Reactive target system, method and kit including reactive target for simulated ammunition

Abstract

A reactive target system, method and kit are provided. The reactive target system includes a substrate, a volumetrically variable retainer attached to the substrate, and a housing to receive the retainer. The retainer may be a balloon inflatable from an unfilled or partially filled, undeployed state to a filled, deployed state. In the deployed state, the retainer exerts a retention force on the housing sufficient to hold a weight of the substrate and the retainer within the housing. Also, a reactive target system for simulated ammunition includes a linchpin including a suspender and an aperture, a strike plate with a suspension portion, and a frame attached to a target. Upon a projectile striking the strike plate, the suspension portion of the strike plate disengages from the linchpin, and the target drops away from the linchpin. Related systems, kits, methods, apparatuses, techniques and articles are also described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A reactive target system for practice shooting a projectile towards a target or a target substrate, the reactive target system configured to drop from a support, the reactive target system comprising:
 a linchpin, the linchpin including a suspender for suspending the linchpin from the support, and the linchpin including an aperture provided a spaced distance apart from the suspender, the aperture configured for receiving a suspension portion of a strike plate;   the strike plate configured to slide relative to a frame in response to the projectile striking the strike plate;   the frame configured for attachment to the target or the target substrate; and   the frame having a receptor for receiving the linchpin with the suspension portion provided within the aperture of the linchpin,   wherein, upon the projectile striking the strike plate, the suspension portion of the strike plate disengages from the linchpin, and the target or the target substrate drops away from the linchpin.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the frame includes an inward facing edge configured to accommodate an outward facing edge of the strike plate. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the frame includes a support structure. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the support structure includes a plurality of ribs or struts. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the frame includes a receptor for receiving a shaft of the strike plate. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the shaft includes one or more ridges, wherein the receptor includes an interior bore, wherein the interior bore includes one or more slots for receiving the one or more ridges. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the receptor of the frame includes a back wall, a first sidewall and a second sidewall, and wherein the back wall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall form an enclosed space of the receptor, the enclosed space configured to receive the linchpin with the suspension portion provided within the aperture of the linchpin. 
     
     
         8 . A method of target practice using a reactive target system comprising:
 inserting one or more fasteners into a target and a support frame of the reactive target system;   securing a linchpin to a fixed point;   inserting the linchpin into a receptor of the support frame and a suspension rod of a strike plate through the linchpin into the receptor; and   shooting the target with a projectile until the projectile hits the strike plate thus disengaging the system from the linchpin.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  comprising retrieving the dropped system; and repeating the inserting the linchpin into the receptor of the support frame and the suspension rod of the strike plate through the linchpin into the receptor; and the shooting the target with the projectile until the projectile hits the strike plate thus disengaging the system from the linchpin. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 ,
 wherein the linchpin includes a suspender for suspending the linchpin from the fixed point, and the linchpin includes an aperture provided a spaced distance apart from the suspender, the aperture configured for receiving the suspension rod of the strike plate,   wherein the strike plate is configured to slide relative to the support frame in response to the projectile striking the strike plate,   wherein the receptor is configured for receiving the linchpin with the suspension portion provided within the aperture of the linchpin, and   wherein, upon the projectile striking the strike plate, the suspension portion of the strike plate disengages from the linchpin, and the target drops away from the linchpin.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the support frame includes an inward facing edge configured to accommodate an outward facing edge of the strike plate. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the support frame includes a support structure. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the support structure includes a plurality of ribs or struts. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the receptor is configured for receiving a shaft of the strike plate. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the shaft includes one or more ridges, wherein the receptor includes an interior bore, and wherein the interior bore includes one or more slots for receiving the one or more ridges. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the receptor of the frame includes a back wall, a first sidewall and a second sidewall, and wherein the back wall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall form an enclosed space of the receptor, the enclosed space configured to receive the linchpin with the suspension portion provided within the aperture of the linchpin.