yards plus) the primers with my 10/22. You know when you hit them, same goes for those little Coleman propane bottles. I would not reccomend even attempting that at a public range though.

My favorite is pop/beer cans. Well, that and ground hogs.

I like to shoot diet pepsi cans (full and shaken), little plastic army soldiers, and jugs/bottles of water. Last week I took all my old laundry detergent and bleach containers out full of water and blasted them away. Milk jugs and such blow up a little more though.

When I can find them, I pick up those little Necco candy wafers in bulk. They're about the size of a quarter, and shatter pleasantly when hit. May be a bit messy for an indoor range though.

Many times you can get used bowling pins for free just for the asking. Not very satisfying to shoot with a .22 though. Barely moves them unless they're hung.

Instead of just plain water bottles filled with water. Try, freezing them and then shooting.

Mike

During a long match, while people were waiting their turns to shoot, we put on side matches of all kinds.
One popular side match was shooting at a raw egg at 25 yards. Each shot cost a quarter, and the person who hit the egg got whatever had been paid into the pot.
Another popular side match was merely shooting at a quarter, usually at 15, 20, or 25 yards. If you hit it, you got the dented quarter and a day's-worth of bragging rights.
Clay shotgun targets are pretty easy to hit, at pistol ranges. Try putting one out at 50 or 75 yards, and see how you do.
Our range featured a large, distinctive rock at 200 yards, and another at about 250. You'd be surprised at how easy those rocks were to hit, after first having put in 50 rounds of futile practice, trying to get the range.

CDs are pretty cool targets with the object being NOT to hit them. Shoot thru the hole in the center. CRT monitors make a pretty good pop when the screen is hit. Putting a sheet of plastic on the floor would help with the cleanup. Just bundle it up and throw away afterwards.

How about liberals?

Originally Posted by James NM

How about liberals?

Originally Posted by thelonerang3r

...CRT monitors make a pretty good pop when the screen is hit...

If you set a CRT on its face, and shoot at the base of its neck, a hit will not only cause the tube to implode spectacularly, but also it'll send the neck rocketing straight upwards and almost into orbit.

(Please reassure me that you'll only do this trick at the town landfill, because widely-scattered broken glass larded with lead is not something to leave laying around.)

I use hard old drives, CD ROM, pretty often. I used to use golf balls but you have to be careful where you do that. They can really get moving if you hit them dead on. Balloons are fun sometimes. A Box of saltines are great if you can keep them up where you can shoot them. Now that's thinking green!

Originally Posted by Steve M1911A1

If you set a CRT on its face, and shoot at the base of its neck, a hit will not only cause the tube to implode spectacularly, but also it'll send the neck rocketing straight upwards and almost into orbit.
(Please reassure me that you'll only do this trick at the town landfill, because widely-scattered broken glass larded with lead is not something to leave laying around.)

That sounds wicked. I doubt they would let me do it at the landfill, I'll look for someplace better than the woods though.

My buddy and i stand spent 12 gauge shells on end and shoot at them from 25 yards, it's pretty challenging depending on what you are using to shoot with.

Oh! Oh! I know.

How about politicians ..... especially those in Congress.

Originally Posted by James NM

Oh! Oh! I know.

How about politicians ..... especially those in Congress.

I like the way you think James.

+1 James

I like to shoot at plain ol' empty can's a well as anything there is to shoot ... paper is my last choice and 95% of what I shoot at .... paper.

Originally Posted by James NM

How about liberals?

Some of the most successful hunters I know are liberals. I would probably be considered a liberal by most of you because of my environmental views, but I enjoy shooting, and lean more to the conservative end as far as fiscal issues are concerned.

I recently joined these forums to gain some insight into shooting techniques, ammunition selection, etc. for a new XD-9 pistol I recently purchased. I hunted upland birds, waterfowl, and deer a lot in my youth, but only recently got back into shooting. I have other interests as well so I frequent several other types of outdoor related forums which has shaped my perspective of this forum.

What I have seen in this forum so far are several things:
1) very useful information from experienced people like Steve M1911A1 - thanks!

2) an iron fisted hand from the moderator that quickly shuts down threads if the debate gets a little heated - not an easy job, and it's his perogative to do so, but it sometimes seems permature (just my opinion)

3) idiotic posts like the above that only support the anti-gun crowds view of gun owners as a bunch of ignorant hicks (worse than the post itself is the applauding support of the moderator)

Even the idle threat, granted through poorly attempted humor, of shooting other humans because of their political views is a little childish, don't you think? I think it's time that forums like this put some effort into not perpetuating the stereotypical view of gun enthusiasts as a bunch of "shoot at anything that moves" rednecks. It only adds support to the arguments of the anti-gun crowd.

I hope to not be banned from the forums after this post, and I don't necessarily like that it is my first post. But I just felt I had to speak out to the fact that we are only making the battle against gun control harder if we don't try to stop perpetuating the stereotypical view that the gun control advocates currently have of us. My 2 cents.

Good response Highline

Welcome aboard.

Originally Posted by Highline

Some of the most successful hunters I know are liberals. I would probably be considered a liberal by most of you because of my environmental views, but I enjoy shooting, and lean more to the conservative end as far as fiscal issues are concerned.

Please do keep in mind that a great many people here don't believe that the 2nd Amendment has anything at all to do with hunting. I welcome any and all viewpoints in discussions. What I have a difficult time with is people (not saying you) that don't take the time to educate themselves in a subject, yet feel compelled to write laws that limit or outright remove my rights. I wouldn't advocate shooting anyone but with one exception, and that's the defense of ones self.


As far as fun stuff to shoot? Well, I personally like shooting the biodegradable clay pigeons. They make for a good challenge with a rifle at 200 yards or so and great fun for pistols up close. Immediate reaction to your shooting prowess. BANG--SPLATTER!

And for the love of God, everyone, please clean up after yourselves if you shoot stuff that turns into a junky mess. Hell, I often leave with more than I brought simply because I don't want someone telling me I can't shoot there anymore because of the mess that always seems to get left behind by others.

Shoot safe!

Originally Posted by Highline

... 3) idiotic posts like the above that only support the anti-gun crowds view of gun owners as a bunch of ignorant hicks (worse than the post itself is the applauding support of the moderator)

Even the idle threat, granted through poorly attempted humor, of shooting other humans because of their political views is a little childish, don't you think? I think it's time that forums like this put some effort into not perpetuating the stereotypical view of gun enthusiasts as a bunch of "shoot at anything that moves" rednecks. It only adds support to the arguments of the anti-gun crowd.

I hope to not be banned from the forums after this post, and I don't necessarily like that it is my first post. But I just felt I had to speak out to the fact that we are only making the battle against gun control harder if we don't try to stop perpetuating the stereotypical view that the gun control advocates currently have of us. My 2 cents.

Highline:

Don't be such a pinhead.

Idiotic posts such as yours only confirm that most liberals hold themselves and their opinions in higher regard than anyone else does. Only a pinhead liberal would call my post an "idle threat", or suggest that I advocate "shooting other humans because of their political views". Talk about "childish".

In true liberal fashion, I see you whole heartedly support free speech - as long as it is speech you agree with.

On a side note, I surmised that you are not a member of Congress. You took offense at my liberal comment (a group you are obviously a member of) but didn't mention my comment about Congress (a group you are obviously not a member of). Why the double standard? Are YOU saying it's ok to target Congress?

- Good response James. Some people take things Waaaaay to serious. Now if I find that you WERE serious, I might have to turn "GULP" Liberal???

Originally Posted by James NM

Highline:

Don't be such a pinhead.

Idiotic posts such as yours only confirm that most liberals hold themselves and their opinions in higher regard than anyone else does. Only a pinhead liberal would call my post an "idle threat", or suggest that I advocate "shooting other humans because of their political views". Talk about "childish".

In true liberal fashion, I see you whole heartedly support free speech - as long as it is speech you agree with.

On a side note, I surmised that you are not a member of Congress. You took offense at my liberal comment (a group you are obviously a member of) but didn't mention my comment about Congress (a group you are obviously not a member of). Why the double standard? Are YOU saying it's ok to target Congress?

I take every bit as much exception to the Congress comment, but responded specifically to the first statement because that's the one that was condoned by the moderator, and the first one I read. I have known a lot of non-liberal gun enthusiasts over the years who would take exception as well because they get tired of the tarnished view by the left because of comments like yours. Free speech would imply that I am entitled to my opinion too, eh?

To put this in perspective, suppose you had chosen another segment of the population, how does it read? As I said, I frequent other forums a lot because I have other interests such as mountain biking and backckountry skiing. Gun talk comes up often on those forums, however the level of professionalism seems to be a notch higher than what I have seen on most of the gun specific forums. Like it or not, you are reinforcing an unflattering stereotype that is common, even as viewed among some other responsible gun enthusiasts. If you want to choose to ignore that, it's your choice. But it does make a difference in the big picture in my opinion.

I have seen some really good informative posts on this forum and others. Unfortunately, I have seen some redneck yeehawin' as well, but this forum seemed to have a little less of that, so I joined. I have spent 40 plus years in the outdoors and grew up with guns and hunting as a way of life. I ate much more wild game and fish than store bought meat as a kid. I knew a lot of irresponsible gun owners then and I know a few now. It's unfortunate that forums like these can't seem to elevate themselves above the former in many instances because you could gain a lot more ground in the political arena in my opinion.

Okay, back to shooting stuff. I don't know but I would like to try some melons. Anyone shoot melons?

Highline;
I consider myself to be a social liberal (note the lower-case "L"), although I am a fiscal and political conservative (note the lower-case "C"). I am also relatively well-educated.
Regardless of my political and social leanings, I think that your complaint is unjustified. I believe that it was obvious to just about everybody that James's reference to using politicians as targets was a wry social comment, and not a threat against anybody. I think that you're overreacting to non-PC humor.
Now, here's my own reaction to your Politically Correct reaction: Please remember that the First Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees James's right to make any sort of comment he pleases, whether or not it displeases you, or even if it deeply offends your sensibilities.
Rather than publicly censure James for having a viewpoint different from yours, you might instead have sat back and made a mental note that James's mode of humor does not agree with your own. Then, knowing that, you might've resolved never to correspond with James. Or you may have decided to merely "wait and see" what sort of person James really is, beyond his visible non-PC, wry humor, and then to proceed from that point.
Instead, you have censured him in general, based upon only one of his posts here. Further, you have raised his ire with your preëmptive censorship, thus cutting off any possibility of civil discourse with him.
Do you really believe that this was a good, mature thing to have done?
I don't.

Originally Posted by Steve M1911A1

Highline;
I consider myself to be a social liberal (note the lower-case "L"), although I am a fiscal and political conservative (note the lower-case "C"). I am also relatively well-educated.
Regardless of my political and social leanings, I think that your complaint is unjustified. I believe that it was obvious to just about everybody that James's reference to using politicians as targets was a wry social comment, and not a threat against anybody. I think that you're overreacting to non-PC humor.
Now, here's my own reaction to your Politically Correct reaction: Please remember that the First Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees James's right to make any sort of comment he pleases, whether or not it displeases you, or even if it deeply offends your sensibilities.
Rather than publicly censure James for having a viewpoint different from yours, you might instead have sat back and made a mental note that James's mode of humor does not agree with your own. Then, knowing that, you might've resolved never to correspond with James. Or you may have decided to merely "wait and see" what sort of person James really is, beyond his visible non-PC, wry humor, and then to proceed from that point.
Instead, you have censured him in general, based upon only one of his posts here. Further, you have raised his ire with your preëmptive censorship, thus cutting off any possibility of civil discourse with him.
Do you really believe that this was a good, mature thing to have done?
I don't.

A wry social comment, not a true threat. Yes, I concur and used a poor choice of words with my first post. It's not that I think he was actually serious, but I still think it's comments like these that undermine the politcal strength of arguing against gun control. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think so. I still find it offensive and the First Amendment also allows me to say as much. As far as one post, it was two, plus a third by the moderator. Thats 3 out of 16 posts in this thread, prior to my post that represented an attitude that I felt I needed to comment on. Maybe wrong, maybe right, but that's how it went down and I don't regret voicing my opinion.

Come on Highline. This is no place for reason.

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Straight from the Forum Guidelines. You can't talk about zombies, or fighting your way through disaster or revolution here because it will make us seem like gun-toting nut jobs to any of the unenlightened who might be reading along. And you better make sure you hold your gun right side up and not sideways. Advocating the assassination of elected officials is ok though - as long as you're just kidding.

And liberals are welcome here too.... as long as they know their place. Kind of like Mississippi or Alabama during the 50's.