PopUp targets

[GutHook]

Hey guys, kinda new here. I've been lurking for a while and like what I see.

Thanks for a great site...

Now, on to the business. Does anybody have a link to home made steel pop-up targets? I have the means necessary but would like a little direction. They would need to function with 9mm and .45 mainly, and function at a short range. That being said, what ammo do you use at close range on steel targets?

All this is probably a dead horse, but I can't seem to find it anywhere.

Thanks in advance

 

[TMM]

you mean ones that pop BACK up, after being shot, or ones that pop up and down randomly, like for somthing like self defence training...?

Cabela's has self-resetting targets if that's what you mean.

a random up/down one will need electric stuff or complex gearwork i assume...

~TMM

 

[GutHook]

Yeah, I mean as silhouette that falls down, and springs back up after being shot. Sorry for the confusion. I don't really have the time or money to invest in sophisticated electronic targets.
As for Cabelas, I'll check them out, but if I remember correctly, they are small round plates. I'd really like some 1/2" thick silhouettes, actual size.

Thanks for the reply

 

[trickyasafox]

your best bet would be to make one with a heavy weight at the bottom and the metal joint about mid way up the target, kinda so it looks like a childs weeble wobble toy. this way the heavy weight will make the target self correcting and it will always go back to the upright position. sorry if my explanation is poor but it makes sense in my head. . . .

 

[trickyasafox]

something like this

 

[carpettbaggerr]

That being said, what ammo do you use at close range on steel targets?

Frangible. Or pure lead. Even with soft lead you may be hit with bullet fragments. Steel targets aren't really good for close range.

 

[insidious_calm]

Try letargets.com .....

I have some that I got from them. They have a large variety too.

http://www.letargets.com/html/steel.html


I have both auto resetting and straight fall back. As for what ammo, I have used just about everything from LRN's to HP or FMJ in .22LR, 9mm, .40, .45 pistol ammo and soft point rifle in .223 and .308. The only time I have experienced "splash" was when shooting CQB with the .223's (not recommended by the manufacturer or most sane people) at ranges of 15 feet or less. ALWAYS were blue jeans, long sleeves, and EYE PROTECTION! I also recommend wrap around eye protection if you have it. Never shoot with anyone to the sides of the targets no matter how far away they are.


One really neat thing I like about them is they are adjustable for power factor. I can set them to drop on a single .45, or (with careful adjustment) you can get them to drop with 2-3 9mm's in rapid fire, or one .45. They have a bolt at the base that controls how far forward the plate leans. You can even set them to not fall at all which I find excellent for praticing draw +1 or draw +2 etc. repeatedly. IMO they are a great training aid.


I.C.