Tank Trap - seeking plans/advice

[Blazin]

I want to make a tank trap out of wood to practice with in my backyard, therefore it doesn't need to be portable. Should be pretty simple to make, but I do not have measurements. Does anyone have dimensions or plans?

 

[missed]

I used 6' 4x4's for mine, knocked the sharp edge off with the router. Used carriage bolts to hold it together, I didn't crank the bolts down leaving it slightly wobbly. I made a big X, then added the third piece.

 

[lash]

That is essentially all there is to it unless you want it more perfect (not necessary really). If you want to lay it out first, measure to the center of the 4x4 lengthwise and draw a line edge-to-edge. Them mark for drilling 1-5/8" from one side of that line. Drill through. Turn 4x4 over so that you can mark and drill another hole 1-5/8" on the other side of that line, but on the adjacent side. You will now have two drilled through holes that are 3-1/2" apart, each 1-5/8" from the center of the board and perpendicular to each other.

Pre-drill all three 4x4s that way. I then used 8" long hex head bolts, two washers each and a nylock nut to assemble them together. I did tighten them up quite a bit, since mine was assembled at our club and gets quite a bit of use. Therefore it gets loose enough through use.

Oh, and I used 8'x4"x4"s.

 

[Blazin]

That is essentially all there is to it unless you want it more perfect (not necessary really). If you want to lay it out first, measure to the center of the 4x4 lengthwise and draw a line edge-to-edge. Them mark for drilling 1-5/8" from one side of that line. Drill through. Turn 4x4 over so that you can mark and drill another hole 1-5/8" on the other side of that line, but on the adjacent side. You will now have two drilled through holes that are 3-1/2" apart, each 1-5/8" from the center of the board and perpendicular to each other.

Pre-drill all three 4x4s that way. I then used 8" long hex head bolts, two washers each and a nylock nut to assemble them together. I did tighten them up quite a bit, since mine was assembled at our club and gets quite a bit of use. Therefore it gets loose enough through use.

Oh, and I used 8'x4"x4"s.

Thanks for the info. So approximately how high is the point where the three 4x4's cross?

 

[Blazin]

I used 6' 4x4's for mine, knocked the sharp edge off with the router. Used carriage bolts to hold it together, I didn't crank the bolts down leaving it slightly wobbly. I made a big X, then added the third piece.

Excellent. I never even considered having it wobbly, I appreciate the thoughts.

 

[lash]

Thanks for the info. So approximately how high is the point where the three 4x4's cross?

If your question is what height is the crossing point after assembly, I would say it is about 3 to 3-1/2 feet where you can rest your weapon in the crease. I would measure it, but it is in the field at our club and I won't be there for a couple weeks.

 

[bogeybrown]

Oh thank goodness. When I saw the thread title I thought it was a prepper. It sounds like you're asking about the Czech "hedgehog" style of tank obstacle.

I was was going to refer you to the Anti-Armor FM for schematics on tank ditches, abatis, log hurdles, etc. of course a lot of those work best if you've got some anti tank guided missiles or combined arms.

 

[lash]

Lol yeah. For us it's just another shooting obstacle to make things interesting.

 

[Blazin]

Oh thank goodness. When I saw the thread title I thought it was a prepper. It sounds like you're asking about the Czech "hedgehog" style of tank obstacle.

I was was going to refer you to the Anti-Armor FM for schematics on tank ditches, abatis, log hurdles, etc. of course a lot of those work best if you've got some anti tank guided missiles or combined arms.

That's too funny. My neighbors would know I completely lost my mind if my property had tank traps around the perimeter.

 

[Sean the Nailer]

Dragon's Teeth for a perimeter fence!

 

[powercatmd]

Thanks for posting. Have been planning to build a few tank traps of my own to practice with.

 

[lash]

 

[Blazin]

Awesome, thanks Lash!!!

 

[missed]

Where is the 3D rendering? Not much of a tank trap with two horizontal parallel posts aren't to effective lol... Good thing you put actual dimension, some people would have been lost at the lumber yard without it!

 

[lash]

Where is the 3D rendering? Not much of a tank trap with two horizontal parallel posts aren't to effective lol... Good thing you put actual dimension, some people would have been lost at the lumber yard without it!

Heh, heh...
I made the (perhaps misplaced) assumption that since we are posting in the DYI section that those building one might have the sense to know that I was supplying pre-fab info only.
If you don't have the ability to make one with being led to the water, then perhaps it's best not to take on this simple project.

 

[CavReconScout]

I used carriage bolts so it could be disassembled and stored. It works great here is a photo

 

[lash]

Nice work. Simple enough.

 

[Strykervet]

Oh thank goodness. When I saw the thread title I thought it was a prepper. It sounds like you're asking about the Czech "hedgehog" style of tank obstacle.

I was was going to refer you to the Anti-Armor FM for schematics on tank ditches, abatis, log hurdles, etc. of course a lot of those work best if you've got some anti tank guided missiles or combined arms.

Yeah, I was thinking "holy shit, does he know what he's getting into?" Each type of those kinds of traps has to be made to high center a specific tank, ie, one type made for one tank won't work on another type of tank. They learned this the hard way in WW2.

Looks good though, not sure how you plan on using it as a shooting obstacle... They provide no cover and always have tons of C-wire wrapped around 'em. In the field anyway.

 

[demonjigger]

I need to build one of these. For those who have them, would you use 6' or 8' 4x4's? or something different?

 

[lash]

8' x 4x4. See my post #12 above for a sketch with the material list and drill pattern.

 

[Voroshilovsky]

8' x 4x4. See my post #12 above for a sketch with the material list and drill pattern.

I know I'm replying to a 4-year-old post, but I just built a tank trap following these directions and recommend you cut the 4x4s to 6 feet in length. 8 feet makes the trap ridiculously high, unless you're Lebron James on a stepladder. Using 8-foot pressure-treated lumber makes the trap heavy, and very unwieldy to assemble or to put away for transport. If you're not leaving the trap outside, consider non-treated.

 

[Thorny]

I didn’t drill holes in mine I just rapped all three poles together in the middle, with heavy hemp or climbing rope. That way you can move the rope up or down for more adjustability, if the ground is not level.

 

[Unknown]

I made a number of them for the gun club out of the downed trees that followed a heavy wind storm. It took two bolts for each trap, Three bolts if I want to make them less portable where the legs can't be folded up. Years later and all of them are working just fine.

 

[roostercogburn98]

Used fence posts. It is hefty, but fairly stable.

 

[lash]

I know I'm replying to a 4-year-old post, but I just built a tank trap following these directions and recommend you cut the 4x4s to 6 feet in length. 8 feet makes the trap ridiculously high, unless you're Lebron James on a stepladder. Using 8-foot pressure-treated lumber makes the trap heavy, and very unwieldy to assemble or to put away for transport. If you're not leaving the trap outside, consider non-treated.

I agree with your idea as we have made a number since then for our range using different sizes. This way people shorter than man size can use them too. I currently use shorter lengths for all of them.

Ours are all made to leave outdoors and as such are all PT and as heavy as possible. A light barricade may be okay for personal practice, but for matches where many people are using them under time pressure, it’s much better to have them solid and heavy instead of light and possibly less stable.

 

[Voroshilovsky]

I made a number of them for the gun club out of the downed trees that followed a heavy wind storm. It took two bolts for each trap, Three bolts if I want to make them less portable where the legs can't be folded up. Years later and all of them are working just fine.

My tank trap with 6’PT 4x4s is great, except one hole is a little off center and that drives me nuts. The weight is not ideal for setup, takedown and transport, but not terrible.

I’m going to add a locking pin to hold the legs in transport, and make a handle for carrying it, out of rope or webbing, and either eye hooks or D rings.

Then I’m going to put D rings on the underside of the tips, tie a rope across, put a coffee table next to the trap, and have an Air Dingo-style prop.

But first I need to get off my ass and go practice.

 

[Voroshilovsky]

I didn’t drill holes in mine I just rapped all three poles together in the middle, with heavy hemp or climbing rope. That way you can move the rope up or down for more adjustability, if the ground is not level.

Your way is the manly way to do it. An easier way is to use the knuckle from Bison Tactical. The unmanly, cheaper way is how I did it, with 1/2” bolts.

 

[Voroshilovsky]

My tank trap with 6’PT 4x4s is great, except one hole is a little off center and that drives me nuts. The weight is not ideal for setup, takedown and transport, but not terrible.

I’m going to add a locking pin to hold the legs in transport, and make a handle for carrying it, out of rope or webbing, and either eye hooks or D rings.

Then I’m going to put D rings on the underside of the tips, tie a rope across, put a coffee table next to the trap, and have an Air Dingo-style prop.

But first I need to get off my ass and go practice.

Another genius idea is to make a tank trap out of 2x4s, but you add 2x4 spacers (say, 7” long) at the tips and at the knuckle, so the tips and knuckle have the same dimensions as if you’d used 4x4s. Now you have a lighter trap for easy personal use. And the springiness adds difficulty.

Just don’t use this design when our Mandarin Overlords come to annex us and put us in old Uighur reeducation camps.

 

[Thorny]

Your way is the manly way to do it. An easier way is to use the knuckle from Bison Tactical. The unmanly, cheaper way is how I did it, with 1/2” bolts.

Once i forgot the piece of rope but had a small ratchet strap, just wrapped it around all three and was able to adjust them for tension.
Adapt, improvise and overcome.

 

[Lowlight]

You just buy Austin's knuckle and call it good

Tank Trap Knuckle - Bison Tactical

The AA Targets Tank Trap Knuckle is finally here! Made from welded steel and built to last, this knuckle makes assembling tank trap props for practice easy!

www.bisontactical.com

 

[Unknown]

I was just trying to make some cheap props for the gun club's practical/precision rifle shooting group. We had a large wind storm that blew down some trees, so I took a saw and brought home some pieces that were 3-5 inches in diameter. Then I bought some large bolts, washers, and nuts, drilled some holes and put them all together. I ended up with two tank traps that each had legs about 4.5 feet long for around $30.

They aren't fancy, or pretty, but they got the job done.

 

[Sniff]

I know I'm replying to a 4-year-old post, but I just built a tank trap following these directions and recommend you cut the 4x4s to 6 feet in length. 8 feet makes the trap ridiculously high, unless you're Lebron James on a stepladder. Using 8-foot pressure-treated lumber makes the trap heavy, and very unwieldy to assemble or to put away for transport. If you're not leaving the trap outside, consider non-treated.

If you use six foot lengths and they are bolted in the middle of each length, how high is the middle where they all cross and and how high are the tops of the legs?

I want to make one for our club, but don't want it too tall at the tops for the short arses.

(I suppose I could just get three sticks and measure it that way and then buy/cut the 4x4 to the length I want. That would make sense.)

 

[Voroshilovsky]

Well, I’m now separated from the tank trap by an ocean and most of a continent, so I can’t measure, sorry. But as I recall, the angle of the legs is about 36-40 degrees. (I did measure this before leaving.)

Using Excel to calculate: At 36, that would make the height of the highest tip of a trap leg a little over 45 inches; at 40, a little below 49 inches. My memory tells me it’s a little higher, but let’s go with the Excel numbers.

As for the middle, I dunno. The calculations are harder. Roughly 27 inches, maybe?

 

[Voroshilovsky]

If you use six foot lengths and they are bolted in the middle of each length, how high is the middle where they all cross and and how high are the tops of the legs?

I want to make one for our club, but don't want it too tall at the tops for the short arses.

(I suppose I could just get three sticks and measure it that way and then buy/cut the 4x4 to the length I want. That would make sense.)

You could buy 8-foot 4x4s, build the trap, then trim each leg on both ends, in equal lengths, so that your drilled holes remain in the middle. That’s what I did and it worked for me. You could take 6 inches off each end to shorten to 7 feet, see how that works, and trim more if need be.

Or you could buy the knuckle and trim at only one end, moving the knuckle around as you like. For a club, this is probably the best option.

 

[Sniff]

You could buy 8-foot 4x4s, build the trap, then trim each leg on both ends, in equal lengths, so that your drilled holes remain in the middle. That’s what I did and it worked for me. You could take 6 inches off each end to shorten to 7 feet, see how that works, and trim more if need be.

Or you could buy the knuckle and trim at only one end, moving the knuckle around as you like. For a club, this is probably the best option.

I might try the trimming method first, until my son in law, who is a metal fabricator, makes me a knuckle.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[Maggot]

Tank trap? Dig a big hole...a really big deep hole. Line with cheap plastic, fill with a oil/diesel/gasoline mix. Cover with thin sticks and brush. When tank falls in light oil/gas mixture.

 

[Rider47]

View attachment 6539852

To anyone using the plans that this diagram is a part of (https://nrl22.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/NRL22_Tank-Trap-Plans_Yuma-Masters.pdf) to build a tank trap:

The instructions say to drill two holes, each 1 5/8" on each side from the centerline, and states "You will now have two drilled through holes that are 3-1/2" apart". Just an FYI - 2 x 1 5/8" = 3 1/4", NOT 3 1/2", the width of a 4"x4". Use 1 3/4" for this measurement, not 1 5/8" if you want holes spaced at 3 1/2".

Also, I used the full 8' length to make my TT, but then cut two feet off the top of each 4x4. This gave me a wide and stable base, with a "spar height" of about 45", which is about what I see at the local NRL22 and MARS matches.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Not to ask touchy questions here but ‘practice what? ‘

Last I checked the first 15 minutes of Saving Provate Ryan haven’t been reenacted since well the beginning of saving Private Ryan.

Czech hedgehogs are about as relevant to a modern battlefield as Romans short swords, the maginot line and triremes.

You would be better off with a couple of junk burned out Mercedes, steel drums, a pile of cinder blocks, and a great big stack of dead people who practiced hiding behind Czech hedgehogs.

Oh well. Anyone know where I can get a good deal on some Greek fire and a trebuchet?

Sirhr

 

[Arc Light]

Tank trap? Is someone volunteering to go to Ukraine and fight the Ruskies?

 

[roostercogburn98]

You would be better off with a couple of junk burned out Mercedes, steel drums, a pile of cinder blocks, and a great big stack of dead people

Sirhr

That, good Sir, is why I’ll retreat to the trailer park when shit gets real

 

[Sniff]

I had my son in law make me a knuckle for a tank trap for our club use.

The knuckle allows you to slide the wood in and out to adjust the length of the arms for uneven ground or just different height tops to shoot off.

This one has 2.00m long 100x100mm (90x90mm) H4 treated dressed posts. Dressed posts are more expensive but fit through the steel box section and are smoother.

 

[Fig]

I used carriage bolts so it could be disassembled and stored. It works great here is a photo

That's crap. My tank will drive right over that. I might not even feel it.

 

[lash]

Not to ask touchy questions here but ‘practice what? ‘

Last I checked the first 15 minutes of Saving Provate Ryan haven’t been reenacted since well the beginning of saving Private Ryan.

Czech hedgehogs are about as relevant to a modern battlefield as Romans short swords, the maginot line and triremes.

You would be better off with a couple of junk burned out Mercedes, steel drums, a pile of cinder blocks, and a great big stack of dead people who practiced hiding behind Czech hedgehogs.

Oh well. Anyone know where I can get a good deal on some Greek fire and a trebuchet?

Sirhr

That's crap. My tank will drive right over that. I might not even feel it.

Hahaha! Uh well, you seem to have confused the prop, used by some match directors (most, in the case of NRL & their good buddies PRS) in popular shooting games, for the real act of war. In the case of Sihr, the medieval wars.

This thread probably should have been posted in the competitions section and not in the bare naked emotions pit. Ah well, all’s fair…as they say.

 

[LawnMM]

Not to ask touchy questions here but ‘practice what? ‘

Last I checked the first 15 minutes of Saving Provate Ryan haven’t been reenacted since well the beginning of saving Private Ryan.

Czech hedgehogs are about as relevant to a modern battlefield as Romans short swords, the maginot line and triremes.

You would be better off with a couple of junk burned out Mercedes, steel drums, a pile of cinder blocks, and a great big stack of dead people who practiced hiding behind Czech hedgehogs.

Oh well. Anyone know where I can get a good deal on some Greek fire and a trebuchet?

Sirhr

They're a prop that shows up in just about every match these days, Gramps

 

[hlee]

youtube algorithms are killing it lately...

 

[sirhrmechanic]

They're a prop that shows up in just about every match these days, Gramps

You guys are re-enacting Anzio and calling 'Me' Gramps!??!

Ah ha hahah aha....

Guess the match organizers can't afford a Downed Blackhawk...

Sirhr

 

[lash]

Guess the match organizers can't afford a Downed Blackhawk...

If I paint this one black, does it count?

 

[hlee]

View attachment 7824347
If I paint this one black, does it count?

Unless you found that pic online- and even then- the ‘3Ss’ apply.