Improved my target stands

[Tom K]

I've got a couple of simple target stands that I've used for about 40 years. Just a couple of wooden frames made from 2x2, with cardboard attached to the front to staple targets to. To stand them up, I always carried a couple of short boards and C-clamps to the range with me, and would clamp a board to the base to make a T shape.






It worked and was simple, but kind of a pain to have to remember to take the boards and clamps, and to take the time to put them together at the range. So last week I was thinking about folding tables and looked on Amazon for folding legs. There are a variety of types but lo and behold, I found something that would work perfectly: Foldable hairpin legs.

I bolted a couple on each side of my stands. They snap and latch open in a second, and close easily. As-bought the legs are at a bit of an angle to the bracket and would raise the stand off the ground a couple of inches, but it was easy to bend them a touch so that they sat flat. Tried them out today and now I'm ready for the next 40 years!

 

[rwsmith]

I made a 1-1/2" PVC pipe base out of nominally 2' long sections so the base is about 2'-4" wide x about 4' long. It doesn't blow over. It's held together will 4 elbows and 4 tees. I keep the works in a duffel bag. Goes together like Tinker Toys. Two 1" x 2" uprights about 6' tall with a piece of 1/4" sheet bolted to them with wing nuts.. Easy to replace.

 

[VaTom]

I made a 1-1/2" PVC pipe base out of nominally 2' long sections so the base is about 2'-4" wide x about 4' long. It doesn't blow over. It's held together will 4 elbows and 4 tees. I keep the works in a duffel bag. Goes together like Tinker Toys. Two 1" x 2" uprights about 6' tall with a piece of 1/4" sheet bolted to them with wing nuts.. Easy to replace.

^^^ same here. Found the pattern on line somewhere. I use staple gun to attach cardboard sheets to wooden uprights for attachment of targets. Use old camping folding chair bags to tote them in. I go to a couple of National Forest Ranges and they only allow paper targets and only have wire strung between posts at 25 and 50 yards to hang targets so I needed some portable stands. Works great, cheap to make, lightweight. If you enlarge the picture you can see one.

 

[The Norseman]

Thank you for sharing and the pictures.

Wow what a cleaver idea, simple, fast and
makes the stand compact. I like it!

The Best to you and your Endeavors.

 

[45Smashemflat]

Both ideas are good! I made (glued up) a similar PVC stand, but it would blow over to easily. So, I dumped some #9 shot in it. Kinda heavy, but it has worked well.

 

[VaTom]

Better photos of the PVC pipe target frames. Easy breakdown and fits in an old folding chair carry bag.