FT Targets

Rob,

First of all I give you credit for asking for comments.

Second, I give anyone who tries to improve FT in any way some credit right from the start, running matches, making targets, whatever. Your drawing is quite nice too.

Third, full disclosure. I tried making targets and it was a failure. lots of work and not a great result.

Now critque.

1. Why did you bend the ends of the base down? That will make it more difficult to mount in almost any case and it adds work and cost. It makes the base stronger but no need to really.

2. Some targets of similar design are spring loaded. That might make it work better.

3. Your kill zone reducer is an odd shape which will add work and cost. A round shape works well and I fasten them by tapping the reducer and using a cap screw from the rear of the target. I use three cap screws.

4. I prefer face plates of small animals, not shapes or anything else. Just my opinion, i know. 

5. Ask yourself if you have the equipment to actually produce the targets. I just cannot see how it would make economic sense unless you are planning to make targets for extreme field target using much more powerful guns(over 20 foot pounds of energy). Air Venturi and Gamo targets are available as are interchangeable face plates and they work well.

I just found that making my own targets was a lot of work without very good results but you may be much more talented than me with access to good equipment . 

I wish you good luck with your adventure.

Respectfully submitted,

Rick B.

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1) I bent the base for strength plus the plate that everything mounts to is pushed up thru a slot in the base plate. The welds will stay on the underside of the base plate leaving the top side clean for aesthetics and clearance of the kill zone paddle arm.



2) I've thought about the spring loading and have ideas of how to add a torsion spring if it proves necessary.

3) The kill zone reducer is an odd shape. The extra hole will allow me to add an M4 SHCS for the reducer to sit over top of for anti-rotation if required. All the pieces are being laser cut so shape is irrelevant. You can have anything you want with no extra cost. The tear drop profile would be almost the same as a round. By using carriage bolts I just have a square hole cut to fit the bolt.

4) I have a number of critter profiles for the face plates. The lollipop idea came from discussions at the last match of what kind of target would pi$$ people off. One fellow made a comment about the lollipop being an all-or-nothing target for hunter class. Placed out at 45-55 yards it will be a challenge lol

5) With the laser cutting we only need to add some weld, paint and fasteners to get a target. These are being made out of 10ga for the prototype. The idea is to upsize the materials to 3/16" or 1/4" for the ever increasing air rifle powers. I would also have to look at increasing the kill zone sizes for setting them out to further distances. The Gamo and Air Venturi targets are fine but they seem to be in short supply here in Canada. They are also getting expensive as a Gamo squirrel is $42 and a Diana rabbit is $50. These aren't near as heavy as what I've come up with.

where the kill zone mechanism has to lean forward to lock the arms if not when you hit anywhere on the face it will fall on your auto cad program put letter on each piece so that when an idea is given they can give you which piece should do what if you know what mean 5th picture the plates are parallel thats not gonna work the rear plate has to lean forward i am a sheetmetal worker ( retired rather ).

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If you look at the last pic you can see the lines showing the linkage. The link arm bottom pivot point is over center so if the face plate is forced back by a missed shot it will be held in place by that joint. I am using the eccentric washer (no shown as actually contacting in the pic lol) to control how far forward the kill zone paddle comes. This will allow us to tune it. If needed we can let the paddle fall forward more and bring the lower link pivot point further over center.

I just took a screen shot off my computer for the pics. I maybe should have shown a drawing with the components identified.

I'd to thank everyone for the feedback. It is hard sometimes to check your own work and it's better to get other opinions to point out what you aren't seeing yourself. I'm hoping my prototypes are finished cutting this week. I have some resettable targets and KYL targets getting cut also. These are being cut from a couple thicknesses to prototype.

I like it !!!

Will agree on keeping the basic shapes of the mechanics squared and EASY to fabricate. Area around the KZ hole heavy enough to back up and support the face place against it.

Too little of backing and target will shutter when struck being more likely to rattle down.



Love the CAM for setting the paddle over travel .... great idea !

On the main paddle pivot would try and use a LARGE SHOULDER bolt that offers increased bearing surface and won't wear as badly as just a threaded bolt being pivoted upon.



As the Target maintenance man for the SVFTC's targets these past 8 years have seen what 1000's of shots and resets, use & abuse does to our beloved Field targets !!!

* We run @ 1/3 Welded double face plate Gamos with better linkages, @ 6 Target Art with balance being super duty Rhynos to the tune of @ 70 targets in total.

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I'm not sure I understand about the kill zone hole being heavy enough. Are you saying material thickness should be greater or more material around the kill zone hole? 

What do you consider "large shoulder bolt"? The current pivot bolts are 5/16". I understand the need for a shoulder bolt to give a better pivot surface. Are you thinking 3/8 or 1/2" diameter?

Speaking the AREA surrounding the KZ hole. wider this area less will be the side to side motion created by out of KZ pellet impacts

Shoulder bolt will decrease wear in the pivot as diameter increases and likely 1/2" or better w/o threads being worn upon is just fine.

More than Pivoting, wear is just that of vibration / impact of the target falling. This joint really aligns the rest of the parts shot to reset etc ....

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Thanks for the feedback. I'll look at implementing some of these after we test the prototypes, (already being cut lol). What material thickness do you have running on the shoulder bolts (did you add material here to get a better surface)? Did you go to the work of reaming the holes in the pivot arms that fit over the shoulder bolts or a simple drill "on size" hole?

The prototypes have been assembled. We've identified a couple areas that might need some attention. They go to the range Saturday for the initial tests. My practice targets were supposed to have a reducer wheel on the bottom as well but my laser cutter didn't cut the 2 wheels in 3/16" so we get one per target for now.

The lollipop target idea came out of a discussion at a match of "what would be a dick target to make". With a full size kill zone it will be put out at 40+ yards. It wasn't meant to be friendly target lol. We also made another linkage assembly with a replaceable face plate capable of taking a reducer. I'm trying to prove out the linkage design on the fold down targets and the reset targets. With all the components being laser cut it only required a minimum of welding.