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Old October 18, 2014, 01:29 PM   #1
Pond, James Pond
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How easy is it to make your own reactive targets?

Just curious to know if it is easy to make reactive targets oneself.

They make spotting holes in paper at 300m much easier!!

Perhaps a target with gloss tape stuck on it, followed by a brittle paint?
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Old October 18, 2014, 03:50 PM   #2
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They are real easy to make if you have the tools. I make mine using scrap steel. I have made spinners but the way things get shot up at the cabin tract range I keep it simple by just welding a length of chain on to the back of the steel plates so that they can be hung from the steel frame that I welded up inplace of paper targets hanging from the bulldog clips.

I just spray the steel with dayglow orange every once in a while.
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Old October 18, 2014, 04:15 PM   #3
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Metal targets are a no-no at most ranges here.

I was thinking more along the lines of the paper targets that are black but shed paint around the impact hole to show orange or yellow below, thus highlight the POI.
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Old October 18, 2014, 07:11 PM   #4
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Try this !!!

Rather that providing a link to the ones I have made, I have listed a link and you pick what might work out best, for you. .....

http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...active+targets


Be Safe !!!
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Old October 18, 2014, 07:26 PM   #5
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Quote:
I was thinking more along the lines of the paper targets that are black but shed paint around the impact hole to show orange or yellow below, thus highlight the POI.
Cover a piece of orange, bright green or yellow paper with clear plastic packing tape. Paint the tape-covered piece of paper with flat black spray paint.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0U0el--TBY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcjuj1r5Wys

Here's another approach that doesn't seem to work as well but may have potential if you want to do some experimentation.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Home...atter-Targets/

You might be able to achieve similar results with a product like this instead of using clear tape. http://www.americover.com/carpet_cover_694_prd1.htm Unroll a section of the adhesive-backed material with the sticky side up, lay out your sheets of brightly colored paper on to the material, cut it into sheets and then spray paint the sheets. It looks like it would be a lot faster than covering sheets of paper with strips of conventional tape but I have no idea how the paint would work on it.

If the paint works with the plastic rolled adhesive sheeting, you could combine the rolled adhesive plastic with rolled paper and you could really streamline the process. For less than $100, you'd have 2 feet by 200 feet of target material ready for painting.

The paint to cover that much material would probably run you over $100, so for around $200, you'd have 400 square feet of home-made high-visibility target material. Assuming all of the materials are compatible.


<<I see Pahoo beat me to it... >>
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Old October 18, 2014, 08:15 PM   #6
aarondhgraham
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Why make your own?

Why make your own?
Unless you just want to make your own.

Shoot-n-see targets from Amazon.

Birchwood Casey splatter targets.

Aarond

.
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Old October 19, 2014, 12:54 AM   #7
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great thread and links. shoot n c targets are by far my biggest expense when shooting. I will be watching this like a hawk and post my own method after watching some vids and practicing. I have never thought of this....thanks

why make my own you say? because I spend close to 30$ a week on these, sometimes more. I shoot a good bit every week. the birchwoods ae no good past 100 yards, if that
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Old October 19, 2014, 02:55 AM   #8
Pond, James Pond
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Why make your own?
Because they are not sold locally and Midway Germany prices are very inflated and they charge about $25 in shipping regardless of item size!!

I'd like reactive targets, but not that much!!
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Old October 19, 2014, 10:47 AM   #9
Jim Watson
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Do you want to spot your hits or do you just get a thrill from seeing damage done?

A white board at a 45 deg angle behind the target will reflect enough light through the bullet holes to make a hit in the black show up better.
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Old October 19, 2014, 12:27 PM   #10
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so your telling me at 300-600 yards, I can see through my .22 sized holes? you sir, must have much better eyes than my 20/20
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Old October 19, 2014, 02:13 PM   #11
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great thread and links. shoot n c targets are by far my biggest expense when shooting. I will be watching this like a hawk and post my own method after watching some vids and practicing. I have never thought of this....thanks

why make my own you say? because I spend close to 30$ a week on these, sometimes more. I shoot a good bit every week. the birchwoods ae no good past 100 yards, if that
Skizzums, word of advice. Don't buy shoot-NC, Birchwood-Casey makes another brand superior to ShootNC that is about twice as cheaper. They're the Dirty Bird Targets. They are made of this sturdy plastic type material and they are reactive as well. It's a black target with a red bullseye and they are $10.99/25 8" targets at Walmart. They react in white instead of green (which is more visible IMO). I use them to practice with all my rifles.
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Old October 19, 2014, 02:26 PM   #12
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If a paper color is chosen that contrasts well with both black and white, a stencil can be used to paint white aiming points on the targets. Or, I suppose, you could paint the target white overall and paint black aiming points.

http://chopshopvinyl.com/cross-hairs-target-stencil

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Coyote-STENC...item2a33059138

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Stencil-Prai...item2a330729c8
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Old October 19, 2014, 03:15 PM   #13
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I also use the dirty bird targets, when shooting under a hundred yards those are fine. but when getting out to 300-500 and farther, shoot n c is the only thing I can see out past that. dirty bird makes a fine target, but not at all superior to shoot n c. I alsomt always use dirty bird multi color though, they work well on larger calibers, but not so much on .22
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Old October 19, 2014, 04:43 PM   #14
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It looks like your trying to make you own shoot n see targets. Your better off looking around and getting them in bulk online when the have free shipping or sales.. even at store prices your not going to save much and the peal n stick is just the best especially with the repair stickers that come with them
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Old October 19, 2014, 10:06 PM   #15
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I print targets with shaded areas from 2 to 8 inches round in bright yellow or red. A bullet hole shows up really well with the yellow. The bright red does not show holes as well, but I can actually see the red targets when shooting iron sights at 100 yards. I can't see the yellow on the white paper when shooting iron sights at 100 yards. Shooting with a scope, the yellow shows holes better. These are simple targets made with PowerPoint and an ink jet printer. I am too stubborn to get glasses at this time.
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Old October 24, 2014, 09:16 AM   #16
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I just watch the sale flyers, and emails from MidwayUSA. Order a bunch of the Caldwell targets they often have as factory seconds. Usually pretty reasonable even with shipping if you order a lot of them, or have other items you want included in the order. I've never been able to see any defects in what they call seconds. They have different targets at different times. This is what they offer at this time.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/867...ProductFinding


Edit:
Oops, just noticed who posted the question. Don't think shipping would be all that economical from Missouri to Estonia!
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Old October 27, 2014, 04:42 AM   #17
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Don't think shipping would be all that economical from Missouri to Estonia!
It's barely economical from Frankfurt in Germany!!
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Old October 27, 2014, 02:11 PM   #18
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Go to a dollar store and buy a bag of balloons. Blow said up and pin to target holder.
Spotting holes in paper at 300m is done with a spotting scope.
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Old October 31, 2014, 04:42 PM   #19
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Go to a dollar store and buy a bag of balloons. Blow said up and pin to target holder.

^this
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Old December 14, 2015, 09:26 PM   #20
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Do you want to spot your hits or do you just get a thrill from seeing damage done?
Well, gee...uhm...when you put it like THAT, I guess I'd HAVE to say...


YES!
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Old December 19, 2015, 11:05 AM   #21
g.willikers
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Before splurging for steel reactive targets, I used wood hung so they would swing back and forth when hit.
No need to reset.
No ricochets either and, depending on the wood chosen, they can last a long time.
Cheap, too.
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Old December 21, 2015, 05:00 PM   #22
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Pretty easy. A ballon is likely the easiest one for anyone to make.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6E_c7zkZXc
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Old December 22, 2015, 09:56 AM   #23
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I've made my own for several years thar work pretty good but they truly arent saving me much money. I start by cutting the bottom out of a metal pan. There are many sizes and u go to wally world and pick the size u want for around $5. You will use this piece twice in the process and is reusable hundreds of times. Trace it out on a sheet of plywood for as many targets as you need. Cut them out with a jigsaw. But cut well outside the line. Then put a layer of red paint or whatever color you prefer and let dry. Then place your stencil or pan back on your cut outs. The trick here is to pour the paint in the stencil without it leaking underneath. U have to pour enough paint as to let it puddle up about 1/16 of a inch. Then let dry. When the bullet hits the dried puddles of paint they will chip off and you should see the first coat of paint. Types of paint is important but this seriously is a time consuming project and probably more expensive than any paper target you can purchase. Metal gongs and a cheap can of spray paint is always gona be the cheapest in the long run but they are illegal on many ranges. In most cases if you have a place to hunt then you have a place to shoot.
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