Airsoft Targets

          While the most fun in Airsoft comes from going to battle with your friends, or anyone else, "plinking" in your backyard is also a fun way to shoot Airsoft, whether just taking a new gun out to see how it performs, sighting it in, testing accuracy, or just shooting targets for fun.  

          There are many ways to do this, most of the varieties relying on your target.  Shooting an interactive target is much more fun than just aiming at trees, which is why enjoying target practice relies so much on what target you are using.  

          Rather than buying any targets, few of which seemed worthwhile anyway, I made a multitude of different targets and tried them all.  Read more to find out about many of the targets I made for a few dollars each, which you can make from cheap, easily accessible materials.

The Can

          The mother of all targets, the soda can has been assaulted by plastic pellets since the invention of Airsoft.  Soda cans make good targets since no work is required to make them, and they are easily accessible and free.  Another thing that makes them good targets is that they make decent chronographs for poor people.  Testing to see which parts of the can the BBs will go through allows you to guesstimate FpS within a range of about 50.  The other nice thing about cans is when hit, they make a nice loud pinging sound so you immediately know whether you hit or not.  Problems with cans?  Most shots will knock them over, if the wind doesn't first.  That makes shooting more than once (especially outside) a big hassle, especially if you are at long distances.

          What could be better than one can?  Three, duct taped to a piece of cardboard.  In my efforts to combat the downsides of setting up cans from being hit or blown away by the wind, I made this ghetto rig.  It didn't work.  Maybe next time...

          Inspired by targets like this, I wanted to make a target actually stuck into the ground, where wind would no longer be a problem.  I used 5 total feet of 1/2" PVC pipe with a T and two endcaps to make this effective, reactive target.  When hit, the cans move and make sounds like they normally would, but are attached and thus impervious to effects of the wind.  Works like a charm.

          While these other targets are great for casual target practice, I wanted to make a target that could have accurately measurable results.  This target is great for accuracy tests on reviews, which I will soon be updating with accuracy tests taken on this target.

          My criteria when I designed this was that it should have at least a 7" x 7" area, be sturdy and last through thousands of shots, not blow away, and be able to easily replace paper targets on it.  I have succeeded in making this target.  It is made of two 8" x 8" MDF boards secured with Gorilla Glue and three screws.  I drilled four holes at the corners of the target which I put screws through to hold on the easily replaceable targets.  I have already tested the JG G3 with this and it was a success :)

          I'd recommend making a target like either of the last two if you want a superior target for a lower price than storebought targets.  It sure beats cans ;)