Quick Rebar Target Stands

[rbertalotto]

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!

[Coffinmaker]

Rebar is cheap, easy to work, plentiful and quite possible the worst possible material you could use for a target stand.

Coffinmaker

[Professor Marvel]

Rebar is cheap, easy to work, plentiful and quite possible the worst possible material you could use for a target stand.
Coffinmaker

My Dear, Bored Coffin -

Inquiring minds want to know-
"why is that?"

yhs
prof ( wondering ) marvel

[Advertising]

[Coffinmaker]

Ah My Good Perffesser,

Physics.  The problem is/are all those little raised "rings" all up and down the surface of the rebar.  Rather than a smooth surface that deflects the lead in a consistent direction, those little raised "bumps" cause bullet splatter to go in random directions, usually back at the firing line/spectators/spotters/RO/Shooter/ME!!

If the target face deflects bullets and fragments down (as it should) the rebar bumps re-direct the bullets/fragments away from the ground and more normally, back at firing line/spectators/spotters/RO/Shooter/ME!!

A much better choice is right angle material, set on the diagonal.  i.e.  "V" skinny part toward the firing line.  This will deflect bullets (misses) and spatter fragments away from the firing line and ..... people.  Physics.  More expensive, but better for what we do.

Coffinmaker

[Professor Marvel]

Thank you Coffin -
I had not considered that the little bumps would cause unpleasant deflection!
I had intended to use rebar, as rbertalotto  did, but
I will go collect cheap or free angle-iron bed frames for the purpose instead!

yhs
prof (learned something) marvel

[Major 2]

Guilty of making a few ....but used square tube mostly, on my knock downs I use angle

[Major 2]

Some others

[Bunk Stagnerg]

Maker of Coffins
Thank you. Perhaps you have solved the spatter problem on our target stands. Unfortunately we have 60 stands to fix. Do you think a bead of weld or a short piece of angle iron welded down the top of the base would help to divert the spatter?
I have neither the time or inclination to build new stands.

Yr' Obt' Svt
Bunk

[Coffinmaker]

Dunno Bunk .....
If you have 60 Target Stands, fixing them is a "project."  Might take a page from the Perffesser.  Go scrounging for angle iron bed frames, cut to length and just tack bottom and top.  Shouldn't take more than a couple of years to get 60 of em fix'd.   

Coffinmaker

[PJ Hardtack]

I'm hijacking the thread, but .....

When it's been too cold for x-country skiing, I've been busy making bobbing targets, a rolling target and a pop up from 2x4s and what ever hardware I've had in the shop.

They are designed to hold cardboard IDPA/IPSC targets or CAS 'Cowboys'. Cheap, no ricochets and damaged parts (there are some lousy shots out there) are easily replaced.

They work. So far one of my bobbers has survived a year of CAS and IDPA shooting, so I made a 2nd MkII version that works even better. The rolling target can go up/down range and cross range, operated on a rope pulley set up we are currently working on.

I'm currently putting the final touches on the pop up which will utilize bungees or surgical tubing to raise the target, whichever works best.

[Professor Marvel]

Many Lustrum ago, at the club in Minnesota, they mandated "wooden frames" but offered simple plans using the cheapest pine 2x2 's
avaialble, which then fit into pipes sunk flush into the ground. Worked great a tthe club, but now I need something portable like Rbertalotto's stands that can be used on public land and carried in a subaru . Already have lotsa cheap mild steel disks and plates, just need an easy, portable way to hang them.

My first thought had been rebar "c" shapes, with the ends sharpened and driven into the ground, disk hung from the horizontal part.

New thought is to use cheap angle iron, sharpened on one end, as verticals. What if I use some chain strung horizontally and hang
the disks from giant S hooks?

yhs
prof marvle

[Professor Marvel]

Guilty of making a few ....but used square tube mostly, on my knock downs I use angle

Those are trick, Major!

wait....

you are shooting at LOCOMOTIVES ?

man, that must take one monster gun to put them down .....

yhs
prof marvel

[Coffinmaker]

Perffesser,

There is an outfit out there in Web land that markets accessories.  I can't remember their name.  Somebody will chime in.  One of their products is a precision Tool Head for Dillion presses.  Anyway

They market a bolt up target stand that is exactly what you are looking for.  Designed to stick 1 X 2s into as the stiles.  Staple a Pizza Box in between and FIRE AWAY.  I bought a pair.  Work trix.  The stands will get lost in the back of a Mini Cooper.  Perfect. 

I'll dig around in the shop tomorrow and see if I can find their card or something.

Coffinmaker

[Major 2]

Mike you are thinking of Uniquetek

http://www.uniquetek.com/product/T1426-B

&     http://www.uniquetek.com/product/T1426-H

I've bought from them, good products ....
 

The LOCOMOTIVE was part of a stage that used these outlaw gongs  ...the idea was to hit the Outlaw gong partially hidden behind
if you hit the train or any of its 5 cars,  it was a miss and 10 sec.  penalty,
NOTE: the 1" square tube knock down stand on the gongs 

[Coffinmaker]

EXACTLY.  ABSOLUTELY.  MARVELOUSNESS!!  Oh and YESSSSSSSS.

UNIQUETEK does hawk some really good stuff.  Most all of what they list, will make our L'il CAS shooting lives a little better.  NCOWS TOO.

My particular target stands fold a little different, but the idea is same same.  It is somewhat embarrassing when you cut the stile in half with yer .45 (Don't ask how I know this fact) but the stands are really trix.  Highly recommended (take an extra stile or two  )

Thanks Major 2.  My memory is ...... shot

Coffinmaker

[Major 2]

You were the one who hooked me up with them, a coupla years ago.  

It's were it got my 97  6th round Mag follower & spring, my 73 Mag. wrench and my Marlin Spring Kit .

[Coffinmaker]

My Gosh.  How could I ever forget??

Who ar You??  My Caffeine low light is "ON"

Is it Wednesday??  I forget ..............

Coffinmaker

[Major 2]

Ah, merely a senior moment....

Um... what was we talk'n' about ?   

[Professor Marvel]

Ah, merely a senior moment....

Um... what was we talk'n' about ?   

We were discussing how you were going to manufacture a dozen shooting stands and send them to Coffin and me.....

prf mbl

[Major 2]

Oh ! yeah, I remember ....2 dozen shooting stands for the Prof & Coffin, yep ....

what ?  Oh !  stand by ....OK ! Yeass  , in other news, someone's coming.... shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !  Hmmmmm !

 who dat ? .....WHO Dat ?     who dat ?, .... say WHO Dat, when I say's who Dat ?