A budget target shooting trainer........part #3

[curan]

And now, the final thrilling instalment........

The cover was then screwed on top of the stock with a single 24 x 6mm dynabolt. This was to key the rear, but allow it to swivel (for easy inside access for adjustments or battery changes).
The trigger was mounted with superglue to a small piece of timber, allowing location inside the stock by two wood screws dilled through the side of the stock.
Two wood screws were installed fore and aft of the battery box to stop it sliding.
The laser tube was located and adjusted using double sided tape to align with a 6mm hole I had drilled in the front of the forearm of the stock. If you look carefully at thye picture below, you can see the 6mm hole......

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Once the internals were aligned, the cover was swiveled across, and a wood screw installed to the front to keep it all tight. A scope was mounted, and the unit was ready for adjustments.

IMGP1279.JPG (129.71 KiB) Viewed 127 times

So how does it work? Quite well, actually. When you pull the trigger and the laser hits the target, the lights on the target flash for 5 seconds, and a really annoying tune plays. The area of a hit at 10m is about 12-15mm. This is about what I want for practice, and the reason I fitted the 1mm disc. Without that disc, the hit area would be roughly double.

I then made the mistake of trying to open the target to shut down the annoying tune, and broke it big time in trying to do so. So, I’ve ordered another one. With the next one, I will just plug up the speaker holes I reckon.

So, it actually works great. I just need to weight it up to match my airgun, and I have my training aid. Activating the target is the equivalent of shooting an 8 or better. If I want I can refine the laser further later on.

Costs…….rounded up to nearest $1,

From ebay or secondhand
Toy gun = $15
Scope mount = $10
Scope = $60
5 x AAA batteries = $5
Old wheel weights = $3

Hardware
Superglue = $1
Dynabolt = $1
Wood screws = $1
Double sided tape = $1

The Elgamo air rifle stock was a donation, but stocks can be bought from ebay now and again for around $20.

So, the project can happen for under $120, although I’m up for another $15 for another toy gun due to breaking the first target. But that’s fine. The new target will have a 10m air rifle target cut and stuck to the face, with a hole in the 10 ring for the sensor, and holes for the flashing leds to show a hit.

All in all, I was quite pleased with the results of a rainy Saturday afternoon's efforts.

Anyway, if any of you good folk see any merit in this, this is how I did it…………good luck.

Regards, curan

[curan]

I will also mention that there is an easy alternative to this.......

Just buy the toy for the target only, and use a proper rifle mounted red laser dot sight with a pressure switch on your own rifle to activate the target. With a focusable laser, you could get quite well set up. I have checked, and any red dot laser will activate the target.
This gives the benefit of being quick and easy to set up, and you get to practice with your existing rifle.

The downside is the laser doesn't give a pulse, so if I did this, I could have cheated myself. This shouldn't happen with a half second pulse. And I had the pistol to break up and play with anyway, so hey, there are worse ways to spend a rainy day!

regards, curan.