Home Made Bell Target $30.00!

[josixpack]

After seeing some of the Bell Target designs on this site, I thought I would build one and try to keep it fairly cheap and easy to build. 

The face plate is probable the biggest obstacle but I am fortunate to have a steel supply store nearby who will cut to size so I had them cut me two 8” x 4.5” x 1/8” steel plates, total cost was $12.68 for both.  The base came from a Hobby Lobby which is a 7" x 9" Fancy Rectangle Wood Plaque for $1.99.  I could not find the bell at Hobby Lobby so I had to run into Staples where I got one for roughly $6.00. The paddle is from a three spinner target system I had where the welds broke so I cut it apart to use the paddles. I see the Crosman Zombie Spinning Target Shooting System for $9.99 at Walmart, which you could use, and you would have a couple extra targets.  The rest is scrap pine I had but you can get common 1/2-in x 6-in x 2-ft Pine Board at Lowes for $3.50.

I also picked up some Titanium White Artists Oil paint, which I will mix 3 to 1 with oil for the score paint.

Here is a breakdown of the cost.
$6.34   Steel Plate
$1.99   Wood Plaque Base
$3.50   Common 1/2-in x 6-in x 2-ft Pine Board
$6.00   Desk Bell
$2.89   The Hillman Group 3-ft x 1/4-in Cold-RolLED Weldable Steel Metal Round
$9.99   Spinner Target System
$30.71   Total Cost for hours of fun!
 
I used hole saw drill bits for the score rings but they are a little sloppy.  I'm going to make something like the diagram below which might do a better job. Screw the face plate to the 2x6, press down the 2x4 with the screws and spin in a circle a couple times ?  I'll give this a try on the back side of the face plate and see how it works.  As long as there is no play it should make nice circles?

[pcp_Dave]

Ah, that gives me so many ideas.
Good work!

[Cowthulhu]

That's really clever, you'll have to let us know how it works out.

[Geoff]

looks good.   hope it works out well

[jimmymc2900]

I like it. Let us know how it works out. I can see one in my future. Maybe more. One with a small kz, and one with a bigger kz for longer range.

[Underdog]

LOVE this! Thanks so much for posting. I've been wondering how to go about this, so as to know one hit that small circle without paper... Got plenty of scrap wood and steel around. Just gotta get a bell!

[stevemag]

Nice job!

[Boley]

Very Clever!

[Doug Wall]

Here's the bell target article that I did for Hard Air Magazine.  Please keep in mind that these things splatter lead all over the place!!!! Back 100 years ago, they didn't worry about that, but, since bell target is usually an indoor sport, it's something that you really have to deal with. You'll need to build a containment box at least a foot deep to catch things. This is also a low power gun sport! High power guns will create air born lead dust. I would also consider 1/8 steel to be a little thin. 3/16-1/4 would hold up better
http://hardairmagazine.com/uncategorized/bell-target-shooting/

[woogie_man]

OK that is brilliant!!

I have a face plate made, but haven't been able to figure the bell part.  How well does the paddle hit the bell plunger?

What power are you using for the rifle?

[Doug Wall]

You can use something as simple as a hinge to hit the bell plunger. The lower power the better! less lead splatter that way. On the OPs pictures, you can see the lead on the board at the bottom of the target. This goes in all directions, so if you are shooting indoors, if you don't have some kind of containment, you're contaminating the &^^& out of your shooting space.

[josixpack]

OK that is brilliant!!

I have a face plate made, but haven't been able to figure the bell part.  How well does the paddle hit the bell plunger?

What power are you using for the rifle?

The paddle hits the bell plunger just fine with no problems at all so far.  I use guns ranging from 500fps to 1000fps .177 & .22.  As Doug stated you can use something as simple as a hinge and keep in mind the lead splatter.  I went with the paddle for the durability as i new i would be shooting with higher power guns.  The other face plate I have I drilled a 3/4 hole for longer distances and to use with my .25 guns.  Although, i'm not sure how long the bell will last with those guns.