Let's talk TARGETS!

[Father Kit Cool Gun Garth]

The only way to get good at something is to PRACTICE, PRACTICE and more PRACTICE. (At least that's what Mickey Goldmill said to Rocky Balboa)

Therefore I'm interested in what other shooters use as targets (not the paper bulls-eye), in particular at a range, to practice with, for lever action rifle, pistols and shotgun. (Which I am sure are different types of targets).

Are there targets that can be purchased that are similar to those used at the matches, or can they be built with plans?

I have my shotgun and would like to start there.

Appreciate all options provided, and will let you know which route I take and follow-up with how it works out when I practice.

 

[Three Foot Johnson]

I've scrounged several sources for cheap targets for my home range - stainless round plates that were the waste product from a local metal fabrication business, pipe blanks from the scrap yard, a fair size hunk of 5/8" AR plate I got for free that I cut the card suit targets from with a hand held oxy-acetylene torch, and other odds & ends that were about the right size. Two of my shotgun poppers are just 10" channel iron about 3' long mounted with springs on a couple of old truck tires/wheels I had laying around. Five other targets are lengths cut from scrap pressure tanks and set up the hill farther away for longer range gongs. The plate rack has four falling plates, because that's all I had, but I added a couple gongs to it to make 6 total; one hangs from a length of steel rod and the other is mounted on a big spring, protected with a piece of angle iron welded in front of it. There's a 2 plate vertical spinner toward the left and a 3 plate horizontal spinner in the center. The tree in the right foreground is hiding a trio of heavy wall 10" pipes about 2' long on metal stakes. There is also an aerial briquette tosser between the angle iron shotgun targets, but the plate is on the ground and hard to see in the pic.

 

[Warden Callaway]

 

Here is my home range. I've found years ago that railroad plates will take a lot of abuse. The big tires collect a good bit of lead for recycling. We don't live far from the range and have access to the targets so I could go set up any time. But mostly I test guns and loads right here.

[Mustang Gregg]

:FlagAm:

 

Nice, J Bar!

 

We have a similar set up in our pasture!

We use any scrap to build static plates and some KD's too.

 

Mustang

[Papa Irish]

paper plates.

[Father Kit Cool Gun Garth]

I believe everyone is off track on my question.

Not a lot of us cowpokes have acreage to practice on.

I was looking for portable targets that can be taken to our local range and used to practice with my shotgun.

Great pics anyway, and enjoyed them. Made me envious.

[Widder, SASS #59054]

If its for 'live' SG practice, anything from buying some good steel KD's will work or the just some milk jugs.

 

Although SG live practice is good, a LOT can still be gained at home with dryfire practice of the SG, whether it be the 87, 97 or the SxS.

 

Good luck...... and good shooting.

 

 

..........Widder

[CodyMaverick]

I believe everyone is off track on my question.

Not a lot of us cowpokes have acreage to practice on.

I was looking for portable targets that can be taken to our local range and used to practice with my shotgun.

Great pics anyway, and enjoyed them. Made me envious.

 

it depends on the rules and such at your local range but I have some fun with clay pigeons, I just toss them randomly up on to the berm (ours has a slant to it) and blast 'em. you can also use your spent hulls unless you want to reload them. Better clean up the hulls though.

[Shooting Bull]

I believe everyone is off track on my question.

Not a lot of us cowpokes have acreage to practice on.

I was looking for portable targets that can be taken to our local range and used to practice with my shotgun.

Great pics anyway, and enjoyed them. Made me envious.

 

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say this MAY be a waste of time. Use whatever targets you use for rifle practice and practice your rifle. If you can hit with your rifle you can hit with your shotgun, no extra practice necessary. The only live fire shotgun practice I think folks need is if they think they may come up against some flyers. Outside of that, I feel your shotgun practice time would be much better spent doing dry fire shucking and reloading drills at home.

[Deadeye George]

I live in town and we have no outdoor ranges so I load up my targets and head for my favorite spot in the country where shooting is permitted and setup my own little range. I take four 10" swinging targets which hang from a 1" steel rod with heavy chains. The rod is supported by two square tube supports which can be seen in the 6th photo down entitled "Gong Stand" on this page I had him supply a 6' rod so I could space 4 10" gongs several inches apart. For more fun I setup my Dueling tree shown in the 4th photo from the bottom shown here . This target allows you to shoot at moving targets with or without a shooting buddy and is great for improving your aim.

 

These of course were bought from a local business in Phoenix and shipping may or may not be a problem, if so another similar company selling quality targets is Shootingtargets7

I buy my magnetic stencils from them which makes shooting round gongs more fun.

 

I set these 10" gongs at 15 yards for both pistol and rifle practice which after a while will make shooting the larger targets at club matches much easier to hit. I toss all of them in my pickup and it takes about 15 minutes to set everything up. A friend brings along little "can poppers" and we usually make an afternoon of it.

 

You might want to contact your local range since they may or may not have shooting bays where they allow customers or members to setup their own targets. Hopes this gives you some ideas

[Ripsaw]

I have a pair of these shotgun targets at my home range, but you could easily carry them to where ever you need to and hammer them into the ground.

 

http://www.shootsteel.com/1-4-ar500-20-static-classic-popper/

[Blackey Cole]

Iirc I had got down to four action targets when I last shot steel for practice two 12" circles on evil Roy stands and two 8" rockers also on evil Roy stands. Having two targets for pistol/ rifle and two rockers for shotgun. I could dump on either target or alternate between the two depending on the drill. I place a rocker on each side of the two r/p targets for SG use.

 

When I first start sass and practiced we would grab five r. Target and five pistol targets plus four to six shotgun targets . There were three or four of us practing at the time. We would setup stages and shoot them then I read so ething that talked about shooting drills but it wasn't as much fun but didn't require the number of steel targets we were using.

 

Prices of ammo got high and components got costly if you could get them. So practice was cut back and eventually stopped. Then I had some medical problems for a few years still have some but trying to over come them if possible.

 

Last fall I invested in some lasers for my guns for practice. I ordered a software package that is now not supported but was given a newer software in place of it. My special camera was sent without drivers so it had to be returned and is being returned to me so I'll be able to use it finally. I'll have three different ways to train when everything arrives.using the daylight targets I ordered afterwinter range, using the last app software by hi lighting target areas and the original oft ware that allows for virtual stages. Different photo background and targets sized and placed where you want this system uses either large screen monitors or a projector. I have both. Between the tv and projected that I had for other purposes the software and lasers for the four guns ran a little more than my practice ammo I used back when beginning at today's prices for a few months I went hog wild ordered a laser for everything that I have that they supported so I have what I need for CAS, wbas, and modern three gun. Which will cover about everything except high power and that's because of the long range not the firearm.

 

I hope to be receiving my camera soon so I can actually use the cumputer with my practice now I just shoot various targets around the room.

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Hey Pards,

 

if any of you know of a good manufacturer of steel targets, preferably AR500 or AR400, our new Wire Pard 'Cool Gun' would probably appreciate any info you might can share.

 

Thanks

 

 

..........Widder

[Deadeye George]

Hey Pards,

 

if any of you know of a good manufacturer of steel targets, preferably AR500 or AR400, our new Wire Pard 'Cool Gun' would probably appreciate any info you might can share.

 

Thanks

 

 

..........Widder

I listed two excellent sources in my post as places to buy from and get some good ideas but doing a google search of "steel shooting targets" would bring up hundreds of sources, some good, some total rip offs so be careful when shopping. About the only thing I could add is to stay with AR500 steel and stay away from the cheap soft steel targets often found at local sporting good stores since you'll likely put big dimples in or punch holes through the soft steel with just about anything stouter than .22's.

[Coho]

Our local range is restrictive on what can be used. (no clays or anything that could attract bears) So I use firewood. normally 6" round logs about 14" long. They take a beating and no one cares if some slinters are left on the range.

 

Coho

[Jeb Stuart #65654]

Check out Arntzen targets. They have really easy to use target stands and their targets are priced right and shipping isn't bad. I made my own stands almost like the ones they sell to use, easy to build. You don't need AR500 unless you are planning on shooting high power rifle. AR400 is rated for ALL handgun calibers, including magnums with jacketed ammo.

I bought the 10 in. round targets for practice. Remember, aim small, miss small. Use smaller targets for practice and when you get to a match the targets will look huge.

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Arntzen Corp

Rockford, IL 61105-0898

 

Ph: 800 / 821-3475

Fax: 815 / 964-0045

 

www.arntzentargets.com/steeltypes.htm

 

 

..........Widder

[Blackey Cole]

I've used action targets for the majority of my personal steel although I did buy a gong from a guy selling them at winter range the price was nice.

[Deadeye George]

I've used action targets for the majority of my personal steel although I did buy a gong from a guy selling them at winter range the price was nice.

That guy at Winter Range was Terrible Targets, the one I linked to in my post above. For those around the state, he does gun shows and gun related shows around the state aid if you want something, call him and he'll met you at a show with the goodies, saving you some freight.

 

Just sharing.......

[Buffalo Douglas]

I use these:

 

http://www.theboxotruth.com/educational-zone-24-homemade-target-stand/

 

They can be transported in nearly anything, and all you'll ever have to replace is the wood for the uprights (only if you're a bad shot with rifle/pistol and shotgun would depend on how much you shoot and how wide your pattern is) . Only thing I'll add is pour some quickcrete into the legs to keep them steady in wind. They work great and 1 can be made from 1 piece of (10') pvc pipe. I only have 1 at the moment, but I'm going to make a few more so that I can basically have a cowboy stage set up at the range using paper targets ( my local range doesn't allow any steel targets to be brought out).

[Carolina Gunslinger]

Well it is with great sadness that I must alert my fellow shooters to a bad apple target dealer: Nevco Targets out of VA. I ordered some $380 in targets from this business. They are less than friendly, very unprofessional and late on delivery without update. Buyer beware. Details by PM if interested.