Post pics of your reactive targets.

[Cobra 76 two 2,677]

I'm beginning my collection of steel targets. Had the small caliber (.22) resetting target about a year or two, but just today got one that we can shoot with our CF pistols. Got tired of running back n forth setting up cans or putting sticky dots over holes in paper targets. I did pick up half a dozen bowling pins last week at a thrift store for a buck a pop. They proved to be fun as hell to shoot and look like they will last awhile if I don't shoot em with my rifles. The 9mm and .380 just pierce the skin and turn & try to break back out but don't. Will find out tomorrow I guess, if the 45 ACP messes em up bad.... ? I'm gonna check with the bowling alley down the road from here about getting some more of them.

Anyway... I had to throw a new coat of paint on the small cal. target tonight so it doesn't look like crap at our shoot tomorrow. So I had an idea to just paint the discs with bright colored paint, because those little stick on dots get gone on the first shot sometimes. Then I was thinking why not paint one side one color, for bright daylight conditions.... and on the flipside use some of this ZOMBIE green fluorescent paint I've had for awhile in my shop. When it starts getting dark, that stuff is still very bright, and lights up like a Christmas tree if you throw a small light on it.

 

So what do you guys shoot at for fun? Any ideas on making your own reactive targets out of steel or anything else, are more than welcome. I'm looking into making my own welded steel targets so I would like to see what others have done. They are too expensive to keep buying, so I want to start making my own.

 

 

 

[nipper2u 101]

Check out "The Alley" in downtown Raleigh. They are my source for cheap bowling pins and have always sold me as many as I want for a good price. (bring a box to carry them in)

[dashowdy 141]

cobra I have always ordered ar 500 targets from a vet on ebay, they are pretty reaonable for the abuse they will take and I just put them on a 4 ft. shepherds hook.

[U.S. Pratorean 1,234]

I use these. They hold up to 30.06, 7.62x54 and .308 well. Handgun calibers barely make a mark. They were also free. I just walked up and down the rails near my ranch and the RR just discards them when they replace the ties. Have about 25.

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/ss72/ddoneill/471731ef7d54c2662a1f0134b0e818a3_zps397d6fe3.jpg

[Big John! 2,062]

I would love to get my hands on some AR500 steel. Shit is expensive though. From the little research I've done on it, you shouldn't weld it. It's recommended to drill then attach a hanger over your choice using a nut and bolt as not to change the properties if the ar500.

 

I saw very small ar500 targets at a gun show going for $60 which leads me to believe that I can find the steel and cut it myself or have it jetted for less. There's a tree style stand at my LGS for $400. Fucker is too heavy to be able to get to the range. Now that you have me thinking about it again, I'll do some research and see what I can find. I want something that will handle a 45 at the minimum.

I use these. They hold up to 30.06, 7.62x54 and .308 well. Handgun calibers barely make a mark. They were also free. I just walked up and down the rails near my ranch and the RR just discards them when they replace the ties. Have about 25.

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/ss72/ddoneill/471731ef7d54c2662a1f0134b0e818a3_zps397d6fe3.jpg

Sweet! I've got a RR very close to me. I'll have to go look for some. Thanks for the info and if I find some I'll be adding my reactive targets to this thread.

[U.S. Pratorean 1,234]

I would love to get my hands on some AR500 steel. Shit is expensive though. From the little research I've done on it, you shouldn't weld it. It's recommended to drill then attach a hanger over your choice using a nut and bolt as not to change the properties if the ar500.

 

I saw very small ar500 targets at a gun show going for $60 which leads me to believe that I can find the steel and cut it myself or have it jetted for less. There's a tree style stand at my LGS for $400. Fucker is too heavy to be able to get to the range. Now that you have me thinking about it again, I'll do some research and see what I can find. I want something that will handle a 45 at the minimum.

thetargetman llc on ebay sells AR500 targets. Last year he had "bundle packages" of three 12 x 12 in. square gongs. I got 2 pkgs. for around $140 for six. Not too bad. I have not used them yet 'cuz the RR plates are plentiful and the AR plates will fit in a vest but a little heavy.

Did I mention I was a cheapskate?

Edited March 1, 2013 by U.S Praetorian

[termite 463]

Check wideners.com they've got them.

[Big John! 2,062]

This is turning into a great thread! Cool topic Cobra.

<----- Heading for the RR tracks!

YES, she's going with me.

Edited March 1, 2013 by Big John!

[gunfun 3,931]

I use these. They hold up to 30.06, 7.62x54 and .308 well. Handgun calibers barely make a mark. They were also free. I just walked up and down the rails near my ranch and the RR just discards them when they replace the ties. Have about 25.

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/ss72/ddoneill/471731ef7d54c2662a1f0134b0e818a3_zps397d6fe3.jpg

 

 

That always comes up, but if you don't have permission that is theft, and actually a federal crime. R/R officers are the only private entity that have cop like powers of arrest too.

 

Better to get a letter from your local R/R supervisor that says they don't mind.

[gunfun 3,931]

I have a couple chunks of I-beam that were made into 6x8x10 boxes from an old building. They make good pistol clankers, and are fun to push around with slugs. Rifle rounds would surely put holes though.

 

I also used to have several Birchwood Casey self resetting .22lr targets that were about 3/8" thick or maybe 5/16" They got stolen, but they worked great. about half the time .22 didn't have enough oomph to flip them up. The bonus though is that I can shoot them with 9mm and 38 and they are fine. .357 will dish them, but not pit. Flip them around to flatten back out. The frame might fall over about every 10th shot or so if shooting the pistol calibers at it though. They cost around $35 each now, and would be pretty nice mounted in a rail about chest height. I got some cheap red knock offs on clearance at Bi-mart. They are much lighter duty, and work better for 22, but will fall over almost every time with 9mm. My brother shot one with a .357 and bent the dinger pretty far. All in all though, I think I got them for $13 or $14 each so hard to complain. These are about the same design as the one in cobra's lower right pic above. Just a little different legs. I would say the birchwood casey ones are a good buy though.

 

To make, I want to do the 3 gun style ipsc silhouettes that fall over and launch a clay. (poppers) The simple ones just have a teeter totter holding the clay and the plate and post falls on one side. That shouldn't be hard to make if you want to leave it set up.

[U.S. Pratorean 1,234]

 

Edited March 2, 2013 by U.S Praetorian

[Dysfunctional 63]

also sounds like environmental protection through recycling...

[U.S. Pratorean 1,234]

I use these. They hold up to 30.06, 7.62x54 and .308 well. Handgun calibers barely make a mark. They were also free. I just walked up and down the rails near my ranch and the RR just discards them when they replace the ties. Have about 25.

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/ss72/ddoneill/471731ef7d54c2662a1f0134b0e818a3_zps397d6fe3.jpg

 

 

That always comes up, but if you don't have permission that is theft, and actually a federal crime. R/R officers are the only private entity that have cop like powers of arrest too.

 

Better to get a letter from your local R/R supervisor that says they don't mind.

 

 

I have a couple chunks of I-beam that were made into 6x8x10 boxes from an old building. .

theft as well............

 

...

[Big John! 2,062]

I use these. They hold up to 30.06, 7.62x54 and .308 well. Handgun calibers barely make a mark. They were also free. I just walked up and down the rails near my ranch and the RR just discards them when they replace the ties. Have about 25.

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/ss72/ddoneill/471731ef7d54c2662a1f0134b0e818a3_zps397d6fe3.jpg

 

 

That always comes up, but if you don't have permission that is theft, and actually a federal crime. R/R officers are the only private entity that have cop like powers of arrest too.

 

Better to get a letter from your local R/R supervisor that says they don't mind.

Well I went and got a handfull of them. There were guys dealing with and engine there and I asked if anyone would care if I grabbed some off of the ground. They said it wouldn't be a problem. There was a pallet of better looking ones (not anywhere near new, just better) that I stayed way away from. I don't think what I got will be a problem. Probably helping them out.

 

Good advice as usual though GF.

 

Time for me to plan a stand for them.

[Stansplace 414]

Shoot tomorrow? Dang...

[coronet 131]

Cobra, you know what would be cool for night time shooting? paint your targets like you say, then put a couple of those Halloween UV flourescent lights directly in front, below, protected with cement blocks and dirt, shining up onto the targets. It would be like cosmic bowling, just with guns, lol. Those things are cheap at Wally World or ebay. It would be a neat attraction, and make night time shooting fun and easy...

[U.S. Pratorean 1,234]

Cobra, you know what would be cool for night time shooting? paint your targets like you say, then put a couple of those Halloween UV flourescent lights directly in front, below, protected with cement blocks and dirt, shining up onto the targets. It would be like cosmic bowling, just with guns, lol. Those things are cheap at Wally World or ebay. It would be a neat attraction, and make night time shooting fun and easy...

Here is what I do. The top rifle has a laser on it and is zeroed for when you look through the scope, on the top chevron it appears as a small red dot just like an illuminated red dot but what you are really looking at is the laser on target down range.

Reflective aluminum tape on the target and when you illuminate the tape with the laser down range you will see it easily in the scope. This way i can make shots in total darkness. Pretty cool. Even cooler if there is slight mist or fog. Gives your position away though.

 

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/ss72/ddoneill/16fe5826-fca8-4672-9441-ef485d282469_zpsfe6a60fa.jpg

Edited March 2, 2013 by U.S Praetorian

[gunfun 3,931]

I have a couple chunks of I-beam that were made into 6x8x10 boxes from an old building. .

theft as well............

 

...

 

 

The building came down in the late 80s and my uncle bought the beams at auction. I was working for him and asked for them. Taking plates from private property is fine as long as the owner of the property gives you permission. I have heard of people getting them from the track crews too.

 

Reflective tape is clever.

[coronet 131]

Cobra, you know what would be cool for night time shooting? paint your targets like you say, then put a couple of those Halloween UV flourescent lights directly in front, below, protected with cement blocks and dirt, shining up onto the targets. It would be like cosmic bowling, just with guns, lol. Those things are cheap at Wally World or ebay. It would be a neat attraction, and make night time shooting fun and easy...

Here is what I do. The top rifle has a laser on it and is zeroed for when you look through the scope, on the top chevron it appears as a small red dot just like an illuminated red dot but what you are really looking at is the laser on target down range.

Reflective aluminum tape on the target and when you illuminate the tape with the laser down range you will see it easily in the scope. This way i can make shots in total darkness. Pretty cool. Even cooler if there is slight mist or fog. Gives your position away though.

 

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/ss72/ddoneill/16fe5826-fca8-4672-9441-ef485d282469_zpsfe6a60fa.jpg

The refective tape idea is a good one! You can get it in a variety of colors. Even your local vinyl graphics place should have some cheap. Or ebay. Or steal some highway signs or stop signs - lol. just kidding.

[U.S. Pratorean 1,234]

Plain jane, aluminum air condition vent tape from home depot $4-5 a roll.

[RobRez 1,895]

Here is how pumpkins and watermelon "React" to being a target!

[Big John! 2,062]

Tried out a railroad plate today. Worked GREAT! Shot it with 230 gr. 45 FMJ. Barely knocked the rust off of it. Completely destroyed all but one of the bullets. Well it was destroyed, but it was at least in tact enough for me to take a pic of it. Now that I've seen them work, I'll be working on cleaning them up and making some stands for them.

 

Here's the pics of the only bullet recognizable and the undamaged plate.

 

 

[U.S. Pratorean 1,234]

Tried out a railroad plate today. Worked GREAT! Shot it with 230 gr. 45 FMJ. Barely knocked the rust off of it. Completely destroyed all but one of the bullets. Well it was destroyed, but it was at least in tact enough for me to take a pic of it. Now that I've seen them work, I'll be working on cleaning them up and making some stands for them.

 

Here's the pics of the only bullet recognizable and the undamaged plate.

 

 

I told you they work great.................thief!

[zenman223 460]

Heres my homemade reactive targets, nothing special just some random scrap steel I found laying around.

 

While they dont look like most peoples targets they work great and are very portable, everything comes apart. The poles come off the stands, the cross bar comes off and the targets just hang on the cross bar.

[Big John! 2,062]

Heres my homemade reactive targets, nothing special just some random scrap steel I found laying around.

 

While they dont look like most peoples targets they work great and are very portable, everything comes apart. The poles come off the stands, the cross bar comes off and the targets just hang on the cross bar.

I like it. Are you able to shoot whatever caliber you want at that steel? FMJ's as well?

[RED333 1,025]

I have a griddle plate I shoot at, .75" x 2' x 4', ya it weighs a good bit, and not it dont go the

range. I can shoot in my back yard. My .308s leave a good crater as done the 7mm Rem mag.

So we shoot at a good bit back. We have not gone through it yet.

The 22s we shoot at a .25" plate and the pistols as well.

I will get some pics on Sunday.

[Remek 771]

Heres my homemade reactive targets, nothing special just some random scrap steel I found laying around.

 

While they dont look like most peoples targets they work great and are very portable, everything comes apart. The poles come off the stands, the cross bar comes off and the targets just hang on the cross bar.

Excellent setup. Very cool.

[unclejake 428]

There are some very good frugal ideas here!! Beats shooting at paper by a mile!!

[Cobra 76 two 2,677]

Good stuff guys, exactly what I had in mind. Keep em coming!

 

US Praetorian EXCELLENT idea about the RR plates. As many miles of train tracks as I've explored my whole life, I can't believe I haven't thought of them. There is a lot of steel junk strewn across the landscape along the RR. We even have one really old line here they abandoned back in the 90's and pulled up the tracks. They converted some of that into greenway paths for joggers & pedestrian leisure. I believe I'll go for a short walk down the tracks right by my house today and be 'steelin' some to shoot at...LOL! GunFun good call though on asking for permission if in an area where anybody might see ya and give a damn. The RR is private property and they not only own the tracks, but the whole 'right of way' that runs along both sides for a good ways. I grew up hunting along the tracks and got to use this to my advantage. Easy access into gamelands that not many people think to use. Also used to go there and drive down to gather firewood with my Dad. I have at least three generations of lifelong RR men in my family who drove trains going all the way back to the steam locomotive days. There are literally tons of old steel debris strewn along the tracks. I had an idea where to go for some inexpensive steel target stands, or "shepherd's crook" type hangers too. I have one out front with two opposing hooks that I got from walmart for around 12 bucks I think. It's around 6 feet tall and could be cut in half to make three hanging stands that stick in the ground. Mine looks like this one but no idea why this particular one is so expensive... http://www.shopping.com/tillamook-hook-tillamook-hook-tmc-12-75-inch-magnum-crane-double-shepherd-hook/info

Here's another one you could get three smaller stands from pretty easy. http://www.shopgetorganized.com/item/BLACK_GARDEN_STAND_WITH_RED_GLASS_BALL_TOPPER/W35872B?src=GOSHOPNG&utm_source=shoppingcom&utm_medium=cse&utm_term=W35872B

 

So almost time to finish my coffee and go grab some good targets to rescue from polluting the environment!

Another cool idea I have is using old RR spikes that are also strewn for miles around from crosstie replacement. I was already gonna setup a small forge using an old gas grill, a brake disc and drum, and a hair dryer or vacuum cleaner blower, to make custom knives from spikes. It should be pretty easy to take some, heat em up, and smash the heads into nice popper targets to hang from a bar like the resetting Caldwells or even flatten both ends to make cool spinners.

[Big John! 2,062]

Good stuff guys, exactly what I had in mind. Keep em coming!

 

US Praetorian EXCELLENT idea about the RR plates. As many miles of train tracks as I've explored my whole life, I can't believe I haven't thought of them. There is a lot of steel junk strewn across the landscape along the RR. We even have one really old line here they abandoned back in the 90's and pulled up the tracks. They converted some of that into greenway paths for joggers & pedestrian leisure. I believe I'll go for a short walk down the tracks right by my house today and be 'steelin' some to shoot at...LOL! GunFun good call though on asking for permission if in an area where anybody might see ya and give a damn. The RR is private property and they not only own the tracks, but the whole 'right of way' that runs along both sides wor a good ways. I grew up hunting along the tracks and got to use this to my advantage. Easy access into gamelands that not many people think to use. Also used to go there and drive down to gather firewood with my Dad. I have at least three generations of lifelong RR men in my family who drove trains going all the way back to the steam locomotive days. There are literally tons of old steel debris strewn along the tracks. I had an idea where to go for some inexpensive steel target stands, or "shepherd's crook" type hangers too. I have one out front with two opposing hooks that I got from walmart for around 12 bucks I think. It's around 6 feet tall and could be cut in half to make three hanging stands that stick in the ground. Mine looks like this one but no idea why this particular one is so expensive... http://www.shopping.com/tillamook-hook-tillamook-hook-tmc-12-75-inch-magnum-crane-double-shepherd-hook/info

Here's another one you could get three smaller stands from pretty easy. http://www.shopgetorganized.com/item/BLACK_GARDEN_STAND_WITH_RED_GLASS_BALL_TOPPER/W35872B?src=GOSHOPNG&utm_source=shoppingcom&utm_medium=cse&utm_term=W35872B

 

So almost time to finish my coffee and go grab some good targets to rescue from polluting the environment!

Another cool idea I have is using old RR spikes that are also strewn for miles around from crosstie replacement. I was already gonna setup a small forge using an old gas grill, a brake disc and drum, and a hair dryer or vacuum cleaner blower, to make custom knives from spikes. It should be pretty easy to take some, heat em up, and smash the heads into nice popper targets to hang from a bar like the resetting Caldwells or even flatten both ends to make cool spinners.

I don't see why you couldn't get some maybe 3/8" rod, or rebar (especially scrap) and make your own shepards hooks. For what they are you they don't have to be anything nice. There are a few houses being built here, so I'mma go scrounge up the rebar cuts from them pooring driveways. Even if they are shorter than I want, a quick weld here or there will make em the length I want. Then give em a bend or two and a side leg so they don't twist and I'm good to go. Edited March 3, 2013 by Big John!