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Texasflyboy
03-14-2007, 11:43 AM
I was left with a good amount of 5/8" rebar, and one somewhat large (10' x 5') steel plate from a recent project. Along with a 5 gallon bucket of 1/2" x 1", 1/2 x 1 1/2" bolts and nuts. Throw in a 5 gallon bucket of structural steel flat washers, and some welding and cutting and this is what I came up with:

http://hgmould.gunloads.com/a/target103.jpg

Photo of Target Plate:

http://hgmould.gunloads.com/a/target015.jpg

Photo of Quick Change Design:

http://hgmould.gunloads.com/a/target106.jpg

It's a manual reset pistol target. You attach a rope to the left hand long bar and pull it from the shooting line to reset the targets. Watch the 2MB movie to see it in action:

Movie of Target being reset manually (http://hgmould.gunloads.com/a/target158.mov)

I documented the construction from step 1, and tried to take as many photos along the way to help someone build their own if so inclined. I ended up with about 200 photos, and one movie.

The skills you would need are metal cutting, welding, and metal fabrication experience. The tools needed would be an Oxy/Acet cutting torch, Arc Welder, Metal grinder, and all the other misc. tools of the metal fab work.

I am not a professional by any stretch of the imagination when it comes to cutting, welding, and fabbing. I consider myself still a novice, but I have a lot of time on my hands.

The unit pictured is the Mark V model. There were 4 previous marks that evolved into this design. The Mark 1 is a horror to behold, but it works.

A lot of the photos have a tape measure to show dimensions.

If there is sufficient interest in this project, I will try and create a small webpage showing how I made this unit.

By the way, total cost for all five units, excluding materials (which were free in may case) came to about $150.00. One Tank of Acetelyene, Two tanks of Oxygen, about 30lbs of 6011 1/8" electrodes, about 10 4.5" grinding wheels, and other misc parts.

The nice part about this design is that the whole contraption breaks down into manageable pieces for transport if necessary. The pull arm unscrews out, the counterweight also, and all the individual target plates can be removed. The legs are bolt on by two 1/2" bolts and can be separated from the target base. The heaviest piece is the 10' long target base, but can be lifted by two people.

bruce drake
03-14-2007, 02:33 PM
GReat looking project!!!

Whatch ya gonnoa do with the white circles you painted on the floor of the garage!

Honestly, AWesome work and good report on what you can do with time and desire.

Bruce

scrapcan
03-14-2007, 03:04 PM
The paint on the floor will be the jig for the next one to be built!!! You might as well plan for the future right.

dragonrider
03-14-2007, 04:49 PM
I am thinking you made this to use with 22 LR ammunition??? Maybe 38 special? 380?
Would much like to see details on making it.
Very nicely done.

Texasflyboy
03-14-2007, 07:54 PM
I am thinking you made this to use with 22 LR ammunition??? Maybe 38 special? 380?
Would much like to see details on making it.
Very nicely done.

We have successfully used this design for .22LR up to .45ACP using lead bullets only.

9mm jacketed rounds will put a barely perceptible dent in the plate. 7.62x25 jacketed, especially the cheap chinese steel core will make a nice shallow crater.

The targets are designed for use with lead loads under 1200 fps. No rifle at all.

I will try and post more details later.

dubber123
03-14-2007, 08:10 PM
Basically the same thickness we use for our falling plates shoots. They eventually cup outward slightly, but I have personally shot 15,000+ rounds at them, times who knows how many shooters, and haven't had to replace one yet. They are restricted to lead bullets only, and the hottest I have seen is a 240 at 1,100 fps. used. With most loads, I expect they'll last a long time. Nice work!

44man
03-18-2007, 11:04 PM
Very nice but one thing worries me and thats the re-rod. Every time we heated the stuff, it got brittle and broke. I used to cold bend it for tree stand steps. My friend was too lazy so he heated it to bend. When he started to climb the tree they just shattered. I welded some .22 silhouette targets with re-rod for the legs I stick in the ground and a lot of them broke at the heat point of the weld.

Slowpoke
03-18-2007, 11:32 PM
Very nice but one thing worries me and thats the re-rod. Every time we heated the stuff, it got brittle and broke. I used to cold bend it for tree stand steps. My friend was too lazy so he heated it to bend. When he started to climb the tree they just shattered. I welded some .22 silhouette targets with re-rod for the legs I stick in the ground and a lot of them broke at the heat point of the weld.

I had a old Iron worker tell me that 6011 is the only rod to use with rebar, so that is what I have always used and never a problem .

good luck

Texasflyboy
03-19-2007, 10:19 PM
I had a old Iron worker tell me that 6011 is the only rod to use with rebar, so that is what I have always used and never a problem .

good luck

You are both correct. Rebar is probably the worst material to use for anything other than its original intended use, reinforcing bar in concrete. 6011 is used and you have to weld the heck out of it, much more than you would use for normal steel.

I tried to use rebar only in places where a failure would be non critical. From experience on other projects, I have my own welding techniques to minimal fracturing if it occurs. I know from previous experience that when welding the legs, its better to have welds that are spaced about 1" apart rather than one long continuous weld.

Rebar is made of anything and everything. I would never use rebar for any human loads, such as a deer stand. Been there, done that. Didn't work.

MT Gianni
03-20-2007, 09:38 AM
[
Rebar is made of anything and everything. I would never use rebar for any human loads, such as a deer stand. Been there, done that. Didn't work.[/QUOTE]

Spud chain from a potato combine runs a close second. Very high carbon steel and when you weld it the temper is gone. gianni.

scrapcan
03-23-2007, 11:47 PM
add rod weeder rod to that list also. welds really bad and then becomes very brittle.

44man
03-25-2007, 09:07 AM
Thats the rod I used too. The welds never broke but the rod broke at the hot spot from the welding, just below the weld. Slow cooling didn't help either. The stuff was like glass. Below that point, the rod could be hit time and time again and it would only bend. I kept shooting at one with the .44 and bent the heck out of it but the silhouette on top was long broken off.
My cold bent tree stand steps worked and I tried jumping up and down on one without doing anything but bending it a little. I gave up using them because the nail could not be removed from a tree so I could move them and I don't like nails left in trees. What is it about green wood and nails?

pumpguy
04-04-2007, 11:28 PM
I made my swinging target stands out of 1 1/8" shafting from an old line shaft turbine pump. Very easy to weld and tougher than anything I shot at it. It is also very heavy. For the angle braces I used old cutting edges from caterpillar blades. Before steel prices went through the roof, you could get this stuff out of their scrap bins for free. You might have to pay for them now, but, it is still relatively cheap.

G. Blessing
04-06-2007, 05:01 AM
I know a couple guys that forge knives from rebar. It would be fine if you can temper the weld so its not so brittle.

That thing is cool! will have to dig out some steel plate this summer and try one.

G.