I am happy to have found a convenient and economical way to maintain my shooting skills in an urban environment by using a BB gun and slingshot aimed at DIY spinner targets. In my case there is a hillside in my back yard that works as a safe backdrop but a basement or garage could be used as well. You may need to improvise a suitable backdrop by using boxes or a hung canvas tarp.

Awhile back I decided to make a spinner target so that it would signal a hit without having to replace a toppled can or a perforated paper target. I could open my backdoor to shoot from either inside the threshold or step out onto my porch while observing safety precautions from either position to confirm a clear down range. Although commercial spinner targets are very robust and durable when used with conventional gun ammunition, they are not needed for most BBs, small rocks, or acorns.

The materials needed to make a DIY simple spinner target are made with household items such as a metal coat hanger, tin can lids, and one and a quarter inch binder clips. The only tool needed would be a pair of pliers for bending the coat hanger.

I wanted to use different sized can lids for targets that ranged from three and a quarter inches to two inches in diameter and hung them in descending order by size. You can vary the lid size, quantity, and distance to your own liking. I bent the wire to include small “bumps” to act as barriers between each can lid with a slight sag between them that enables the cans to recenter after being hit. Then I opened a binder clip over the wire and clamped it onto the top edge of the can lid.

I found that sometimes a can lid may be sprung out when hit but that is the advantage of having multiple lids hanging on the coat hanger wire so you can continue practicing. Because the stones or acorns used with a slingshot have more mass, the can lids are more prone to be sprung loose.

I have had a lot of fun using the DIY simple spinner target and it has enabled me to sharpen my shooting skills. I recommend making one for your own benefit and enjoyment that will help you be better prepared.