Dual Knockdown Target with Light Indicating Winner.

[josixpack]

Just found and joined this forum and thought I’d share a new target system I created over the weekend.

What we’ve got is a cord pull reset knockdown target system. The paddles range in size from 2.25 inches down to .25 inches decreasing in size by .25 inch. I added a light which lights up when the last paddle is knocked over and makes contact with the reset bar. The reason for the light is I’m going to make another one of these and the light will indicate the winner. I’m hoping to come up with a way that once one light is on it will cancel out the other light so if shooters are both taking their last shot at the same time the light will indicate the winner. Any ideas on how to accomplish that??

Other than the paddles all the parts came from the local hardware store or Walmart. The light is a battery powered push button light I found in the auto area of Walmart next to the led accent lights. I removed the wires from the push button and for the moment taped one wire to the reset bar and the other wire to the last paddle. Need to find my soldering iron to secure the wires better. 

I’ll need to have stronger paddles made for my .25 pcps but the paddles I have work fine with my .177 and .22s. Can’t wait to have a shoot-out at 50 yards!

 

[AG72]

Pretty cool! Could not have one myself cause i should shot the lightbulb also... Maybe a candle version would work for me!

 

[josixpack]

"MANICMINER"be careful. pellets fly funny ways when ricochet/hit the edge. arrows do the same.

is that a PB tank there? hehehe

I knew I should have put a disclaimer that I wasn’t shooting at it there for display only. That would be a big no no without a backstop and a gas tank behind it and my wife would beat me upside the head as the house and deck were recently stained. Once I get the other one made they will be going in my rubber mulch pellet traps. 

 

[GLPalinkas]

Welcome aboard. Great idea and nice presentation. I am sure one of the electrical whizzes on the site will be able to help with the "winner" light, disabling the loser light.

 

[broachoski]

Add or make a switch to Target A which will OPEN CIRCUIT when all paddles are down. Wire this switch in series to Target B's power circuit. Now when Target A has triggered a win, Target B will not be able to turn on its light. Do the same procedure on Target B so it will interupt Target A's power.

 

[josixpack]

Where do i get or how do i make this switch you speak of? Would it be easier to have one power source for both lights?

From your advice with my current setup consisting of two separate lights powered by two separate battery sources is that i would run a wire from the switch you talk about to both power sources which will cancel one out when the other is on? Not sure what you mean by "Wire this switch in series". Only the last paddle triggers the light the other paddles play no role in the light coming on.

I apologize for being so ignorant on this topic.

 

[Sheharyar]

Great Idea.

 

[broachoski]

Here's a simple drawing of what I was thinking about. There are tons of micro switches on the NET to select from or maybe you could come up with a way to make a homemade one to act similar to your switching mechanism you have now to trigger the light. I am no familiar with the target so can't help much there.

 

[broachoski]

After looking at your photos, I gather that the smallest target triggers the light switch. If so and if the shooter must shoot that one last then it should be easy to do.
Mount a lever arm micro limit switch (look on EBay). Mount it so the small target trips it open.
You will need a sensitive switch that will not take much pressure to trigger. 
Look for SPDT (single pole double throw) switch. SPDT has 3 terminals and allows normally closed and normally open contacts at the same time, depending on how you wire it.