Posted: 6/12/2012 2:42:00 PM EDT
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I didn't know where else to put this, so I figured I'd toss it up here. Figure some people might find it useful.
So, I wanted to have something different to shoot at, something besides a standard bullseye or stuff that I could print out. I initially thought about ordered some IPSC targets online but didn't want to have 100 targets sitting around my apartment between range trips. I then remembered that people had been making the silhouettes out of grocery bags and did some research on that. I find some tutorials but really wanted something a little less flimsy then a grocery bag. I eventually found a youtube video where the gentleman made a template and used that to cut his own targets. I decided to go this route but couldn't find the standard measurements for the silhouettes, only metric measurments. So I went ahead and did my best to approximate the values and made my own template. Here is a copy of measurements. I figured it would be a good resource for someone so they don't have to convert everything over. I do have a larger copy if anyone needs it. 
I then went about getting my resources. I had originally thought about doing the master template out of foam board but didn't see any when I went to Lowes. I ended up getting a sheet of corrugated plastic like what they make roadside signs out of. This was actually better as the corrugation runs about every 1/4 inch, so measuring and cutting were much easier. It also isn't going to absorb moisture or anything so will last a lot longer. I cut out the 2x4 inch head box and the 11x6 inch torso box and cut a dashed line around the main torso area. The dashed line was the biggest PITA of the whole thing, but it worked out. While I was at Lowes, I also picked up some cardboard boxes to use for the targets. I picked up 4 large boxs at around $1.50 each. Cutting one side of the box to unroll it, I was able to get 4 targets out of each box. Two of the targets were slightly slimmer (less than an inch or so smaller), but they all came out good. I layed the template on the box then used fluorescent orange field paint to make the outter edges of the silhouette and the torso and head boxes. I then just cut it out and removed the boxes and had a reasonable approximation of a IPSC target. Here is a photo of the painting process. I had just finished painting over the template. 
I hope that you guys find this useful. If you guys can think of a better place for this post to be, let me know. I tried to find a relevant area for it, but couldn't really decide where was best. |