Tuning the Range

[Sir Henry]

I cleaned up the dead fallen winter branches yesterday and put out a few more metal items on the side BB range. I can shoot pellet here but it increases the chances of ricochets and doesn't really bring out the best in them. Plus I positioned the gongs in such a way the BB gun makes the best sound. This is a telephoto shot and the neighbors yard isn't really that close. BB's are fine but I can't shoot pellet when someone is outside.

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This is a far better target for pellets and is out to 25 yards at the extreme. Just back of the steps is the best place to shoot standing and is around 18 to 20 yards if I remember right. This backstop can be seen from the street and I keep it so it doesn't really look like a target from 300 yards away. Another neighbors yard is behind this target also but they have a huge yard and the vegetation is very thick, especially the time of year when they would be outside. There are no paper targets in this picture but I do shoot at paper.

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[tx gunrunner]

Never shoot steel straight on . Turn the steel to where it ricochet away from you .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ABGIJwiGBc

[North Country Gal]

Gene, those heavy metal bullet/pellet traps are MUCH safer. I've never had a ricochet from one. Hanging metal targets are pretty safe if they are heavy enough and can only move back and forth, but not side to side. My resettable flip up targets are very safe and lots of fun to shoot. My favorite metal target.


As long as the pellet flattens, instantly, on a hit, no ricochet. It's those glancing blows were the pellet doesn't flatten or flatten, completely, that can produce a ricochet. The worst are lightweight spinner targets that are commonly sold at War-mart and such for air gun use. They're just too light and move out of the way too easily when a pellet hits them to consistency flatten pellets. I stopped using them, even though a ricochet poses no danger for our neighbors. Hard to get a scale from the pic, but the little targets are an inch or less in diameter and very lighting weight.

[North Country Gal]

Another safe target I use are the resettable silhouette targets of the style that are used in Field Target competition. To score a hit, you have to knock that center yellow paddle down. A body hit does not count toward your score. You can get the type that resets the paddle with a cord or this type, here, that has another paddle at the bottom. After a hit, you shoot the bottom paddle and it flips the target paddle back into position. Also, the size of the paddle opening can be adjusted, smaller or larger. Got it fairly wide open, here, because distance is 35 yards. These take a solid hit to operate, so on a low power air rifle, you'll need to be very close. At 35 yards on this one, the little HW30S really struggles.

[Shakey Jake]

I'm envious of your setup as a "city dweller". Sometimes I wish I were back on the farm in SW Missouri.