DIY Pepper Poppers, Steel Targets, Plate Racks

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  • Hitman

    ® ™
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    13   0   0
    Sep 4, 2008
    16,034
    36
    Lake Charles
    I've got land, time, tools & equipment
    and access to Scrap Metal.

    I could however use some help in gathering template measurements(Blue Prints)
    and ideas on DIY Metal Targets for both Rifle and Handgun shooting.

    Once we pool together a good amount of info
    we may could sticky this FFR in this section.

    Thanks in Advance :)
     

    Hitman

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    13   0   0
    Sep 4, 2008
    16,034
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    Lake Charles
    I have found the measurements for these.
    But not for the device that needs to be built/attached to allow it to fall backwards
    and then be stood back up etc.

    ipscpp2.gif



    Another Good Source Here;
    http://www.6mmbr.com/reactivetargets.html
     
    Last edited:

    Hitman

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    Sep 4, 2008
    16,034
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    Lake Charles
    Now this is cool!

    -Shooting the round plates locks them in place - out of sight.
    -Shooting the square reset plate automatically resets the target!
    ResetAnimation.gif
     

    SpeedRacer

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    Feb 23, 2007
    14,347
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    Mandeville, LA
    Without the proper hardened steel, you'll shoot right through it at best, and be incredibly dangerous at worst. Not a huge issue if you're shooting at 75+ yards, but destroying the targets every range session will get old real quick.
     

    bigjakewelch

    Mill Spec
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    50   1   0
    Mar 19, 2010
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    Baton Rouge
    If it's not a thru hardened steel like AR-450, AR-500, or better, then you'll possibly have some safety issues. It also has a lot to do with the caliber of firearm that's used.
    I'm not going to say that you're going to be unsafe if you use regular Carbon Steel that's 3/4" thick, shooting it with a 38spl, at 50yds. I will say that over time, even the situation as stated in the previous sentence will have the possibility of "throwing back" at you. I have done allot of work with the metallurgy and reflexive properties of steel. I also produced targets commercially. Notice the past tense that I used in that last statement. There is a good bit of liability in building targets. I could email you some drawings of what I use to build but it would be for informational purposes only. Good luck with your targets and be careful, these things can be a lot of fun if done correctly.
    5e5epesy.jpg
    pusete4a.jpg
     
    Last edited:

    3fifty7

    CoonAss
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    13   0   0
    Jul 9, 2011
    3,361
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    Bunkie
    Pretty much gonna echo others statements.
    I have scrap iron of thicknesses up to 1" and hardnesses to T1 but I will not shoot it.
    I made an 8 target dueling tree that had some downward angle to the 3/8 plates on them, shot it for a while with no problems and one day it threw a .38 back at me that buzzed my ear so that was the end of that.
    For reactionary targets ill shoot clays, bowling pins, balloons, do all sealing balls but no scrap iron. I plan to get a couple hardened steel gongs to hang at distance but that's about it.
     

    bigjakewelch

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    Mar 19, 2010
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    Couldn't he find someone to heat treat it to make it harder?

    Yes but it would be easier and cheaper to buy the AR-500 plate. Unless he knows someone that would do the Heat Treat and Controlled Quench it can get extremely expensive. I thought about doing that but there are tests for hardness that would need to be done to assure that it was at the correct hardness and that it wasn't too brittle.
     

    bigjakewelch

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    Mar 19, 2010
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    Baton Rouge
    There are a couple of places in the BR area that handle the AR-500 steel. I'd be willing to give my contact at one of them so he could get a good deal on some drops that might be available. I'd hate to see any one take a chance on something that could be dangerous, and possibly get injured. When I could help out by just pointing them in the right direction for materials.
     

    Hitman

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    Sep 4, 2008
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    Lake Charles
    I'll have to check the 'hardness' of it.

    The only thing I plan on shooting is .223 and 9mm to .45ACP.

    Is there a 'hardened' rating for handgun calibers?
     

    bigjakewelch

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    50   1   0
    Mar 19, 2010
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    Baton Rouge
    Handguns with a low MV an AR-400 can be used. If you come thru BR any time soon I have a couple that you can have for pistol. They would be good for 9mm and .45, not so much for the .223.
     

    Dishonored

    Hunter
    Silver Member
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    11   0   0
    Oct 27, 2012
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    Prairieville
    Steel targets are over rated unless performed at distance. (Rifle mainly) I prefer other targets for handgun now. I manufactured and sold the steel targets for a while. I still have mine. They get used about once a month and with the AR at 50yds or more. Normally at 100.

    Shooting the steel one day with my handgun and some fragmented parts flew back and hit my arm. Put a lash in it. Stopped after that. Couldn't been my neck ya know and how much more powerful can it get??? Idk.

    I really like steels for rifle shooting though, outside of 100yds.
     

    corey d

    Well-Known Member
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    Feb 8, 2012
    176
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    Louisiana
    I'll have to check the 'hardness' of it.

    The only thing I plan on shooting is .223 and 9mm to .45ACP.

    Is there a 'hardened' rating for handgun calibers?

    3/8" A36 steel will work for 9mm and 45ACP, but 223 will bust it up something awful. I had some A36 targets that i used for pistols. I had them for a long time until i shot them with 223. It makes craters in the steel and 2 shots in the same place goes straight through. I was bleeding a little after i shot them with 223. I guess shrapnel spattered back at me, nothing major. All of my targets were toast though.

    I made some AR500 recently. 223 barely marks them. AR500 is the way to go if you want to shoot the targets with rifles.

    They aren't poppers, but this is what mine look like:

    10344410_885884148104536_5197193160720559941_o.jpg
     
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