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Always planned to build my own running and charging target range for practice and fun but never done it to date.

The ADA club has to used to have a running deer target for their annual target shoot. A wire strung between a tree on a hill and a very tall post on the bottom of the hill. The target on runners, slid down the wire pretty well. Manual done, a guy at the top of the hill pull started it with a rope and then got behind a tree, so by the time the target cleared another tree he was behind cover behind a gumtree. Then the target was manually retrieved and pulled back up the hill. Ran nice and fast if given a good starting pull. Not too hard to shoot well with between one to three shots during the shooting zone. If the puller wanted to make it more challenging for a "friend", he gave the rope a tug downwards as well to make the wire and target bounce as well ...

Now if shooting solo or not wanting to have someone in the range area to manually do it, some sort of automatic retrieval system, but makes it more complicated and beyond my engineering abilities ... but would be good.

Shot the Swedish running moose target system for fun with Christer / cchunter, an old member from these forums. I think I passed it two out of three times, with a rifle I 'd never used before. That moose target was not fast and no where near what a real moose is like when appearing out of the forest for a short time and need for a quick reaction. The Swedish target at the range ran on some sort of rails and was automated and ran in both directions. Which is good as it provides shooting both ways that way.

If I ever get mine going, the first attempt "plan" at the moment will probably be a manually retrieved target. On a tensioned wire. With a greased wheel runner system on top of the target on the wire. A weight to hopefully cause the target to start off downhill and gain enough speed. Some sort of remote starting system. Would like a side on running target and also a buffalo charging target for fun. Some sort of track system would make it easier but a lot more to setup and also not a removable system as I would plan to have it. On a "safe" hillside.

Safety is far more of a concern for big bore running shooting than eg for a clay target shooting range, as a errant miss fired projectile will go a long way and if in the wrong direction, could pose big problems. Needs real thought and planning where to put it.

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John aka NitroX

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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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