Mirage board construction

C

Centerfire

Member
I am constructing a set of mirage boards for use at the range.
I cannot find a consensus of opinion in the search area for what the correct width or most common width should be for the alternating black and white stripes. Suggestions appreciated! :)
Centerfire
 
One inch as previously stated is fine, any less will be too close together I believe. I have seen them up to about three inch bars but I like between one and two better I believe.
 
This is what

I threw together while watching curling on TV.

Since our local club has no benchrest matches of any kind I needed something light and portable to carry with me.

I used corplast, 5 min 2 part epoxy, and some black mactac(whatever the proper name is) that I got from an aquaintance at a sign advertising shop.

Made the channels that the target slips into by epoxing a couple pieces of corplast on a slight stagger and epoxing the channels to the large piece of corplast.

The MacTac is cut 1.5" wide and adhered to the 2 smaller panels that can be removed. They are just attached by a couple of clamps. This gives me the freedom to just grab the mirage boards if I want.

The target is fastened to a smaller piece of corplast and dropped into the channel.

Basically it is a poorman's version of a actual target butt. I may make a portable stand for it out of ABS pipe or it could just be clamped to the plywood at the range.

Calvin
 

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Calvin

Man that really is nice looking Calvin and not to take anything away but for practice you can only put one target in at a time. So when you shoot your 5 shots or 3 shots you have to walk down range to change the target.. Not saying that is a bad thing for us fellows that are 200 lbs.

You really did a great job on that light weight portable ....
 
Hear you Doug....

Doug Penttinen said:
Not saying that is a bad thing for us fellows that are 200 lbs.
QUOTE]

I will tell you what I tell everyone when I was hooked on Walleye fishing. I would sooner sit in my fishing boat with a case of beer between my legs, a rod in one hand and a cold beer in the other for exercise versus walking 18 holes chasing the golfball. No wonder I am 215.

Now I would sooner sit at the table at the range, pull the trigger along with all the other people who love this fine sport, and not be able to have that cold beer till after the day is done. I am still 215.

So yah, the walk does me a bit of good.

Only shooting 1 group and having to walk down and change the target can be a bit of a pain but I try to make practice as real as shooting a match.

Being new to the game I always run the stopwatch from the time I finish my group till I am done reloading. I want to make sure I can load and clean in the min required 20 min.

Calvin
Click to expand...
 
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"I Stand Corrected"

Maybe I should have said for load development instead of practice. It is harder when you start with 3 shot development and then when you think you have it, then you try a 5 shot. It is just what one likes to do. I do not want to take anything away from Calvins work on that board.

I made my own practice target stand for here at our range since the ones out there get all shot to S@#* and nobody wants to take care of them.. There is always a good side and bad side to everything. But at least I know that I have a sturdy stand with good homosote backer board.

Anyway Calvin again you did a fine job on that and I may build one as well.

The Walleye fishing sounds good......
 
Mirage boards can be a simple project and still work.
I have seen Jef Fowler use 8.5" x 11" white construction paper and black electric tape on ranges we shot at that did not have mirage boards.
Jef was probably one of the best mirage shooters of his time.
 
CYanchycki....I must say....Good job. AND you just simplified my thought process as I was getting ready to look into mirage boards. thanks

Hovis
 
Thanks Doug

you just gave me a new idea.;)

I should have made the channel area that the target slides into larger (just over 11" wide by about 20" high) to accept the downloadable practice targets with 10 bulls on it. It would work perfect. You could then fit 2 9.5X11 sheets with the practice bulls on it. More than enough bulls.

I used the last of my corplast up so I guess I will have to get another 1/2 sheet to make another backer.

That will keep me going this evening.

Calvin
 
My Target Board

Hey Calvin
Here is what I did on my target board for our range here in Texas. Yours is much neater but this seems to work very well for me..:cool:
The homosote backer board that the target is stapled to slides in and out for replacement

TargetBoard.jpg
 
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Mirage board

A friend made some out of that plastic corrugated sheet and after some experimentation settled on 6"X10" with 1/2 stripes on one side and 5/8 on the other. He also made duct tape tags top and bottom to staple them up by and easy to replace when they get chewed up. We posted the 10" vertical between 2 targets (we post our own). If one side didn't show the mirage the other would.
The best I ever saw was at Holton with of course more than a little bit of mirage to show. I think they had 2" stripes and pretty high boards. You could watch the mirage start and intensify across the whole range. It was mesmerizing the first time you saw it.
 
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