Making Moving Targets for Airsoft Practical Shooting

[N_Force]

5/16" bolt and 7/8" ball bearing


Front bearing and bolt


Back bearing and washer spacer


this is a 2 x 4 and install 2 ball bearings one in front and one at the back, both bearings have to be parallel and inner bearings connect by the bolt and can not contact the wood that will reduce the movement. outter bearing should tie fit to contact 2 x 4. front bearing direct contact bolt and the back bearing connect with one washer just large enough to contact inner bearing. see the third picture. this set up makes the turning smooth.

in Jan18, all these targets will be in play for CAPS first shooting. ardo, if you want, come by check it out.

[ardo]

Thanks! Looks like the skate bearing I used in my 1st version - but I never managed to wedge it securely in wood, there was always a bit of play. Using the screw to wedge it is brilliant! Thanks again.

[ILLusion]

Originally Posted by ardo

Because that's what is used in IPSC matches - at least in Ontario, AFAIK. They are considered safer than rear-falling: splatter goes into the floor. But they also fall slower, and that teaches to use the sight picture instead of relying on sound or seeing the popper fall.

I'm just trying to make my airsoft practice approximate what we do in IPSC competition.

Interesting. I was not aware of this. I'm curious as to how the mechanics of forward falling occurs...

[ardo]

Originally Posted by ILLusion

Interesting. I was not aware of this. I'm curious as to how the mechanics of forward falling occurs...

The popper has a latch welded to the back of it, and there's a pivoting hook connected to the base. The hook faces upwards, engages the latch and stays connected under the weight of a (slightly) forward-leaning popper. When bullet hits, popper travels backwards just enough to disengage the hook, the hook pivots down under its weight, and the popper falls.

I think there's even a rule somewhere in IPSC manual that explains popper calibration procedure - apparently, forward-falling ones are easier to calibrate, so having shooters on the same squad with both major and minor loads doesn't cause popper malfunctions. There's a point, however, when shooting minor and hitting the popper too low does not release the hook.

[ILLusion]

Originally Posted by ardo

The popper has a latch welded to the back of it, and there's a pivoting hook connected to the base. The hook faces upwards, engages the latch and stays connected under the weight of a (slightly) forward-leaning popper. When bullet hits, popper travels backwards just enough to disengage the hook, the hook pivots down under its weight, and the popper falls.

I think there's even a rule somewhere in IPSC manual that explains popper calibration procedure - apparently, forward-falling ones are easier to calibrate, so having shooters on the same squad with both major and minor loads doesn't cause popper malfunctions. There's a point, however, when shooting minor and hitting the popper too low does not release the hook.

Interesting...

Because of the very light weight of the Madbull poppers, I can't see the movement of them being very accurate to what you would use for real steel.

Conversely, using the much heavier steel CED poppers would have similar drop movement as the real thing, however, the initial hit recognition would have to be lowered to a very minimal weight to accommodate the weak power of airsoft guns.

Understood on major vs minor and fulcrum points.

[ardo]

I didn't know that CED poppers are adjustable, thanks for the info. Still, a bit too expensive for my home setup.

I will try to put a small loop at the back of a Mad Bull popper, and a light hook connected to the base by a string. I think it might work. Will let you know.

[N_Force]

Do you have any pictures for reference, I would like to learn more and see what idea I could come up with.
The power of the RS effect the hit on poppers. AS too. When poppers leaning forward, the angle determine the power level of the pistol and the shooting distance. When I design the AS derling tree, those poppers can't be adjust the angle, but base on the power of the pistol for shoot, I adjust the shooting distance. then you can make it work properly.

[ardo]

Originally Posted by N_Force

Do you have any pictures for reference, I would like to learn more and see what idea I could come up with.
The power of the RS effect the hit on poppers. AS too. When poppers leaning forward, the angle determine the power level of the pistol and the shooting distance. When I design the AS derling tree, those poppers can't be adjust the angle, but base on the power of the pistol for shoot, I adjust the shooting distance. then you can make it work properly.

We have our club match this Friday, I will snap a few pictures of the poppers we've got.

I'd like to keep the distance around 5-6 yards if possible, just because the 3.5" and 4" plates/poppers I have scale well to a 8" plate at 10 yards, which would be the closest distance to shoot real steel safely. I don't have the tools to make my own steel targets that would look half-decent.

I found this on Brian Enos forum, somewhat similar to what we use:

[ardo]

Had to work late last night & missed the club match, so no picture of the popper, sorry.

In the meantime, I've made two versions of the forward-falling popper. First one uses a 'springy' bracket: popper bounces off of it and falls forward:



It works well, but the popper is almost upright so BBs bounce back, not down. So I made another one: a screw on a wire drops down when popper is hit:




Wire length is easy to adjust so I can control the popper angle. Falls on every hit, so this one is a keeper.

I taped a 4" electrical plate to the popper, the flimsy aluminum they're made of dents too easy.

Also made a 4-plate rack:

[N_Force]

thanks for sharing. I like the wired design and learn something new. How is the last pic one working? Falling forward when hit?

[ardo]

Originally Posted by N_Force

How is the last pic one working? Falling forward when hit?

You mean the plate rack? These plates are hinged, and fall backwards.

[N_Force]

Tested them yesterday in TTAC3 for CAPS, both were working good.

Video link:

Double CS
CAPS jan 20, 2013 - Wheel - YouTube

Prototype Dueling Tree
CAPS jan 20, 2013 - Texas Star - YouTube

[ardo]

Nice!

What size are the plates on these targets? From the cam view, the dueling tree looks like 10yds away, and plates appear really small. Good shooting, too: on the Texas Star you go for the side plates first, which makes it harder!

[N_Force]

they are all madbull poppers and cut shorter to be hit and flip easier. I tried to keep the full length and didn't work properly even shoot with a higher power pistol in a closer distance.

The double cs, must start from the side and make it move. That's the idea from Texas star, let it turn freely! May be next time I'll try, the two persons shoot their own side and colour means what ever side got hit first, that side turn upward. That could be a bit difference. Also for single shooter, using timer to count who is the fast one to knob down all poppers. A lot to try, lol!

[N_Force]

Head-To-Head competition

another video link:

Crazy steel Challenging Star / CSCS / Double CS in action - YouTube