Any one ever ever build a dueling tree?

[flanjan]

So I'm starting to wonder if any one even looked at the kit I posted. The paddles are all pre cut and made of 3/8" AR500.... As far as a grinder, I meant to cut the angle iron. I'm welding a tube into the v of the angle iron so that ought to be pretty hard to screw up. The only other part is to fashion a base. This isn't rocket science... Others have posted their builds from the kit and most seem to be pretty awesome. Instead of quarterbacking from the couch, I'll just go ahead and build one. I'll see what goes well, what goes wrong, and if the thing works.

[FJ540]

I looked at it and I still maintain it's a decent deal for someone who doesn't have the gear to make one.

[shooter115]

I looked at it and I still maintain it's a decent deal for someone who doesn't have the gear to make one.

Actually it isn't bad considering that the average joe doesn't have a source or know how to procure AR500 steel, let alone the means to cut it. That said I've yet to see a dueling tree that functioned reliably and this design is especially heinous. There's just to much friction on the paddles, combined with no real detents to keep the paddles at the 90º or 270º locations. Your going to constantly be fighting plates that get stuck in the middle or plates that you hit to bounce right back to the origin where the were shot.

[FJ540]

The design calls for a 20 degree forward lean of the center support angle iron. Gravity does the work after you get it over center.

[shooter115]

The design calls for a 20 degree forward lean of the center support angle iron. Gravity does the work after you get it over center.

Yea but I'll still put money on the fact that if you hit it on the inside of the disk it gets stuck in the middle or if you hit it on the outside it bounces back completely or gets stuck in the middle on the return swing. I have one personally, our club has one and they tried to use one at last years Tactical Shotgun Championship, they just don't work reliably. For casual plinking in the backyard, they are fine, but don't expect them to work like a charm.

[old guy]

The design calls for a 20 degree forward lean of the center support angle iron. Gravity does the work after you get it over center.

Yea but I'll still put money on the fact that if you hit it on the inside of the disk it gets stuck in the middle or if you hit it on the outside it bounces back completely or gets stuck in the middle on the return swing. I have one personally, our club has one and they tried to use one at last years Tactical Shotgun Championship, they just don't work reliably. For casual plinking in the backyard, they are fine, but don't expect them to work like a charm.

Yup, I have one I bought from Cabela's and all of the above applies.

John

[flanjan]

I'm mostly just looking for a plinking tree, thus me wanting it cheap. If I were to be running competitions and what not, yea I'd probably drop $5-600 on a "nice" tree. This is more just for practicing and having a good time, while still being able to feed my skinny self.

[Deputyhiro]

Just buy the damn thing Im on the same page. Might be fun to have something like that for occasional plinking with friends in the back yard. Let us know how it turns out. Enough pillow fighting.