Homemade Firearm Target...

[JenRae1325]

I've been pouring over page after page trying to find any good ideas for a homemade stop target... I'm needing something somewhat permanent (will repair/replace when necessary, but don't want to every time we shoot) that can handle multiple calibers, and isn't going to cost an arm, leg, and my first born!

Any suggestions are much appreciated! Thanks!! Jen

 

[DRYHUMOR]

When I make the time, I'm going to make one.

My idea is a 55 gallon drum on it's side, supported off the ground.

At the middle of the top of the drum (layed on it's side) cut out a square section. No larger than the two middle bump outs that go round the drum, maybe that size in a square.

Take some thick flexable rubber cut just large enough in a circle to fit in the end on the inside. I'm thinking 2-3. inches of rubber overall. Work it in and place it against the drum end. The end without the two bung holes.

Fill the drum up at this point with dirt or sand, while it is horizontal, with the blank end (bottom) towards your firing line. After you place it on the supports. I've got old power poles I will use.

Take another 55 gal drum and cut out enough of the middle to cover the hole cut in the first one, overlapping about 2-3 inches. Attach it with heavy sheetmetal screws.

I feel the rubber will help to slow the sand/dirt loss, as it will somewhat self seal after the bullet passes. The cover on top will keep out water. And the drum itself will keep the lead in.

The only drawbacks I can see, is it's a small target area. And after awhile the rubber will be gone.

At that point, I figured to cut out an opening the whole length of the top of the drum as wide as the original hole. Work in some barriers every 1/3 of the length. Cut a new drum up and make a hinged cover for the top. Then seal and refill as needed.

Might do that from the git go. We are emptying some drums this week, I've got my rubber, now if I can just find that bucket of motivation... I know it's around here somewhere...

 

[FiREhAwk]

We put a few junk freezers and refrigerators filled with compacted dirt and scrap metal. I do not think any casual round would go through 3 feet of compact dirt so the steel may be overkill. This only works if you still have a clear back drop. Ours goes down into a thick swamp (creek).

 

[MarineOne]

Are you looking to stop the rounds, or just a target that can be easily fixed/replaced?

I know when I went through combat training at Camp Pendleton we were told that rounds fired from the service rifle would penetrate up to 3 feet of compacted earth so I've always used natural backstops like sand dunes, the side of a mountain, or some other naturally occuring steep incline for safety.

For targets we'd use old cardboard on a 2x4 frame with door hinges to open it up like a sawhorse. The cardboard would have old coat hanger wire poked through it from the front out the backside on the top corners so we could simply "hang" the new target onto the 2x4 sawhorse frame. A small glue stick, some construction paper (I like the yellow green and hot pink paper), a Sharpie, and a yard stick is all you need to make cheap targets.

To go even cheaper, old grocery bags cut up for targets work just as well, but I would use paper masking tape to help keep them in place since the glue stick doesn't work as well on the bags as it does the construction paper.




Kris

 

[Funderb]

a berm?

 

[CoRoMo]

Simple swinging steel plate.

Hangs from a frame like a saw horse, made of thick steel plate.

 

[fase3]

Live in the delta flat lands of La. Stacked truck tires 6 high-6 across -4 deep and anchored them with rebar driven into the ground. Filled with river silt. Works like a dream. Then again I still have 600 acres of farm behind it if some misses the bullet stop.

 

[Tom S.]

Are you asking about a target stop - as in something for an automated target retrieval system (like indoor ranges have) or a bullet stop? Or are you asking about target holders?


Yeah, I'm confused!

 

[mcdonl]

Unflitered loam will run you about $100 for a dump truck full... about 10 yards, plenty for a berm, and it will last forever.

 

[JenRae1325]

First off... Thanks to EVERYONE who has replied so far... lots of great ideas!

We want to stop the bullets... I live in the country, with a nice big open pasture to the south of our house, but we still have neighbors... I'd feel much more comfortable knowing the bullets are going where I want them to. At our old place we shot into a dry creek bed and it was perfect, which we could still go there, but I'd like to have something to use at our house for convenience. We like to target shoot... alot!

 

[heron]

I've built a backstop for myself for about $100 in materials. It's a shallow vertical box -- a four-foot square frame of pressure-treated 2x8, covered on front and back with 2x10's and filled with sand. I think it should work well for quite a while, and the 2x10's are screwed in, so I can replace them when they get shot out.

I settled on 2x8's for the depth, based on this article:

http://theboxotruth.com/docs/bot7.htm

Mine looks just like theirs, but bigger and stronger. I'll be shooting .22LR, .22 Magnum, .38 Sp, .357 Magnum, and .223. I think it'll do fine.