Paper roll range target devices and systems

Abstract

A target assembly for use with firearms which includes an upper housing and a lower housing with a shooting area disposed between. A paper roll of targets is stored on a playout roller in one housing and the paper target can be unrolled, moved through the shooting area, and then rolled onto a takeup roller in the other housing after a particular portion of the paper roll target has been used. A rotation resistor on the playout roller provides counter torque to the paper roll keeping the portion of the roll in the shooting area taught. The target assembly may also include one or more optical devices allowing a user to view the results of a shot without having to leave the shooting position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A target shooting system comprising:
 a frame;   a playout roller rotatably supported by the frame;   a takeup roller rotatably supported by the frame in spaced relation to the target roll;   a motor unit structured to apply a torque to the takeup roller; and   a rotation resistor structured to apply a counter-torque to the playout roller to maintain tautness of a target roll attached to each of the playout roller and the takeup roller.   
     
     
         2 . The target shooting system of  claim 1  wherein the rotation resistor includes a clutch. 
     
     
         3 . The target shooting system of  claim 2  wherein the clutch includes a friction clutch. 
     
     
         4 . The target shooting system of  claim 1  wherein the playout roller is rotatable about an upper axis, and the takeup roller is rotatable about a lower axis oriented parallel to the upper axis. 
     
     
         5 . The target shooting system of  claim 2  further comprising an upper deflector shielding the playout roller and a lower deflector shielding the takeup roller. 
     
     
         6 . The target shooting system of  claim 5  wherein a shooting window is defined vertically between the playout roller and the takeup roller, and further comprising a target roll attached to each of the playout roller and the takeup roller and positioned in the shooting window. 
     
     
         7 . The target shooting system of  claim 6  wherein a fore-to-aft direction is defined orthogonally to the shooting window, and wherein each of the upper deflector and the lower deflector includes an armor surface angled vertically downward and backward relative to fore-to-aft direction. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the target roll includes a plurality of targets thereon arranged successfully between a target roll first end attached to the takeup roller and a target roll second end attached to the playout roller. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the target roll includes a plurality of positioning indicia each associated with one of the plurality of targets. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  further comprising an optical scanning device structured to detect the plurality of positioning indicia, and a motor control unit coupled to the optical scanning device and in control communication with the motor, and wherein the motor control unit is structured to control rotation of the takeup roller via the motor based on detection of the plurality of positioning indicia. 
     
     
         11 . A target shooting system comprising:
 a frame having an upper housing, a lower housing, and a shooting window disposed between the upper housing and lower housing;   the lower housing having a takeup roller and a motor unit structured to apply a torque to the takeup roller; and   the upper housing having a playout roller and a rotation resistor operationally connected to apply a counter-torque to the playout roller;   wherein counter-torque applied to the playout roller maintains tautness of a target roll attached to each of the playout roller and the takeup roller.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the rotation resistor is a frictional clutch. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the rotation resistor is a spiral spring. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the playout roller is rotatable about an upper axis, and the takeup roller is rotatable about a lower axis oriented parallel to the upper axis. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising an upper deflector shielding the playout roller and a lower deflector shielding the takeup roller. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the motor unit further includes a wireless receiver for receiving instructions to activate the motor unit from a wireless device. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising a leveling device capable of indicating if the frame of the shooting system is level and plumb. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the leveling device is connected to a wireless communication device for communicating if the system is level and plumb. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising an optical scanning device structured to generate an image of the target roll disposed within the shooting window and communicating that image to a wireless device. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the optical scanning device is structured to detect positioning indicia printed on the target roll and a motor control unit coupled to the optical scanning device and in control communication with the motor, and wherein the motor control unit is structured to control rotation of the takeup roller via the motor based on detection of the plurality of positioning indicia.