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[ryang]

I think the angle bar design is bad. It looks like bullets will impact perpendicular to its surface. It would have been better if bullets hit at a 45 degree angle.

Given mobility is an issue (and KISS is always good) I would have done the following:
1. Use 2x4s for legs and cross beam. The "instant sawhorse" kits are great for this and some designs easily break down.
2. Fabricate metal S brackets to hold the plates. One loop hooks on the 2x4 and the other holds the plate hanging down.
3. Use a piece of right angle as a deflector to protect the part of the S bracket that hooks over the 2x4.
4. Add a wedge just below the bracket so the plates sit at a 15 degree angle. This will direct splatter down and stop plate movement once it's hit.

With this type of swinger design the plates will move when hit but quickly come back to rest. No additional (and heavy) reset mechanism required, component parts are relatively light and you can vary the number and spacing of plates.

[new cal shooter]

It's hard to tell, but the front main bar is at about a 30+ degree angle, I would have loved to used wood for legs, but the main bar with plates is real heavy, and for resetting purposes, the more weight on the legs helps reset the plates, keeps the rack on all four legs, Your idea will work fine for hanging plates, just something fun about knocking a plate over and i don't know, i've done hanging targets, fun, but falling and reseting just a new toy to play with, hope to try it this weekend, with or with out the reset bar mounted, maybe 1/4" angle for the legs was a bit over kill, could have used thinner angle but the 2" x 2" is a stable platform. that and once its done, this thing should last for ever,

I figure if i cut 2" or so of the front legs, it will increase the angle on the main bar if i have bullets coming back in my direction, and help keep the plates from domino effect falling, also a rubber stop on the main beam to help cushion the fall of the plates from falling because of the force. More to come, more pics when i update, so far just painted the whole mess.

Thanks for the input, keep it up any other ideas are great to have.

[new cal shooter]

forgot to mention, plates weigh about 35 lbs all together, plus the mounting flat and pipe to pivit, so yes its heavy, but they are Brinell 500 and should be good with any pistol at 25yards and most rifle at 100+ yards, cant say that about the angle it sits on, but i have a welder and grinder I would say maybe i should have made the main beam a 3/8" x2x3 angle, next time!

[gadjeep]

1/4" is not overkill. The main beam on my first falling rack is 3/16" mild steel 1x3" tubing and it takes hell when you hit it square. The beam really needs a "splash plate" to deflect any low shots toward the ground. They are all a work in progress right? It's a ton of fun building this stuff, I'm working on a dueling tree now and I'm excited to try that. Have fun!

[new cal shooter]

Damn skippy! Building is fun! here is the latest reset build works in the garage, see about the field this weekend!

[gadjeep]

Soooo... How did it work?

[new cal shooter]

Excellent!

Reset worked fine, shot about 150 rds of .38 spl rnfp at 750 fps, perfect amount of knock down power, but the real light loads with Trail boss in my .38 just did'nt have what it took to knock it down, think they were in the 500fps range, but great!

lead fell about 2 feet left and right of the rack, just about on the ground, struck the main bar a few times (not me) and it just marked the paint and deflected to the ground, excellent, next week, try out with .45 acp.

just had the problem of one plate falling down when the one next to it was struck down, so maybe a little more angle on that one plate, fun fun fun!

[gadjeep]

Heading up to Boggs with mine tomorrow morning if you can get away. I'd be stoked to meet some fellow Calgunners.

[CRTguns]

Plate rack reset device...

A Midget that lives at the gun range in a dog house! And he could pick up brass too!

[new cal shooter]

field / final product, works great!

[new cal shooter]

with 38spl and 45 acp, no dents on deflector plate in front, but .45 tends to knock down and reset plate, gess 25 yards is too close for .45, but usually shoot 38 spl any way

[gadjeep]

Not sure how your plates are attached to the frame but the way I have mine (3/8" bolts) I can just tighten my small plates a little more and get some resistance through the friction between the tabs and the the plate mount. Looking good man! When did you go back out to Boggs? I'm thinking about going out in the next week or so.

[new cal shooter]

I just have pins to hold the plates in, easy set up, good idea about bolts though! went out two weekends ago or maybe 3? schedule is always changing, but after this week is over, well next tuesday i'll again have some time to reload and get back into it, maybe 22nd again?