Anyone shoot bowling pins?

[Bob O]

In order to liven things up for my 12-year old son, who shoots a Ruger 22/45, I decided to incorporate bowling pins into our otherwise paper target only outings. This should make it more fun for him, and I'm sure I'll like it a lot too.

I'm going to stop at the local lanes tonight and pick up 5 or 6 old pins. The guy working there earlier today said that there were a couple of boxes there, but he wasn't authorized to give or sell them to me. He said to stop by this evening when the owner would be there. He said they give pins away every now and then.

So I put together an 8-ft long "table", more like a long sawhorse than anything else. I might get a chance to shoot late evening, but more likely will have to wait til tomorrow. I'll post up some pics from the range.

 

[RobzGuns]

My shooting club periodically incorporates bowling pins into some of the stages. Alas, I have not made it to any of the matches when they were used.

 

[NYlakesider]

In order to liven things up for my 12-year old son, who shoots a Ruger 22/45, I decided to incorporate bowling pins into our otherwise paper target only outings. This should make it more fun for him, and I'm sure I'll like it a lot too.

I'm going to stop at the local lanes tonight and pick up 5 or 6 old pins. The guy working there earlier today said that there were a couple of boxes there, but he wasn't authorized to give or sell them to me. He said to stop by this evening when the owner would be there. He said they give pins away every now and then.

So I put together an 8-ft long "table", more like a long sawhorse than anything else. I might get a chance to shoot late evening, but more likely will have to wait til tomorrow. I'll post up some pics from the range.

I shot them years back. The game was designed to prove out your accuracy, speed and having a big enough gun to knock those heavy pins clear off a table. To play the game right you need about the power of a .357 with heavy loads as a minimum. . When I shot most people use a .45 with hollow points. (HPs so they would dig in).

I used either a 1911 .45 or Model 29 with rather stout but not full power hand loads, HPs of course.

Your .22 does not have near enough horsepower to do anything but bounce off the pins.

Possibly you shroud get some metal spinner targets made for a .22.

 

[canoeguy]

Some years ago, I used to shoot a weekly bowing pin match at an indoor shooting range. 5 pins set up on a table at 50 feet, at the start signal pistols were used to clear the table of pins. Time stopped when pins fell off the back of the table.

Center fire pistols (9mm, .45, .40 caliber, etc.) pins were set on the front edge of the table. .22 rimfire pistols, pins were set on the back edge of the table.

I can't think of any shooting game that was as much fun.

 

[Bob O]

Cool.

I shoot a 1911 .45. The top of my sawhorse looks like a T from the side. I have a 1x6 nailed flat to a 2x4 standing on edge. So if the pins go over, they will go almost directly to the ground....no rolling around.

From some vids I watched, a .22 seems to knock them over with no problem. We normally shoot from 7, 10 and 15 yds, so these ought to be some great targets for him fore sure.

 

[buckshotshorty]

I used to shoot bowling pin matches years ago. The thing that surprised me most about bowling pins is how tough those things are. I used a 45 and anything other than a center hit would not knock them over.
I'm not sure a 22 will have the necessary power.

 

[murphydog]

No, I prefer a ball to knock them over; they tend to not be that aggressive .

I suspect a close-range shot at the upper part of the pin (torque and all that) with a .22 LR will do the trick.

 

[BAM-BAM]

It's been a long time..... but memory is that a .22 isn't enough gun....maybe duck pins........

FYI ......I use clays w/ my boys........ break it ..... break the pieces.........

sometimes you can put a hole through one and make a donut.

 

[Valmet]

I've used 22s on bowling pins before and it's tons of fun. With a 22 you can get a lot of use per pin.

 

[Qball]

If shooting at bowling pins with a .22 just cut the head of and shoot at that.
At the red stripe would be just right.

BUT... be sure to use glasses as there can be some really nasty bounce back.

 

[Pre 29]

As the previous poster said there are some horrendous ricochets, I have been hit a bunch of times. If you want something else fun to shoot at get a bunch of used golf balls and throw them out a few yards and drive them down range. I used to hit the range with a bag of balls and my 617 or High Standard auto and have a ball(pun intended).

 

[Collo Rosso]

I'll shoot my first bowling pin match on the 29th. Centerfire pistol, draw from a holster, 6 rounds in the first mag for semi-autos. Looking forward to it!

 

[Shorty 45 MK2]

Haven't shot them in a match but have a couple of old ones that get shot every now and then. You can knock them over but you have to aim for the top and they fall down but not with much of a thump.

Another vote for golf balls! They are super fun to plink at with .22's.

 

[g8rb8]

I understand what you are trying to do ........ make shooting more fun and challenging for your son ....... and applaud you for being a good dad. As designated "range master" for our outings I try to come up with fun stuff too. Another thing to do with bowling pins is tie a string around the neck of the pin and suspend them. A hit gets them swinging. Even more fun is trying to hit them while they are swinging. Suspended bowling pins are low maintenance for the "range master." One other simple, low maintenance, fun target is suspended AR500 steel targets which offer a pleasing ping and movement when hit and essentially never wear out unless you shoot a lot of moderate to large caliber center fire high velocity rifle ammo or armor piercing ammo. Keep thinking of fun stuff.

 

[Bob O]

Got 10 pins from the local lanes!

The .22 had no problem knocking them down. Here's a short vid of my boy at 7 yds. They went over the same at 10 yds.

[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=III3ZvQMna4&feature=youtu.be[/ame]

Parker shooting pins at 7 yds - some SLOW MO!!: https://youtu.be/IAVnyqXs0h0

I have a steel plate on order, but its been 13 days and it hasn't shipped yet. It was in stock when I ordered it.....maybe it will be here for next weekend.

Here's a pic from between rounds......a happy kid.

 

[madmikeb]

We've been having .22 bowling pin matches at the local range for many years. A .22 has no problem knocking them over. We set up two racks at about 50 feet each rack holds five pins then we set up a stop plate at the same range. Then each shooter has a score card with 10 boxes on it. We draw two names both shooters go to the line and at the horn whoever knocks down their five pins and their stop plate first is the winner and gets an x in the box on the scorecard. The loser gets a 0. After 10 rounds whoever has the most x's on their card is the winner.
Its a lot of fun and as I said a .22 has no problem knocking them over.

 

[Sargent Tom]

In order to liven things up for my 12-year old son, who shoots a Ruger 22/45, I decided to incorporate bowling pins into our otherwise paper target only outings. This should make it more fun for him, and I'm sure I'll like it a lot too.

I'm going to stop at the local lanes tonight and pick up 5 or 6 old pins. The guy working there earlier today said that there were a couple of boxes there, but he wasn't authorized to give or sell them to me. He said to stop by this evening when the owner would be there. He said they give pins away every now and then.

So I put together an 8-ft long "table", more like a long sawhorse than anything else. I might get a chance to shoot late evening, but more likely will have to wait til tomorrow. I'll post up some pics from the range.

You may be disappointed because they won't fall over. I put little stick-on targets on fron of bowling pin to show it was hit.

 

[David LaPell]

I did once, but then I was asked never to come back to that bowling alley.

Seriously, we used to use them at our annual qualifying between the two courses for our scores to loosen everyone up and get some fun and trigger control in. It's amazing how tough they can be when shooting them even with .45 ACP. Of course when the road patrol guys bring their 12 gauges out they don't last very long when the slugs and 00 buckshot gets used on them.

 

[GrayGhost99]

My dad's bowling pin gun was a 28 with a 4" barrel and what he referred to as self centering grips. Target grips target grips slimmed down till they fit his hand and a dime size divot drilled into the grip where his middle finger would sit so on the draw, yes back then you started holstered, he would aquire the same grip every time.
Even with hot magnums the n frame does not rise much compared to a k frame or a python. He was an armory trained smith, local police supply store paid for him to go to smith for the course, and the action on that hp was like butter.

 

[H Richard]

We shot Bowling Pins for several years back in the late 90's. A 1/2" thick sheet steel table top (I think) was 3' X 7" or thereabouts. For centerfire, pins are placed in the center of the table, and you had to knock them OFF the table. (A slightly off center hit would cause them to spin around an not get off the table). The score was the time. We always started from a 45 degree ready, not holstered. A 45 1911 was most popular, but revolvers, especially in 44 special or 45 were often used. When we shot .22's, we placed the pins about 1" from the back of the plate. A center or bottom of the neck hit would take them down. It was great fun. Many found out power wasn't everything as hot loads you spent too much time recovering from recoil. A load heavy enough to get them off the table, but light enough to be able to maintain speed is the best. This is the game that developed the compensator to keep muzzle rise down and speed shot recovery to gain overall speed.