Pistol course ideas.

[KDubs]

 Well as the title suggests I need some cool ideas for setting up a 20 target pistol course for our upcoming rendezvous.
  Since I've accepted the position of RSO for our club I am tasked with running the short gun event.
 Anything cool or fun whatever you have seen at rondy's would be great to hear about.
 Thanks all
Kevin

[Bigsmoke]

Pistol ranges can use rifle targets but of course at shorter distances.  Hanging silhouettes are best, as you don't have to reset them, thus speeding things along.  Use a small 10 ring or a Sgt. York for a 2 or three shot tiebreaker.  Probably shoot that at 10 or 15 yards.  You can also add those scores into the aggregate pistol score.  If you are doing a smooth bore range as well, you can also merge some of those targets as well.  And you can do the old standards like cut the card and ball split as well.  Balloons, peanuts on a string, charcoal blocks on a log, whatever.
Are you going to allow revolvers in the match, or just single shots?
Sure wish we were going to be up there for this one, it sounds great.  Nice place to hold it too.  Good people run that lodge.  Ms. Smoke and I used to snowmobile with them many a year ago.
John (Bigsmoke)

[Hank in WV]

Be careful if you use steel targets. At closer distances and lighter loads, we've had several ricochet instances.

[KDubs]

The club has all steel targets, lollipops, peanuts etc.
 I was hoping that someone had some fun target ideas just to add a little flavor or challenge. 
 Split the ball is one I'm very much considering.
 
 John , the flier says no revolvers but I assume that's just for the aggregate score.
 The site looks like a great spot. Super easy access and just up the street from the Silverwood amusement park.
 
Well the rendezvous isn't till June so keep the ideas flowing.
Kevin
 

[Ironhand]

Hang apples from a tree with cotton thread. Shooter calls his target. Apples explode well and it's all biodegradable so no clean up.

See if you can get used bowling pins from an alley. They are safe and durable.

You make safe hanging targets out of old carpet. Just cut out the shapes and hang with the rope. If you want a stiffer target glue 2 pieces back to back.

Since this is a pistol match require some of the targets to be shot weak hand. Very few shooters practice with there weak hand.

IronHand

[Nessmuk]

A plastic bag with 4 or 5 Charcoal briquettes makes a nice puff of dust and you can get a couple of hit before its destroyed. I've used water balloons also, minimal clean for both.

[KDubs]

I like the apples , briquettes and the weak hand ideas.
 We have a club shoot this weekend, weather permitting.
 Threatening rain and snow Sunday.
 Next month we should be able to access the new rondy area and I'll see where the pistol course will be.
 Kevin

[LongWalker]

Almost 25 years ago at a shooting match at Western (name of the nearest town) I shot a re-entry match set up to duplicate the Hickok-Tutt shootout.  The match directors took a knock-down target (a "Pepper Popper) and fastened a standard IPSC cardboard silhouette to it.  You had 3 seconds to draw and fire one shot; a hit had to hit and knock down the knock-down (not just hit the cardboard silhouette) to count.

Did I mention the range was 75 yards?

When you missed the target, you could sign up for another $5 and go to the back of the line to try again. . . this one match actually covered most of the costs of the shoot that year, because it was rather addictive (plus the side bets were insane). 

Something similar could be done for single-shot pistols.  Maybe go with a similar knock down concealed behind a silhouette (deer, buffalo, man, Darth Vader, whatever) at 50 yards, with a slightly-longer time limit. 

Useta-was, under-the-table derringer matches were popular.  These were a blast, but have largely been discontinued for safety reasons, both real and imagined. 

[Fyrstyk]

At our club we try to use bio-degradable targets as much as possible.  Potatoes and carrots on a string.  Clay birds, eggs wrapped in cling wrap, charcoal briquets, wine corks, tongue depressors, and for the longer ranges we use small gourds or pumpkins.