[40FIVER]

My wife's boss recently gave me permission to use some of his land as my personal shooting range. Actually, it's a cow pasture with a tank (pond for you non country types) and a good earthen dam. I use the dam as the backstop.
So far I've just been shooting rocks and cans. Does anybody have any drawings or plans for building your own target stands? I would like to shoot paper targets as well as steel plates.
Thanks in advance.

40FIVER

 

[P95Carry]

Easiest is maybe to use what most of us do for IDPA target stands.

Make a letter ''H'' as a base - using some 2x4 - approx 18" side to side. But the cross piece of the ''H'' is two pieces of 2x4. Leave those far enough apart that you can put inside two pieces of 1x2 - to be able to stand vertically approx 6' high and 16-18" apart. Blank off centre if you wish with a piece of scrap 1x2.

Sorry no drawing but see if this makes sense at all!

Use spring clips to hold some cardboard backing across the two vertical 1x2 lengths and pin/staple/tape your actual target center to that - should last as long as you can keep avoiding not shooting up side 1x2's :18:

If you want and can wait a while - I'll draw up a plan for you. Just ask.

 

[HotGuns]

We use rebar for the swinging plates.

Its easy to weld and its pretty tough...the bullets wont hurt it much.
They are about 6 feet tall,3 feet wide and have hooks welded on them at 3 places for different heights on the plates.

The plates can be any size, 9,10 or 12 diameter inch is what is mostly used and are cut out of steel with a torch. For big pistol they need to be at least 1/2" thick. Jsut weld the proper length of chain to to the plate and hanf them on the hangers.

For paper, use 1x2x 3/4 inch thick wood. Its cheap. Make them just big enough so that you can take a cardboard and staple it to the frame. Then staple your paper targets on it.

You can get creative with the steel plates and shape them like bottles, bowling pins, cans, stars, squares or whatever.

 

[acparmed]

I use PVC. Cut to the right lengths and using the elbows and connectors you can make any kind of target stand you want, then take it apart for transport.

And the best part is, it's very cheap.

 

[F350]

I make my target stands out of 2X2 PVC as well....use a "T" connector to make each side, the "top" of the T goes on the ground and each side of the T should be 18"-24" (3-4 feet total) with the vetical leg any where from 8"-12" mine are about 10" . A piece of 2X2 lumber will fit perfitally into the 2X2 PVC, so build the frame like an H with the top portion closed in and staple some cardboard over it so you tape or staple on your targets.

The PVC is light and the target can be blown over with just a little wind so I got some end caps and poured about 1/2 of cement in the bases for weight (could use sand but cement wont spill out). With each side of the stand being independent you can make the target frames any size you want, I have made a couple frames big enough for deer sized archery targets for 300+ yard rifle shooting, most are B-24 target sized.

 

[glock21guy]

Check out http://www.firearmstactical.com/briefs29.htm. I built 4 of them for about $10. The only modification I would make is placing a small strip of wood in the bottom of the channel. This will keep the 1x2 from falling down if you move the stand with the target in place. Also if you desire more stability you could put strips on the out side of edge of the 1x2s.

 

[40FIVER]

Thanks for the responses guys. I should be able to build up a couple of stands in no time use at the ol' tank dam.

 

[rocky]

Dozer blades are great for sturdyness and a ping noise when hit. they stand up to big bore rifle hits too.

 

[frankmako]

Check the net for metal targets and wooden target stands. I build several wooden target stands, but later found "store bought" on the net. Also, I got some great metal targets with stands on the net. Make for a great shooting day with the family.

Frankmako

 

[Tylden]

target stands

I recently made several target stands out of old pallets. I used one pallet for the base, and stood the other up vertically on the first one and simply nailed them together. I nailed a piece of scrap wood diagonally to brace it. Works like a charm and best of all, it was FREE.

 

[fotomaker57]

40FIVER
Check out the May-June issue of American Handgunner. It has just the plans you need.
Mike

 

[TonyW]

The May/June issue of American Handgunner has an article on building a stand using PVC pipe.

 

[4my sons]

If you have one, I recyled an old live Christmas tree stand as a base. I used triangular pieces of ply wood with a couple of old 2x4 scraps to support on the sides. It has a couple of holes in it and won't hold water anymore, bit then it was on the way to the dump anyway.

 

[BCurry1]

Great thread 40fiver, I am going to try building some of the PVC stands, I will post pics later.

 

[yoshi]

Campaign signs

Last season I used political campaign signs - just make sure you get permission. All I had to do was volunteer to collect 200 or so after the voting, and they let me keep 20 ... and I told them what I was going to do with them. I just flip the cardboard over so nobody gets the wrong idea.

You can put them anywhere cause they just poke into the ground, and you can staple targets over them.

 

[sixgun]

I just got the new issue of handgunner also Ill be making some of those stands. That issue is worth checking out May/June. Sixgun

 

[LongRider]

These are what I use from Box Of Truth. Easy to make portable PVC stands. We use silhouette targets that we put colored T-shirts on (from the second hand store) we take turns with our backs turned our partner arranges the targets. Than yells out a color. We turn and fire at the target color the rest are no shoot targets. I don't glue mine together so I can take em apart put them in a sack pack them anywhere. Plus if a frame gets shot or broken it is easier to replace
Another version is available Here
Or you can download plans Here

 

[Dadsnugun]

My target stands are typically cobbled together from the refuse of other folks target litter that they just leave lying around once they've shot their fill and decided they don't want to wait for an "all clear" to go down and clean up their mess....cheap for me, but does nothing for my opinion of the average "recreational" shooter.

 

[wmhawth]

The PVC works great and is an inexpensive and quick way to make stands. For those who prefer less bulk and are not inclined to build their own, Tuffsteel in Colorado makes good stands if you can afford to spend a few bucks.
Target stands by Tuffsteel

(Actually this thread was running 5 years ago.)

 

[KillrFajitas]

I made some PVC stands and put rocks on the bottom horizontal feet to keep them from blowing over. 3' wood stakes with cardboard jutting off to the side and paper plates at the end of the cardboard for shotgun targets. All light weight and easy to disassemble, store, repair, etc..
Shooting rocks isn't a good idea, IMO.
Have fun!