targets for shotgun practice

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Any suggestions out there for durable targets to use for a shotgun. I just bought a Mossberg 12 gauge and took my wooden target frame to the range. Now I have toothpicks left. My sons and I enjoyed making the frames into toothpicks... a lot. I would like to find something that will last more than these did. I hesitate to use steel because I am afraid of ricochet's. I have seen plastic that kind of heals itself but I have also read poor reviews of those. I did find that a lacrosse ball hanging from a coat hanger works pretty well but I still need something to hang it from. I have also heard that boxes of wet newspaper are good at absorbing rounds but I don't want to make a big mess at the range either. I am thinking if it is robust enough for a shotgun, then my 22 rifles and 9 mm should be a piece of cake.

Thanks,
Dave
 
What were you using for wood? The typical inch thick crap most target holders are made of, or some 2x4's? If done right, you can build a nice shotgun patterning stand that should hold up for a while, depending on your aim and ammo used(birdshot vs buckshot). It just might need to be left at the range rather than lugged back and forth.
 
Clay birds.

Clay birds are good for damn near any ammo/gun. I put them out at 100yds and plink them with the 10/22. 25yds for the 00shot. 7yds for handgun. Very versatile!

Now, if you have the will, get some steel angle iron and shoot at it in such a way that it would "split" a round (in this case, shot), deflecting the shot in either direction. You have to make sure left and right of the angle beam is a "safe" zone.

1/2" angle stock can deflect most stuff, even the high-power stuff. It's making sure downrange is safe.

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thanks for all the input. i like the tire idea. it uses junk that others don't need. the clay birds could get expensive. we are pretty wasteful and easily go through a few hundred rounds of assorted ammo when we go shooting so adding in clay birds (though i do like shooting them) would compound the cost. the angle iron would not work as this is an outdoor range and i could see ricochets being a problem. the range has a rule that you cannot leave your target frames there so that is out. the target frames we destroyed were 2x3 rectangular frames and i used crappy 2x3 wood. that is because it is the size that fits into the pvc pipe holders. we mostly use bird shot but buck shot has more kick and is therefore, more fun.
 
Street signs always work for me. Especially from behind the wheel of my vehicle using one hand. Lol
 
Another favorite is to blow up balloons and staple them to a 2x4. You can even string them to get them up of the ground if you want.
When I have done this I bring a small air tank with me, but have done without before and with a clump of you going you can blow up 50 balloons pretty quick.
 
Another favorite is to blow up balloons and staple them to a 2x4. You can even string them to get them up of the ground if you want.
When I have done this I bring a small air tank with me, but have done without before and with a clump of you going you can blow up 50 balloons pretty quick.

Fill the balloons with propane from a torch. Light the torch shoot balloons, enjoy fireball
 
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