Air Pneumatic AR 500 Self-Resetting targets

[MGnoob]

My targets Are working, I just need to Finnish weld them, I only tac welded them. Than paint and assemble.
I am still waiting for the correct steel to show up..the front armor (in the background) and silhouettes in the video are ar400 and not the ar500 i ordered.


It's still missing the spring for the spring loaded stop, so i can make it come up faster and slam less....I wasn't working at first but i managed to adjust it so the plate doesn't slam and fall back down.


http://s1339.photobucket.com/user/MGnoob/media/GEDV0234_zps5caea310.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0
http://s1339.photobucket.com/user/MGnoob/media/GEDV0238_zpsh9zapvvi.mp4.html?sort=3&o=1


The material is actual 1/2" Hardox for the Armour and Silhouette (18x30)
I built 8 of these......Not for sale personal use only.

[jmorris]

I used a rubber snubber from a VW bug (old version) front end to keep the target from slamming down and used a set collar with an adjustable stop so I can level the target regardless of the terrain I drop it off in.

Mine is electric but similar to what you have built.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/target/HPIM0419.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/target/HPIM0420.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/target/HPIM0416.jpg

Video
http://vid121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/target/MOV02072.mp4

[MGnoob]

i viewed yours originally. I have suspension style bump-stops on the lid to absorb some of the slam when the target falls down.I just don't have it in the photo.

I installed the spring on the bolt that belongs in the center hole of the target(silhouette). If anything they spring made it worse.
They are still functional but have a reset of about 1 min which is kind of slow but since i have 8 of them it should be ok for atleast 1 shooter at a time.

Mine where suppose to have adjustable fall down speed so they don't slam but the weight and length of the target overwhelms the meter in valve i am using. it might be possible with a negative pressure expansion tank.(i doubt that a real thing but a description of what would be required)


The biggest thing i see is the ground where they will be place is never going to be flat or level, i am probily going to cut sectiong of 1/2" or 5/8" plywood aswell as pieces of 1x3s and 2x4s
so i can just shim the back when i place them on the range. i notice a 1/2" of shim on flat ground allows for a wider rang of speed adjustment.I was going to put adjustable feet on the back but with how heavy the target is i figure it will just sink into the sand and dirt so some wood shimming maybe the way to go.

I've got one of these. http://www.amazon.com/Larin-TGL-500-Hitch-Lift/dp/B000FAKNM0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1415873328&sr=8-5&keywords=lift+receiver
Which will allow me to drive down the range and place them on the sand berms they have every 50 yards

I can't wait to try them out.as soon as i get the right steel in i'll be shooting a few of them the next weekend

[jmorris]

With 8 I wouldn't think 1 minute would be too long at all.

[MGnoob]

These targets are going to be so much fun... it was the one thing i was lacking other than my own range to leave them on.i'd just plumb them in place with a compressor and underground pvc.
I ordered 2 rubber straps for each unit. one to retain the target in the down position so they can be stored/transported on the front armor's face, and a second strap to secure the tank/regulator in place.
I am eager to Finnish this project then with just light maintenance just enjoy them for years...


Won't yours break if you shoot them while they are coming up??

[jmorris]

No it won't break but would be a bad idea because there is no telling where you would send the bullet. Might as well just shoot into the air.

[MGnoob]

I got to shoot some of this steel yesterday, I brought 3 complete targets but forgot to bring one of the regulators so we we're down to two. Of those 2 one would get stuck down i need to drill out some holes in the lid for more clearance for the bolts going through the targets, it had worked when i assemble them, but it was close and if you don't bolt the lid down in the same spot there is rubbing i guess, the other target didn't want to stay up and would fall down and keep resetting....This actually turn-out to be fun you could shoot it just as it crested causing it to stay up. it had to be timed just right. The ground they where placed on had a funny slop forward to it. So i need to Finnish the rest and get tanks to leave in each one, when i go to use these i don't ant to have to open or adjust them internally.. just unload, shim and be able to fill from the outside.

Even though the resetting part didn't go well i was more interested in testing the steel anyway. I never thought i would have a hard time knocking them down, but the amount of angle i put on the plate to make them stay up made them difficult to knock down..although multiple head-shots did knock them down..i was hoping multiple shots in the torso would knock them down but with the way they where set that day it didn't work like i though. It would be ideal to have these permeability mounted....i'm hope to someday have my own range.

Anyway my copper plated cast bullets i make did not damage the hardox 500 even at 75'. i am confident i could shoot them as close as reasonable safe without damage.
I did find that some different factory ammo i used left the tinyest dimple @ 100 yards. This dimple is less than .010"deep compared to the 5 shots in the same place it took us to cut through a mild steel 1/2" plate. While i do consider the dimple damage, i think most people don't count this.

All in All i was happy to shoot the targets, I was worried the 18x30 silhouette would be too large but the look great at 100 yards, and i bet the 6x6 head would look like a dot at 300 yards.
The next range i'm going to try them at is 230 yards, so if i can place most of my shot in the head with just my x3 magnifier i'll be happy...
My ammo wasn't very accurate consistent, it was the lowest quality i had on hand and wanted to burn it up. i wasn't unhappy with it, but when my cousin used it in his rifle it was awful.
He managed to used some also of low quality 9 mm reloads and manage to hit the target at 100 yards with his handgun quite reliable. i wish i had brought mine to try

when i Finnish building the rest of them i'll try to post a photo or video of them at the range. they would fill the local 100 yard range shoulder to shoulder, but the 230yard range is much wider and will allow for a wider configuration of set-ups

[yovinny]

FWIW,
Years ago, I set up a CQB type pistol range in NY with pneumatic resetting plates.
Not my design or build, I just did all the install, plumbing, wiring, etc. The reset controls were all electric and activated pneumatic solenoids. All the air lines were 1/4 " plastic tubing with push to connect fittings.
They had nothing but trouble with it. The bigest problem was from bullet splatter. No matter what I did to try and protect them, they couldent get through a day without breaking at least one air line.
I finally gave them a price to redo it all hard plumbed and they just ended up doing away with it instead.
Dont know how your plumbing is planed, but just something to keep in mind.
Cheers, YV

[jmorris]

The "hard to nock down" part is why I added the adjustment to mine, so they could be set forward just enough that they didn't bounce back at reset enough to fall back down.

Another solution I have done is to raise the target above the pivot point. Even a bottom hit at 200 yards with a .22 LR will knock down the plates on this auto resetting plate rack.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/target/autoplaterack/platerack2.jpg

[MGnoob]

Thanks that is another good suggestion to the problem, I could also still put a collar on the shaft with a nut welded onto it like you did.

After my last post i had a good idea, it was so obvious. i'm going to drill a hole through the side of the target base to allow a small flathead screw drive to be inserted to adjust the flow without having to remove the cover... while this adjustment shouldn't be needed once set it would be nice to be able to access it if nessisary rather than remove the cover. once i put a deticated tank in each one the initial setup issue should improve... i will need alittle more practice before i can say for sure, but i believe the pressure is more a a constant setting and the flow is where the adjustment will occur. I figured the amount of pressure to lift should be pretty consistent between the units, and adjusting flow will allow to change the speed of target aswell as impact.. that spring i added infront of the target that didn't work out that well ended up helping. when i tested them before taking them out it was perefect. but i was moving one regulater between the units for testing and the gauges on the regular aren't as accurate as i hoped.

I was just glad the steel was what it was supose to be it should offer a long life and i am confident i'll get the kinks worked out over the next few weeks, i just want them all assemble to get the the parts in one place then take them out for the final adjustment..
i ordered a few spare valves and fitting just to have around

[MGnoob]

A couple assembled targets, they actual stand and store on there front so i can fit them all in my bed, but since i only had 3 i laying them down.
http://s1339.photobucket.com/user/MGnoob/media/GEDV0247_zps2c4fb3a3.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1

The spring stop
http://s1339.photobucket.com/user/MGnoob/media/GEDV0248_zps5455643f.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

Once they are finnished a 2x4 between the silloutte and base prevent reseting and eleminates the need to turn them off when transporting or storing

[MGnoob]

FWIW,
Years ago, I set up a CQB type pistol range in NY with pneumatic resetting plates.
Not my design or build, I just did all the install, plumbing, wiring, etc. The reset controls were all electric and activated pneumatic solenoids. All the air lines were 1/4 " plastic tubing with push to connect fittings.
They had nothing but trouble with it. The bigest problem was from bullet splatter. No matter what I did to try and protect them, they couldent get through a day without breaking at least one air line.
I finally gave them a price to redo it all hard plumbed and they just ended up doing away with it instead.
Dont know how your plumbing is planed, but just something to keep in mind.
Cheers, YV

I completely missed this post, I was trying to have the cover shield the 1 line near spatter.It did fail while we where testing, i ordered 90s to remove the loop that got chaffed out.
This will fix the issue

Mine uses the same push to connect fitting and every single part is stainless steel except for the brass regulator and mild steel base.

Bullet spatter will not be an issue. the issue i do have will most likely be resolve with this spring , dedicated tanks, and a hole drilled for flow adjustment.

If i were to set this up permanently it would be so much easier, but as it stands now the only maintenance will be turning the silhouette around from time to time and replacing the 4 bolts on the front armor that may get shot......If they where used at a range random people shooting them with inappropriate ammo-firearms would defiantly take a tole on the targets more than personal use.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005V5LU94/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

the spring i ordered will provide about 21 lbs of force when lifting from the down position and have and adjustable down-pull on the target(from 1.8lbs to 4lbs)
Thiss will allow me to use lower pressure and not have such a slow start with drastic stop, coupled with the spring stop should do it.

"Hard toThe fall down" issue sould be resolve by not having to shim it so much to make it stay up.

I can't wait to see how it works, because i am very close.