Steel poppers are expensive, and the neighbors would get cranky if I started shooting steel in my urban CA back yard. Because I like setting up USPSA Classifiers for airsoft practice using either full-size or 66%-scale targets, I designed and built some portable popper simulators with repairable target centers for a total cost of $3 each. (The kids also have fun shooting them, though full-auto airsoft long guns can tear them up pretty quick if they hose these outside the impact zone.)
These are also designed to serve as live-fire popper simulators when I'm shooting on private land. Even if the body of the target get shot up, it's less than $1 in materials and 5 minutes of work to make a new one to replace it. I've found also them useful for garage dry-fire with the laser module.
Materials:
4 * 1-foot lengths of 1x2
2 * 1.5" screws
2 * 2.5" screws
1 * Home Depot cardboard paint shield
Heavy cloth-backed tape (e.g. Gorilla tape) for reinforcing area around target zone so it doesn't get shredded -- definitely needed with 350+ fps gas guns
Equipment:
compass or other circle-drawing implement
sharp utility knife
power drill/driver
screwdriver bit
pilot drill bit appropriate for screws (to prevent cracking)
clearance drill bit (to make holes big enough for screws to pass through)
countersink bit
Hope folks find this useful.
Target in deployed configuration after initial testing. Note that I went with a 6-inch target circle. If I find the need for 8-inch circles, I'll cut those at the other end of the cardboard target panel so I can pick between them at setup time.
Side view showing stand construction and leg setup:
Rear view showing repair panel (aka 8.5x11 printer paper) attached with the least amount of tape possible. I've become seriously stingy with materials now that I'm shooting a lot, just so I'm not constantly having to buy stuff like rolls of tape.
Legs partially closed:
Legs fully closed in transport position -- I'd originally thought this might be useful to make the target tip over when shot, but the slightest breeze will knock over these stands.
Product info for the cardboard panels -- these can be found in the paint section at HD:
Target impact area after reinforcement:
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Originally Posted by justintime
