# DIY target stuffing



## bobbyh (Dec 22, 2008)

All I've ever used was old clothes, never an issue unless I overstuffed it, then it was just a matter of removing some.


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## thirdhandman (Nov 2, 2009)

Plastic bags do work but can be hard to pull and or leave plastic residue on the arrows. Sand did not work is wouldn't stay in the bag and took too much depth to stop the arrow. I have put a oversize bag of hair from a beauty salon inside a rag bag and sucked all the air out to pack it extremely tight. Had to use zip ties over the velcro to keep it closed. It worked pretty good. I think it would work great to keep arrows from bouncing out for kids bows. Tried granulated shredded tire rubber it worked well until the target got holes in it but weighed and absolute ton.
Old clothing works best imho.


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## redneck-archery (Jan 8, 2014)

clothes work great if you can keep target dry. If it gets wet it will stink & rot not counting weigh a ton. Plastic is a better all around choice. lightweight, waterproof, & really works well. use any kind ( bags, bubble wrap , stuff they wrap pallets with for shipping ). they usually throw that stuff away at most places. if you use clothes make sure you don't use jean material & you remove all zippers & buttons.


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## automan26 (Oct 21, 2002)

My brother works for a plastics company and he gave me a 30 gal drum full of small ground up nylon chunks. I thought these would make a great filler for my Third Hand Rag Bag....NOT? First, the thing is so heavy that it takes two men to lift it and second, the arrows pass through like it was filled with air.

Clothes work great. I get mine from thrift stores who always have boxes of old clothes that are not worth selling.

Automan


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## V-TRAIN (Feb 27, 2009)

clear shrink wrap works fine and i haven't had it get on my arrows. i went to lowes and they had a big bin of it that they recycle. i asked the manager if i could get some to fill my target with and he let me. i have some clothes in mine, but most of it is clear shrink wrap. don't get any black, it is thicker and will stick on your arrows.


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## cleggy (Aug 26, 2006)

Pallet wrap. Cheap (or free) won't hold water like old clothes, can leave out in the elements, lightweight. Never had an issue with any plastic residue on arrows. 

Old clothes are a pain. First you need to remove all buttons, zippers, plastic pulls, etc. 

Then, you need to take indoors after every time you shoot or build a waterproof cover, even then, in humid climates, they absorb moisture and start to mold and smell and you have to toss the whole works.

NOT something I'll try again!


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## guido316 (May 4, 2010)

The first Lifetime Target I built was in 2010, used old sheets and blankets (I'm still using it). I cover mine with a tarp and when it gets shot up I recover it. No water problems. The second target I built was with pallet wrap. True, it is lighter, weatherproof, etc, but I found residue was left on the arrow shaft. I use this one to move around for various shots. I just finished up another (longer range than the first) 4' X 3' Lifetime target and filled it with old clothes, IMO there is nothing more versatile and robust than a Lifetime Target filled with old clothes.


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## hoyt em all (Feb 20, 2005)

old clothes for me but i will stuff plastic bags in as needed to repack . anyone in the grand rapids mi area i have old clothes- stuffing i don't need and will give away . PM me


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## dustoffer (Jan 24, 2009)

V-TRAIN said:


> clear shrink wrap works fine and i haven't had it get on my arrows. i went to lowes and they had a big bin of it that they recycle. i asked the manager if i could get some to fill my target with and he let me. i have some clothes in mine, but most of it is clear shrink wrap. don't get any black, it is thicker and will stick on your arrows.


Yep--HD and the local feed stores/Farm Co-Ops have it too.

However, my outdoor target is a layered carpet target--so no stuffing needed. I do have a shrink-wrap stuffed one in the garage I can shoot from the carport in bad weather.


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## silasbowhunter (Jan 17, 2014)

Just finished building one today. Stuffed with an old shot up bag target, a few sleeping bags, some clothes and 80% clear shrink wrap. Works great to far 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## silasbowhunter (Jan 17, 2014)

Just finished building one today. Stuffed with an old shot up bag target, a few sleeping bags, some clothes and 80% clear shrink wrap. Works great to far 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Excalibre (May 5, 2016)

I decided to build one using a large removals cardboard box, which would give me a total of 6 target faces. Each of the four larger sides of the box are big enough to hold 3, A4 targets that I print off the internet and each end holds 2. 
So off I went to my local supermarket and asked the Manager if I could raid his recycle plastic bin. The Manager was over the moon that I was taking it, and that I had found a use for it. I stockpiled enough shrink wrap and other soft plastics in that first trip to make at least 4 large targets. 
After I stuffed the box very tightly with the plastic I covered it (the entire box) with PVC speed tape to waterproof it. That was 2 years ago and I'm still using the same target. Albeit that I have shot the center's out of all six sides but I just stuff a bit more plastic in and tape them up and keep shooting. I have to admit that I have lost a few tips over time but I don't think it was the plastic that caused it, more likely the way I pulled the arrow or the hot wax was a bit old.
Its been out in the rain a lot and never leaked that I know of. The total cost was around $10 including the fuel to drive to the supermarket. 
I don't think you will ever see me with one of those store bought targets.


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## tickfawriver (Mar 8, 2017)

I am using pallet wrap and like it, it does leave a little plastic residue on the arrows but not a big deal to me.


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