High caliber target

• US 10,168,128 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2017
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Action Target Incorporated (Action Target Holding Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Action Target Incorporated (Action Target Holding Corp.)
• Inventors: Sovine, James, Anderson, Devin
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Mark
• Application Number:
  US15/624,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20170350677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 273403-410, 273390-392
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 1/10 Target stands; Target holders

Abstract

A high caliber target includes a target plate and a stand. The target plate may be mounted on and removed from the stand. In accordance with one embodiment, the target plate can be mounted and removed without tools. In accordance with one embodiment, the target plate is presented to the shooter without joints or edges which could promote ricochets back toward the shooter. In accordance with another embodiment, the target plate can pivot on impact relative to the stand.

Claims

1. A high caliber target comprising:

a target plate having an upper portion and a lower portion and at least one mount disposed thereon, the at least one mount having a slot formed therein; and

a stand for engaging the at least one mount to hold the target plate in a desired position, the stand being slidable into and out of the at least one mount to thereby allow mounting and removal of the target plate from the stand without tools, and wherein the slot formed in the at least one mount is longer than a width of the stand as it passes through the slot to allow the mount to slide rearwardly relative to the stand when the target plate is impacted by a projectile, the slot being sized relative to the stand such that the upper portion of the target plate may be deflected toward the stand when impacted by a bullet and such that the lower portion of the target plate does not pivot toward the stand.

2. The high caliber target of claim 1, wherein the at least one mount comprises a mounting bracket having at least one slot formed therein and wherein the stand has at least one mounting arm insertable into and through the at least one slot, the at least one mounting arm having a width and the at least one slot being longer than the width of the at least one mounting arm to enable the at least one mounting arm to slide relative to the at least one slot when the target plate is impacted by a bullet and thereby pivot the target plate about a horizontal axis of rotation.

3. The high caliber target of claim 1, wherein the stand includes at least one mounting arm and wherein the at least one mount comprises a first mounting bracket and a second mounting bracket, each of the mounting brackets having two slots formed therein, one slot from the first mounting bracket and one slot from the second mounting bracket being in alignment such that the at least one mounting arm passes through both slots.

4. The high caliber target of claim 3, wherein the at least one mounting arm comprises two mounting arms, each of the mounting arms being extendable through one slot from the first mounting bracket and one slot from the second mounting bracket.

5. The high caliber target of claim 4, wherein the slots in the second mounting bracket are larger than the slots in the first mounting bracket to enable to second mounting bracket to slide rearwardly along the two mounting arms when the target plate is hit by a bullet.

6. The high caliber target of claim 4, wherein the two mounting arms are tapered to allow the at least one mounting bracket to slide along the two mounting arms when the target plate is hit by a bullet.

7. The high caliber target of claim 1, wherein the target plate has an upper portion and a lower portion and wherein the target plate is pivotably mounted on the stand such that the lower portion of the target plate pivots toward the stand about a horizontal axis when impacted by a bullet.

8. The high caliber target of claim 7, wherein the slot in the at least one mount and the stand are sized and slidable relative to each other to limit pivoting of the target plate to between 5 and 15 degrees when impacted by a bullet.

9. The high caliber target of claim 1, wherein the at least one mount comprises a first mount and a second mount attached to the target plate, the first mount having a first slot and a second slot and the second mount having a first slot and a second slot, and wherein the stand has a first arm and a second arm, each of the arms having a width, and wherein the first slot and the second slot in the first mount are longer than the width of the first arm and the second arm so as to enable the first mount to slide back and forth on the arm.

10. The high caliber target of claim 9, wherein the first mount and the second mount engage the first arm and the second arm of the stand to hold the target plate at an angle between 5 and 45 degrees less than vertical.

11. The high caliber target of claim 10, wherein first arm and the second arm engage the first mount and the second mount to hold the target plate at an angle between 10 degrees and 25 degrees less than vertical.

12. A high caliber portable target comprising:

a target plate having a first mounting bracket and a second mounting bracket attached thereto, each of the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket having at least one slot formed therein, the at least one slot in the first mounting bracket being larger than the at least one slot in the second mounting bracket; and

a stand having at least one mounting structure, the at least one mounting structure extending through the at least one slot in the first mounting bracket and the at least one slot in the second mounting bracket to attach the target plate to the stand, wherein the target plate is held at an angle between 5 and 45 degrees less than vertical, and wherein the slots are sized such that a lower portion of the target can deflect when impacted by a projectile.

13. The high caliber portable target of claim 12, wherein the first mounting bracket has a plurality of slots and wherein the second mounting bracket has a plurality of slots and wherein the mounting structure of the stand extends through the plurality of the slot in the first mounting bracket and through the plurality of slots in the second mounting bracket.

14. The high caliber portable target of claim 13, wherein the plurality of slots in the second mounting bracket are larger than the plurality of slots in the first mounting bracket.

15. The high caliber portable target of claim 12, wherein the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket are welded to the target plate.

16. The high caliber portable target of claim 12, wherein the target plate has opposing lateral sides, and wherein the stand includes a first support having a mounting structure at an upper end thereof, and a second support having a mounting structure at an upper end thereof, the first support and the second support being spaced apart from each other so as to be positioned adjacent the opposing lateral sides of the target plate.

17. The high caliber portable target of claim 16, further comprising a plurality of cross-members attaching the first support to the second support.

18. The high caliber portable target of claim 12, wherein the at least one slot in the first mounting bracket and the at least one slot in the second mounting bracket engage the stand to hold the target plate at an angle of between 15 and 20 degrees less than vertical.

19. A kit for a high caliber target, the kit comprising:

a target plate having a first mounting bracket and a second mounting bracket attached thereto; and

a stand comprising at least one mounting structure, the mounting structure configured to extend through the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket to attach the target plate to the stand,

wherein the first mounting bracket has slots formed therein and where the stand is slidable within the slots so as to allow the target plate to pivot when impacted by a bullet.

20. The kit according to claim 19, wherein the stand comprises a first support and a second support, and wherein the kit further includes one or more cross-members configured to connect the first support to the second support.

21. The kit for a high caliber target of 19, wherein the second mounting bracket has slots formed therein and wherein the slots in the first mounting bracket are larger than the slots in the second mounting bracket.