Modular and portable target shooting system

Abstract

The modular target shooting system employs tubular members and fittings made from durable materials such as EMT. The members are easily secured together and broken back down by the use of simple thumb screws threaded into weld nuts. The system is based on standard target module that includes a stanchion made from a single vertical support member and a single support base. The base has at least three feet that are deployed to provide stability, but can also pivot upwardly from the deployed position to aid in portability. The module typically has at least one horizontal support member that is used to support at least one steel target rotatably coupled to the horizontal member. The standard target module also typically has a zone target that usually includes a paper depiction of an animal or a person, or a circular target. The system can then be easily expanded horizontally by adding as many target modules as desired, and coupling them together with tubular single and double T connectors to horizontal members commonly coupled between the target modules for even greater stability.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A modular target shooting system, comprising:
 at least one target module comprising:
 a single vertical support member; 
 a single support base removably coupled to a proximal end of the vertical support member, the support base for supporting a distal end of the vertical support member in a substantially vertical orientation with respect to a surface upon which it rests; 
 at least one horizontal support member, removably coupled to the vertical support member in a substantially perpendicular orientation to the vertical support member and parallel to the resting surface; and 
   at least one target removably coupled to the module.   
     
     
         2 . The modular target system of  claim 1 , wherein the single vertical support member and the at least one horizontal member are tubular. 
     
     
         3 . The modular target system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one horizontal support member is removably coupled to the single vertical support member with a tubular T connector, the at least one horizontal support member and the single vertical support member being removably secured within the T connector by a thumb screw and a weld nut. 
     
     
         4 . The modular target system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one target is coupled to the at least one horizontal support member, the at least one target having a tube mount fitting that is sized to rotatably receive the horizontal support member, the target being constrained in the horizontal direction along the horizontal support member by locking collars secured to the at least one horizontal member on either side of the tube mount fitting. 
     
     
         5 . The modular target system of  claim 4 , wherein the coupled at least one target is free to rotate about the at least one horizontal member, and the weight of the at least one target causes the target to rotate away from a shooter, thereby absorbing impact of projectiles and encouraging a downward momentum of any resulting shrapnel. 
     
     
         6 . The modular target system of  claim 3 , wherein the single base further comprises:
 an end cap that is removably coupled to the proximate end of the single vertical support member; and   at least three feet, a proximal end of each of the at least three feet being pivotably coupled to the end cap, the at least three feet configured to be pivoted between, and fixed at, a fully deployed supporting state and a retracted state.   
     
     
         7 . The modular target system of  claim 6 , wherein the single base further includes a sliding guide through which the single vertical support member is disposed, wherein:
 each of the at least three feet are in pivotal communication with the sliding guide so that raising the sliding guide along the single vertical support member causes the feet to pivot into the retracted state and lowering the sliding guide along the single vertical support member causes the feet to pivot into a deployed state, and   the sliding guide includes a thumb screw that is capable of being brought into securing contact with the single vertical support member when tightened into a weld nut to prevent the guide from sliding.   
     
     
         8 . The modular target system of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one target is a zone target. 
     
     
         9 . The modular target system of  claim 8 , wherein the zone target includes a paper target disposed between two paper target horizontal members coupled to the single vertical support member, and a steel target coupled to a horizontal member such that the steel target is disposed behind the paper target to define a target zone. 
     
     
         10 . The modular target system of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one target is a dueling tree target coupled to the single vertical support member. 
     
     
         11 . The modular target system of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one target module includes at least one target coupled to at least one horizontal support member that is coupled to the single vertical support member, and a paper target coupled to the single vertical support member. 
     
     
         12 . The modular target system of  claim 3 , having at least two target modules, the at least two target modules coupled together by a horizontal target configuration, the horizontal target configuration including a horizontal support member and one or more targets coupled thereto. 
     
     
         13 . The modular target system of  claim 3  wherein the single vertical support member and the at least one horizontal support member are made from electrical metallic tubing (EMT). 
     
     
         14 . The modular target system of  claim 3  wherein the single vertical support member is made of two sub-members of equal dimensions removably held together by a tubular connector sleeve having at least two thumb screws for securing each of the sub-members within the connector sleeve. 
     
     
         15 . The modular target system of  claim 14  wherein the sub-members and the at least one horizontal member are of equal dimension. 
     
     
         16 . A modular target shooting system, comprising:
 at least one target module comprising:
 a single vertical support member made from EMT; 
 a single support base removably coupled to a proximal end of the vertical support member, the support base for supporting a distal end of the vertical support member in a substantially vertical orientation with respect to a surface upon which it rests; 
 at least one horizontal support member made from EMT, removably coupled to the vertical support member with a tubular T connector in a substantially perpendicular orientation to the vertical support member and parallel to the resting surface; and 
   at least one steel target rotatably coupled to the at least one horizontal member at a tube mount fitting that is sized to rotatably receive the horizontal support member, the steel target constrained in a horizontal direction by a tubular locking collar secured to either side of the tube mount fitting.   
     
     
         17 . The modular target shooting system of  claim 16 , wherein the single support base further comprises:
 a tubular end cap that is removably coupled to the proximal end of the tubular single vertical support member;   at least three feet, a proximal end of each of the at least three feet being pivotably coupled to the end cap, the at least three feet configured to be pivoted between, and fixed at, a fully deployed supporting state and a retracted state; and   a tubular sliding guide through which the tubular single vertical support member is disposed,   wherein each of the at least three feet are in pivotal communication with the sliding guide so that raising the sliding guide along the single vertical support member causes the feet to pivot into the retracted state and lowering the sliding guide along the single vertical support member causes the feet to pivot into a deployed state, and   wherein the sliding guide includes a thumb screw that is capable of being brought into securing contact with the tubular single vertical support member when tightened within a weld nut to prevent the guide from sliding.   
     
     
         18 . The modular target shooting system of  claim 17 , further comprising at least one zone target, the at least one zone target being a paper target disposed between two paper target tubular horizontal members coupled to the tubular single vertical support member, and a steel target coupled to a horizontal member such that the steel target is disposed behind the paper target to define a target zone. 
     
     
         19 . The modular target system of  claim 18 , having at least two target modules, the at least two target modules coupled together by at least one horizontal target configuration, the at least one horizontal target configuration including a tubular horizontal support member and one or more steel targets coupled thereto. 
     
     
         20 . The modular target system of  claim 19  wherein the tubular single vertical support member of at least one of target modules is coupled to a dueling tree target attachment.