DIY cheap target

[UrbanSherpa]

Shortly after purchasing my Exocet 200 I enquired here about a cheap target as I was determined to not pay $50+ for a hunk of foam.

A couple of weeks ago I got a box of big, green garbage can bags, unfolded them flat and then stuffed them in an oversized pillow case (hope wife doesn't miss it!) I crammed then in as tight as I could. I tied the top closed and put little 'X' marks all around it with a Sharpie marker.

After firing over two hundred arrows into it I'd say it works well. My 20" bolt goes in about half way and most come out with two fingers.

If it 'breaks down' I'll just restuff it.

Total cost is less than $5

-Karl of Stoney Creek

[bbbwb]

Using a poly grain bag from a feed store, I stuffed it with old vinyl window screen. Fasten a cardboard face on the side and then push pin a sheet target to the cardboard ---- target. A hardware store saved the old screening when replacing with new.
It works very well with the bullet shaped practice points.With the Exocet 200 and at 25 yards,the long and narrow practice points that resemble broadheads without the blades , penetrate farther and are more difficult to remove. At greater distances though no problem.However do not use broadheads as it cuts up the bag.
Likewise this is a cheap target with very little work to make.
About how many plastic bags did you use?
bbbwb

[diesel]

You can do the same thing with old clothes.

[jpscribbler]

Karl - Good tip.
I'll have to try it. I have a pile of old clothes waiting to be recycled. Since Amity doesn't take used clothing anymore and the federal gov't won't issue tax receipts for donating cloth, perhaps I'll turn them into filler for bag targets.
We need to get together and compare bows. I'd also like to talk to you about advice for tree standing climbing and restraint harnesses.

Jp

[UrbanSherpa]

Hi JP,

check your PM's

[Sliver]

you could also go to your nearest feed mill, buy some empty feed sacks,, they are about .50 cents each, stuff them with old clothes or plastic garbage bags.... they work like a charm... not bad for a 50 cent target

[DropTine]

Thats an awesome idea Karl! Me, you and jpscribbler should go shoot our bows together!

[the elf]

Hey guys----somewhere in my web surfing -----I have read that if you use old clothes for target bag stuffing------BE SURE TO REMOVE ALL BUTTONS AND ZIPPERS BEFORE USE-----apparently they are very hard on arrows of any variety.-------Elf.

[HW]

I finally got a chance to get out in the backyard and try out the target I made. I stuffed a feed bag with some old clothes we were throwing out. It took a while to cut out all the buttons and zippers but the cost was zero.

I wasn't sure how well it would work given I could only pack the clothes in so tight with one hand. Well I fired approx 20 shots at it with my Exocet and most arrows stopped between 4 & 6 inches of penetration. The most one penetrated was about 3"s in from one side and it only penetrated 8"s. This appears to be working better than my friend's store bought target.

I also made the bag big enough that I can set it on the ground and it wont fall over without support.

[dick195252]

I will try the old clothes {HW'S} Method first sounds like a great idea I have a whole closet full of old Company WORK shirts i do not need anymore

[tworr]

I've been collecting feed bags and plastic shopping bags that someone posted as a suggestion to make a target.

I get coupon emails from Harbor Freight Tools and saw a yard bag on sale that could be stuffed with the plastic bags.

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/ite ... emid=94998

It's 70 gallons and is normally $5.99 but with the coupon it is $2.99. Limit 5


Flat bottom, handles, large size and it is cheap!!
I will pick it up today and see how it works out.

Tworr

[Pydpiper]

Feed bags work best, the woven material heals it's self for the most part once the arrow is removed. I tried clothes to stuff it but it was very heavy, and didn't take to the weather very well when I left it outside.
I went to a feed store as mentioned above, at the same place I grabbed a bunch of the plastic wrap (like saran wrap) that their stuff comes wrapped in on skids, works great and is very light! When I told the store owner what I was doing he had 4 of them ready for me, they stuffed the bags and sewed them back up.
The thought was sincere, but they weren't stuffed tight enough, I made one bag out of the 4 they gave me.

[Cossack]

Plastic grocery bags, purloined from WalMart recycle bins.
I save all my plastic bags and stuff them into oversized feed sack.
The local lumberyard is another source for plastic, the big sheets they use to cover lumber when shipped.

[tworr]

Feed bags work best, the woven material heals it's self for the most part once the arrow is removed. I tried clothes to stuff it but it was very heavy, and didn't take to the weather very well when I left it outside.

I havn't been able to find any oversized feed bags. The ones I found at our farm supply/Co-op seemed small and were more paper than the woven material.
I did find some medium size burlap feed bags that worked, but they like to fall over when shot.
I also tried stuffing bags with clothes and had the same results.

purloined from WalMart recycle bins.

"Recycling" is great!!

I save all of my plastic bags till I have filled a spam trash bag. Then I press the bag of sacks down till all of the air is out and I tie the garbage bag up. I'm left with a compressed wafer of bags that I've been stacking in the larger burlap bag. I was thinking about putting two or three of these filled burlap bags in the lawn bag. I was also going to use thick cardboard on the top and bottom and ratchet it tight for a really compressed bag target.
The final result should be a long lasting, cheap target made of multiple cells compressed together and won't keep falling over from the power of the Equinox.



Tworr

[saxman]

What great ideas you guys have,I like the Harbor freight bag idea.
I will be trying this but I normally shoot with only broadheads.