Steel Targets

[Fly Navy]

This target stand was built on 22 February 2005, in a matter of a few hours. It was designed to hold both steel swinging targets for pistol and rifle, as well as provide a platform to attach paper targets. The following components were used:

• (2) 3/4" x 3/4" x 6' hollow steel rod
• (2) 5/16" round steel rod
• (1) 3/4" x 3/4" x 3' angle iron
• (3) 1/2" x 2" x 2' pine board
• (4) 5/16" eye bolt
• (6) 1/4" 20 bolts w/ washers and wingnut
• (1) 2" x 12" x 9" steel plate
• (2) 1/2" x 10" x 6" steel plate

The target stands at 4 feet tall and is 2 feet 1.5 inches wide. Due to the hollow tube construction, it's very light, but it handles the very heavy rifle target with no problem. My friend and I cut, welded, drilled, and ground the stand and swinging steel targets in a simple metal shop, and then painted it for rust protection and target visibility.

Rifle Target

This swinging steel rifle target weighs about 60 lbs and is designed to be used at 100m or greater. It should be useable for a long time.

Pistol Target

These two swinging steel pistol targets are lightweight and are designed to be used at 25m. They're light enough to be easily moved by most medium and large pistol bullets.

Paper Holder

These removeable wood boards are used to staple paper targets in place. They can be used to hold various sizes of paper targets.

 

[landon74]

Where did you come across 2" steel plate at? Looks really good BTW, have fun trying to wear them out!

 

[Fly Navy]

Friend of ours hooked us up. He got it from another guy to make a target out of, but decided not to use it, so he just unloaded it on us. Thank god we didn't have to pay for it...

 

[P95Carry]

I love good targets and stands ... nice work.

I made this spinner up year before last - it is now rather obviously ''shot up'' but will do more service - aided by addition of some more steel to the ''paddles''. The upright is angle iron (hammer into ground), to top of which is welded some round bar - tube in middle of top section center is a sliding fit over that.

Best usefullness is, a new paddle almost always presents itself ... and with rapid fire with say 9mm .. the sucker can be got spinning pretty good!

 

[Fly Navy]

Oh my god that's awesome! That's going to be our new project.

 

[possenti]

Nice job!

I'm planning on posting my dinky steel pistol silhouettes I just made as soon as I get them painted. Your post blows my project away! (No pun intended).

Last summer, I built a "trial target" with a 12-inch circle that was 1/2" thick. Hung it by chains on a stand similar to yours. Worked great for pistol. Didn't hold up well to the AK and AR assault .

2" plate would be a little difficult to come by. How do you think 1" would perform with rifle fire? I'm a welder, and most of my personal projects are constructed from scavenged scrap. 1" thickness is about the limit.

 

[Fly Navy]

Yeah, we lucked out on the 2" plate. I can't remember what we were shooting the other day, it was either 1" or 1.5". Either way, 5.56mm at 100m didn't seem to bother it too much. .30-06 however, ooooh yeah, that left craters, it was cool. It still held up ok though.

 

[SMLE]

My Father and I built a novelty target for the muzzle loader club we used to be in. It was a "cartoon" bear, that used a 10" circle for the body, with a 5" circle for the head and 1" circles for the ears and legs. It was cut out of a single piece of 1/2" AR plate. We drilled a 13/16" hole through the head and welded a small metal ring just above the hole on the back side. The ring was sized to hole a small dixie cup with some flour or fine dirt in it with the botton of the cup in line with the hole. The target was mounted so that it would pivot freely. The object was to shoot THROUGH the hole in the head. If you shot through, a puff of flour/dirt would give a clear indication. BUT, if you didn't shoot cleanly through the hole, the target would turn. The usual way it was used at the club range was an elimination match. Everyone would shoot at about 10 yards, and whoever shot clean would move back until only one person shot clean. I saw Dad shoot clean through that 13/16" hole at 75 yards one day using a .58 caliber "Zouave" rifle, OFFHAND.

I think that it's still around Dad's place, I can look for it and post pics if anybody wants to see what I'm talking about.

 

[DigMe]

I need to get me something like that. I really like shooting the metal plates at the gun club I shoot at.

brad cook