My homemade rimfire targets

Trigger Monkey

Ronin
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Minuteman
  • Apr 29, 2005
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    Winchester Virginia
    So I got a little bored over the weekend and decided to make myself a couple steel targets for my .22 rifle. I'm hoping to get a JC Steel 25% IPSC target pretty soon for a project I'm working on but for now these will do. I got the steel from Lowes as a 1/4" thick 4" X 12" plats, which made it just about perfect for this project once I cut it in half. I tried to cut the steel down to approximate an IPSC shape but I cut one them a little steep...ooops. I secured them to some 1" angle iron that I had in my garage with 5/16" nuts and bolts so that I could just hammer them in the ground.

    IMG_4295.jpg


    I got the two targets done sunday night but I was looking at some remnants of one of those cheap spinner targets thinking about how I could salvage it. Then it clicked that maybe I could use the smaller one as flapper but I couldn't come up with a good way to mount it to the angle iron. I decided to try and make it spring loaded instead of simply fixed in place so I was off to Lowes again. When I got home it only took about 20 minutes of fiddling before I had something that was workable. Here's what the back looks like.

    IMG_4296.jpg


    I also made a short video today in the yard and at the 50 yard range. I wanted to get a lot more video but it cut out before I was able to finish the first 10 round magazine. I did manage to get a few shots on the flopper though before the screen cut out.

    <object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ir3qfvwABAY"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ir3qfvwABAY" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>

    After about 50 rounds there are a couple of kinks that have to be worked out, but mainly with the post that the flopper is mounted on. I'm thinking I need to move to all Grade 8 hardware there with lock nuts and try to move the target a little closer to center. The steel is good to go though, no cratering or other damage could be seen so all in all I think I'm going to enjoy them.
     
    Re: My homemade rimfire targets

    I went out earlier and got another plate so that I can make two more targets. This time I'm going to make them more like the MGM BC-C Targets and my ABC Target...kinda like this...

    ABCTarget.jpg


    I'm thinking it's going to come out a little like the picture below if I can cut straight enough.

    RimfireABCSilhouette1.jpg


    I've also got another round plate from the spinner target to figure out what to do with.
     
    Re: My homemade rimfire targets

    I made a couple more static targets last week out of 1/4" steel and a spring loaded "lollipopper" target from what was left of the cheap rimfire target. I got a chance to shoot them today and had a great time zinging CCI MiniMags. I was really happy with the lollipopper target, it worked a lot better than I thought it would at 100 yards.

    <object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ivP-GW8qN2o"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ivP-GW8qN2o" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>

    These are the targets after I ran out of .22 ammo.

    IMG_4314.jpg


    Way too much fun, I wish I had the ability to push them out a little farther.
     
    Re: My homemade rimfire targets

    have you thought about cutting a hole in the center of the torso and putting the lollipopper mounted in a way that it would swing out and return?

    basically like your hostage one, but with reactive red "centermass"

    maybe even the lollipopper being a reactive head over the torso itself.
     
    Re: My homemade rimfire targets

    Yeah I've kicked around a couple of ideas in my head but I haven't really worked out a way to do it with what I have available. I made all the above targets with a hacksaw and a drill so drilling a large enough hole in the center of mass presents some challenges without a little outside help. That being said it wouldn't be hard for me to make a target similar to the BDS Sniper's Hide Target where the head and body are separate. I might have to explore my options a little bit.
     
    Re: My homemade rimfire targets

    Use a 1in hole saw then weld round bar to the back of the hole. Then make a "T" across the top of the straight iron and weld 4(2 on top 2 on bottom) peices of steel to hold the round bar.
    When you shoot the circle it will flap and should turn back to position. I use this for my targets on my parents range back home and works flawlessly
     
    Re: My homemade rimfire targets

    The lollipopper uses the same mechanism as the "hostage" target that I made but instead of being on the outside of the angle iron it's on the inside. This provides a stop for the target and protects the spring and mounting hardware from impacts.

    IMG_4315.jpg


    The scope is a 4-16 Center Point from Walmart, it's not exactly my first choice in optics...for anything...but it works for now.
     
    Re: My homemade rimfire targets

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: futurerider103</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think my paint skills need some work but you should get the point from this

    target.png
    </div></div>


    My gun club has this same style target up at the 600 yard pit, with a second swinging plate in the "head". Lot more fun than regular silhouettes IMHO.
     
    Re: My homemade rimfire targets

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SIG700</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
    My gun club has this same style target up at the 600 yard pit, with a second swinging plate in the "head". Lot more fun than regular silhouettes IMHO. </div></div>
    This style of target works great almost no maintenance and still have great sound feedback. I'll take some pics if the back of the targets today since I'm back home for Thanksgiving.

    IMG_20121121_164623.jpg

    IMG_20121121_164630.jpg