# Alternative Target Stuffing?



## OneScrewLoose (Feb 18, 2009)

What is a good alternative to using clothes for target stuffing? Looking to possibly make a Third Hand home range target and was looking into what I could use for stuffing. Have any of you guys tried anything else and how well did they work??


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## Kellg79 (Oct 22, 2013)

I have heard carpet works pretty good but I haven't tried it myself?


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## beaverman (Jun 21, 2008)

Shrink wrap, rubber playground mulch


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## wpod (Mar 30, 2013)

Plastic shopping bags


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## EnglishKev (Aug 8, 2009)

I used the poythene wrapping that some products came encased in at a job I had last year.
Kinda like shopping bag material but a lot thicker.
I rolled it into balls and stuffed it in tight.
Stops even my hunting bows at a couple of yards, sometimes a little hard to pull.
Arrow lube helps.

Kev


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## donjuan (Dec 19, 2009)

X2, but I mix in some synthetic pillow stuffing w/ it.


wpod said:


> Plastic shopping bags


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## wpod (Mar 30, 2013)

Bubble wrap would be entertaining for a bit.


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## mdodraw29 (Apr 25, 2009)

old tarps, just need to remove the metal grommets.


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## bbjavelina (Jan 30, 2005)

Most any kind of plastic works better than clothes. It doesn't rot, soak up water, and is lighter. Arrow pull super easy. 

Newspaper wrappers, shopping bags, plastic tarps (cut them up into relatively small pieces), whatever you can get will work, but industrial stretch wrap (different, but usually referred to as shrink wrap) will take up a bunch of space quickly. Yes, I've used bubble wrap, but only after poking each individual bubble with my knife. Hardly worth the trouble. 

For me, compressed carpet is better. 

Best of luck to you.


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## turkeysroost (Nov 14, 2009)

wpod said:


> Plastic shopping bags


Shrink wrap & plastic shopping bags. This works well


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## wpod (Mar 30, 2013)

Having 4 teenagers at home, it only took a month to pack an empty 50lb sack of pig feed. Replacement is quick and cheap


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## maufenkamp (Dec 21, 2011)

I talked to a guy last week that stacks telephone books in a cardboard box. He said it works pretty good. I do believe they're going to be delivering phone books again pretty soon.


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## OneScrewLoose (Feb 18, 2009)

Does the plastic melt to you arrow shaft when it hits the target?? Also, how about the rubber playground mulch?? Where would I get that??


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## bbjavelina (Jan 30, 2005)

OneScrewLoose said:


> Does the plastic melt to you arrow shaft when it hits the target?? Also, how about the rubber playground mulch?? Where would I get that??


I've never had the materials mentioned in my above post melt to my arrows. I've heard of others that did. 

Damn good reason to be a geezer and shoot slow arrows.


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## OneScrewLoose (Feb 18, 2009)

I'm most definitely sending rockets down range! Running an entire 280 at 365gr.


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## barebow52 (Nov 7, 2007)

Heavy duty shrink wrap. I prefer it over clothes


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## OneScrewLoose (Feb 18, 2009)

Where can I get the shrink wrap?


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## Fish_bucket (Aug 15, 2013)

Go around to every Home Depot/ Lowes, Tile shops, Auto Fab shops, Furniture stores, shipping / distributions places, Rock and gravel sellers, Lumberyards, Nurserys... anywhere there is pallets there will be shrink wrap. Look around, you'll be amazed where it's at. 
Good Luck.


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## onyx48166 (Feb 9, 2011)

wpod said:


> Plastic shopping bags


2x:set1_signs009:


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## thirdhandman (Nov 2, 2009)

barebow52 said:


> Heavy duty shrink wrap. I prefer it over clothes


Other than being more available, not rotting and being a little lighter, what is better about plastic wrap? I have a source for old clothing and I don't move the targets so getting wet clothing doesn't bother me. Does the plastic stop arrows without getting melted to them and can you pull your arrows with one finger?


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## Paul_J (Jul 16, 2013)

Raw wool


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## thirdhandman (Nov 2, 2009)

PJ Where do you get raw wool? How do you pack it tight enough?


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## barebow52 (Nov 7, 2007)

thirdhandman said:


> Other than being more available, not rotting and being a little lighter, what is better about plastic wrap? I have a source for old clothing and I don't move the targets so getting wet clothing doesn't bother me. Does the plastic stop arrows without getting melted to them and can you pull your arrows with one finger?


You mentioned several of the reasons i prefer it over clothing. I dont have the melting problems i've seen mentioned on here. Mainly the plastic just suits my needs better than clothing


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## Paul_J (Jul 16, 2013)

thirdhandman said:


> PJ Where do you get raw wool? How do you pack it tight enough?


If you don't live near people with sheep then fleabay is the best bet. It packs down nice and tight just pushing it down in a bag. And it actually polishes arrows as opposed to burning them!


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## SXIPro (Jan 16, 2014)

I have a pellet stove. When I buy a ton of pellets, it comes shrink wrapped, has a giant plastic bag that covers all the pellets, and the pellets themselves come as 50 plastic bags full of 40 lbs of pellets each. I always have a supply of target stuffing available, especially after THIS winter.


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## 1roper (Mar 28, 2011)

Have any of your guys used carpet pad to stuff your targets? I seen a pile of it the other day and it got me to wondering if it would work, but if it doesn't work and someone has already tried it out it'll save me the work.


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## Ches (Aug 3, 2009)

I have tried just hanging carpet pad layers and it didn't stop a thing.
Ches.


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## WillAdams (Jun 6, 2009)

Agree w/ the suggestions of plastic shopping bags --- if one only uses the kind which ``crinkle'' then IME they don't melt on one's arrows.


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## GrayTech (Jan 29, 2013)

1roper said:


> Have any of your guys used carpet pad to stuff your targets? I seen a pile of it the other day and it got me to wondering if it would work, but if it doesn't work and someone has already tried it out it'll save me the work.


carpet padding works as good as clothing does and is easier to work with. Stuff the bag with it and away you go... Personally I use burlap sacking. I got a pile of it after winter from the landscaping guys, they wrap young trees in it to protect them from the freezing wind. Don't get more than 4 inches of penetration at 10 feet using a 70# bow and 500 grain arrows at around 270ft/second.


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## Outsider (Aug 16, 2011)

beaverman said:


> rubber playground mulch


Is it really good? I will order rubber playground mulch soon for my daughter new playground. If it's good then I will order a little bit more. And tell my wife this is how much we need for the playground


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## pdj (Dec 1, 2005)

All I use on my 3d range is stuffed bag targets with Ames burlap faces. I use all my Wally world bags, feed sacks, old tarps and any other material that I can recycle. I have used rubber mulch and it will stop even the fastest bows or crossbows but is really heavy.


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## OneScrewLoose (Feb 18, 2009)

I like the idea of the shredded tire. Does it do anything to your arrows when you shoot? Can I build one of the range targets and the material not be heavy enough to push the face out the front?


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## Wisbuck (Feb 15, 2005)

[B said:


> OneScrewLoose;1069728198]Does the plastic melt to you arrow shaft when it hits the target??[/B] Also, how about the rubber playground mulch?? Where would I get that??


I just wipes right off. I find shrink wrap the be the better option, a lot less weight and easy arrow removal.


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## coatimundi01 (Oct 18, 2013)

Question, if I were to stuff a bag target with shrink wrap, do I make little balls, cut small strips, just shove big pieces in the bag? I need a new backyard target and work for fedex freight, so there's always extra shrink wrap the city drivers bring back stuffed in trash cans. I grabbed 3 big wads of it yeaterday before I went home.


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## minndroptine (Jan 11, 2008)

OneScrewLoose said:


> What is a good alternative to using clothes for target stuffing? Looking to possibly make a Third Hand home range target and was looking into what I could use for stuffing. Have any of you guys tried anything else and how well did they work??


Bulldog targets have shrink wrap all twisted up and laid in the box works great. Made one just like it. I have used old t-shirts and jeans for the stopper in the middle. Also took an old futon mattress cut it in half and shoved it into two Morrel super duper bags. Bags are $25 each.


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## willie14228 (Apr 14, 2014)

Another alternative, I was throwing away an old couch and kept the cushions was shooting them for a while just bare but then went to Wally world and got one of those high impact exercise mats comes 6 to a pack they are dovetailed to lock together but will also make a box then I cut the cushions down and stuffed it with that works pretty good. Also have been laying wood laminate floor down and discovered the same stuff that I lay on the floor as a moisture barrier is the same stuff a lot of those targets are made of just layers never counted how many layers it would take to make a box 1 or 2 square foot but the rolls are 25 foot long and three foot wide.


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## V-TRAIN (Feb 27, 2009)

Going to have to start hunting for shrink wrap


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## bowguy357 (Jan 2, 2014)

i found this website that has empty target bags for $10.00 not to bad for a printed target http://www.bagcorpstore.com/product.asp?itemid=195&gclid=CNa_n7uN9r0CFckWMgodLEgAHg


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## Tonto79 (Feb 13, 2011)

OneScrewLoose said:


> Does the plastic melt to you arrow shaft when it hits the target?? Also, how about the rubber playground mulch?? Where would I get that??


As a Walmart garden center department manager, I can tell you for fact that you can get it at Walmart, usually runs $6.97 for a 1 cubic foot bag


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## Tonto79 (Feb 13, 2011)

V-TRAIN said:


> Going to have to start hunting for shrink wrap


Again, hit up your local walmart garden center. If you ask the department manager to keep all the shrink wrap from the bagged goods out in the lot, you could have enough to fill several 4x4 butt targets in a week


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## V-TRAIN (Feb 27, 2009)

bowguy357 said:


> i found this website that has empty target bags for $10.00 not to bad for a printed target http://www.bagcorpstore.com/product.asp?itemid=195&gclid=CNa_n7uN9r0CFckWMgodLEgAHg


someone posted that up a couple months back, I got 2 of them they are real nice. they Velcro closed at the top all the way across and have loops for hanging.
they are very rigid compared to the material most bag targets are made out of, are a great deal for $10, they will last a long time. 
I just have to fill them up.


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## kenster (Mar 5, 2014)

I'm new to archery....heck I don't even have a bow yet. But, I just learned my office warehouse has a nearly endless amount of used shrink wrap available. I'm going to start taking it as needed. PM me if you're in the Oklahoma City area and I'll hook you up.


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## coatimundi01 (Oct 18, 2013)

Starting a 100% free bag target. Scrap shrink wrap from work and the bag is a 4'x4' air dunnage bag used to fill voids in trailers. I cut the valve off and started just stuffing the wrap through the hole. Gonna need a lot more! That big pile only filled it maybe 1/4 after I sat on the bag to compress it to the bottom.


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## coatimundi01 (Oct 18, 2013)

The cat is really interested in that huge bag as you can tell, lol


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## V-TRAIN (Feb 27, 2009)

I just got back from Lowes. Went in with a empty target bag, walked out with it stuffed so full of shrink wrap I could not close it. That did not take long, glad I saw this thread. lol
This is a bag from bagcorpstore.com


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## V-TRAIN (Feb 27, 2009)

I got 2, it think it was $27 total shipped for 2.
http://www.bagcorpstore.com/product.asp?itemid=195&gclid=CNa_n7uN9r0CFckWMgodLEgAHg


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## Farfal East (Feb 27, 2011)

wpod said:


> Plastic shopping bags


^^^

Work perfect and free. Just takes a while to save up enough to stuff a target. But if you grocery shop at the same place and they know you you can probably buy a couple of boxes for short money. They don't mold, rot or attract vermin. They're light - so don't bulge your target face out. Tightly packed 16" inches will stop a heavy speedy arrow. Easy to extract also. 

Just my two cents


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## N8rfastback (Mar 3, 2014)

I went to 84 lumber today and picked up all the shrinkwrap from their pallets... Free, and works great.


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## Usmc387 (Aug 14, 2013)

Started building one today, 3'x4' using shrink wrap for filler holy crap do you need a lot of it


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## frankiecruzer (May 12, 2013)

Try going to market or commissary and using the plastic bags if front of the door for recycling


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## gettinold (Oct 23, 2013)

My local CVS drugstore and the local grocery store have collection boxes for recycling plastic bags, they were glad to get rid of them when I asked. Arrows pull out easy unless you hit a bunch of neatly folded ones ( some people had folded them perfectly)


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## coatimundi01 (Oct 18, 2013)

Ok, finally got the 4'x4' beast stuffed with enough shrink wrap to try a shot. Now granted this is still out of my Barnett Sidewinder 50lb with xx75 1918 aluminums, but the bag isn't really packed that tightly yet. At 10 yards, I only got about 7 inches of penetration. I can't see anything going through it once it's packed tighter!

Def gonna cram a couple more bundles of wrap in before shooting it with the new bow once I get it.


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## vftcandy (Nov 6, 2009)

Nice I have access to an absurd amount of shrink wrap and huge bags... But our work only allows cardboard to be taken out of the building.


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## coatimundi01 (Oct 18, 2013)

Shrink wrap bag target update. It works, but it's still not packed super tight. Once it's packed better I should see better stoppage.

This was with a PSE Drive LT set at 65#/29" from 10 yards.


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## jakeeib (Jan 8, 2008)

Shrink wrap does work well as do plastic bags. I just mix and match. My targets have stuffed animals, pillows, plastic wrap, blankets, sheets, moving blankets, towels, plastic bags, horse blankets...and every type of clothes you can imagine.

Whatever i come across that i think will work i keep and just start stuffing.


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## thirdhandman (Nov 2, 2009)

Jakeeib: How many Third Hand Rag targets do you have built for Fort Gordon Base.


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## TurtleBear (Aug 9, 2013)

I am going to try some shrink wrap and add some stuff I can get at work it is a sort of it is a woven synthetic paper looks & feels like cloth . it is used fro wrapping medical instruments when they get sterilized on trays they used to use linen wrappers now they use this disposable stuff & they just throw it out at the hospital where I work, so I have the OR saving me a few bags of it and I just picked up 4 garbage bags of shrink wrap from receiving today. I'm going to stuff my target with a mixture of both. I hope it works It will be in my garage so I don't have to worry about it getting wet. I'll let you know how it works. Im Going to make a 2X2 wooden frame 4'X4'X18" thick covered with a woven Polly metrical ans stuff it to use as a backstop for my !8"X18" Foam warthog for safety so if there is a miss it will not smoke my arrows into the concrete wall.

TurtleBear


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## YankeeRebel (Dec 30, 2005)

Here is what I use for making bag targets. I go to Rural King and buy their $2.00 burlap bags. Then I use 2 pieces of carpet, one in front and one in back and then I stuff and stomp saved plastic Wal-Mart & Dollar General bags and old t shirts down in between the 2 pieces of carpet. Once I have stomped in as much as I can, I over lap the top of the burlap bag & then zip tie it closed. Then I take a can of spray paint and spray dots on the front and back and start shootin'. A small child can remove the arrows shot into this. Total cost to make....under $5. :thumb:


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## thirdhandman (Nov 2, 2009)

TurtleBear said:


> I am going to try some shrink wrap and add some stuff I can get at work it is a sort of it is a woven synthetic paper looks & feels like cloth . it is used fro wrapping medical instruments when they get sterilized on trays they used to use linen wrappers now they use this disposable stuff & they just throw it out at the hospital where I work, so I have the OR saving me a few bags of it and I just picked up 4 garbage bags of shrink wrap from receiving today. I'm going to stuff my target with a mixture of both. I hope it works It will be in my garage so I don't have to worry about it getting wet. I'll let you know how it works. Im Going to make a 2X2 wooden frame 4'X4'X18" thick covered with a woven Polly metrical ans stuff it to use as a backstop for my !8"X18" Foam warthog for safety so if there is a miss it will not smoke my arrows into the concrete wall.
> 
> TurtleBear


Turtle: If that doesn't work for you, go to the hospitals laundry room and ask about old linens, towels etc. They work great.


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## TurtleBear (Aug 9, 2013)

Thanks I was aware of the used clothes and linens being great target stuffing but our Hospital contracts out all the laundry and we do not own the laundry So I can not take the damaged stuff . But I can get the shrink wrap that the laundry carts a re all wrapped in and these other Blue cloth like wrappers from the medical instruments. I Built the 2X2 frame today and it is 5'X37"X15 thick. I hope that 15" of the filling will be thick enough to stop field points shot From my 60# bow @about 6 or 8 yards. I was thinking of putting a sheet of Styrofoam or a few layers of card board directly behind the woven Polly I am using as a skin on the 2X2 frame to hold in the rags. so i will have a nice flat surface and not all lumpy. I did not get any pictures of making the frame but i will take some pics before I cover it up. 

Cheers
TurtleBear


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## BulldogTank (Oct 30, 2013)

I have not only used shrink wrap but also use all my pellet bags from my pellet stove. They work pretty good and it also saves me a trip back to the store to recycle them.


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## TurtleBear (Aug 9, 2013)

It has been rainiNg here the last few days so no progress on the target will update as progress happens.

TurtleBeaR


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## goathollow (Jun 18, 2008)

OneScrewLoose said:


> Does the plastic melt to you arrow shaft when it hits the target?? Also, how about the rubber playground mulch?? Where would I get that??


I have had the problem with the plastic melting to my arrows. I keep half of a scotch brite pad in my quiver to remove the gunk that builds up over a few shots.


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## blacktundra (Apr 13, 2013)

Heavier plastic bags that are used for pet food work great. 

Also try the foam fatigue mats. 

I use a combination of both and they stop arrows very well. Even the vap's. Pulls out easy as well.


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## redneck-archery (Jan 8, 2014)

thirdhandman said:


> Other than being more available, not rotting and being a little lighter, what is better about plastic wrap? I have a source for old clothing and I don't move the targets so getting wet clothing doesn't bother me. Does the plastic stop arrows without getting melted to them and can you pull your arrows with one finger?


getting wet clothing will bother you when your target gets 10x heavier , stinks like hell , starts to rot everything around it & will never dry unless completely take everything out & hang them out to dry. don't get me wrong , clothes are great target stuffing -buttons , zippers & any jean material. but if you can't keep it 100% dry don't use it. I have probably built 50 - 75 bag & box targets.


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## TurtleBear (Aug 9, 2013)

I have My Backstop done and it turned out Great the Blue OT instrument tray wrappers worked Great the arrows penitrate about 8 -11 inches & I made my box 15" thick I stapled CorePlast it is basicly plastic cardboard onto my 2X2 Frame 50"X 37" If I do it again I will use 48" X a division of 12" like 24" or 36" this way cutting a 4'X8' piece of coreplast will workout better as it is with the measurements I used I only wasted 2 Pieces about 14"x10" Not bad. Anny way I stuffed the shrink wrap into the box first so it would be at the back of the box so if the plastic gets on my arrows the cloth will wipe it off as I pull my arrows. I also removed all the shipping labels and any tape or stickers that I could find on the shrink wrap and there were a lot. Then I stuffed in the OR wrappers and disposable linen that I was able to redirect from the garbage at the hospital. I had to remove all the bits of making tape they use to hold labels on the wrapped bundles & trays. It took a while to do this, but I did not want the tape, labels & stickers to leave any Glue or Gunk on my arrows. I then put 3 layers of cardboard over the stuffed box and Put something called cinch strap around the front edge of the box to attach the front skin that holds all the stuffing into the target. I used a 12ml woven poly it is the stuff used to cover greenhouses The cinch strap is what they use to hold the poly on the green houses usually used on hoop houses. I had some left over from a green house project I did a while ago. I am not sure how well this Poly will hold up it seem so be getting puncture and not closing back up the way I thought it would, So time will tell. Anny way It all worked out great and the arrows pull easily with no gunk on them and don't go through my back stop. It is quite heavy though probably close to 100lbs. I think I will get some feed bags next, I have an industrial sewing machine so I will sew up some bags with squared off edges about 12" thick and stuff them with more of the OR wrappers and put tabs with grommets on the top corners to hang them from out target stands and try a few at the clubs out door range & see how they work. These blue OR wrappers seem to be hydrophobic and do not absorb water this is cool, so they should be great for out door targets. & I will try this next. I have some pics of this Box backstop build but for some reason I cant seem to get them into this post. I have then in an album in AT but the Icon to add pictures does not work when I try and put them in my post.??? If you look ayt my profile you may be able to see them in the Target building photo album there. If you are interested in looking at them.


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## TurtleBear (Aug 9, 2013)

I got the pictures to work.
This is the @X2 Box with coreplast covering the back and 4 sides.








This is the pile of bags of stuffing it took to fill this thing.








This is the backstop almost stuffed.








first 3 arrows into it was midnight when I finished it but had to try it out.








Here's a closer look at the first 3 shots. you can see the cinch strap better in this pic. I still have to tape or staple the flaps at the edges down so it looks better.








Cheers and Shoot Straight 
TurtleBear


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