Does Anyone Sell Mounting Caps For Static Steel?

[PistolPete]

I just ordered a bunch of steel targets and need to figure out what my best option for mounting them at the top of a 2x4". These targets have a hole drilled in all of them at the top of the target. I have one option of just using a 6" carriage bolt and a spring and bolting it directly thru the 2x4". This is easy to do but then the target would be for the most part permately attached to the 2x4" which would make rearrange the targets more difficult as well as transporting them. I was thinking someone must sell a mounting cap that would fit at the top of a 2x4" with a hook. Then all I would do is setup my stand and hook the target over the hook and I'm good to go. Does anyone know a company that sells these? I know GT targets sell end caps but it doesn't look like the have the hook that I would need.

Or, do you have any suggestions on how to make one of these without welding anything up? I know there are a ton of crafty people here!!!

Thanks in advance,

Pete

[DougCarden]

Pete, I am looking for the same thing. I am going to buy some 2x4 steel tubing and make my own. Good luck, DougC

[AikiDale]

Might this be just what you are looking for: GT Targets Caps

[PistolPete]

The ones from GT Targets won't work because I need a cap that has a hook already on it. The GT caps work from targets that have a hook on the back of the target.

Pete

[scooterj]

You could bolt a hook to the target then hang it on the stand

[Sixgun]

Pete,

Why not use a piece of 2 x 4 tubing as suggested by Doug. You could then drill a hole through the tubing. Insert bolt through the target, put spring on bolt, then put bolt through tubing, attach nut to bolt, andslip the whole assembly over a 2 x 4. The bolt will serve as the "top" of the cap keeping the assembly from falling down the 2 x 4.

Ray

[shred]

Drill a hole in the 2x4. Drill a hole in the nut-end of a long bolt and use a large spring-clip like on primer pick up tubes to hold it in the 2x4 hole. Much faster than nuts. Use a spring around the bolt on the target side if you can.

Or get some big screw-hooks at the hardware store and screw those into the end of the 2x4.

For a metal stand, get a few 3 to 4 foot lengths of rebar. Blacksmith a hook and bend on one end and pound the other into the ground.

if all else fails, I bet those lawn gnomes or lamp-holding jockey statues would work great (seriously, a hardware/garden store probably carries stands like this in wrought iron-- it'll be more expensive and probably not very bullet resistant, but zero fabrication work)

[PistolPete]

What great ideas... How hard is it to cut the 2x4" tubing? Would I need special tools to cut this or would I be able to use a hack saw and then just file down the ends? Would I be able to drill thru it as well?

Thanks again,

Pete

[Sixgun]

A hack saw would work, a SawZall is a step up, and a chop saw is king.

I'd recommend a drill press to do the drilling, that way the holes would be perfectly inline (a hand drill would work, but there is a much greater chance of having the holes off axis).

Ray

[Nik Habicht]

.....then just file down the ends?

Thanks again,

Pete

You need a bench grinder, dude......

[Chills1994]

Yeah, a bench grinder would work.

I think a better option would be to use a right angle grinder with a grinding wheel to knock the burs off the cut end.

How big is the hole at the top of the target?

Could you use a tap to cut internal threads in this hole and then run a bolt, a lock nut, and some washers to mount it to a 2 X 4?

Just run the bolt through so it doesn't protrude out the face of the steel plate.

Then you could just notch out the top of the 2 X 4 and drop the long bolt with plate attached into this notch.

I welded up some very simple targets and stands. The stand was made like the letter "t". The vertical part was 3/4" diameter cyclindrical stock. The horizontal part was some 1" W by 3/4" thick by 6" long piece of steel. I would pound the 5 ft + tall stands into the ground.

Well, when I shot them, the targets and their stands would spin. So then I added a steel blade to the side of the vertical rod. I used an oxyacetyle torch to get the top of this blade almost white hot, and put a 90 degree bend in it. If the ground is wet enough, I can usually just stomp the stand in. Usually, though, I have to use a hammer to pound them in.

Anyway, the point of me telling you all this is that I think just rebar by itself pounded into the ground would just spin as the steel plate is hit.

You might want to try unistrut. It can be found at the Big Box hardware stores. Electricians typically use to hang cable trays and what not from it. It won't be as beefy as steel 2 X 4 tube, but it comes with holes already drilled through it.

Thanks AikiDale for adding that link to GT targets. It's always interesting what other people come up with for steel plates and stands.

Chills

[GTOSHootr]

I've had a hard time finding steel tubing at the steel yards near me to fit a 2x4 in. What are the outside dimensions for that?

I use the bolt/spring mount that Shred recommends. I used some steel fence post (try not to hit it) and cylindrical steel stock that fits inside the fence post and angle iron feet for the base. GT’s 2x4 friendly pieces with the folding bases has it beat though.