any square garden post, pound into ground about the width of the target, staple paper target to posts across the gap. or if you want to be fancy, attach cardboard with brads to the posts. can be set up anywhere and taken down in 5 minutes as long as you can apply a garden stake into the ground.
Low budget low tech target holder
- Thread starter nettlle
- Start date
dh1633pm
Contributing Member
I shoot cans off the roof of my 2021 F150. If I hit them right, they fly far enough as to not scratch anything. Kidding aside, there are about as many ideas for targets and stands as there are people. You all have some pretty good ideas on what works. I use fence posts and then good ol plywood. But then again, I have my own range. Got setups for 25, 50, and 100 yards.
Smokin Gator
Member
Quite a few years ago our USPSA club had all of our steel stolen. An outfit sold us target stands and everything else and gave us a deal because we bought so much. I told him I wanted 5 or 6 stands but that I would pay his normal full price. Saved on the shipping. They are stands that take either two 1x2s and have a 2x4 holder in the middle for steel targets. I have made my own out of pvc that's large enough to slide the 1x2s in.
OP
OP
nettlle
Contributing Member
One of the hassles of my present setup is that I haul every thing out to my outdoor range on an ATV every time I shoot. Portable shooting bench, guns, rests, ammo, brass catcher, chair(s), and a 3' x 3' piece of cardboard. It's an ATV full. I haul it back in every day when I'm done unless I am going to shoot the next day. A 3' x 3' piece of cardboard is not a handy thing to haul on an ATV. I picked up a piece of Coroplast today and a staple gun. I'm liking the Coroplast already. It holds stapled paper targets well and I can leave the Coroplast out in the weather. We'll see how the Coroplast holds up to 9mm, 223, 45acp, and 308. The brackets are coming tomorrow. Unfortunately I have chores the next two days and rain coming in Sunday. I like all the suggestions and photos everyone posted and especially the hanging targets. Going to order an extra set of brackets just so I can try out some of these hanging target ideas. Also with the Coroplast I will be able to go larger than 3' x 3'. I'll get some photos when I get this set up. Thanks for all the suggestions. Things are looking good!
Here is my portable target stand made from PVC pipe and 1x2 boards. I filled the PVC part with concrete to help keep the wind from blowing it over.
I use to use political signs all the time. But the range I use now is an old clay pit where the Conservation department also dumped a bunch of gravel. The gravel sinks into the clay and the combination makes it hard to get political signs into the ground without bending the legs.
I use to use political signs all the time. But the range I use now is an old clay pit where the Conservation department also dumped a bunch of gravel. The gravel sinks into the clay and the combination makes it hard to get political signs into the ground without bending the legs.
jmorris
Member
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2005
- Messages
- 24,211
I hear you there, I generally make things break down, minimize or figure out how not to have to move them around. There’s obviously a lot of other stuff in there but my first shot marker setup is a fairly large frame in an attempt to keep important stuff from getting hit but it gets a lot smaller with the removal of 4 screws.
These inserts really help.
For all the usual stuff, paint, ear plugs, brass catcher, targets, stapler, staples, bug spray, etc, I repurposed a mail box my MIL lost the key to, mounted it under the shooting bench.
This stand is probably the most versatile I have made, the size is only limited by the 1x2’s you have.
If you do have to haul it all around, keep it as light as you can.
irishlad
Contributing Member
Now that's a suppressor!!!!!
Buzznrose
Member
yep! How wide apart will your T Posts be? If 6”, a single 12 foot 2x4 cut in half and bolted to each post would work fine. Easy to replace.
Buzznrose
Member
We use two t-posts sunk deep and bolted a 3/4 sheet of old plywood that we used for a pretty long time. We keep adding more sheets as they get shot up….but we have a good stack of old used flooring and roofing materials that makes it cheap. Buying new would be spendy these days.
Chuck R.
Member
I've got to develop something similar to what jmorris has.
Currently my issue is that my bench sits at a higher elevation than my backstop that's 220yds and one of my berms at 300. Works great for those, but my 100yd stand has to be 6' tall to put the rds into the berm. I've now added a 4' extension to be able to work with .22s at 50 that I clamp on when doing ammo testing.
I just leave the stand out permanently as it sits in the middle of my dam road when I shoot. For the targets I have backing boards that slide into the stand and I keep them in my target shed. I need a better stand that's more stable in the wind that I can at least get tgts to the 10' mark.
I might look at a modified steel frame like jmorris's with a sliding sub-frame like you see in a KD range pit.
Currently my issue is that my bench sits at a higher elevation than my backstop that's 220yds and one of my berms at 300. Works great for those, but my 100yd stand has to be 6' tall to put the rds into the berm. I've now added a 4' extension to be able to work with .22s at 50 that I clamp on when doing ammo testing.
I just leave the stand out permanently as it sits in the middle of my dam road when I shoot. For the targets I have backing boards that slide into the stand and I keep them in my target shed. I need a better stand that's more stable in the wind that I can at least get tgts to the 10' mark.
I might look at a modified steel frame like jmorris's with a sliding sub-frame like you see in a KD range pit.
doubleh
Member
I built one of those years ago and it makes a nice stand but I haven't used it quite sometime. I built another out of electical conduit that is much lighter and everything slides together.
For paper I built one from pvc pipe much like the one pictured in one of the above posts. Since the wind blows most of the time I made the feet from 2" pvc., filled them with pieces of 3/4" oilfield sucker rod, and glued pipe caps on the ends to have enough weigh to keep the thing up right except for either a serious gust or a whirl wind. If you mange to shoot a leg and you eventually will it's a cheap fix, I use a wooden target frame with hooks on the back and the target frame fits in slots I milled in the legs. Everything just slips together and taks little space to haul around. I am seriously soil challenged so I use something that just sits on top of what little dirt we have.
jmorris
Member
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2005
- Messages
- 24,211
Only way I can shoot unsuppressed centerfire rifles when Mrs. Morris is at home.
OP
OP
nettlle
Contributing Member
Going to figure out whether the Coroplast or wood will last the longest and which one would be more economical. I'm leaning towards the Coroplast because I think it will stand up to weather better. Not sure which one will hold up best to being shot.
TinNePa
Member
I’m a carpenter by trade, so all my stands are some sort of scrap wood. Generally old 2x4s for the base. 1x, flooring or trim for the frame. I make them so the frame slides into the base no fasteners needed and it is easy to separate and throw it in the truck. Staple a cardboard to it and done.
Nice!
The PVC pipe is cheap and easy to replace any parts that may meet lead. A miter box and saw to cut the desired lengths.
This is the only permanent bonded assembly. There are a couple 1/2" x 2' rods in each runner for bottom weight. Withstands 20+mph winds.
In 2020 I believe it cost me $34 to build 2 of them.
The backing is some weatherproof signage material off of Amazon attached with zip ties.
I like it a lot better than worrying about grabbing splitters.
If you have access to a table saw, get a pack of 12" or 18" property stakes at the big box store and cut a slot in each. Hammer them into the ground and they make a cardboard holder.
I've also got a setup like kcofohio's middle picture, but without the permanent cross piece so that I can use any width of cardboard. I get some 1x1" to staple the target board to. Instead of weighing the bases pieces, I drilled a hole in the front and back of each for a big garden nail for windy days.
I've also got a setup like kcofohio's middle picture, but without the permanent cross piece so that I can use any width of cardboard. I get some 1x1" to staple the target board to. Instead of weighing the bases pieces, I drilled a hole in the front and back of each for a big garden nail for windy days.
Reading back through the post, I saw where the OP stated cardboard is not available for him. Either of the above would work with the corrugated political signs. Or, any office building these days probably has a recycle bin for cardboard. I cruise those every now and then, looking for big boxes. There's also the warehouse clubs as someone mentioned.
One other idea is to use the metal "H" stands commonly used with the political signs if no one has mentioned them. I started with those and cardboard, but would occasionally hit the metal going up into the cardboard, so switches to the stakes.
One other idea is to use the metal "H" stands commonly used with the political signs if no one has mentioned them. I started with those and cardboard, but would occasionally hit the metal going up into the cardboard, so switches to the stakes.
luzyfuerza
Member
OP says that he has lots of t-posts. I like using them to support target frames.
Horizontal 2x4s are wired to t-posts with masonry tie wire. Vertical furring strips are attached to the 2x4s with plumbers' strapping. Cardboard or coroplast backers are stapled to the furring strips.
My poor man's plate rack (and other steel targets) hang in front of t-posts using t-post mounting brackets.
Horizontal 2x4s are wired to t-posts with masonry tie wire. Vertical furring strips are attached to the 2x4s with plumbers' strapping. Cardboard or coroplast backers are stapled to the furring strips.
My poor man's plate rack (and other steel targets) hang in front of t-posts using t-post mounting brackets.
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OP
OP
nettlle
Contributing Member
This was how my first attempt turned out. $8.00 for the (2) brackets, $1.00 for the hardware, and $9.00 for the 2' x 3' Coroplast. This has been up almost (2) weeks now through a couple of windstorms and downpours and (300) rounds of 9mm. Even the 81/2"x11" paper targets survived the rain and windstorms. Like the durability of the Coroplast. I drilled holes in the two bottom (2) corners for zipties to keep the bottom from flopping around in the wind. I got room for a two or three more of these an my backston and going to try some of the targets luzyfuerza suggested.
jdsingleshot
Member
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?resources/inch-square-grid.22/ came up blank. Is it dead?
Chuck R.
Member
Quick follow-up. After being inspired by jmorris, I got together with a friend that welds and we made this out of scrap "map boards" from work.
Basically a 2 tiered target frame that I can use from my bench at 50 and 100yds. Previously I was 50yd challenged due to the slope from my bench. I also made target backboards with frames that slide into either of the receptacles on the frame. While 98% of my shooting from the bench is at 100-300yds, we've been doing a lot more work with .22LRs lately, so 50yds became a requirement. This way:
I should only have to replace the cardboard (in theory)
I can pull the whole backboard when done and store in my house or target shed, instead of pulling TGTs.
In theory the subframe/backboard makes it more difficult to hit the steel frame (another theory/hope)
I used 1/4" plywood, reinforced with 1X2 firing strips:
In 50yd "mode" (80" high to center and into my 200yd berm)
In 100yd mode:
Basically a 2 tiered target frame that I can use from my bench at 50 and 100yds. Previously I was 50yd challenged due to the slope from my bench. I also made target backboards with frames that slide into either of the receptacles on the frame. While 98% of my shooting from the bench is at 100-300yds, we've been doing a lot more work with .22LRs lately, so 50yds became a requirement. This way:
I should only have to replace the cardboard (in theory)
I can pull the whole backboard when done and store in my house or target shed, instead of pulling TGTs.
In theory the subframe/backboard makes it more difficult to hit the steel frame (another theory/hope)
I used 1/4" plywood, reinforced with 1X2 firing strips:
In 50yd "mode" (80" high to center and into my 200yd berm)
In 100yd mode:
armoredman
Member
I knew a guy who took that to the logical extreme on his private range. The fact that he turned into an arrogant jerk later one has no bearing on the design.
armoredman
Member
I used to scavenge nearby construction sites to make the same thing, when I was flat broke. I ended up leaving a bunch at the local range, hoping they would be too heavy to steal and people would use them. All of them were gone the next day.
Nowadays. I just use these - they ride in the back of the People Mover at all times, because I'm lazy.
