Almost every hunter I know has fond recollections of plinking at targets with the BB guns, air rifles, and .22s of their youth. I doubt many of us, however, have ever thought of it as an age-old tradition.
Yet, I suspect plinking has probably been around since the invention of the throwing stick. Because when survival depends on competency with your hunting tool, it only makes sense to hone your skills.
These days, the stakes aren’t that high for most of us, yet plinking is still a useful pursuit.
Time spent plinking ensures familiarity with the firearm you are using, so that things like loading and unloading, using its safety, and finding the right sight picture eventually becomes ingrained.
It also helps you get a sense of your marksmanship abilities, what shooting positions work best for you, and the accuracy your firearm is capable of when you do your part.
Serious plinkers also know the ammunition that performs best in their rifle, and where to hold the sights or crosshairs at various distances. It also provides a great opportunity to teach new shooters and to ensure they handle their firearms safely.
The classic plinking set-up is a shooting gallery of multiple cans, set up at various distances. (I don’t use glass because, once broken, it’s a hazard for dogs and people). But, my favourite old school plinking game is what my brother and I used to call “Kick the can.”
It’s ideal for air rifles.
The target is an empty pop or soup can — the sturdier the better. The first shooter shoots at the can, from around 10 yards. If they hit it, the can will be bounced a little further away with a satisfying clank.
The next person then shoots, hoping to move the can yet further. Each subsequent good hit will send the can further out, making the next shot more challenging. The last person to hit it wins.
You can also entertain young shooters by creating mini safaris by purchasing bags of plastic zoo animals and setting them up at various distances.
If you want another challenge, shoot at bottle caps.
Plastic bottles and balloons filled with water provide fun, reactive targets, too. Correctly-sized cardboard silhouettes of small game animals also provide realistic practice, especially if you only count hits on lethal areas.
These days there are plenty of interesting reactive targets made for plinking. My favourites are spinner and gong targets. There’s something truly satisfying about hearing and seeing a target move violently, thanks to a well-placed shot. There are also metallic animal silhouette targets, some of which can be reset from a distance by pulling a line. Knocking them down can be fun too.
Another cool DIY target is an old circular saw blade hanging from a crosspiece. Set it up so that you need to shoot through the centre hole of the blade to hit a balloon behind it. If you miss you get a clang. If you hit it, there’s a satisfying pop.
The point is you can make plinking as fancy or as simple as you want. Either way, you are honing your marksmanship and gun handling skills for a relatively low cost, given the price of BBs, pellets, or .22 calibre ammunition.
And that small investment pays big dividends during hunting season.
It’s best to wear eye protection any time you plink and it goes without saying that your impromptu range should be safely located and have a good backstop. I prefer shooting into a steep hillside or bluff whenever possible.
Originally published in the Fall 2025 issue of Ontario OUT of DOORS
For more guns and gear, click here
Contact Information
PO Box 2800 / 4601 Guthrie Dr.
Peterborough, Ontario Canada K9J 8L5
Phone: 705-748-OFAH (6324)
Fax: 705-748-9577
Join Our Newsletter
Watch
Shop
Follow
