What's the cheapest easiest most durable reliable portable lightest way to hang a steel target for shooting?

The method I was looking at was over $70 in parts from home depot and would weigh quite a bit. I leave the parts there and came home.

Yeah . . . that's the million-dollar question.

I've tried a few different setups, and I have two styles that I use now.

Style #1

This is cheap and light, and works well if you don't need the targets to be too high off the ground. My targets hang maybe two feet above the ground. It looks similar to this:
https://jcsteeltargets.configio.com/pd/ ... tlist&pg=5

I use two of these:
http://www.canopiesandtarps.com/fp3jasl.html
Plus (5) 5-foot pieces of 1/2" or 3/4" electrical conduit. Go to the hardware store and buy 10' pieces of conduit, then cut them in half. (The store may cut if for you.) Four of the pieces are used for legs, and one for a cross-bar. Buy a couple of extra pieces, because they'll occasionally get shot up. Buy a couple of extra canopy fittings while you're at it, too.

Then, you just need the target plus something to hang from the crossbar. I use fire hose.

Style #2

This is heavier and more expensive, but it gets the target up higher which is sometimes important. See my thread here:
https://www.waguns.org/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=80586

Huge question that needs to be asked is WHAT steel target. Are you talking a few basic round steel plates, or are you talking an IPSC full sized silhouette?

I bought these from a guy on Ebay for my basic steel plates. Check thier other items as they make them in a few formats and styles. I have not used it yet, but these brackets bit into the 2x4 and lock in quite well.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2x4-Steel-Targ ... 2749.l2649


Super affordable then just add a couple 10ft EMT($2.50-3/ea) and a 2x4 and you have your stand done.

Best part is you can break it down and then toss the 2x4 that will have Sharp Copper Jacket fragments embedded. I have used basic sawhorses to hang Steel and that's the #1 Problem with any part of a Wood Frame.

Three 8 Foot 2x4's cut to 4' and some 16d Nails is as cheap as it gets for a sturdy Steel target stand. Just Wear Leather Gloves when you handle it after using it.

Mine were "free" ish

I have lots of building materials lying around so I welded them out of #5 rebar and chain to hang the plates from. I have 5 8" gongs but right now two of the stands have a piece of OSB zip tied on. Last time I was out my friend wanted to shoot some paper targets.

They're 18" wide and 24" tall since that's about the size of a ipsc target. The legs are about a foot long, I just pound them into the ground. I should make some wood bases to set them in if the ground is too hard, it's on my list.

I'll take some pictures next time I'm at my shop. I'm bringing them to the new years shoot too.

Broom sticks and Paracord

I generally use old pallets i get for free. Use one as a stand and break apart another one to use as the target holder. I use chains or old firehose i get from my old work to hang them.

Thanks for the link!

That reminded me of this!
https://jcsteeltargets.configio.com/pd/ ... rce=search
Rebar is cheap, but it sure is heavy. I don't need the targets too far off the ground.
Why did you use electrical conduit and canopy brackets? Where do you find firehose?

My targets are 10" square. Or I'll buy a new 8" or 6" if these aren't proper steel.

I think I want to stay away from wood.

Pick up a Shepherd Hook plant hanger at lowes/walmart etc.
Drill two holes in 18" of 2x10 and stick this in it. Place a rock or two on the board to keep it up-right and have fun. Easier than trying to stick it in the ground. I've been using one for many years and it works great.

https://www.google.com/search?q=steel+target+shepherd+hook&rlz=1C1ASUT_enUS606US606&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjHyobO4ZLYAhVN32MKHRidC_AQ_AUICygC&biw=1366&bih=662

Decide what you want, I can weld it together for you

Is AR500 the proper steel to use as a target......it's for my AK and .40

AR500 is THE proper steel.

Ah, good ... that’s the link that I wanted to give you, but I couldn’t find it yesterday!

I bought that exact setup from JC Steel, and used it with rebar. My experiences:

- Basic function was very good.
- Rebar is heavy, it rusts, it holds mud in the textured surface, and is very unpleasant to handle when it’s cold and dirty.
- The corner brackets worked well, but I was paranoid that I would shoot them, and they’re fairly expensive with shipping to be replacing here and here.

(Remember, with steel targets you need to worry about your shooting, the guy next to you, and the asshole bump-firing from the far end of the gravel pit, shooting at an angle to your target.)

So I still have that setup, but what I use now are the canopy brackets and electrical conduit. The canopy brackets do the same thing as the JC Steel brackets, but they’re a lot cheaper and they also have the advantage of the little locking bolt on each leg. This means that if you want to move your target (and you will), you can just lift up the crossbar and it will move. Do that with the JC Steel setup, which is held together by gravity, and you’ll wind up with a pile of parts on the ground.

Electrical conduit is not only cheaper than rebar, it’s lighter, cleaner and more pleasant to handle. Also, if you shoot it then you’ll have a hole or a dent in it, but it doesn’t bend at a crazy angle that will require replacement.

For fire hose, I bought a roll off eBay a few years back. Apparently you can get it for free from many local fire separtments, too. I’ve also used conveyor belt material from JC (part of that kit) which worked well. Olydemon uses old mountain bike tires, and those are good too. Don’t waste your time with string or chains; they seem like a good idea at first, but one shot or one strategic bullet splatter, and you’re downrange fixing it. The hose/belt/tire material will take dozens or hundreds of rounds before you need to worry about it.

I attach the target to the hose, and the hose to the stand with bolts. Grade 8 bolts (the hard ones) hold up pretty well to bullets; you’ll wear them out eventually, but it takes a while. Use self-locking nuts with a nylon insert, too — bullets knock the shit out of the target, and regular hardware will quickly loosen up.

Oh what a love, hate topic...

If you weld - so many options. But if you don't and want to keep it cheap... I have seen some amazingly difficult setups and some that actually work.

The real test is - over time. Any setup will work for once or twice but for long duration with many many shooters... that's a whole different ball game.

Wear gloves! Anything you use as a stand will eventually become barbs and daggers to the hands.