Gopher hunting is a great way of sharpening shooting skills while thinning out the local vermin population. Plinking gophers has been a fun summertime pursuit for many children. Sadly, as summer fades to fall, most of the gophers are deep in sleep, and plinking gets relegated to tin can targets. Unless…. you have an auto-resetting gopher popper. I picked up a couple of these targets from Dave at www.steeltargets.ca Made from 3/8″ AR500 steel these targets will take some serious hits! And when they go down (and they do – a lot!) they pop right back up again.
For those who have never shot steel silhouettes before, there is something about the “clank” of a hit that is truly addictive. If you are shooting this target with a .22LR you will want to take lots of ammo. I’m surprised at how fast and easy it is to burn through a box of 500 rounds. I also take a can of spray paint with me to touch up the targets between shot strings while I let the barrel cool (haha).
These targets can be shot with centerfire rounds as well, however high velocity impacts can cause damage – dents, pits, and even holes. Depending on the type of round, moving the target back to at least 200 yards will reduce the chance of damaging the target. If they are hit with only .22LR, these targets are built tough enough to last a lifetime – a human lifetime!
A final note: use caution when shooting steel. It is always advised to not shoot any closer than 15m due to the risk of ricochet or bullet fragments coming back at the shooter. Always wear ballistic eye protection!
Be Safe! Have Fun!
Leave a Reply