I founded and have been involved with the Simon Girty Long Rifles since 1978. Over the years we have held 3-4 shoots/campouts. We are always looking for novel and different target. Now that attrition has all but decimated the Girtys, we still try to hold 3 shoots a year. Seems campouts are fewer and fewer, due to the aging members, however. Recently I hosted our Spring thing and I, as always, wanted some sort of “different” target. Steel clangers are good, but we are more into some type of breakables. So, with the “stay at home” regulation here in NY, I decided to try a different approach to a target. I wanted a target that would be easy to see a hit and did something when hit. Water filled objects are good, but been there and done that. The principle is simple; when hit by a 1200+ foot/second projectile, non-compressible water will exert a force upon its containing vessel. And you could get an ”exploding” occasionally. Hydraulics, you know. Ah, an idea.
I used a plastic cup that numerous snacks come in. These were from Wally World and hold apple sauce. The cups measure 2 7/8” opening, 2 1/8” base and 1 ¾” height. I filled them with FINGER JELLO, red strawberry. (Many recipes for the FINGER JELLO are available on the internet). After setting in the refrigerator for a while, they solidify into a semi-solid material. I then drew a circle on a piece of corrugated card board and used hot glue to hold the cup onto the board.
After mounting the targets, we shot them at a distance of 25 yards. Hydraulics indeed. The cups literally exploded and Jell-O all over the place. The hole out the back of the carboard (triple wall even) was large.
Even a hit that was not dead center made a good response.
And, those targets not hit were yummy.
I used a plastic cup that numerous snacks come in. These were from Wally World and hold apple sauce. The cups measure 2 7/8” opening, 2 1/8” base and 1 ¾” height. I filled them with FINGER JELLO, red strawberry. (Many recipes for the FINGER JELLO are available on the internet). After setting in the refrigerator for a while, they solidify into a semi-solid material. I then drew a circle on a piece of corrugated card board and used hot glue to hold the cup onto the board.
![dgki4-3r-SUSU0k1-APo-Ovog.jpg](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/7c7/7c74b61f388f1a186809cda452a5cb2e.jpg)
After mounting the targets, we shot them at a distance of 25 yards. Hydraulics indeed. The cups literally exploded and Jell-O all over the place. The hole out the back of the carboard (triple wall even) was large.
![DWXJbqzo-QLa-Mf-JYzc-FPiz-Q.jpg](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/897/8977338503351ed42ae9e8b932545d01.jpg)
Even a hit that was not dead center made a good response.
![OGo3za-M9-Su-i3f-HFx-QGco-Q.jpg](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/616/6163c2aa6bbc371cad12a4d95f115536.jpg)
And, those targets not hit were yummy.