Did some father-son bonding with the firearms yesterday afternoon.
We came up with a new (for us anyway) target system for plinking with 22s (and 17HMRs).

We took a survey stake (or three) and stapled a strip of Gorilla Tape (Super duty duct-tape) to it with the sticky side out. That gave us a means of quickly sticking up Daisy Shatter Blasts to shoot at.
Nothing beats plinking old tin cans like plinking something that shatters when you hit it. No debating over a hit or miss either.
We did find the 17HMR round is so fast that it will often pierce the center of the SB and just make a hole in it. 22s however will shatter them quite nicely.

So – If you guys and gals are ever looking for a new (and rather inexpensive) target system for plinking. You may want to give this a try.

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1980 300D - Veggie Burner !

I just use a sharpie and draw 6 - 3/4" dots on a piece of white paper and then run 100 copies on the copier. Tape them over the target at the range or bring along a small cardboard box if out in the field.

5 shots each dot at 100yds, connect the holes.

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Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

09' E320 Bluetec 77k (USA)
09' Hyundai Santa Fe Diesel 48k (S.A.)

That works fine for me.

A 9 though, my son prefers to see things have a bit more reaction when he hits them. Like a 2x4 rail lined up with Dixie Cups full of water when he runs down them with the 17HMR.

He gets tired of making holes in paper as soon as he knows he’s got it sighted in.
Then it’s off to blowing things up... ring’n bells... flip’n steel around... dusting clay... cutting sticks down... hopping cans...

You know... “plink’n” things.

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1980 300D - Veggie Burner !

Try some spinner targets. "U" shape metal rod with 2" and 4" dia steel plates on ends of 2nd rod that spins around the horizontal leg of the U. Push it in the ground and have at.

Nothing to pick up afterwards.

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Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

09' E320 Bluetec 77k (USA)
09' Hyundai Santa Fe Diesel 48k (S.A.)

That's one heck of a backyard. Where were you shooting?

- Peter.

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2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

The .17 HMR is a blast, I'm still a bit more fond of the .22 mag due to ammo expense and availability but the HMR is quickly catching up. I agree paper can get painfully boring but pennies, nickles and water balloons break the monotony.

How are those 17HMR's compared to 22LR in terms of paper accuracy? I see enticing ads everywhere for that chambering.

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1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

Pretty much the same, the gun and fouling makes the biggest difference. The .22 mag is always on and the .17 never has flyers either if there is a difference wind and shooter error are the culprits.

Like all other things shooting I think my .22 mag is better further downrange in the 150 territory. ballistically the .17 may be better but the .22 always seems to make the mark. The disclaimer is I have been shooting the same .22 mag for 15 years while I only have 5 or 6 behind the .17, also I shoot the .22 mag tons more a few thousand rounds a year vs a few hundred with the .17 if that.

I prefer the lower report of the .17 which is the primary reason I bought it.

Our ranch between Gainesville and Callisburg, TX. About 3 miles south of the Red River. We can fly there from here in about 10 minutes. Or make a 30 minute drive.

Unless it's as windy as it is today. Then we just think about the place.

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1980 300D - Veggie Burner !

I'm a fair shot with .22 and when I see one hit the dirt 4' from where I'm aiming, that is an ammo problem.

If you want accurate .22, it ain't coming out of a box 'o bulk Remington from Wally World. It takes Eley (great stuff) or Federal Gold Cup (fairly great stuff). About 10 years ago, I went to the range one day and got scientific about it...I brought two kinds of Eley (Silhouette and Practice), the Federal GC and two different boxes of bulk...Remington and (if IIRC) Wolf.

All shots (10 of each ammo) were from bench rest, though my Izmash CM-2 Match with a 9X BSA air rifle scope . 50yds, no wind. The Izmash made cloverleaf holes in paper with the top-end Eley; Eley Silhouette had them all under a dime; Federal GC were all inside a quarter and the bulk ammo...well, let's say that of the 20 bulk ammo rounds, some didn't even hit the paper. Nuff said?

But, I'm no ammo snob, I like to blaze away all afternoon with a box of the cheapo stuff too!!!

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

He's 9 years old and pays for his own ammo.

Like you said. It was a blaze'n away kind of shoot that day.

Even with the bulk stuff. At that range. I've never seen him off the target by more than maybe a few inches unless he really jerks it.

As for our more serious shooting with the 22. I'm with you for sure. Federal or CCI. But for "Let's see what this does." and hike around the ranch shooting... Grab a fist full and dump it in your pocket!

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1980 300D - Veggie Burner !

I need to get a .22 that looks like a lot of fun! The military ammo is to expensive to shoot much. Last time I bought a box of 50 rounds of .30 carbine it was over $30! Almost $1 a round! Granted it was really nice ammo but still.

5.56, and 7.62 NATO rounds are God awful expensive. Unless you buy the steel case Russian junk, but who wants to run that trash through a good gun?

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

An old guy at the range suggested Necco wafers and scotch tape. Pull out a length of tape, stick Neccos on an inch +/- apart, and tape the whole thing across a target frame. At 50 yds they are about the same size as a bulls eye, shatter when you hit them, and there is nothing that needs to be cleaned up.

Plus we all get to eat some too.

Friend likes two tall stakes with a string between them- and hang soda cans off with more string. After hitting the cans we start going after the strings they hang from.

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95 E300D working out the kinks
77 300D, 227k, station car
83 300CD 370k, gone away
89 190E 2.6- 335k, no more
79 VW FI Bus- 145k miles, summer driver
59 VW Beetle ragtop- 175k miles
12 VW Jetta- 160k miles

He is asking about .22LR. Velocity is about 2x faster with .17HMR. A regular .22LR has the issue with going from supersonic to subsonic (distance matters) whereby the boom creates turbulances for the projectile. Also, the original Hornady cartridge has a very different ballistic tip resulting in explosive expansion.

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Sounds cool. I’ve have to try those.

Sort of along those same lines with biodegradable targets:

Often, the four of us will go up to the ranch for the “Family Big Game Hunt”.

There are a number of trails that lead through the wooded areas there. Each of us picks A different trail and heads out with a box of animal crackers/cookies. We each stick the animal crackers along the trail, against trees, in the grass, wherever we feel it is a safe direction to shoot. Once done, we all meet back at a central location.

Whoever hid the crackers along the trail becomes the “Hunting Guide” for that trail. The other three take a 22.

As we all hike along the trail, the “Guide” will tell us all to stop and line up. They then tell us what type of “Big Game” they see. The first person to spot it and shoot it gets a point (or nothing at all - Just the fun of shooting the cracker and watching it blow up.) or whatever, depending how you want to play. We usually just do it for the fun, exercise, marksmanship and the family bond.

The four trails will usually take a few hours to cover. It’s a lot of fun if you have young shooters. Even better if you have a wife that likes to shoot. Good family fun with firearms.

Feeds the birds and bugs, too.

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1980 300D - Veggie Burner !