Steel Target Alternatives?

[Outbreak]

One suggestion was to strap a piece of rubber to the front of the popper which would keep the shrapnel down.

This is how we do it at our weekly indoor match. The popper has 3-4" thick rubber duct-taped to the front. Just have to calibrate it AFTER the rubber is on. Every few weeks we gotta replace the duct tape. I don't know how often they change the actual rubber part. I do know I get more ricochet from the traps than that popper.

[ardo]

One suggestion was to strap a piece of rubber to the front of the popper which would keep the shrapnel down.

This is how we do it at our weekly indoor match. The popper has 3-4" thick rubber duct-taped to the front. Just have to calibrate it AFTER the rubber is on. Every few weeks we gotta replace the duct tape. I don't know how often they change the actual rubber part. I do know I get more ricochet from the traps than that popper.

Do you guys happen to know what kind of rubber is being used and where to get it? I never saw anything 3-4" thick.

I made a mini-popper out of a rubber floor mat that's typically used in animal stalls, about 1/2" thick. Painted blazing orange and backed up with a sheet of coroplast, it seems to work quite well. But it cannot be used to activate swingers because of its low weight.

[Lubecktech]

Ardo - Where do you get the floor mats you use??

I have been using these (the impact seal targets) which I get at WalMart;

http://www.do-alltraps.com/targeting.html

They are nice for rifle shooting at long distances because they react well, are durable and you don't have walk out to reset them. Cost is reasonable too!

Anyone know of a source for this type of material?

Edited December 14, 2011 by Lubecktech

[ardo]

Ardo - Where do you get the floor mats you use??

I have been using these (the impact seal targets) which I get at WalMart;

http://www.do-alltra.../targeting.html

They are nice for rifle shooting at long distances because they react well, are durable and you don't have walk out to reset them. Cost is reasonable too!

Anyone know of a source for this type of material?

Mine came direct from factory that makes them, my buddy used to work there so I got 10 sheets of factory-seconds for a bottle of Scotch to the foreman. Used these to cover my garage floor. They are not self-healing like the impact seal targets you're using, but I can always cut up more.

The club decided to buy a bunch of Newbold targets before I could make mine, so now we're stuck using FMJs only - the Newbolds are expensive, and don't like being hit with JHPs.

Still, a 'management-approved' popper that can trigger a swinger would be nice.

[bradhe]

I had the same situation a while ago. We made poppers out of 3/4 plywood, set up with a base, a hinge and everything. If i remember correctly th esingle sheet would fall with a 45 but we used a double sheet for 9mm. You can get a bunch of them out of one sheet with a bandsaw