I built many target stands out of wood and they last a year or so. Get tired of yanking staples out of them. I accidentally blew my last one in half sighting in a 20 gauge slug gun the past week before deer season! Trying to figure out how to make a steel frame target stand from 3/8" or 1/4" steel rods, but can't figure out how I will attach paper targets to it? I use wood stands now so I just staple my targets to it. If you guys have any good stands please post pics of them and basic instructions how it was built. I'm just tired of wooden stands and all these darn staples. Thanks!
build design for a target stand?
- Thread starter stinnett1981
- Start date
Stick pins? Hum... good idea. Mike, do you know how soon the STL benchrest club will post their 2014 schedule? Now that I have my .308 built I plan on making it to all the monthly Thursday F class matches. Just need to lock those days off for work in early January. Thanks
Lapua40X
California Hunter Education Instructor
Steel = ricochet potential so I avoid using it. Besides, metal target stands tend to be heavy. Sorry I don't have pictures to post for you but I can explain that I like to use heavy wall PVC pipe for frames. To eliminate staples, sheet metal screws will hold a cardboard backer to the frame and you can easily use masking tape to hold targets to the cardboard.
There are any number of ways to provides support for this type of frame including a folding "U" shaped support that swivels on the target frame, drilling holes into the base section of the frame and using rod (e.g. rebar) driven through the holes into the ground, etc.
If you shoot out a section of the PVC pipe it's easy to fix with a PVC couplings.
There are any number of ways to provides support for this type of frame including a folding "U" shaped support that swivels on the target frame, drilling holes into the base section of the frame and using rod (e.g. rebar) driven through the holes into the ground, etc.
If you shoot out a section of the PVC pipe it's easy to fix with a PVC couplings.
There's a commercial stand available that fits what you are describing, but I cannot remember who makes it, I thought it was Birchwood-Casey but I'm not seeing it on their website.
Basically it was round steel bar formed into an three sided rectangle open at the bottom. There is a horizontal round steel bar with loops formed on each end that goes around the vertical bars of the frame allowing it to slide up and down. The targets with or without backer are binder clipped to the top fixed bar and the lower sliding bar.
My stellar MS-Paint skills conjured up this...
Basically it was round steel bar formed into an three sided rectangle open at the bottom. There is a horizontal round steel bar with loops formed on each end that goes around the vertical bars of the frame allowing it to slide up and down. The targets with or without backer are binder clipped to the top fixed bar and the lower sliding bar.
My stellar MS-Paint skills conjured up this...
PVC for me. T at the bottom with detachable leg pieces works unless it gets too windy. If you want them to stand up in the wind, take the Ts off the bottom and drive rebar into the ground.
I strung lightweight wires across the box of the frame with light springs on them to keep them in tension while being completely adjustable. Attach cardboard backers to the wires with clothes pins and staple targets to the backer.
Cheap, light, functional.
I strung lightweight wires across the box of the frame with light springs on them to keep them in tension while being completely adjustable. Attach cardboard backers to the wires with clothes pins and staple targets to the backer.
Cheap, light, functional.
I make my target frames out of 5/8" round bar and 1.5 x1.5 angle.(welded) 3ft x 3ft with the legs (3ft longer)made of the 5/8 round bar (pointed) I fill in the frame with cardboard wired to the frame, then I use clear packaging tape and tape the targets to the cardboard. ( Tape works real good in the wind) I use sledge hammer to secure it to the ground. When I need to move it, I rock it a little, comes right up. If I let the target stay out for a couple of weeks I cover the target with clear packaging tape to waterproof it. I use it myself so it doesn't get shot up. I've had mine for 3 years so far. Works for me...
I used to keep it out for a while at the neighbors farm lane (750 yds) but the neighbors nephew is either the worst shot ever or he was intentionally hitting the frames, that I bring it home after each shooting session. Only weighs about 10 lbs.
I used to keep it out for a while at the neighbors farm lane (750 yds) but the neighbors nephew is either the worst shot ever or he was intentionally hitting the frames, that I bring it home after each shooting session. Only weighs about 10 lbs.
I like to tightly tape my targets to a cardboard backer. I get better defined bullets holes that way and it is easier to measure group size. I use large clamp style paper clips to secure the cardboard to the target stands provided by the gun club. Those are square pieces of 3/16 inch plywood attached to a single square pole. The pole slides into a piece of square tubing either buried in the ground or secured to the back of a rail road tie.
The plywood slowly gets shot out, but if you are careful the outside stays intact and should last a long time. The pole never fits into the square tubing perfectly, so to keep it from moving in the wind, and to align it perfectly straight, I use a few shims between the pole and the square tube.
The plywood slowly gets shot out, but if you are careful the outside stays intact and should last a long time. The pole never fits into the square tubing perfectly, so to keep it from moving in the wind, and to align it perfectly straight, I use a few shims between the pole and the square tube.
All good info. This helps out a lot. I like the idea of the cardboard backer and simply taping or clipping paper targets to it. Then when the backer gets shot up to much I can simply replace it for a couple dollars. Thanks guys.
I make a H fixture out of 1" steel square tubing. Thats my base. Then i weld 2 pockets out of 2" square tubing(about 6" long) to the base. These i put 2x2 wood uprights in. I regularly stop by the auto bodt shop a get card board. Staple that card board to the wood uprights and put my dots or target on the card board.
Real estate sign frames and coroplast for backer material works great and is likely cheaper to buy than to build. Also, the coroplast conveniently comes in sizes to fit them, and will take lots of rounds before needing replaced. If you know a realtor, ask them to save their old frames. You may get them for free. They tend to get torn up and may need a weld here or there, but free is free.
What is coroplast?
plastic cardboard...it's what most cheap temporarty signs are made of...and also most wind flags are made of it.stinnett1981 said:
stinnett1981 said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coroplast
I use this stuff too, and the foam core board that signs are sometimes printed on (for tradeshows, etc.).
These materials (like cardboard) hold a staple well, but you can also just pull the staples out with your fingernail when finished. And they're stiffer than cardboard, and more water-resistant.
Put some B/C orange dots on these white backers, and you just might be able to see your bullet holes at 500y, especially if they're grouped tightly. ;D
I use the "For Sale by Owner, or Garage Sale" signs that you can buy at Lowe's, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, etc. They're light, easy to put up, and will take a lot of rounds. I attach my paper targets with thumb tacks.
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