Electronic Targets - DIY?

[jax13]

you would probably be better with a small 12v motor and battery and just make a switch return type that you see in the films on the police shooting ranges.

you'd need a length of suitable wire / cord, a pulley for each and, motor, battery, something to attach a target to.

thats gotta be cheaper and easier than breaking a load of old palms!!!

[Synthasy2000]

thats gotta be cheaper and easier than breaking a load of old palms!!!

Where's the fun in that!

With electronic targets it can do the scoring for you and do fractional scores too with instant feedback.

Plus I'm an electronics geek, this appeals to me - there I've said it

[Rutty]

"All the different types I have seen or heard of use microphones that record the sound of the passing bullet. Impact is then triangulated based on the time it takes the sound to reach the different microphones, usually three or four. There are also microphones at the firing line recording the sound of the shot itself, so that the computer can keep count of how many shots are fired by each shooter, so that any misses or shots fired at the wrong target can be correctly recorded."

That's how most of the 1st and 2nd generation systems work, the shot position is calculated by hyperbolic fixing, not as is sometimes claimed by directional plotting. There are new systems coming on the market that employ various forms of optical technology that are said (by the manufacturers) to be more accurate and reliable. All the 10mtr and 50mtr sytems have one thing in common and that is that you shoot at a "black hole" so there is no problem with the sun on the target as can occur with paper.

When I last investigated, the cost of installing a single lane was between £1000-£1500 depending on the system and the bells and whistles you required. With multiple lanes and judicious planning you could probably get the cost down a bit lower. If the price appears high it is because of the accuracy, reliability and consistency that is required of these systems. If you needed a simple Hit/Miss system it could probably be knocked up quite cheaply.

Rutty