So you think you can shoot...

[JBledsoe]

.

I thought that I could shoot fairly well but then I hear of a fellow in Washington State who could make some almost unbelievable shots. I think that I have to see this. So I drive the 400 miles to meet the gentleman and see him shoot. We shot a silhouette match while we were there, (one reason for going) however the real shooting began after the match. One of Levergun's own members, Wind, dazzled us with some amazing shots on a 16 inch square steel plate at a measured range of 380 yard!
So what, you say? Well, I have left out a few noteworthy facts.

1. He used a 38-55 Marlin CB
2. Used LazerCast bullets at 1400 fps. (I chronographed the ammo)
3. The plate was hit approximately 50 % of the time.
4. The rifle had original factory sights. No after market add ons.
5. All shooting was done from a standing off-hand position.

Why 380 yards? Practicing for the Quigley Match in Montana in June.

I can hardly see that white 16 inch plate at that distance. Then to hit it with a slow moving 38-55 bullet, (one can shoot, have another sip of coffee and then listen for the "ding" when the bullet strikes) using factory iron sights is unthinkable to say the least.

JB

[Terry Murbach]

UUUUUUHHHHHHH......HOW DO I SAY THIS......THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR DECADES.....THERE WERE 300 YARD OFF HAND REVOLVER MATCHES 100 YEARS.
WE ROUTINELY SHOOT TIN CANS AT 250 YARDS TWO-HAND-OFF-HAND WITH SA SIXGUNS HERE AND THINK NOTHING OF IT. HELL YES WE MISS MORE THAN WE HIT BUT WE SCARE THE STEW OUTTA THOSE CANS EVERY TIME.
MY MARLIN 336CB 38-55 CAN DO THAT IN IT'S SLEEP I THINK....NOT THAT I CAN YOU UNDERSTAND....

[Malamute]

Wind is a good hand with a rifle. They shoot longer distances than that as well. Good fun.


Terry brings up a good point about handgun shooting, they can shoot quite well at distance as well. Seems to be a few guys around this neighborhood that shoot longer ranges with pistols (I use the term generically). We have an 18" plate at 300 yards thats fair game for pistols. When I was shooting more, could hit it with the ex's glock 19 fairly often, perhaps 3-5 out of 10. Started shooting one handed, thats fun also. Got up to about 3 out of ten one handed. Came to the realization that caffeine affected my eyesight. Made a real difference if I had caffiene that day as to how well I could shoot. Sitting in front of a computer or tv screen isnt so good either.

The Smith sixguns have much better triggers and are easier to shoot at distance.

[Griff]

Yep... when I was a younger man, 'bout 15 years ago, I was attending a friendly little match; any position pistol caliber lever guns @ 100 yards, rifle caliber leverguns @ 200 and single shots also at 200. So, the match was simple, most hits... wins. Well, my good friend Dusty Boddams & I went thru the 200 yard levergun match, both using tang peeps with .30-30s like popcorn thru a goose. So we moved out to 400 yards... once again, each of us goin' 10 for 10... Someone suggested going out and replacing that 400 yard target with an 8". When Dusty up and suggested going for the 18" 400 square standing up off-hand. Sudden death, 1st one to hit, wins.

We argued about who'd go first... for a longer period than it took either of us to shoot all 10 of our previous shots. I finally told him, that "...nevermind, if I hit it, all the pressure's on you!" So, with a .30-30 150 grain GC'd boolits from that Saeco #316 mold, and 27 grains of RE-7, Bang, Ding!

Heck of a tie breaker...

TX Best.jpg

Sorry they ain't readable... but there's one up there for the following, Pistol Caliber - 2nd; SS - 2nd; Rifle Caliber - 1st; and Overall Winner.

Funny thing, after it was all over, the match director told me ALL 11 of my hits on that 400 yard target were inside a 6" circle.

I've known many a pistol shooter than could shoot it as well as I could shoot any of my rifles. Like Terry said, many old shooting games are a real test of skill and control... not these fast, action games of today. What I like about Cowboy Silhouette, targets are moderately sized, but it takes a fair hand with the firearm to make the shots. Although my favorite .30-30 is illegal (barrel's been replaced), it ain't an equipment race... I believe that you could do as well with factoy ammo as your handloads... but that "confidence" factor might be the turning point. then again, there's that all-fired equalizer... "match conditions"... one can be an outstanding shot when the pressures of a match aren't on, and implode when they are... well... it's happened to me a couple of times!

But... that Wind fellar is mighty impressive... want to make that same trip and shoot with him; maybe later this year, after they grow some summer up that way!

[AJMD429]

HELL YES WE MISS MORE THAN WE HIT BUT WE SCARE THE STEW OUTTA THOSE CANS EVERY TIME.....

Yep. That's what makes it so much fun...!

[tman]

There are natural shots, same as naturual athletes, musicians, singers, etc. With that said, you can always improve your skills with practice, muscle building, practice and more practice.

[JBledsoe]

.

Sorry, I didn't realize you guys were that good. I guess I'm a little out of my league.

[rimrock]

I've read about Wind's hits out to 800+ yards with his trusty 38/55. I'm impressed and jealous that I don't have a range where I could practice that.

I can consistently hit at all distances--as long as you ain't there to watch!!!

rimrock

[Jeff H]

I've read about Wind's hits out to 800+ yards with his trusty 38/55. I'm impressed and jealous that I don't have a range where I could practice that.

I can consistently hit at all distances--as long as you ain't there to watch!!!

rimrock

Tape a paper plate (one of the small ones) to that 800 yard target and I can put five out of five on it all day long with a 2" Charter Undercover - AND you can be there to watch. Although you will need a powerful spotting scope, because I'm hard to see at 790 yards.

[J Miller]

.

Sorry, I didn't realize you guys were that good. I guess I'm a little out of my league.

Some of these guys are fortunate enough to live where they have open ground to shoot long distances, or ranges with long distances to shoot.
I'm neither.

When I lived in AZ I had a few areas where I could really reach out and do what they do. I'd even take my Enfields with tracers during the not dry season and really really really reach out there.

But alas poor Yorik, lil Joey is stuck here in John Deer country where a 100 yards without obstruction is rare. At least for now.

Joe

[bj94]

Keep this in mind- there are a few people that just have a little extra ability. Watch Drew Brees throw a football sometime.

Keep this in mind also- no matter how good you are, somewhere out there is someone that is better.

If you can't shoot as well as the guy in the original post, that doesn't mean that you aren't a good shot.

[jnyork]

I can shoot one-hole groups all day long offhand at 200 yards.

Second shot usually screws it all up, though.

[KirkD]

UUUUUUHHHHHHH......HOW DO I SAY THIS......THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR DECADES.....THERE WERE 300 YARD OFF HAND REVOLVER MATCHES 100 YEARS.
WE ROUTINELY SHOOT TIN CANS AT 250 YARDS TWO-HAND-OFF-HAND WITH SA SIXGUNS HERE AND THINK NOTHING OF IT. HELL YES WE MISS MORE THAN WE HIT BUT WE SCARE THE STEW OUTTA THOSE CANS EVERY TIME.
MY MARLIN 336CB 38-55 CAN DO THAT IN IT'S SLEEP I THINK....NOT THAT I CAN YOU UNDERSTAND....

Terry, I sure wish I could spend some time with you learning what I could. I'm stuck up here trying to learn to shoot my old Colt SAA without any input or coaching at all, except for some pointers that Joe Miller emailed me, which really helped. I do shoot offhand at 50 yards with my Colt, but am doing well if I can put all five shots into a 8 1/2 x 11" sheet of paper at that range, a lot bigger than a tin can at 250 yards. I'm only starting, though. I do see slow improvement over time.

[J Miller]

UUUUUUHHHHHHH......HOW DO I SAY THIS......THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR DECADES.....THERE WERE 300 YARD OFF HAND REVOLVER MATCHES 100 YEARS.
WE ROUTINELY SHOOT TIN CANS AT 250 YARDS TWO-HAND-OFF-HAND WITH SA SIXGUNS HERE AND THINK NOTHING OF IT. HELL YES WE MISS MORE THAN WE HIT BUT WE SCARE THE STEW OUTTA THOSE CANS EVERY TIME.
MY MARLIN 336CB 38-55 CAN DO THAT IN IT'S SLEEP I THINK....NOT THAT I CAN YOU UNDERSTAND....

Terry, I sure wish I could spend some time with you learning what I could. I'm stuck up here trying to learn to shoot my old Colt SAA without any input or coaching at all, except for some pointers that Joe Miller emailed me, which really helped. I do shoot offhand at 50 yards with my Colt, but am doing well if I can put all five shots into a 8 1/2 x 11" sheet of paper at that range, a lot bigger than a tin can at 250 yards. I'm only starting, though. I do see slow improvement over time.

Kirk,
You're doing better than I did. Last Monday when I was at the range I couldn't even hit an 8" paper plate at 30 yards off hand with my Uberti.
Partly the loads (untested experiments) and mostly me. I had to get down on the bench before I could steady down, even then there was nor real grouping.

Joe

[antilley]

I believe I watched a you tube video of the person the op was referring too and I was pretty impressed. I assume there are a lot of you that can shoot like that, but no one in my immediate family can. Hitting a pop can at 250 yards offhand with a revolver would be pretty kewl to see.

I am also learning (guess I am not very smart) that bench shooting means different than what I thought it meant. I thought it meant i could sit down and lean an elbow on a table to steady as I go...... I didn't realize that some of the benchrest guys had a device to practically hold their gun for them.....

Right now we will stick to trying to hit a 12 inch target offhand with normal iron sites at 110 yards....

Thank you OP for the post, I was also impressed by the offhand shooting at that range.

[Terry Murbach]

UUUUUUHHHHHHH......HOW DO I SAY THIS......THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR DECADES.....THERE WERE 300 YARD OFF HAND REVOLVER MATCHES 100 YEARS.
WE ROUTINELY SHOOT TIN CANS AT 250 YARDS TWO-HAND-OFF-HAND WITH SA SIXGUNS HERE AND THINK NOTHING OF IT. HELL YES WE MISS MORE THAN WE HIT BUT WE SCARE THE STEW OUTTA THOSE CANS EVERY TIME.
MY MARLIN 336CB 38-55 CAN DO THAT IN IT'S SLEEP I THINK....NOT THAT I CAN YOU UNDERSTAND....

Terry, I sure wish I could spend some time with you learning what I could. I'm stuck up here trying to learn to shoot my old Colt SAA without any input or coaching at all, except for some pointers that Joe Miller emailed me, which really helped. I do shoot offhand at 50 yards with my Colt, but am doing well if I can put all five shots into a 8 1/2 x 11" sheet of paper at that range, a lot bigger than a tin can at 250 yards. I'm only starting, though. I do see slow improvement over time.

WELL HELLES BELLES, C'MON DOWN AND WE'LL SHOOT THE LIVIN' DICKENS OUTTA THE BLACK HILLS.
LET ME NOTE RIGHT HERE THAT SA SIXGUNS WITH ADJUSTABLE SIGHTS [ BLACKHAWKS, NEW FRONTIERS ETC...] ARE A DARNED SIGHT EASIER TO SHOOT AT LONG RANGE THAN THE FIXED SIGHT GUNS. HOLDING BOTH ELEVATION AND WINDAGE WITH SQUARE SIGHTS IS TOUGH TO DO WITH THOSE ROUNDED FIXED SIGHTS, BUT IT CAN BE DONE WITH PRACTISE. I HAVE A UBERTI CATTLEMAN 4 3/4" 357MAG [ A PRESENTATION GUN FROM ALDO UBERTI HIMSELF...] THAT SHOOTS LIKE A DREAM AT 200 YARDS.
OUT TO 300 YARDS CALIBER MATTERS LITTLE AND A 22LR SIXGUN OR AUTOLOADER WILL DO FINE AS LONG AS IT IS DUSTY TO SEE BULLET STRIKES. I USUALLY USE A 44SPL OR 45COLT AS THOSE DO THE JOB IN FINE STYLE AND DO NOT BEAT UP MY OLD SHELLSHOCKED HANDS ANYMORE. I HAVE A NEW 45COLT 850fps LOAD THAT SHOOTS FLATTER THAN A MOONBEAM FROM MY 5 1/2" NF AND THAT 250gr .456" BULLET TRACKS THE SIGHTS PERFECTLY OUT TO 250 YARDS AND WITH ONLY ABOUT 1/3" OF THE FRONT SIGHT HELD UP TO LAUNCH IT OUT THERE. IT AMAZES ME !!!

TM

[COSteve]

Sorry, I didn't realize you guys were that good. I guess I'm a little out of my league.

You're not alone. I'm pleased as punch when I can get a string of hits on a 24" steel plate at 300yds my 357mag levergun and that's 24" bbl, globe front and tang rear sight. Heck, truth be told, I almost don't care if I hit it 'cause I'm having a ton of fun just out shooting.




Almost

[JBledsoe]

Sorry, I didn't realize you guys were that good. I guess I'm a little out of my league.

You're not alone. I'm pleased as punch when I can get a string of hits on a 24" steel plate at 300yds my 357mag levergun and that's 24" bbl, globe front and tang rear sight. Heck, truth be told, I almost don't care if I hit it 'cause I'm having a ton of fun just out shooting.

Almost

That's one thing we can agree on.

[Malamute]

Terry, I sure wish I could spend some time with you learning what I could. I'm stuck up here trying to learn to shoot my old Colt SAA without any input or coaching at all, except for some pointers that Joe Miller emailed me, which really helped. I do shoot offhand at 50 yards with my Colt, but am doing well if I can put all five shots into a 8 1/2 x 11" sheet of paper at that range, a lot bigger than a tin can at 250 yards. I'm only starting, though. I do see slow improvement over time.

Kirk, do you have a copy of "Sixguns" by Elmer Keith? It's a good study for longer range shooting. Having a place with dusty ground where you can see your hits, as Terry mentioned, and work in on your target helps quite a lot when figuring out the longer range shooting game. Makes you really focus on all your basics. A closer range practice that would be good would be using the smallest dot you can make out at the distance you are shooting as an aiming point.

And yes, good square edged sights are much easier to shoot well with.

[KirkD]

Terry, thanks for the invite. I'll be keeping that in mind for sure. A half hour of coaching from you is probably worth a couple years of stumbling around on my own. My load happens to put a cast 250 grain bullet out the barrel at just shy of 850 fps.

Malamute, I do not have that book but I've sure heard a lot about it. Sounds like about time I invested in a copy. I did replace the front sight on my original Colt, since the old one was filed way down. The new one has a nice, square profile.

[Motex66]

When I was running IHMSA matches we would put the 22 targets out to 200 meters.

They said, John 22s can't hit out that far. Told them the Old Timers did it standing. It is just sights, windage trigger control, and a little luck.

Long range big or small bore is a hoot! Thirty years latter it is more of challenge, but just as fun when I hit the mark.
John

[Sixgun]

My good friend Gunny was at Camp Perry last year and he watched some guy (don't know his name, but he is famous) shoot. He told me the groups at 300 meters offhandwere as good as you and I could do using a benchrest.

Me? I routinely shoot 4" plates at 700 yards with a Sterling 25 auto. Naaa, but its not real hard to hit small things at great distances with any good revolver or rifle. You just need to "know your gun & load"

[3leggedturtle]

UUUUUUHHHHHHH......HOW DO I SAY THIS......THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR DECADES.....THERE WERE 300 YARD OFF HAND REVOLVER MATCHES 100 YEARS.
WE ROUTINELY SHOOT TIN CANS AT 250 YARDS TWO-HAND-OFF-HAND WITH SA SIXGUNS HERE AND THINK NOTHING OF IT. HELL YES WE MISS MORE THAN WE HIT BUT WE SCARE THE STEW OUTTA THOSE CANS EVERY TIME.
MY MARLIN 336CB 38-55 CAN DO THAT IN IT'S SLEEP I THINK....NOT THAT I CAN YOU UNDERSTAND....

Terry, I sure wish I could spend some time with you learning what I could. I'm stuck up here trying to learn to shoot my old Colt SAA without any input or coaching at all, except for some pointers that Joe Miller emailed me, which really helped. I do shoot offhand at 50 yards with my Colt, but am doing well if I can put all five shots into a 8 1/2 x 11" sheet of paper at that range, a lot bigger than a tin can at 250 yards. I'm only starting, though. I do see slow improvement over time.

WELL HELLES BELLES, C'MON DOWN AND WE'LL SHOOT THE LIVIN' DICKENS OUTTA THE BLACK HILLS.
LET ME NOTE RIGHT HERE THAT SA SIXGUNS WITH ADJUSTABLE SIGHTS [ BLACKHAWKS, NEW FRONTIERS ETC...] ARE A DARNED SIGHT EASIER TO SHOOT AT LONG RANGE THAN THE FIXED SIGHT GUNS. HOLDING BOTH ELEVATION AND WINDAGE WITH SQUARE SIGHTS IS TOUGH TO DO WITH THOSE ROUNDED FIXED SIGHTS, BUT IT CAN BE DONE WITH PRACTISE. I HAVE A UBERTI CATTLEMAN 4 3/4" 357MAG [ A PRESENTATION GUN FROM ALDO UBERTI HIMSELF...] THAT SHOOTS LIKE A DREAM AT 200 YARDS.
OUT TO 300 YARDS CALIBER MATTERS LITTLE AND A 22LR SIXGUN OR AUTOLOADER WILL DO FINE AS LONG AS IT IS DUSTY TO SEE BULLET STRIKES. I USUALLY USE A 44SPL OR 45COLT AS THOSE DO THE JOB IN FINE STYLE AND DO NOT BEAT UP MY OLD SHELLSHOCKED HANDS ANYMORE. I HAVE A NEW 45COLT 850fps LOAD THAT SHOOTS FLATTER THAN A MOONBEAM FROM MY 5 1/2" NF AND THAT 250gr .456" BULLET TRACKS THE SIGHTS PERFECTLY OUT TO 250 YARDS AND WITH ONLY ABOUT 1/3" OF THE FRONT SIGHT HELD UP TO LAUNCH IT OUT THERE. IT AMAZES ME !!!

TM

Let me know when this get together happens, i will take a wrong turn and show with 45,000 lbs of beer. As long as you bring the ice

[KirkD]

Let me know when this get together happens, i will take a wrong turn and show with 45,000 lbs of beer. As long as you bring the ice

That oughtta help steady our aim!

[Old Time Hunter]

He used a 38-55 Marlin CB

This is what truely makes it amazing, if it was a Winchester the feat would be considered common!

[bj94]

When I was running IHMSA matches we would put the 22 targets out to 200 meters.

They said, John 22s can't hit out that far. Told them the Old Timers did it standing. It is just sights, windage trigger control, and a little luck.

Long range big or small bore is a hoot! Thirty years latter it is more of challenge, but just as fun when I hit the mark.

I loved IHMSA, unfortunately nobody in my area does it anymore. I seem to remember that the .22 targets are 3/8 scale. We shot that event at some bigbore matches just for fun. As I recall NRA had some bigbore games that used half size targets out to 200M (yards?), which would be a little more of a challenge. To put 3/8 size targets out to 200M would be even more challenge. I think it would be loads of fun, as long as I don't have to do it offhand. But then the chickens at 200M were lots of fun too.

I remember we went to one IHMSA range that was next door to a NRA rifle silhouette range. The rifle guys had left some turkeys standing at 385M. (That's roughly equal to a .22 Turkey at 150M.) Those turkeys were a lot of fun to shoot at with my buddy's XP100, and we also managed to hit one ram at 500M.

[Noah Zark]

. . . WE MISS MORE THAN WE HIT BUT WE SCARE THE STEW OUTTA THOSE CANS EVERY TIME . . .

LOL! Good one.

Noah

[JB]

WE ROUTINELY SHOOT TIN CANS AT 250 YARDS TWO-HAND-OFF-HAND WITH SA SIXGUNS HERE AND THINK NOTHING OF IT.

And just how big are those cans?

[Noah Zark]

WE ROUTINELY SHOOT TIN CANS AT 250 YARDS TWO-HAND-OFF-HAND WITH SA SIXGUNS HERE AND THINK NOTHING OF IT.

And just how big are those cans?

Back in the day, (early 80s) I could hit 12-oz aluminum soda cans on the 100 yd berm, at least 4 out of 5 times regularly using my trusty and seemingly laser-guided S&W Model 25-2 with Alberts swaged bullets over 5.6 gr of Unique. Offhand, unsupported two-handed hold. Same for plastic oil bottles at 200 and 300 yds. Couldn't see soda cans at 200 and 300, but no problem with 3-lb Maxwell House cans at 300 yds.

Noah

[JB]

WE ROUTINELY SHOOT TIN CANS AT 250 YARDS TWO-HAND-OFF-HAND WITH SA SIXGUNS HERE AND THINK NOTHING OF IT.

And just how big are those cans?

Back in the day, (early 80s) I could hit 12-oz aluminum soda cans on the 100 yd berm, at least 4 out of 5 times regularly using my trusty and seemingly laser-guided S&W Model 25-2 with Alberts swaged bullets over 5.6 gr of Unique. Offhand, unsupported two-handed hold. Same for plastic oil bottles at 200 and 300 yds. Couldn't see soda cans at 200 and 300, but no problem with 3-lb Maxwell House cans at 300 yds.

Noah

What kind of groups were getting at 100 yards with it sandbagged? That was a darn good shooting 25.

[Malamute]

Can't speak for Noah, but the couple 25-2's I had were scary accurate.

[Noah Zark]

What kind of groups were getting at 100 yards with it sandbagged? That was a darn good shooting 25.

Sandbagged at 25 yds, the Model 25 was ORH, about 3/4 of an inch or so.

Sandbagged at 100 yds, it would do 1.5" if I did my part.

That Model 25-2 impressed me so much that I've acquired two more. All three shoot as if laser-guided.

Noah

[Terry Murbach]

WE ROUTINELY SHOOT TIN CANS AT 250 YARDS TWO-HAND-OFF-HAND WITH SA SIXGUNS HERE AND THINK NOTHING OF IT.

And just how big are those cans?

Back in the day, (early 80s) I could hit 12-oz aluminum soda cans on the 100 yd berm, at least 4 out of 5 times regularly using my trusty and seemingly laser-guided S&W Model 25-2 with Alberts swaged bullets over 5.6 gr of Unique. Offhand, unsupported two-handed hold. Same for plastic oil bottles at 200 and 300 yds. Couldn't see soda cans at 200 and 300, but no problem with 3-lb Maxwell House cans at 300 yds.

Noah

THIS IS A FASCINATING REPORT, NOAH. JERRY ALBERTS WAS A LONG TIME FRIEND OF MINE AS WAS HIS BROTHER RAY, NOW LONG GONE TO THE HAPPY HUNTING GROUNDS. IF YOU LOADED ALBERTS BULLETS CORRECTLY THEY WERE SCARY ACCURATE !! MY PERSONAL M25-2 WAS MOST ACCURATE WITH LYMAN 452460 SWC CAST BULLETS, MY BEST GROUP EVER BEING 1/4" C-TO-C FOR FIVE SHOTS AT 25 YARDS FROM 6.7gr OF UNIQUE IN 45AR BRASS, CCI 300 PRIMERS.
THE FUNNY THING IS I NEVER REMEMBER SHOOTING THAT DEEEELIGHTFUL SIXGUN WAY OUT TO YONDER. AND STRANGEST OF ALL, I COULD LOAD IT WITH JACKETED BULLETS [ HARDBALL ], STAND YOU UP AT 50 YARDS, AND YOU WOULD NOT EVEN HEAR THE BULLETS WHIZ BY; THEY WENT FREAKIN' EVERYWHERE BUT STRAIGHT AHEAD. BUT WITH LEAD BULLETS, OOOOH BOY !!!
RIGHT NOW MY TWO FAVORITE LONG RANGE GUNS ARE A COLT NF 2nd GEN 4 1/2" 45COLT SHOOTING R-P 250gr SWAGED 455-456" BULLETS AT 850fps [ THEY SHOOT FLATTER THAN A MOONBEAM TOO !!! ] AND THE COLT SAA 4 3/4" 44SPL WITH 44RUSSIAN 429421 LOADS AT 850fps ALSO. THE COLT NF 44SPL 5 1/2 AND NF 7 1/2" SIXGUNS DELIVER THE GOODS WITH THAT IN FINE STYLE TOO I MIGHT ADD. [ I AM REALLY EXCITED TO BE GETTING ONE OF THE NEW COLT NF 4 3/4" 44SPL'S ANY DAY NOW...WE HOPE....SOON...PLEASE !!! ]
AND TO THE FELLOW WHO ASKED ABOUT CAN SIZE , WHEN MY WIFE PERFORMED EVERY NIGHT AT THE FLYING T CHUCKWAGEN I WOULD SWIPE ALL THEIR EMPTY USED #10 CANS [ THE BIG RESTAURANT SIZE ] THAT HAD HAD FRUIT ETC IN 'EM. THEY WERE FUN TO SHOOT FROM POINT BLANK TO AS FAR AS YOU COULD SEE 'EM. AT POINT BLANK FROM THE HIP THEY ACTUALLY MADE ME LOOK LIKE I KNEW HOW TO SHOOT...FINALLY !!!!