question about backing material for a target range setup

Status
Not open for further replies.
Shanvanvocht said:
Our local public range uses chicken wire fencing and clothes pins; inexpensive, convenient and easily replaced.
Click to expand...

'Fraid that wouldn't work down here. Clothes pins wouldn't hold the paper targets to the wire.

We use a 6 foot long #9 logging chain for a wind flag and during the month of March have to hang a 50# anvil on the end after a couple of close calls when shooters had close calls with the chain. :evil:

Joking aside, that might work OK, but with the gusty winds we have most of the time here, pretty sure we'd need a stiffer backer to keep targets from being torn & blown off wire.
Regards,
hps
 
I had a response just after you posted Monday, but had nothing good to offer that wouldn’t already come up.

I think it’s a neat idea. So long as one could actually get a staple into it. What they have for target backer is a bit different than their aggregate liner.
It doesn’t really “heal” it’s self. The latex enables a stretch around the bullet, resulting in a pin prick hole. But as stated above, even with straight pins, enough of them will make a hole.
I think their best use is in a bullet trap, to ensure fragments stay in it.

To hang it, a steel angle with bolt holes drilled into it would be best to clamp it down. One at the bottom may be necessary if it flaps in the wind. I think they look stiffer than that.
For a thousand dollars ($1032.67)per 4’x8’ sheet, I’d want to see them in use first.;)

I’m drawing plans for a trailer towable bullet trap.
It will have slots to slide cardboard into.
And an armored on board backer storage.:D
 
doubleh said:
My gun club has switched to that chintzy orange safety fence material and clothes pins. :cuss::cuss:Talk about a sorry excuse for a target board. They did use 4' x 8' chip board ripped into two 2' x8' pieces so it would two target stands but it has become too expensive so they say. :thumbdown: The only reason I remain a member is because I shoot mostly steel gongs.
Click to expand...

My nearest outdoor wildlife range (hour away) uses a string of clothesline strung across all the lanes at set distance. I think they are 15, 25, 50, and 100. A single strand at each distance. Everyone is supposed to attach targets to the clothesline by clothespins or binder clips. If someone hits the clothesline, all the targets on that distance line fall, and you have to change lines until it gets fixed. Nothing other than paper targets allowed. No metal, bottles, plastic, Tannertite, etc. Closest you can get to a reactive target is the wind blowing. I would take safety fence any day.
 
CapnMac said:
The rubber & rubberized conveyor belts will "self heal" for many shots, but, eventually, they will wind up more hole than not..
Click to expand...

The Missouri Dept. of Conservation uses conveyor belt at most of their unmanned public ranges. They get replaced quite often with the amount of shooters that use the public ranges. Conveyor belts will definitely last longer on a personal range at home.
 
My home range backstop, back to front....
8x8 wall of sandbags, then,
8x8 wall of 4x4 timber, then,
8x8 frame consisting of 3/4" plywood, 10" of sand, 3/4" plywood, then, 4" of sand, then, 8x8 wall of 4x4.
About every 2 years I have to replace the front 4x4 wall, but have only had a few rounds penetrated into the 10" sand layer. Most were stopped in the 4" layer.
 
Where we qualify the Sheriffs office uses old conveyor belt material. Its about 3/4” thick and comes in 24” wide sheets. Most bullets pass clean through but a few will get stuck (.38 wadcutters, etc.)

You could hang it in front of the backstop.

The local gravel pits just give the stuff to the range, easier than paying for disposal. It may be as easy and cheap for you if there is a local rock/cement company.

The sheets take hundreds and hundreds of rounds before they get a hole worn through them and need replacing.

Stay safe.
 
herrwalther said:
My nearest outdoor wildlife range (hour away) uses a string of clothesline strung across all the lanes at set distance. I think they are 15, 25, 50, and 100. A single strand at each distance. Everyone is supposed to attach targets to the clothesline by clothespins or binder clips. If someone hits the clothesline, all the targets on that distance line fall, and you have to change lines until it gets fixed. Nothing other than paper targets allowed. No metal, bottles, plastic, Tannertite, etc. Closest you can get to a reactive target is the wind blowing. I would take safety fence any day.
Click to expand...

They tried chicken wire first and found it quickly fell apart because it broke every time a bullet hit it. Duh. They are so cheap they tie the plastic fencing up with string as it gets shot up. We did have three 25 yard target boards on the rifle range and for some reason two of them have disappeared, stands and berms gone and just a smooth spot where they used to be. It makes initial sighting in of a rifle difficult with only one target stand for multiple shooters. No tannerite or glass is allowed and I agree with the glass but I fail to see how tannerite can cause any damage to what is basically a big rock with just enough soil to grow a little grass that is usually dormant from lack of rain. There are shot up plastic bottles and coke (generic name for any canned drink) cans, and broken clay pigeons scatted about plus paper targets blowing around. There are numerous trash barrels that are emptied regularly and some of us police our trash but many are slobs. The only thing that is picked up regularly is empty brass.

If I were not covered up by people that have discovered the joys of country living I would pull a Skeeter Skelton and build a three sided container from crossties and fill it with dirt for my own range. I should have moved about five miles farther where it is deserted.
 
Just go to your local appliance store and ask for the cardboard shipping containers for refigerators and washer/dryers. Strong cardboard and free. Use it on target stands (like these) with 1x2 sticks. I just keep stapling new targets over the cardboard.
51XAFEhR0OL._AC_SL1050_.jpg
 
epags said:
Just go to your local appliance store and ask for the cardboard shipping containers for refigerators and washer/dryers. Strong cardboard and free. Use it on target stands (like these) with 1x2 sticks. I just keep stapling new targets over the cardboard.
View attachment 1094130
Click to expand...
Lol I have that exact stand it works great when I am up at the cabin with the family.

and I literally have more of that exact cardboard backing in my amazon cart right now, and just picked up more of those clips from staples today to replace the ones that got shot up last time.
 
Good Ol' Boy said:
Build something like this and you can put whatever targets you want in front of it.


View attachment 1094203 View attachment 1094204
Click to expand...

I don’t think he is asking about a backstop or berm. I think he is asking about a backing for the target stands he/they can attach the targets to.

IE. Cardboard that you can staple or stick the targets to. He was just hoping for something that didn’t need to replaced as often as cardboard.
 
Demi-human said:
I’m drawing plans for a trailer towable bullet trap.
It will have slots to slide cardboard into.
And an armored on board backer storage.
Click to expand...

Cardboard can’t stand much in the terms of liquid before it gets mushy, why I use Coroplast if it’s staying outside.

On my little towable bullet trap, I didn’t use any backer at all. I just welded 4 nuts to the front of it that I can slide TIG welding filler rods into and hag the targets off of them.

207E2877-C6F6-42C5-BDB1-4AC15BCA27E0.jpeg

2AB23E1F-E898-45BD-9832-237B30297DC8.jpeg
 
Hooda Thunkit said:
The target backer is large enough to move the actual target around on the board.
Keep moving where the target is placed, and perhaps the backer board will have a longer life.
Click to expand...
I think quite the opposite. Having a dedicated space, or even permanent pins in the backer to hold the targets, would be better. More shots going the same place might save the mat for the errant rounds. The problem is always poorly aimed, or rather mal-aimed, shots. The pins and bolts that hold the mat can only take so much.

That is the main reason for private ranges, miscreants. Some humans just want the world to burn.

Now back to the Linatex. Has anyone in our vast resources used any? Updating Tags for the search…
 
on our farm we use10x10 area built with 8x8s ,tires stacked in two rows deep. Covered with horse manure and dirt from the farm. Piece of one and a quarter channel mounted across the front. Clip your targets on with those big file clips.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

feedthehogs
  • Locked
Officers try floating target practice
Replies
9
Views
948
AJ Dual
A
Odd Job
  • Locked
Ricochet from a loose stone in the berm: 22LR at 25 yards
Replies
23
Views
3K
jmorris
jmorris
Demi-human
  • Locked
The Irony is not Lost on Me.
Replies
20
Views
2K
splattergun
splattergun
Slamfire
  • Locked
Range 2 Targets CMP Talladega
Replies
12
Views
1K
boom boom
boom boom
Alllen Bundy
New & Improved Lockbox Setup for Sig P365 Series
Replies
1
Views
391
Alllen Bundy
Alllen Bundy
Back
Top