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USPSA Target Stands


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Hey guys, I scratched this out (I'm obviously an artist) today and am going to make a couple up. Do you see any reason they wouldn't work or anything you've seen done to improve them?

I realize that they'll be a little larger than some but I live in the freakin dust bowl and need them to be a little heavier.

The top image is a top view and the bottom image is a side view. I'm thinking it'll be made form 2" square tubing and I'll use the 2x2 furring to staple to target to.

MailAttachment_zps82f4bb22.jpeg

Edited by blopez50
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If you potentially have other folks shooting at these besides yourself, and a chance of them shooting low, maybe a piece of angle iron in front of the vertical post holder section to both protect that metal as well as deflect anything to the side rather than straight back toward the shooter?

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If you potentially have other folks shooting at these besides yourself, and a chance of them shooting low, maybe a piece of angle iron in front of the vertical post holder section to both protect that metal as well as deflect anything to the side rather than straight back toward the shooter?

Though I've never hit the post holders on my personal target stands (knock on wood), there are several target stands at our local range built nearly identical to mine that have been hit. No idea how bad a shot these guys are, but it can be done.

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Thanks for all the help guys!

Just a bit more justification here....

- I'd love to do the angle iron and stakes. I'm not sure if any of you guys are familiar with eastern NM but there's no such thing as driving a stake into the ground! I was hoping if went with the 2" metal, it would be heavy enough to hold up....

-As for the 1x2 in place of the 2x2, do you know if they hold up as well? I'd be all for saving some $ and using them if they'll hold up.

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You might make the risers hold sticks for 1x2s rather than 2x2s, they're more common

My stands were built to withstand the West Texas winds. Additional weight was not usually needed. If it was, either stake it down or stack a sandbag or two on the legs.

The benefit of the 2" x 2" sticks is you can build a wooden frame to hold a small gong. The 1" x 2" may save a few dollars (they do get shot up over time) but are not be quite strong enough. If you are doing the welding yourself, you could weld on tubing for both sizes.

Edited by Flatland Shooter
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My target stands are 3 pieces of PVC tubing coonected by 2 elbow joints. I drill 2 holes in the horizontal piece and bolt on a 8-10" threaded bolt and then use a grinder to sharpen the end to a point. Takes about 15 mins and the stands are flat and low profile and light weight. I've had the same 6 stands for the last 2 years and I live fire 3x/week ...

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If you potentially have other folks shooting at these besides yourself, and a chance of them shooting low, maybe a piece of angle iron in front of the vertical post holder section to both protect that metal as well as deflect anything to the side rather than straight back toward the shooter?

Though I've never hit the post holders on my personal target stands (knock on wood), there are several target stands at our local range built nearly identical to mine that have been hit. No idea how bad a shot these guys are, but it can be done.

I think there is some sort of reverse force field around target stands that attract bullets fired by those not responsible for said stands.

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If you potentially have other folks shooting at these besides yourself, and a chance of them shooting low, maybe a piece of angle iron in front of the vertical post holder section to both protect that metal as well as deflect anything to the side rather than straight back toward the shooter?

Though I've never hit the post holders on my personal target stands (knock on wood), there are several target stands at our local range built nearly identical to mine that have been hit. No idea how bad a shot these guys are, but it can be done.

I think there is some sort of reverse force field around target stands that attract bullets fired by those not responsible for said stands.

Is that the same force that made some jerk shoot my chrono?

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I'm not sure if any of you guys are familiar with eastern NM but there's no such thing as driving a stake into the ground!

Staking a stand down also makes it harder for some Gomer to move it. If someone moves a target, either by accident or on purpose (and yes I've seen that happen) it can end up invalidating a stage if it's already been shot.

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  • 2 years later...
16 minutes ago, CrashDodson said:

what size tubing do you use that accepts the 1x2 furring strips?

Along this line be aware that not all 1x2's are the same dimension. When I bought 100 stands a few years back I opted for heavier gauge steel tubing and ONLY Home Depot sticks would work! Lowes sticks would not fit!

the cheapest route if sticks don't work is to custom cut them out of 2x4's.

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On Monday, April 28, 2014 at 9:39 AM, Flatland Shooter said:

My stands were built to withstand the West Texas winds. Additional weight was not usually needed. If it was, either stake it down or stack a sandbag or two on the legs.

The benefit of the 2" x 2" sticks is you can build a wooden frame to hold a small gong. The 1" x 2" may save a few dollars (they do get shot up over time) but are not be quite strong enough. If you are doing the welding yourself, you could weld on tubing for both sizes.

Or you can drill a hole in the vertical square tubing...say like a 3/8ths hole.

 

Then weld a threaded hex nut over the hole.

 

Then screw in an eyebolt  or thumbscrew which clamps the upright 1x2 furring strip  in place when you aren't using 2X2's.

 

Of course, you would have to drill and weld this hex nut on in such a location such that these H style stands  could still nest together.

 

As a former Match Director at a club whose H style stands could NOT nest together, I cannot explain to you what a Charlie Foxtrot that was and how extremely frustrating it was.

 

When I made my target stands, I went with a V style that "collapses":

 

1180614B-6E5A-4CE5-9131-1E60319DAAB5-351

They swing closed and fit in a bucket like this:

 

24EA9C3A-F426-4146-8F49-1BCB37910EFC-246

 

If it is windy out and they need to be staked down, I actually prefer to use lag screws.  I have a deep well socket and a hex shank adapter that fits my cordless drill.  The dirt around here grabs the threads and pulls the stand tight down to the ground.

this HTML class. Value is https://youtu.be/K1N

Edited by Chills1994
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