I 'make' faux Steel Plates/plate racks and poppers out of the White Sides of USPSA targets doubled up using wood glue and cut to shape with a scroll saw.
My target stands for the USPSA targets are 1x2 posts set in 1x2 bases made like skis. I slot the top of these posts so they hold the faux plates like a plate rack.
I can tape the holes and reuse these many times and a surprising number of hits. With three stands I have 5 plates and a popper clamped on a cross brace down low. It LOOKS just like a plate rack for practice. I make Circles, Triangles, Squares and more of various sizes.
I've been trying to figure a cheap/practical way to make the 'plates' tilt back a few inches and then come back upright after being hit. The bullet hits on doubled up thin cardboard are not going to give much impact, but with the right tilt and counterbalance it may work enough to SEE the plate tilt backwards on a fast run with the CZ.
One idea: A wood socket to fit the tops of the 1x2s with a short length of 1x2 sticking up from the socket. This short 1x2 would be cut in half and reattached together using a small hinge with a stop, so the top of a plate would tip back about 3" . The top of this piece would be slotted to hold the various plates. To bring it back upright, I'm going to try a minimum counterweight to let gravity move it back up to close the hinge/verticle.
**The hitch in this idea depends on the bullet impacting the cardboard plates firmly enough to push them backwards / tilt. Only non-metallic materials can be used, but I'll cheat a bit with the counterweight set well below the targets. A small thin steel arm that's easily adjustable like a cam, adjusted just heavy enough eccentric forward to the bring the plates back upright.
I know, I know too much time on my hands, but it would be slick IF I can make it work ---especially at little or
no cost and fast to set up at the range. I have the materials on hand.
Any other suggestions for a practical way to show movement when the cardboard 'plates' are hit?
Pic of what I have 'now'.
