Inside Our Shop: How Moving Shooting Targets Are Made

Moving shooting targets are made from laser-cut, bent aluminum, assembled by hand at dedicated build stations, and function-tested on a cable before they ship. In our shop, every unit is built to order: an order that comes in today usually ships tomorrow. This is a full tour of how moving shooting targets are made, filmed at the shop where we've built systems for over 2,000 military units, police departments, and ranges.

https://youtu.be/BHfyQ92k7tk

How a Moving Shooting Target Gets Built, Step by Step

1. Aluminum parts are laser-cut and bent to form the chassis. Remaining plastic parts are inspected and fitted with heat-set threaded inserts at a prep station.

2. The unit is assembled start to finish at one dedicated build station, by one person, with every part and tool in reach.

3. The finished unit is clipped onto a test cable and cycled through every setting against a quality control checklist.

4. It's packed in custom-cut foam shaped to the product and ships, usually the next day.

The rest of this post walks through each of those steps and what's inside the systems themselves.

Built to Order, Shipped the Next Day

The question we get most is "is this in stock?" It never is. Everything is built to order. That sounds like a long wait, but it isn't. An order that comes in today usually ships tomorrow.

We started the business a little over three years ago, and the first thing we learned is that manufacturing is hard. So we drank the lean manufacturing Kool-Aid. Every workstation in the shop has every tool and part labeled and in its place, and work flows from one station to the next. We don't hold finished inventory. We build your unit when you order it, which also means you never get one that's been sitting on a shelf for a year.

One Product, One Station

The X1 Plus has its own build station. The remotes get built on the backside of the same station. The X1 Pro, our larger motored system that runs a hanging steel target on a cable, has its own bench. Hostage rescue targets have their own assembly area. At each station, everything the assembler needs is right in front of him, including all the parts, so he doesn't move until the unit is 100% complete. Tools don't move between stations either. If a tool is at a workstation, that's its home for the life of the tool.

We've also changed what the targets are made of. There used to be a lot more plastic. Now the backbone of almost everything is laser-cut, bent aluminum. It holds up better and it's easier to manufacture consistently. The plastic parts that remain get inspected and fitted with heat-set threaded inserts at a prep station before they go to assembly.

Every Unit Gets Tested Before It Ships

Once a unit is assembled it goes on a shelf, and from there to testing and quality control. Every single unit gets clipped onto a test cable and cycled through all of its settings. Each product has a short test sheet posted right at the station. The packer works from a printed order sheet and a quality control checklist, and the unit only goes in the box after it passes.

The packaging is custom-cut foam shaped to the exact product. An X1 Plus takes seven layers. When you open the box, the target is ready to go to the range.

What's Inside a Moving Target System

A moving target system is a motorized drive unit that pulls a target back and forth along a cable, controlled by remote. On our X1 Pro (AR500), that means:

• A laser-cut aluminum chassis behind 10mm AR500 armor plate

• A motor that moves up to 20 lb of hanging steel at up to 10 feet per second

• A 100 ft cable run with an 800 lb winch

• A 21.6V lithium-ion battery

• A two-way remote that works out to 450 meters

All of it gets cut, bent, assembled, and tested in this shop.

Engineers Build the Targets

Most of the production work here is done by junior engineers. Each of them has research projects they're working on for clients. When orders surge, they move to the build stations. When orders slow down, they go back to their research. That's how we ship next day without holding inventory or staffing a big production line. It also means the person who assembled your target understands how it works.

Custom Moving Targets and Range Work

The same team does custom work for ranges across the US and Canada. We've helped over 2,000 military units, police departments, and ranges, and a lot of that work is stuff you won't find on the website. R&D has its own space in the shop, kept separate from production, with a full-sheet CNC router for cutting plywood and light aluminum. If you're building a range or you have a specific training requirement, that's normal work for us.

You can see the moving target systems in our shop, take a look at the X1 Pro (AR500) from the video, or contact us through the site if you need something custom.

Common Questions

Are your moving targets in stock?

No, and that's by design. Every unit is built to order and manufactured just in time. An order placed today usually ships the next day.

How fast do moving shooting targets move?

Our X1 Pro (AR500) moves a hanging steel target of up to 20 lb at up to 10 feet per second, controlled by a two-way remote out to 450 meters.

Can you build a custom moving target system?

Yes. Custom target systems and range work for facilities across the US and Canada is a core part of what our engineering team does. Contact us through the site with your requirement.