Plinking Near Seattle

[Merle]

If you want to pair some plinking and fishing and head to the Okanogan for a few days, let me know.

Roper- are you allowed to shoot on your property over there? I thought you were in that 9 Mile Ranch and when I looked into property over there the CC&Rs seemed really clear that I wouldn’t be able to hunt or shoot on my property. Which turned me off and I’ve since been looking elsewhere. But I’m mistaken then that’s great and I might start looking at land there again. I see pieces come up for sale there pretty regularly. Thanks, Andy

 

[Roper]

Roper- are you allowed to shoot on your property over there? I thought you were in that 9 Mile Ranch and when I looked into property over there the CC&Rs seemed really clear that I wouldn’t be able to hunt or shoot on my property. Which turned me off and I’ve since been looking elsewhere. But I’m mistaken then that’s great and I might start looking at land there again. I see pieces come up for sale there pretty regularly. Thanks, Andy

You’re right about 9MR but I’m adjacent to DNR. Mount Hull has lots of areas to plink and hunt. I’m on the DOD if you want information.

 

[jaredoconnor]

If you want to pair some plinking and fishing and head to the Okanogan for a few days, let me know.

Thanks for the offer! Quite out of my range though. I'll probably have time in about 18 years, I guess.

 

[wanderingrichard]

I would never drink while shooting a real gun. That's a no-brainer.

The kind of air rifle that I'm thinking of buying could do some damage too, so I'll be abstaining in that case as well.

Jared, this being the U.S., you'd be apalled at the number of idiots who mix guns with alcohol or drugs...

 

[jaredoconnor]

Jared, this being the U.S., you'd be apalled at the number of idiots who mix guns with alcohol or drugs...

Yeah. Australians never mix alcohol with things that they shouldn't. We're just superior people.

 

[Jim in Anacortes]

A couple of years ago I got the urge to go plinking. My favorite place to shoot is a one hour drive, but truly a remarkable place to shoot. Views of snowcapped mountains, plenty of space, used regularly but never crowded....I looked into air rifles, but I ended up buying a Henry lever action .22 (about $350). ). IMHO this is the pinnacle of a plinking rifle. This rifle will shoot ".22 shorts" (also the other .22s). They are extremely quiet, no recoil and fairly easy to find, as most .22 guns won't shoot them. You will not be tempted to "upgrade" with a scope , barrel, trigger job etc..(like the Ruger semi automatic rabbit hole). And the "fun factor" of not having to mess around with tanks or pumping air is a no brainer. If your gunna drive that far, a few hundred rounds of .22 shorts is a minimal expense.

 

[Jim in Anacortes]

I'd like to add...When I ponder "plinking" my mind goes to "reactionary targets". Obviously paper targets are necessary. That being said, when I go plinking, I take along...tin cans, clay pigeons, metal targets that spin, rubber targets that bounce, balloons, eggs, etc.. Unlike a paper target, reactionary targets give instant feed back to the shooter. If your gunna drive that far.. fun targets are important.

 

[TicTokCroc]

I'd like to add...When I ponder "plinking" my mind goes to "reactionary targets". Obviously paper targets are necessary. That being said, when I go plinking, I take along...tin cans, clay pigeons, metal targets that spin, rubber targets that bounce, balloons, eggs, etc.. Unlike a paper target, reactionary targets give instant feed back to the shooter. If your gunna drive that far.. fun targets are important.

For a nice grand finale, the cheapest pressurized shaving cream cans are great fun. I still remember thumping one with a .357 and watching the explosion of foam.

 

[Jim in Anacortes]

Many "plinkers" enjoy the Ruger semi automatic. But there is something about the lever action rifle that is so alluring... yet so hard to describe. Where I shoot, I often encounter guys with rifles that shoot 100s of yards. On three separate occasions I have convinced these guys to shoot my little Henry, loaded with shorts, at my reactionary targets. They were all grinning ear to ear.

 

[Jim in Anacortes]

Cycling a lever action rifle, while looking down the sights, is a skill.... With practice, a person can fire, cycle the lever, and fire again without "un-shouldering" the rifle. When you're plinking five tin cans off a log at 25 yards, in less than 4 seconds....you are approaching "plinking nirvana".

 

[Jim in Anacortes]

My rifle holds 18 rounds of .22 shorts. "Load on Sunday, shoot all week" is a slogan from Henry. But seriously, no air rifle even comes close to the easiness of just loading the damn rifle. The sound of a .22 short is surprisingly quiet.

 

[Divad]

Casual reminder to clean up your reactionary targets or I’ll slash your tires

 

[TicTokCroc]

Casual reminder to clean up your reactionary targets or I’ll slash your tires

I was going to write that in but I figured it goes without saying here.

 

[nwbobber]

For a reactionary target, I like charcoal briquets. They make a nice puff, and are biodegradable.
I live next to DNR land, and we have had trouble with shooters bringing their old computers (I want to shoot mine too sometimes), TVs, toilets, cans, bottles, really you name it and blasting them to pieces..... but they don't pick up after themselves, and a couple decent spots now have no shooting signs posted. If you want a place to shoot, clean up after yourself, and someone else too.

 

[Roper]

In addition to cleaning up your targets, try taking a sheet or tarp with you. Find where your gun spits out the empties and spread the sheet. If you reload, you know the drill. If not, just gather up the shells and dump in the garbage at home. Don’t leave brass trash…

 

[Roper]

For a reactionary target, I like charcoal briquets. They make a nice puff, and are biodegradable.
I live next to DNR land, and we have had trouble with shooters bringing their old computers (I want to shoot mine too sometimes), TVs, toilets, cans, bottles, really you name it and blasting them to pieces..... but they don't pick up after themselves, and a couple decent spots now have no shooting signs posted. If you want a place to shoot, clean up after yourself, and someone else too.

Old milk cartons, cardboard or plastic filled with water and frozen…

 

[TicTokCroc]

Balloons with a bit of talc in them make a nice puff, I use them for slingshot targets.

 

[Buzzy]

I'd like to add...When I ponder "plinking" my mind goes to "reactionary targets". Obviously paper targets are necessary. That being said, when I go plinking, I take along...tin cans, clay pigeons, metal targets that spin, rubber targets that bounce, balloons, eggs, etc.. Unlike a paper target, reactionary targets give instant feed back to the shooter. If your gunna drive that far.. fun targets are important.

I'd like to add to Jim's sage advice on the fun of shooting targets but going the other way: Please do NOT shoot exploding targets. Two years in a row blankety blank idiots have started fires at an unofficial shooting range near the south end of Lake Lenore most likely from high velocity bullets (I don't think .22's will be fast enough to create the explosion - fire, but.... ). Like others have said, if you take something out to shoot at, take your refuse home (just like a good fly fisherman always does).

I purchase a membership at the local range, safe and sane and sometimes you meet great shooters (Roper - like).

 

[Jim in Anacortes]

I've never shot tannerite, but I have seen it done. I don't like it. Just regular ammunition, striking sparks off of rocks, is a definite concern for starting a forest fire..... And I always end up taking home more "target trash" than I came with..... Typically I will start off with a paper target, just to see what is going on with the sights, ammo and my marksmanship. My nephew likes the "shoot and see" targets that leave a bright dot where the bullet hit. Used with binoculars, these give almost instant feedback and save a lot of time and ammo. They are pricey but You tube can teach you how to make them yourself very easily and super cheap.

 

[Jim in Anacortes]

The places I have found to shoot are (now) always picked clean of any brass, even rimfire. A pile of shotgun-shells on the other hand...that chaps my hide. And the steel casings are left and accumulate. Whenever I pull up to one of my shooting spots,,,,I never know what I'm going to find. A shot up stolen car, two rotting deer carcasses out of season, five teenagers just waking up in their cars from partying all night, a life size cardboard Elvira etc... But compared to the shooting spots I used to go to in Southern California.....It's a plinkers paradise out there.