Range games

L. Cooper · #1 10-23-2002, 09:04 PM

We are trying to come up with some ideas for attracting new people to our range by having some "fun" shoots for modest, mostly donated, prizes.

We want to be able to use rimfires and center fires, and all the various types of guns people will bring with them. We're looking for groups size, accuracy, and some blind luck type games everyone can play and that even novice shooters could enjoy. Anyone seen any unusual games that would be appropriate?

Hawk · #2 10-24-2002, 06:53 AM

We have a "Running Deer" comp every year. It consists of 2 plywood deer traveling across the end of the range, with 2 people shooting at a time. The plywood is hung from a cable that is run on truck rims, powered by a 1/2 horse electric motor. We shoot muzzleloaders from 50 yards and rifles from 100, 200 and 300 yards with a total score. The scoring is set up with 3 points for a front end shot 2 for a back end and 4 for a shot on the tape that goes around the heart area.
We just had it last weekend. Everything from .222 to .300 RUM was used with my 8x57 coming home with 1st place. It is a lot of fun.

eshetney · #3 11-09-2002, 10:30 AM

I got one for you-

Bowling pin shoot with centerfire rifles. Not exactly a real challenge, especially at 25-50 yards, but an 06 really turns em inside out! On that note, one the clubs I belong to has an annual "veggie shoot" where they get as much (bad) produce as possible, and spend an afternoon of target practice. You definitely know when you hit a melon with a .30-06! These kinds of things are relatively easy and fun for people, especially those who are new to the sport.

eshetney · #4 11-09-2002, 10:37 AM

One more: char coal briquettes make good targets for .22's! Nice puff of black smoke when you hit one.

Chadster · #5 11-19-2002, 01:09 PM

Here's one. We've all been to the carnival and thrown darts at balloons. try shooting them for a prize. The balloon with a tag behind it wins. Not a lot of skill involved(depending on the range), but it would work great for a blind luck game.

Seadog · #6 11-19-2002, 01:34 PM

For the kids, those metal spinner targets from WalMart and soda cans hung from the target frame are good. Kids like to see their targets move.
For some real challenge, aspirins taped to a black posterboard are good. 25 and 50 yards, depending on the shooter's skill.
Oranges at 100 yards are very "reactive" targets - good splatter effect! Eggs are good, but tend to smell, especially in the summer.
If the shooters are good, Oreo and White Wedding cookies at 100 yards are challenging.
A buddy and I like to take turns shooting soda cans on the 120 yard berm. First shooter get's it moving, the second shooter tries to whack it before it stops.

BukTruk · #7 11-26-2002, 08:18 PM

There are a lot of good ideas here, but I am going to have to recomend strongly against one of them. The bowling pin shoot. I know a lot of ranges that shoot bowling pins, but I have had a bad experience with them, here is the story.

My dad and I were out side one summer working on my truck. My step brother came out of the house and said that a screw had just blown through our microwave. At the same time my dad and I said, "What did you put in it?" He said, "Nothing, I was just sitting on the couch watching t.v. and I heard a noise, I went into the kitchen and a screw had blown through the back of the microwave and out the door." We went inside, and after looking around a little, I found a full metal jacket bullet laying on the floor under our kitchen table. The problem with finding out where it came from was that right after this happened, it started raining, the people quite shooting. The police had no idea where it came from, they searched the woods near our house with dogs and found nothing. Later that day, we took the GPS and went driving, we ended up finding a home shooting range about 2 1/2 miles away. My dad said it couldn't have been from there since they had about a 15-20 ft. sand pit that they had their targets (bowling pins) in. We stopped in to talk to them, and it turns out they had been shooting earlier that day, and the bullet did match one of there guns. He bought us a new microwave, we plugged the hole in the side of the house and luckily that is all that happened, sure this is a fluke incident, but why take the chance. Just a little story about shooting bowling pins.

mazter · #8 11-26-2002, 08:28 PM

Try Hitting a GolfBall hanging at 200 yds. with a .243

Mil Dot · #9 11-27-2002, 12:54 AM

Try a 3wood to get it out there!

Then a spotting scope to find it.

And the 243 for a tap out!

Or get a buddy to drive the ball out there and you shoot it.

I like the last idea ... just make sure your buds can only hit it 100 to 150yrds like mine. I'll be guaranteed to win!

MarkL · #10 11-27-2002, 10:58 AM

At every range I've been to, and every club I've belonged to (three now), there are strict rules against shooting at anything but paper targets mounted on the target frames. Shooting fruit, soda cans, charcoal, clay pidgeons, etc. on the ground or even up against the berm will get you escorted permanently off the range if you get caught.

There are good reasons for such rules. Shooting at objects on the ground in front of the berm will definitely lead to ricochets going over the berm. Putting an object up against the berm is probably safe, but most people won't understand why putting it 20 yards in front of the berm is not also safe, so it's best not to open that door at all.

My point is you need to think about what kind of example you set by allowing such "fun" at your range. You wouldn't want to encourage people to be rule-breakers. I'm not saying don't do it, but explain that such shooting is only allowed under controlled conditions, etc.

Mil Dot · #11 11-28-2002, 12:17 AM

We are talking about "range games" not out on the plains in a wash out games.

Thanks for the clarity.

rjf3 · #12 12-03-2002, 09:16 PM

One of my favorites is pingpong balls glued to thread hanging up. Any breeze makes this a real challenge.

Russ

tooldummy · #13 03-14-2004, 04:27 PM

The aspirin shooting is fun. Only we hot glue them to cardboard. When you hit them, they make a great "puff" of white smoke. At 50 yards it's a blast. A range close by has varmint shoots where dum dum suckers are shot at 100 yards and Ritz crackers at 200. I've got to go see this sometime. We also hot glue clay pigeons to cardboard and shoot them. The hits are easy to see and fun for beginners.

mazter · #14 03-15-2004, 04:27 PM

If you have any left over Prescription Bottles fill them with a little Baby powder, Drill very small hole in cap, Insert string to hang them with and shoot at 200yds. You'll see a white poof if your on the Money with your gun.

HPBTMTCH · #15 06-22-2005, 06:01 PM

One of my favorite games to play with the kids is just like basketball`s horse. It can be played with paper targets, but it`s a lot more fun with spinners. Set up targets of different sizes, and then the first one up calls their shot. Sitting, standing, or off hand, if you make it, the following shooter has to make it, if you don`t, you get a "letter", just like the game is played in basketball.