Target Systems Page

U.S. IPSC Target Suppliers

Alco Target
2048 Central Avenue
Duarte, CA 91010
818-358-4814 (voice)
818-301-9084 (FAX)

Speedwell Target
136 Lincoln Boulevard
Middlesex, NJ 08846
908-560-7171 (voice)
908-560-7475 (FAX)
speed6050@aol.com

Dave Zimmerman
Target Barn
P.O. Box 352454
Toledo, OH 43635-2454
1-800-378-7675 x0175

FBI QIT Target

Available from Speedwell Target.

136 Lincoln Boulevard
Middlesex, NJ 08846
908-560-7171 (voice)
908-560-7475 (FAX)
speed6050@aol.com

Poor Man's Target Frame

Welded target frames typically cost $25 or more. You can cut cost by building your own. They won't be as compact as welded frames might, but they will be functional.

Need:

One 8' 2x4
Two 5' 1x2s
Two short (6") 1x2 spacers.
Saw (and miter box if you are using a hand saw)
C-clamps capable of a 4" span
drill and screws, or hammer and nails

Procedure:

1. Cut the 2x4 into two 18" lengths, and two 30" lengths. Cuts should be an even 90 degrees so the ends will square well.
2. Clamp the two 18" pieces parallel to each other, on edge, with the short 1x2 spacers between them. The spacers should have the long side flat between the two boards, so that the gap between is the skinny width of the 1x2s--approximately three-quarters of an inch.

                         clamp              clamp
                       XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
                             SS            SS      
                       XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
                         clamp              clamp
   
   

3. Place the clamped 18" assembly on a flat surface and put the two 30" 2x4s on edge, at a 90-degree angle to the other boards, centered. Nail or screw the joints together at the arrows:

                      X                            X
                      X                            X
                      X                            X
                      X                            X
                      X                            X
                      X                            X
                      X                            X
                      X                            X
                 -->  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  <--
                      X      SS            SS      X
                 -->  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  <--
                      X                            X
                      X                            X
                      X                            X
                      X                            X
                      X                            X
                      X                            X
                      X                            X
                      X                            X
   

4. Remove the clamps and spacers, and you will have a completed target-frame base. Each base will accomodate one IPSC target. They can be stacked for transportation.
5. When you want to shoot, set the base down, and insert two 5' 1x2s vertically into the gap. It should be a tight fit. If the 1x2s are too loose, wrap the ends once with masking tape. You will end up with a target frame five feet high, with a stable base, and plenty of surface area for stapling your target or cardboard backing to.

Poor Man's Reactive Targets

There are plenty of things people shoot at that fall, explode, swing, etc. when hit, but a good poor man's training tool has at least one of two qualities:

1. It's cheap in bulk (as in tin cans, clay pigeons, oreo cookies, pennies, potatoes, blocks of wood, etc), or
2. It's reusable (as in steel plate, bowling pins, blocks of wood, etc).

PLEASE: don't shoot glass bottles or pressurized containers, and whatever you shoot, clean up after yourself. Public lands are constantly being closed to recreational firearms use because of the garbage shooters leave lying around after punching holes in it. Please help preserve our right to to use public lands, and, as best as you can, leave no trace.

Poor man's reactive target array:

One pair detachable sawhorse brackets
Two eight-foot 2x4s
One eight-foot 1x6
Enough 4x4 post to get at least six 11-inch lengths

1. Cut the 2x4s in half and drill the ends of the 1x6 to make an eight-foot long and six-inch wide sawhorse.
2. Cut the 4x4 post into 11-inch lenghs. Stand six of them on end on the sawhorse, and voila, you have poor-man's Bianchi plates, good for handgun distances of 18 to 100 feet.

This system is portable, reusable, and relatively inexpensive. The 4x4 pieces will have to be replaced after 80 or so shots, depending on the wood, the caliber, and your load. 11-inch lengths will fit well into a milk crate for transportation.

Wax bullets

Measuring Groups