UPDATE - black pipe working well but chain disintegrates when hit. Does any type of chain last longer?

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I am trying to finalize plans for a simple target hanging stand. It will either be 1/2", 3/4" or 1" steel black pipe. I want to hang at least two gongs on each (8" and 4" 3/8 ar500)

I am thinking a 3-5' horizontal pipe, then a T on each end, small pipe extension, then 90 elbow on each end. The pipe legs will come from the Ts and elbows.

Holes drilled in the horizontal pipe to attach chains just with bolts/nuts in the holes.

Anyone build one like this? Thoughts on the width for 2 targets? Pipe size ? (this will be portable)

I am hoping the it can stand up yet still be loose enough to fold the back pipe legs in for transport. I've thought about those mounts for the pipe ends/top bar, but that's like $40 vs. $4.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Oz_Shadow,

I think my first approach would be with PVC pipe. Cheap, fittings are tight enough that it should hold up with the targets hanging on it, but easy to take apart for transport, and/or replacement in case pieces of it get shot up.

I think regular threaded black pipe would work well and the joint configuration would allow plenty adjustment. You may need a chain linking each pair of legs together if the threads get loose or don't allow enough adjustment before snugging up.


I made one using a combination of sch40 1/2" and 3/4". It holds four 1/2" steel targets ranging from 4 to 8 inches.

It as all welded with pins in the top bar to hook chain to. The targets are suspended from the chain about 10". It is all welded though and can be broken down easily and set up in about a minute. The legs are able to be spread out at any angle to accommodate any slope for level placement.

I'll try and get some photos this weekend.

I’ve made one from pipe, it works fine but I’d go the pvc route if I were to make another one for reasons stayed above

Is it for your use or a club?

If for a club, build them out of cheap wood.

Why?

I once built three outstanding metal stands. Each was the size of a house door (I had plans to use them for IDPA matches), made out of welded 3/16" thick 1" square steel tubing, with steel angle reinforcement at every corner, and a 12"x48"x3/8" steel plate for the base.

ONE WEEK AFTER DROPPING THEM OFF they had been destroyed. I mean literally shot to pieces. Not by accidental hits, but deliberate, aimed fire at close range with every caliber from .22LR to 12 gauge slug. It was clearly deliberate because there were clusters of bullet holes of the same size, and bullet penetrations through the bases, fired from the ground side! So, do not waste your time or money.

If for just you build it from 1.5" PVC tube, and don't glue the joints, simply spray the joints with white lithium grease and slide them together.

I thought about PVC. My reasoning against it was a stray bullet would shatter the PVC and end the day, but not the black pipe. I guess the flipside is no ricochet from the plastic.

Keep in mind that when using steel targets, splatter from the bullets, especially the jackets, will quickly damage anything other than steel. I use only steel supports for my steel targets and they are heavily chewed up after moderate use. When I tried wood 1×4s, the boards were cut half through after a few sessions. If the stands can be built so that the splatter doesn’t hit the legs or crosspiece, that’s not a concern, but I never found a way to do that.

Although not super cheap, these brackets to hold rebar or other rods work very well.

https://jcsteeltargets.configi...ctlist&source=search

There's a guy at the gun show who sells metal transition pieces. The top is a rectangle hole to insert a 2x4 for the top of the stand. It rectangle was longer so that the metal was at an angle. Then the bottom is shaped like an upside down Y. Each of the Y legs get inserted into a pipe.

Simple, quick to put together, easy to transport, easy to replace damaged piece.

The metal was at least 1/2 thick. He had all sorts of targets and other things made from high quality steel.

Similar to these:
https://www.amazon.com/Patente...-AR500/dp/B00VR6XL16

Then here's another similar item:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/AR500...Envelope!47978!US!-1

Search 'Google Images' for 'metal target stand pieces' and you'll get all kinds of ideas.

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
I thought about PVC. My reasoning against it was a stray bullet would shatter the PVC and end the day, but not the black pipe. I guess the flipside is no ricochet from the plastic.

I built one out of 1/2" PVC for 22 & pistol. The VERY first shot my wife took hit the lower right leg & left it useless until I went home & grabbed a piece of PVC that was long enough to fix it.

Ive done it with ABS, I expected it to shatter when hit, but it didnt, even in cold. Much cheaper than iron pipe, breaks down easy, and light weight. Run a length of rope through it and it all stays together when you take it apart

PVC is the way to go. Inexpensive to build, light weight and portable enough to haul to the range and back. I built two target stands about 6 years ago and they are still GTG.
Build the base with 2 foot high risers out of PVC. Then use wooden strips shoved into the risers to attach the target board to. If you miss you'll just notch up the wooden strips which are easy to replace. There are several youth-tube videos on how to build then.

a fella built them from pvc, but wind kept blowing them , he filled them with sand and now he is very happy

I have two made from 1/2" iron pipe. I think the cross piece and legs are 4' long with two 1/2" tees and two 1/2" street 90 degree elbows.

I bought a metal base that uses firring strips to hold a cardboard backer.
The strips are cheap and if I am not too sloppy, last quite a while.
I cant recall who made the base. Sorry!

For hanging my paper targets I make my stands from 2x4's and slats.

I've made some from PVC, but they are too light and get blown over, plus they tend to crack easy.

1/4" 30 proof chain from shootingtargets7 disintegrates when hit. Does any chain work better or is this just the way it is?

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
1/4" 30 proof chain from shootingtargets7 disintegrates when hit. Does any chain work better or is this just the way it is?

Here on the ranch, we don’t use anything but grade 80 (lifting) chain. We stay away from grade 70 (tie down) chain. Kinda the same philosophy as only keeping grade 8 bolts in the bolt bin - Sometimes they may be more than you need, but you never have to worry about using the weak stuff in the wrong place and having a problem. I don’t know that grade 80 chain does any better when shot, but I’d give it a try. If you can’t find it in stock locally at an industrial hardware/supply place, Fastenal can likely order whatever you need.

Strips of reinforced rubber conveyer belt material will take multiple hits before failing. Usually. They will be severely damaged when a bullet hits the top edge of the plate and splatters into fragments. One hit like that can cut a belt half in two. And using steel plates intended for tying construction boards together to protect the belts doesn’t work. The bullet splatter cuts through them and then the belt. (Rifle bullets anyway.)

JC Targets that I linked above sells precut strips of the belt material.

If hits to the chain can’t be avoided, I recommend buying cheap stuff and using a attachment system that allows quick replacements.

I made mine from pvc pipe. The uprights break down from the bases and fit in a duffel bag. 4 of them were less than $50 I think and made them in a couple hours. They work great and easy to transport.