Range Report: Home Made Reactive Targets Tested (w. AK, AR, PF9, P22)
Mission: Make cheap reactive silhouette targets
Calibers Tested: .22lr (rifle & pistol), 9mm Ball, .223, 7.62x39
Cost of Materials: $5.73/target
Weather Conditions: Grey and Muddy
Testing Firearms:
1. Krinkov Ak
2. Bushmaster AR
3. KelTec PF9
4. P22 without Outback II Suppressor
The suppressor used subsonics.
The Targets:
YouTube - Reactive Target Test Explanation
The targets were tossed together fast the night before and were less than perfect. This was mostly a proof of concept test. For that they should have sufficed.
Test #1: Krinkov
YouTube - Reactive Target Test - Krinkov 1
Failure. Really, Failure.
Test #2: Krinkov
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEoocvNy7cs
Again, no droppage. Upon inspection, it was clear the rounds were simply flying through the target and not pushing them over. I could push them over with my hand easily, but the rounds could not.
Test #3: P22
Perhaps subsonics would do better?
YouTube - Reactive Target Test - Suppressed P22
Nada. Nothing. Starting to get frustrated at this point. So, I decided to go 9mm and close!
Test #4: PF9
Perhaps a wider bullet would do better?
YouTube - Reactive Target Test - 9mm PF9
Nope. Now it is clear these targets are useless as reactive ones. One of the rounds had actually hit a washer holding the target to the stand and just sliced through it like butter but did not knock it down.
Test #5: AR15 in .223
Never one to admit a Kobiashi Maru situation....
YouTube - Reactive Target Test - Cheating
YouTube - Reactive Target Test - Waterbottlles (Short)
Grrrrrr......
Test #6: Bling?
Perhaps a steel necklace would work? Something to take the hit and absorb the kinetics needed. The only steel I had was a tad too heavy:
YouTube - Reactive Target Test - Bling Fail
Yep, time to admit defeat. But still time to play.
Test #7: P22 Again
Just for fun:
YouTube - Reactive Target Test - P22 Last Time
And then another INGO member showed up to witness my defeat and have some fun blasting away too. He got the best shot of the day in on camera:
Conclusions:
1. Sometimes simple can still fail.
2. Physics wins over intent.
3. These targets did do well as simple targets as the plastic holes are slightly self sealing.
4. The day was not a waste.
5. I thought better of just throwing water bottles at the target and in retrospect wish I had just to prove that God was not, in fact, laughing at me.
6. Some days you win, some days you lose.
7. Mud does rain down from the sky just like watermelon and cantaloupe.
8. The Krinkov Fireball cannot push a target over alone.
9. A bad day at the range is better than sitting at home not being at the range.
10. At least the rain held off until after I left.
Techres
P.S. Pic of target after use:
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