Need ideas for making some reactive targets

[737mechanic]

I have some 1/2in plate that I would like to make some reactive targets to shoot. You know the kind that either fall down or spin. Have any of you guys built anything like this or have any idea's.

[Hammack_Welding]

I have built a good many targets over the years. First off is it 1/2" mild steel, and second what will you be shooting it with?

[farmersamm]

How about something that will actually fire back at you when hit:jester:

Know a lot of paper punchers around here that would probably shoot their (#######) off if push ever came to shove and they had to face someone that's armed.:laugh:

[farmersamm]

All BS aside, why not build a target that's mounted on an upright pivot/axle that will spin when its hit?

[737mechanic]

How about something that will actually fire back at you when hit:jester:

That would take all the fun out of target shooting.

Hammack_Welding What I have is some 1/2 In AR steel. Probably will limit it to handgun and 22 rifle only. I don't really need anything fancy just something that has proven to work well. I have looked at some that hang from a rod and swing and I have seen some that pivot on a lower rod that falls down when hit but not sure what would work best.

[farmersamm]

I've seen targets that are mounted on coil springs too. The coil is vertical. The target wobbles when hit. It makes for an unmistakeable sign that you've connected. Kind of like those things that kids punch that always return to upright afterwards.

[74Highboy]

I have made some for my local shooting club. I used 3/8" because it was for pistol only. Using 1/2" sounds like you want rifle targets. For pistol you can get the popper sizes at;
www.ipsc.org
You can also find some target plans at;
http://www.parmarng.org/freeidaho/AlSkDjFhG/index.html

From this site you can email Reed and he may be able to give you locations for rifle targets.
Hope this helps.

[Hammack_Welding]

That was wanting to know. AR plate is what you are wanting. Mild steel doesn't hold up real well under shooting conditions. I will look thru some of my pictures tonight and see what I can find that may give you some ideas.

[Martygras]

Alot of it depends on how far away you are going to be from your targets and if you want to be going out and setting them back up all the time. The verticle ones that fall over can be a pain to be setting up all the time but you know when you hit them. The spinning ones you can see pretty easy and sometimes they spin all the way around and sometimes they dont and sometimes they move when you dont want them to. A simple leaning target can work too as even if the target doesnt move, there is nothing quite like the sound of 100 grains of lead slamming into steel at 2000fps. Whatever design you choose (again up to you) just make sure that the plates angle down to the ground so that you dont get anything bouncing back at the shooter!

[Brainfarth]

I've seen an interesting one that had a small frame that stood it upright with an aluminum plate on the face of it. Then another plate pivoting on a bolt in front of the aluminum one. So when you shoot it, it makes a ton of racket to let you know you've hit it.

[hdwood]

For a spinner I weld a 4" round on one end of a 1"D 12" long bar, a 5" round on the other end and a 1" thin wall tube about 2" long exactly in the middle and perpendicular (this is the axle which slides over a 3/4" bar). The larger target will always spin to the bottom.

[Antibling]

True story. I got some round cut outs from work when my cousin got back from Iraq and was visiting me at my farm. I told him I would make us some targets to shoot with our handguns, he got a new 1911 he wanted to try.

So he made the targets while I was at work. He found some flat for the pivot and welded it laying lengthwise, so the wide part is facing you when shooting at it. Not how I was planning on making it but oh well.

We figured out why you build the targets with a narrow pivot. He hit a weld and it ricocheted back and hit me in the leg. Luckily it just hit me, didn't go in. I just ended up with a nasty bloody welt.

As far as steel thickness goes, biggest was 1/4" and the AR would dent it but not penetrate. So if you're making it for handgun use, 1/2" would be overkill.

[FormerTankSarge]

It all sounds like fun to me!:gunsfirin

[49KB-2]

Made this a while back, holds up real well to pistols. Plates are two 3/8" welded together. Cuts in the cross beam keep the circles in place while they swing. The plates come off, then the cross-beam lifts off and it's pretty portable.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3157/2365918088_8371f98de4.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2178/2365085639_6471cdcb18.jpg?v=0

[redlaker1]

I have some swinging gongs I made, but I shoot mostly beyond 400yds so you can hear the hits no problem. some are made of old grader blade, and some from 3/4 plate. had one with 3/8 plate but the 30-378wby went through it like it wasnt there, didnt even make a sound