Quick Rebar Target Stands

[Rancho Roy]

Needed a few practice targets for my wife and I to practice with.

 

Went to the steel supply house and wanted A550 but they had a truck load of HR450 which is almost as hard, but a whole lot less $$.

 

 

Four pieces of 3/8 X 16" X 16" was a bit under $150

 

Four 10' pieces of #5 (5/8") rebar a few big washers and a bit of welding and heat bending and they came out pretty good!

 

 

 

 

 

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

I realize rebar is quick, cheap, easy to work, etc., but it is probably the worst possible material you could use for a target stand.

 

Coffinmaker

[Rancho Roy]

Why is that...Do tell? These won't get used all that often so it should stand up fine.

[Deuce Stevens SASS#55996]

Have shot hundreds of stages that use rebar stands and thousands and thousands of rounds at targets hung on them. As someone who has moved TONS of steel I love the versatityand ease if use. Yiur targets and stands look great!!!!!

[Snakebite]

They do look great, and we started out using rebar but have changed all of our stands to rolled steel to cut down on the feedback that comes from hitting the stand. As long as the shooter hits the target, it is just fine. Unfortunately some of us miss now and then and hit the stand. The ridges give you all kinds of erratic rebounding. We found that using them for rifle stands was certainly better than pistol stands... but with today's close targets it might not matter.

 

Snakebite

Edited December 31, 2016 by Snakebite

[Straight Arrow Hombre]

They look great. Very easy to move and set up. I find the best reason to use smooth round stock vs rebar is to eliminate the hand wringing caused by perceived/imagined splatter issues.

[Michigan Slim]

Great job. Carry on with the rebar. I just came across literally tons of it and am distributing to the clubs I shoot.

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

Plus one to Snakebite. The problem with Rebar is when the stand is hit, and those little bumps and protrusions cause erratic splatter. Erratic splatter also occurs when the bullet deflected from the target hits the rebar rather than the ground. The splatter issues are not imagined.

 

Coffinmaker

[irish ike, SASS #43615]

We have had 1/2" rebar target stands for over 20 years. We didn't raise the legs we welded a two 30" long pieces together at the axis when laid flat on the ground. Then welded the vertical to the axis. Target stands are 2' to 5' high. We welded a 4" long piece of angle iron on the back. It slips over the vertical and sets on a 4' long rebar cross piece. No failures, no real issue with splatter. Maybe its because the legs are laying flat in the dirt.

 

The added fun is the taler stands tend to move around a bit as they are hit. Not much but just enough to make you think.

 

They were cheap, they are light and easy to move around. On multiple targets in a string we often set up various heights so it isn't always a speed sweep.

Your targets look great. Shoot away.

Ike

[Rolan Kraps, SASS # 24084 Life]

I'd like 3 of those for practice targets! Just need the stands.

[Trailboss (Santa) Dave]

I have shot at many clubs using rebar stands, in fact I helped build many of the stands these clubs.

 

Never had an issue with splatter or bounce back

[Pit Bull Tex]

Mine stands are made with rebar but I put a loop on the back at the top so they would hang at a angle.They work fine for me.

[Possum Skinner, SASS#60697]

Have shot hundreds of stages that use rebar stands and thousands and thousands of rounds at targets hung on them. As someone who has moved TONS of steel I love the versatityand ease if use. Yiur targets and stands look great!!!!!

 

+1

[Chili Ron]

Howdy,

There are matches with no splashback?

No kiddin?

My only thought is it would be nice if those three legs unscrewed.

And I know more work more $$ ya ya.

Best

CR

[Mud Marine,SASS#54686 Life]

No trouble with rebar over the years. Perhaps I need to shoot thousands more rounds!

[Rancho Roy]

Tried them out today with my wife who is a new shooter. First time she shot steel. Fired 200 rounds and only 8 misses, including one live round eject. No "P"s!

The stands worked great. Now I need a much larger brass tumbler. Her 200 rounds and my 200 rounds don't fit in my 30 year old tumbler....

 

I hope this wife shooting thing was a good idea.. :-)

[Chili Pepper Jack]

Very nice!! Are you just using them for cowboy loads?

[Rancho Roy]

Yes, cowboy loads.

 

I thought abou making them collapsible or with removable legs, but I just throw them in the back of the truck for the mile ride to the range.

[Pat Riot]

Great looking stands Roy B. They look like the perfect thing for practice, plinking and fun.

[Double Tap Taylor]

Roy B stands look great! Yes you are going to need bigger tumble for all the extra brass to clean with Wife shooting. Hope to see you at WR.

[Rancho Roy]

We'll see you at WR for sure. Ordered up a Lyman Pro Magnum Turbo 2500 tumbler on sale at Optics Planet with another 10% off and free shipping. Total delivered $81. Such a deal!

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

The only problem with rebar is they stay hot a long time after the welding is done--ask me how I learn this

 

cr

[Noz]

I saw a 45 cal bullet which had hit the target, deflected down to hit the rebar base then travel several stages parallel to the firing line before the firing line bent enough that the stray came through a slot in the barrier and removed a piece of Titus A Gnatsass' cheek and nose. Been spooky about rebar ever since.

[Titus A. Gnatsass, SASS #71705]

I realize rebar is quick, cheap, easy to work, etc., but it is probably the worst possible material you could use for a target stand.

 

Coffinmaker

+1

[Titus A. Gnatsass, SASS #71705]

Plus one to Snakebite. The problem with Rebar is when the stand is hit, and those little bumps and protrusions cause erratic splatter. Erratic splatter also occurs when the bullet deflected from the target hits the rebar rather than the ground. The splatter issues are not imagined.

 

Coffinmaker

+1

[Titus A. Gnatsass, SASS #71705]

I saw a 45 cal bullet which had hit the target, deflected down to hit the rebar base then travel several stages parallel to the firing line before the firing line bent enough that the stray came through a slot in the barrier and removed a piece of Titus A Gnatsass' cheek and nose. Been spooky about rebar ever since.

You and me both!

[Two Spurs]

Have shot hundreds of stages that use rebar stands and thousands and thousands of rounds at targets hung on them. As someone who has moved TONS of steel I love the versatityand ease if use. Yiur targets and stands look great!!!!!

 

+2 behind Possum Skinner.

 

Good job Roy B. You guys keep on enjoying the fun!

[Cheyenne Culpepper 32827]

if you can get your hands on used carpet or cheap remnants, cut it about 3x4 feet and lay them over the legs.. two reasons.... it does cut down on splatter and it catches the lead as it goes to the ground,,, afterwards roll them up and dump the lead into a bucket,,,

[Chicago kidd]

hey there roy b i made a wet tumbler using an old motor 4 pillow berrings and some 6 inch pvc pipe and i can easily clean 400 38 special with 5 lbs of stainless pins and a lil soap.dont know how to send pictures but pm me and i can send you pictures of what it looks like running

[Rancho Roy]

Thanks Lid.... I have a huge wet tumbler that I use for black powder cartridges with SS pins. But for smokeless powder I want to keep it simple with dry tumbling

[Chili Pepper Jack]

Yes, cowboy loads.

 

I thought abou making them collapsible or with removable legs, but I just throw them in the back of the truck for the mile ride to the range.

I made my target collapsible just bend the long bar with 2 90's and a T pipe fitting in the middle for a leg that leans back. The steel is only 1/4 inch very cheep but with the soft loads works great. I have AR500 for the other non SASS stuff.

[Sedalia Dave]

Every type of target / stand is going to throw the occasional large, odd piece of lead the wrong way too fast for comfort sooner or later. Golden BBs are bound to occur, it is the law of averages.

 

Wife got hit in the thigh one day so hard it left a bruise through her jeans. Se was a good 20 feet behind the firing line when it happened and it hit hard enough that thought she had been shot.

 

Lead generally leaves the target at 90 degrees to the direction of impact, just like the balls do on a pool table. 98% of splatter is caused by the double bank shot of lead hitting one surface then hitting a second that sends it back towards the firing line. Most SG KDs have 90 degree inside corners in their design. This is why splatter from them is so common. 100's of projectiles means that the odds of splatter are pretty high.

 

Rebar stands have more angled surfaces so the odds of one throwing splatter are greater but a good design that places all or most of the frame behind the target will greatly minimize this.

 

Personally I think more splatter comes from targets that are WAY TOO CLOSE. The current trend of pistol targets at less than 2 yards and SG KDs at only 5 is going to create a lot of splatter. Eventually the law of averages is going to win out and someone is going to get hurt by splatter coming off a target that is too close.

 

Prop ledges, loading, and unloading tables covered with small pieces of lead should make the MD take notice that the targets are too close. How many MDs have taken the time to look at the target side of your range props. Are they full of lead splatter that hit hard enough to stick? If so maybe it is time to move those targets back. Shot a match recently where myself and at least 5 other people had been hit by splatter hard enough to draw blood.

Edited January 7, 2017 by Sedalia Dave

[Southpaw, SASS #57]

Roy B, 

Please, for your wife's sake, do NOT let her shoot on those target stands unless you put them out at the SASS recommended distances!

 

I agree with everything that Coffinmaker, C. Culpepper, Sedalia Dave, Snakebite and Titus A have said. All others have just been lucky so far.

 

I and my wife have quit shooting at our local clubs because they have moved the targets in way TOO CLOSE, resulting in a doubling of the amount of splatter.

 

We know this because we usually spend our time up near the firing line, spotting or resetting targets, etc. Those who spend their time back by their gun carts do not get the full effect.

 

There are many factors involved in the behavior of splatter, such as bullet hardness, velocity, angle of shot, angle of target, etc. but they all produce ricochet and need to be controlled.

 

There is a misconception that all the splatter goes down if the targets are hung to deflect it downward. In fact splatter goes in every direction, and is not seen when the targets are far out.

 

I have a scar from ricochet pistol bullet from a stand just like yours, that was used at EoT many years ago.

 

I'm not telling you to scrap your stand, it's a fine piece of work, just use it at a safe distance.

 

Southpaw & Hot Babe

[Major BS Walker Regulator]

Four of the five clubs I shoot at use similar designed stands. We all use 5/8 or 3/4 smooth round bar instead  of rebar to cut down on ricochet.

[Bullett Sass 19707]

On ‎1‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 5:45 AM, Possum Skinner, SASS#60697 said:

 

+1

plus 2