Rifle targets-need ideas

[Mean Jean]

That's the simple answer I was looking for!

I'm also considering attaching a string to the bottom of the plate.
Once hit it pulls the string which causes a flag to pop up.

 

[8N Ren]

Clay pigeons are good cheap reactive targets but those are too small if your going out to 400 plus.

P.S.
Mean Jean your not that far from me, just off the 302 near Ostenfeld.

 

[SPIKER]

FYI: as a side note, I saw a target a long time ago that had the bottom of the support posts welded to old car springs, so that it was much more flexible when hit. It also vibrated much longer, with louder response from a hit as it isolated the structure from the target.

mark

 

[Mean Jean]

FYI: as a side note, I saw a target a long time ago that had the bottom of the support posts welded to old car springs, so that it was much more flexible when hit. It also vibrated much longer, with louder response from a hit as it isolated the structure from the target.

The more I've thought about it the more I like the idea of a light.
I would use a motion light as the indicator and set the light for a 10 second flash sequence.



mark

I've also considered a car spring as it bounces around madly.
An axel also holds potential as an option.
Shoot a target on the left side and the right side pops up with a flag.

 

[bja105]

I use a 9 5/8" round cut off from gear stock, a machinist friend got them for me. I hang them with chain or wire from T posts in the field. They swing pretty well, and ring audibly, even with hearing protection.
Here is the target.

Here is a shot with a .243 Savage 110, range is a little bit over 500 yards.

If you watch closely, you can see the target swing violently, and then hear the sound of he hit.

Here is my buddy with his Remington Titanium 300 SAUM. Its a good shooter, but he misses a lot of deer with that rifle!

We have tried the same setup at much closer range with handguns, but there are too many ricochets right back at us, it was not safe. Even with the plate angled down, fragments still came back at us.

For highpower rifle targets, we have also used pop cans full of water, milk jugs of water, full juice boxes, woody turnips, fruit. We like the steel gongs best.

 

[bja105]

I use a 9 5/8" round cut off from gear stock, a machinist friend got them for me. I hang them with chain or wire from T posts in the field. They swing pretty well, and ring audibly, even with hearing protection.
Here is the target.

Here is a shot with a .243 Savage 110, range is a little bit over 500 yards.

If you watch closely, you can see the target swing violently, and then hear the sound of he hit.

Here is my buddy with his Remington Titanium 300 SAUM. Its a good shooter, but he misses a lot of deer with that rifle!

We have tried the same setup at much closer range with handguns, but there are too many ricochets right back at us, it was not safe. Even with the plate angled down, fragments still came back at us.

For highpower rifle targets, we have also used pop cans full of water, milk jugs of water, full juice boxes, woody turnips, fruit. We like the steel gongs best.

I don't know if the videos worked. If not, try these.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh51/bja105/DSCN0087.mp4

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh51/bja105/DSCN0095.mp4

 

[Mean Jean]

I use a 9 5/8" round cut off from gear stock, a machinist friend got them for me. I hang them with chain or wire from T posts in the field. They swing pretty well, and ring audibly, even with hearing protection.
Here is the target.

Here is a shot with a .243 Savage 110, range is a little bit over 500 yards.

If you watch closely, you can see the target swing violently, and then hear the sound of he hit.

Here is my buddy with his Remington Titanium 300 SAUM. Its a good shooter, but he misses a lot of deer with that rifle!

We have tried the same setup at much closer range with handguns, but there are too many ricochets right back at us, it was not safe. Even with the plate angled down, fragments still came back at us.

For highpower rifle targets, we have also used pop cans full of water, milk jugs of water, full juice boxes, woody turnips, fruit. We like the steel gongs best.

I'm a big fan of the 243. Also a fan of Savages.
We just bought our first Savage in 270, it's my wife's gun.



I've attached a piece of steel, the likes of which we shoot at. I hope it works.
I'm going to try several of the options as presented in this thread:
-weld connectors a third of the way down to make the target more "lively"
-mount the target with a high tipping point. Think of the drinking bird that's rocks back and forth.

I'm also considering wiring the target so that it triggers a spinning light when hit.
I'm thinking a motion sensor, or garage door sensor to trigger the light.

 

[Chain Bender]

I use worn out bush-hog blades. They are tuff enuff to withstand a 270 WSM at 50 yards and not so much as dimple. Mine are on v-shaped stands with a removable pin for transporting. takes time to reset them, but I've got 12 or more to knock down before I have t reset them. A four wheeler or riding lawn mower takes the long walk out of it. I shoot mine out to 900 yards.

thought I had some pix but can't find them.

Shoot straight or shoot often,
DB

 

[BitChin1]

$400 spotting scope or $400 in bullets.....?
We all wear hearing protection.

Not the best scope, but certainly can see what you are wanting to see at 400yds - bought from Menard's last month "Barska spotting scope" for $69.99

Seems like you would want a spotting scope for many reasons when shooting at that distance?

 

[jwmorris]

This is a video of an auto reset plate rack and larue style target underneath that also is auto resetting, that I built.

Click this photo to play the video and you can see him hit the last two plates on the rack and they reset while he shoots the single target under it and it resets as well.