What do you use as target frames?

[rap_55]

The local range is only open a couple days a week this time of year and I’m usually at work then, so I do most of my shoot outside at a gravel pit. I’m looking for a way to make some frames to hold target when I go out shooting. You guy that shoot out side, how about posting up some ideas and maybe some pictures of what you have come up with to hold your target.

Thanks Rick

 

[Bob F.]

Couple easy things: Contractor left a sign in our yard after some shoddy roofing. I took it down and put it away. He never came back to get it. It's 1/2" angle iron in a rectangular frame with the 2 long sides extending as legs to push into the ground. Paper, cardboard, etc can be taped over it.

The other is 2-1x6's about 24" long with 2" spacers in between. This "sandwich" is on edge with 1" x 4" x 24" nailed across the ends, again on edge. Use 1" x2"'s to make an upright frame that stands up between the 1" x 6"'s. Easier done than written!!

Stay safe.
Bob

 

[Lone_Gunman]

Go buy a few "for sale" signs at Home depot. You know, the kind with the metal frame that you use when you sell a house by owner. They are less than $10.

Then just use clothespins to clip the targets to the frame.

 

[Bruce333]

Corrugated plastic political signs. you know the ones with the little wires that you shove in the ground. I usually get a couple dozen after an election.

Use ones from candidates you don't like.

 

[sm]

Agree with last two posters.

I use Weed-Whacker line running across top and bottom to hold targets in place with clothespins.

Weed Whacker is tied onto small eye bolts on sides of frame.

Works on a cardboard box too...

--

Really cold and wet? I cut a hole in target, shoot the hole, any misses show up on target. Don't "miss" and you don't have to tromp out and change targets.

I like this "work smarter not harder" stuff.

Everyone should have a "spinner" target. These come in .22 to larger calibers, and a $1 can of spray paint refreshes.

Good idea to shoot proper caliber with proper metal thickness and such.

A .22 "may" richocet off a .44 mag one. For sure a .44 mag will take the spinner plumb off a .22lr...

$1 can of orange paint don't seem to fix that problem very well...
...then again the welder will understand, grin, and toss in for free, ( which you pay them something anyway) for some scrap metal he welds up so you can shoot 12 ga slugs at....

Seems a .38 cal rated spinner target kinda allergic to 12 and 20 ga slugs...

Cold, wet day...great day when you shoot everything from .22 lr, 30-30, 9mm, 45ACP, 12ga and 20 ga slugs into that 4" hole...and don't hit the target...just "hole shots". Under a covered porch , heat inside, coffee pot...tromp for inside for that, no need to tromp "out there" to change targets.

I also use orange clays hung on various hangers. I figure If I can hit a orange clay...good to go...be it handgun, rifle or shotgun slugs.

Kids and new shooters like reactive targets...

Only reason to accept a Barney Stuffed animal is too shoot it...usually parents that "finally" had a kid change interests...they seem to really focus well on Barney....

 

[shooters49]

I used to use realestate signs .. Just stick it in the ground staple your target to it and shoot away...

 

[bumm]

I carry a bunch of my stuff out to the range in a cardboard box. Then, I tape my targets onto the bottom of the box and set it out at 25 yards. One box will get the center shot out long before it needs to be replaced.
I recently threw 80 bucks at a metal spinner target with 4 paddles I can shoot at with my .45, but while it oughta be fun, it'll never replace shooting at dots on a piece of paper to see how tight I'm grouping.
Marty

 

[pete f]

one other really good option is the new generation of expanded poly styrene, the slippery stuff like you see used for archery use, use roofing nails as thumb tacks, we have one with at least 5K rounds thru it juststarting to get a hole shot thru it.

 

[BruceB]

I use two pieces of 1/2" steel rebar about five feet long, and a large-ish piece of cardboard bummed from a furniture store.

Get cardboard big enough that, when folded in half, it's wide enough (vertically) for your targets. Fold the cardboard in half longitudinally, and tape it with duct tape. Try to have the fold in an upside-down "U" shape, rather than a tight "V" fold. This allows it to slip over the posts without ripping-up the inside of the cardboard sheet.

Drive the pieces of rebar into the ground with a t-post driver (easier than a hammer, but a hammer will work, too) so the tops are equal height above ground, and space them a bit closer than the max width of the folded cardboard.

Now just slip the folded-and-taped cardboard down over the posts, and you have a WINDPROOF and dirt-cheap target holder. I've used cardboard up to five feet wide in Nevada's "breezes" with perfect security, and many targets can be posted at one time with a target board that big.

Even repeated hits on the rebar posts haven't damaged them badly, but I do carry a spare in my shooting-dedicated van all the same.

 

[MSgt B]

Chicken wire

Use the metal "H" frame everyone is talking about, but string chicken wire across it and use scraps to twist wire it to the frame.
Then you use cheap wooden clothespins to hold your targets on.
The chicken wire can get pretty shot-up and still work for a long time.

 

[hoghunting]

Real estate signs

Almost any real estate agency has old signs to toss. Just check beside the dumpster near their office( for some reason they put the signs beside not inside the dumpster).

I use the metal frame, but replace the sign with cardboard. The cardboard will last longer, and there won't be any rough metal edges to cut you.

 

[1911 guy]

scrap wood.

I bummed some scraps from our shipping department, made an "H" with two 2x4's and a 1x8 as the cross member. Put one 2x4 in a Bridgeport, ran a 1/4" endmill down the length of it. 1/4" plywood now stands up nicely in the contraption, fit's nicely in my trunk, to boot.

 

[ChefGW]

For a more permenant shooting option this is what you could do:
Get two metal fence posts and some chicken wire. Drive the posts into the ground and run the chicken wire between them, then all you have to do is clothespin targets to the chicken wire.

Echo...echo...echo...
Sorry, Msgt B just tread your post and am not trying to steal your thunder. Sorry

 

[eagle45]

MTM Jammit Target Stand. Easy to use, cheap and they will stick into everything from mud to hard packed dirt. They will withstand several hits from a 22 and still work fine. Center fire hits are another story though. For targets, I grab any card board lids from boxes of computer paper at work and just trim off the flaps.

They also make a compact model that works great for those of us that like to combine a little target shooting with motorcycling to the range.

I can usually find them for about $12 or less, Midway wants $14.29.


http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=911160

 

[355sigfan]

Here is a cheap and light weight frame design. Take 1 inch PVC pipe. get some corners and make a square. Then buy some 1.5 inch PVC T sections. Put them over the square. put some thin wood slats in then ends of the T seconds and then staple your ISPC target or cardboard backer to the two pieces of wood. It works great and its cheap and light weight.
pat

 

[kennyboy]

I took 2x4s and made target stands that could be moved. They are just like the ones the the pistol competitions use. I can then stapple man silhouette targets to them. They work great and can be made cheaply.

 

[George S.]

If you want to use cardboard for holding paper targets, drop by a local radiator shop. Some boxes are reused for core retruns but a lot of them are just tosed in either the trash or in carboard recycling bins. Most replacement radiators come in large cardboard boxes and these boxes can be anywhere from 3/16" to 14" thick!!

I work at an auto repair shop and I usually grab a dozen radiator boxes a month and cut them down to fit my wooden target frames. I cut the cardboard to a 24"x24" size. A good hand stapler with 1/2" staples is enough to hold the cardboard on the frame.

I will also take some of the cardboard and draw a simple target design using either a Sharpie or felt tip marker. It's usually just a vertical line and a horizontal line with a 1" solid bull where they intersect and then draw small index lines 1" apart on the horizontal and vetical lines. Good for determining POI/POA measurements at distances beyond 100 yards.

 

[Polishrifleman]

Sawhorses with Pallets leaned against them

We use some old hand made sawhorses and lean pallets against them and then staple targets to our hearts content. We don't haul this around with us because it is to cumbersome but it makes for a great semi permenant shooting place. Just tip the pallet and sawhorse over when you are done. We have one at 10yds and one at 100.

 

[ID_shooting]

I also use the old real estate sign method. I replace the metal sign with what ever panel the have in the free pile at the lumber yard down the road. Just bolt ona panel and staple targets to it.

 

[kennyboy]

George S., that's basically what I do too. I found an old tredmill box and cut IDPA targets out of that cardboard.

 

[TallPine]

Ya'll are gonna love this ... I use an old rabbit hutch that was no longer worth fixing up. The back side was plywood so we just thumbtack sheets of paper to it.

I resisted the urge to shoot up an old washing machine, and just hauled it to the dump instead.

Really cold and wet? I cut a hole in target, shoot the hole, any misses show up on target. Don't "miss" and you don't have to tromp out and change targets.

That's assuming you ( I ) don't miss the entire target.

I also got one of those 22 LR spinners from Cabelas.

And the old 3 lb coffee can sitting on a stump works great too

Really good practice is shooting gophers in the summer with a 22 rifle. Occasionally I can hit them way out past 100 yards - sure gives you a lot of experience with hold-over estimation.

 

[Mauserguy]

I use the old cardboard box trick too. Just turn an old box on its end, with the bottom facing the firing line. Drop in some dirt of something for weight, so it doesn't blow over, past a target to the bottom and blast away.
Mauserguy

 

[Rock45]

I thought I was being original and innovative! LOL

This "Target Stand" was left by my realtor when I bought the house...was not interested in coming back for it.

Bryan

 

[UberPhLuBB]

I use PVC pipe. 4 T-adapters, 4 L-adapters, 2 end caps, 5x3' PVC lengths, 4x1' lengths, 2x2' lengths. Easy to make and repair. Pony clamps hold the targets (which I tape to foam project board).

No pictures handy, but this sums it up.

 

[30-40Krag dude]

i was using pvc pipe as well. but a stray shot easily puts it out of service. i picked this up from cheaper than dirt for $18. works great and sets up in seconds.



just recently ordered some polymer targets from just shoot me products. been so cold lately that i havnt been able to try them out yet.