Best material for targets ?

[pumatrax]

We are starting an indoor range, just wondering what other archery ranges are using for backstops and targets...any suggestions would be greatly appreciated...thanks; Doug

[Jack Denbow]

Check out Pacific Bow Butts. I have one in my basement that I have been shooting for years They hold up well and have easy arrow removal.
Jack

[pumatrax]

thanks for the info Jack....

[cedarshaft]

We use "BLOCK" targets mounted on wheeled carts. On our outdoor targets we use excelsior [expensive]but the old timers made a baler and when the center gets soft, we tear them apart and rebale them. Tried using them indoors but it got too messy.

[Kevin Winkler]

I second the Pacific Bow Butts. Our archery club switched to them 4 or 5yrs ago and all we have done so far is rotated the bales so that we get ever wear out of them. At the rate that they are going we should get 3 to 4 more years out of them before we are looking at replacement.

[five-oh]

I made a backstop I use in my basement, I took a large tarp and folded it into fourths.  Then I got a bunch of shrink wrap from a grocery store that had been used when stuff was shipped to the store.  (They throw it away anyway)  I also stuffed it with some carpet scraps.  I then duct taped the edges.  

I don't use it as my target, but just as a back stop in case I let one fly.  It definately stops an arrow.

[pumatrax]

Thanks to all , for the info. I think I've decided   to use the Super butt made by Pacific..expensive ,but hopefully worth it ; Doug

[Kevin Winkler]

Doug, Good decision. You won't regret it!

[Colonel]

I went to Wal Mart and bought 6 foam targets on sale for about $16 apiece. Strapped them together tightly, and put them behind the target in my basement. They make a backstop about 5' high and 4' wide.

Gerry

[pumatrax]

Thanks Gerry...I was going to hang rubber conveyor belt behind the Pacific targets in case someone (probably me ) misses. Might be a good alternative..Doug

[Kevin Winkler]

We used old belting behind our backstop also. We also put some old sheets of foam insulation behind as an arrow catcher. you will never shoot through one of the butts, but you might get someone shooting through one of the cracks between the bales.

We have a lot of kids that shoot at our indoor range, so we get a few fliers now and then!

[Gatekeeper]

Celotex works great. Do a search in Pow Wow to find a lot of information on target butts.

 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=055768;p=2

[Cyrille]

You want a cheap, solid, arrow friendly target?
 Try Cardboard! When I was Active in the S.C.A.THat was what was used in the majority of targets we built. Of course we shot light bows but to the best of my knowledge a bow of any draw weight may be shot in S.C.A. competition as long as it a Traditional bow anything from a flat bow to a modern recurve is permissable, no wheelies though. If you do go for cardboard backing I suggest that you tsea furiture oil or polish on your arrows as it will make them much eaiser to remove from the target.

[Cyrille]

Originally posted by Cyrille:
You want a cheap, solid, arrow friendly target?
 Try Cardboard! When I was Active in the S.C.A.THat was what was used in the majority of targets we built. Of course we shot light bows but to the best of my knowledge a bow of any draw weight may be shot in S.C.A. competition as long as it a Traditional bow anything from a flat bow to a modern recurve is permissable, no wheelies though. If you do go for cardboard backing I suggest that you use furiture oil or polish on your arrows as it will make them much eaiser to remove from the target.

[bowmofo]

Celotex works great for me to I Still have mine (16years)outside and counting! The center is kind of soft but no pass through s as of yet!

[monkeyball]

Celotex works well, but depending on what type of finish you seal your arrows with (woods)you can get quite a buildup on your shaft.

                             Good Shooting,
                                     Craig

[bow'narrow]

I use the cardboard bales, about 4' by 3'.   I have four of them in the lower lot.  They have been there  for years, summer and winter.  Have had untold numbers of arrows shot into them.  I face them with laminated refrigerator boxes and draw my  targets on them.  Generally only have to replace that part annually. The bale butts offer four sides upon which to place targets.  They are large enough for life size deer or antelope.   Caution heavy enough to put a wow in your tailgate when loading.   Check the  big stores.  They may charge for them now, but they can last  an easy 10 years.  Set them on pallets or  truck tires, not bare ground.

[PrarrieDog]

My local club is the Lost Arrow Archers. Not a trad only club but...
We shoot indoors all winter long and what we do is, backstop of conveyer belting. The butts themselves are squares of carpet stacked flat and compressed with 4 allthread bolts. They last all year and we rebuild them once a year. We face them with cardboard to which we mount our targets. I guarantee you won't shoot through them. and most carpet stores will be happy to let you haul off their take outs (removals).
You can mount these on rollers or not. We cut ours about 30" x 18" The biggest expense is the allthread. The 2x4's we scrounged. Labor is free!
We used to do this with cardboard but they broke down much too fast. Come up and take a look.
Good luck.
Prarrie Dog

[Bible5]

Try making friends with a gym teacher and get their old gymnastic mats. That's what I use they are very dense foam and come in big rolls that you can hang up as a backstop or cut up and wrap in a sack and they last forever.