Safe Target Help

[susiestar]

husband got a pellet gun. Not CO2 powered, just air powered. He also got the lowest power pellets (12 something or other - grams? grains??) that go with it.

We are legally allowed to shoot these on our property as we are outside the city limits. While we have neighbors on either side, the property right behind us is just a field. So we won't hit a building if we set up a target behind the house.

What should we use to set up a target? A couple of bales of hay and paper targets? That way the pellets would all be in something, no just travelling until they hit something or just stopped.

Does anyone have any other ideas?? I want us all to be able to safely use the pistol just in case we need to use it. Never ever thought I would have to teach my kids to fire any kind of gun to protect themselves. Not against shooting, but always thought of it for target practice or maybe hunting game, not against any kind of threat.

 

[DammitJanet]

What are you trying to teach? Just target practice with an air pistol? A bail of hay or even a wooden pallet stood upright with a bail of hay behind it would be fine. If this is basically like a bb gun but a pistol, it really wont go far or wont penetrate the skin if fired from any distance. We used to set up cans on a fence to teach aiming but you can get targets with bullseyes on them. I would get the kids a pair of goggles just to be safe.

 

[susiestar]

Thanks. We just want to teach basic aiming/shooting of the pellet gun right now. It isn't even as strong as many bb guns - just a $20 air pistol that doesn't even use CO2 cartridges. We just want to be able to scare the dogs away. We are thinking of just using a bale of hay. A wood pallet in front of it would be a good idea. I am pretty sure the pellets would bounce off of it, and they won't penetrate the skin except if fired super close up. They will be closely supervised unless they need to use it on the dogs when we are not home.

I NEVER thought I would need a gun to protect my kids. NEVER. It makes me very very sad and angry.

 

[DammitJanet]

You know what might be a better thing to get? A paintball gun. Those can actually get quite strong and the sting would probably cause the dog to run off, plus it would be tagged...lol.

We used to fill shotgun shells with salt to scare the dogs away. It would kick up the dirt all around them and they would feel the rush but it didnt hurt them.