Reactive targets
 

Took some surplus Baseballs out today. I was teaching a couple how to shoot handguns. This was from fun time out of my 1892 clone in .44-40 at 50 yards off hand standing. It is such an accurate rifle!! This is the only one we could find at the end of the day.
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...DSCF0008-5.jpg

I've never shot baseballs before. How many did you shoot?

How many shots do you think an average baseball would take before it's no longer reactive and just a clumpy mass?

4, As they were shot more they traveled less. 2 were gone on the 1st shot. This one was hit once by a .22, bullet did not exit, The next 5 were w/ the .44-40. The last 4 were on the ground and it rolled about 10 yards down range total. It is quite miss shaped now. I was using 205gr cast lead. Bet JSP's would have shortened its life. Out of the 24" octagonal barrel velosity gets up to 200gr .44 mag velosity also w/ cast lead in an equal length barrel. Shooting cans from 30 yards to 75 yards my buddy hit 4 different target at different ranges with 4 rounds his 1st time shooting the rifle. Target size was 2.5"x5.5" cans. Baseballs are 3".

Nice shooting. I wish I could use reactive targets on the range I go to, but they have some pretty strict safety rules. Big boy rules definitely do not apply. :(

We go to the power lines near my house. It makes new shooters feel more comfortable since no one else is watching, they don't feel "silly". It also makes it easy to set up targets at different ranges and heights. Plus the ranges that I belonged to only allowed 1 guest. With 2 boys of my own, it would be difficult.

If ranges become the only shooting option I will sell all but a few of my guns. Shooting at paper or IDPA format targets are almost as much fun as watching grass grow.

Give me golf balls and things that bounce when I shoot them. I like the self healing plastic spinners. Soon they quit spinning and you never get the same look at the target twice.

shoot POTATOS

I guess I'm just an old boring fart, but I like shooting paper targets. In fact, I just don't get the "reactive targets" thing. I shoot for tight groups with all of my rifles and reloads and I couldn't care less how a target "reacts" to the shot. I want every bullet to hit at the same place.
cottontop

It is great practice for hunting. You'll never see game at exactly 100 yards. When my buddy hit 4 for 4 at different distances, and the target showed the hit by movement and sound, it was instant gradification for him. Being able to hit 4 2.5x5.5" targets in rapid succesion was really good for a newbie. After the 1st target he had to cycle the action, aquire the next target and fire. It seems easier for a person new to firearms to shoot at a 3D target then 2D.

Shooting silhouettes is an art in itself. No matter what color you paint them lighting will affect what you are seeing. The same thing happens in the woods. Not every deer looks like a painting standing in the open. I have shot deer with open sights that I spotted with binoculars. With my naked eye all I could see is white part of the deer's ears. With binoculars I could see the deers whole neck and head. I killed the deer with a neck shot because there was a cluster of yellow leaves right in front of his neck. I just shot a few inches over the yellow cluster.