Author Topic: Mannequins for Practice...  (Read 2917 times)

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Offline XD9

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Mannequins for Practice...
« on: August 08, 2008, 01:55:10 AM »
Anyone ever been able to get a hold of some mannequins to do some target practice on?  I love going to the range but it kind of gets old shooting pieces of paper and cardboard over and over.  Several of the self defense shows on tv use mannequins.  I checked eBay and a few other places online and those things are EXPENSIVE!!!  Way more than I want to spend on a "target".

Anyone ever been able to get a hold of some from an old retail store or anything?  They'd be great for practice.
I'm an accountant and I carry a gun...'nuff said

Offline rockbilly

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2008, 10:47:37 AM »
Most of the old mannequins are made out of plaster of paris, they don't hold up too well as a target.  Some of the newer ones are made out of styarofoam, they may last through a mag or two, but not much longer.

Offline Div Arty

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #2 on: August 08, 2008, 11:33:19 AM »

Just outline your body on a piece of cardboard, cut it out and dress it in a old pair of pants, shirt, top it with a baseball cap and felt pen a face.  Cheap. 

Offline jhm

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2008, 04:21:48 AM »
I was at a range somewhere cant seem to remember memory has too many miles on it but you were not allowed to use silowete (sp) targets I can amagine the uproar if you came in dragging a manaquine but like the others I dont feel as if they would hold up.   JIM

Offline Mikey

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #4 on: August 11, 2008, 01:36:37 AM »
jhm:  Ha!  I wonder how the folks at that range would feel about my showing up with my life size inflatable Barbies????

I can dress them too if it would make anyone feel better............ Mikey.

Offline jhm

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #5 on: August 11, 2008, 03:28:19 AM »
Mikey I can see your point, but yes they didnt want to hurt anyones feelings I guess, I have over the years had the oppertunity to shoot at many ranges across the country and I remember seeing the sign and asked about it and that was their rule, not on handgun range or on the rifle range couldnt say anything as I was just a visitor didnt go back wherever it was.   I over the years have used everything for targets from clay targets set up on a pond bank to mt shotgun hulls as long as I felt it to be safe I shot it, but ALWAYS cleaned up my mess and usually anybody elses that may be laying around, If I went somewhere that I thought it would be fun to shot at and it was a big mess when I got there I would just leave and NOT contribute to the filth.   JIM

Offline BUSHMASTER1

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Offline Savage

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #7 on: August 12, 2008, 11:35:01 AM »
An appeaser is one who feeds the crocodile hoping it will eat him last,

Offline williamlayton

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #8 on: August 12, 2008, 12:47:00 PM »
I desperately want too hear more about inflatable, life sized Barbies. ;)
Blessings
TEXAS, by GOD

Offline Lone spur

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #9 on: August 12, 2008, 11:47:51 PM »
You can make your own mannequins for practice by using 3 children's Styrofoam pool "noodles" and duct tape.
Take 2 noodles and cut them off at just about the height of your arm pit. Use 6-8" of the scrap piece and position it horizonally at the level of your hips between the two uprights, tape this in place. The third noodle will make up the shoulders and arms. Lay this one centered over the uprights and determine how broad you want the shoulders to be. Where ever you want the shoulder cut a 45 degree notch on the bottom side to allow for a bend. Place the top of the uprights in the new armpits and tape secure. The excess arm can be cut off leaving the mannequin with just upper arms or an elbow can be made by cutting another notch, bending and taping. If you leave full length arms, a hand can be made by simply making a slash near the end of the arm. You can then make a cardboard cut out of whatever weapon you might want your "bad guy" armed with. Use about 4" of your left over scraps to make a neck, split this downward a couple of inches so it can hold a paper plate (head). The noodles have a hollow center that allows each upright to slide perfectly over a piece of 1/2" conduit tubing that has been driven into the ground.
You can give your mannequin a cardboard breastplate so you can see the hits, or just dress them in some old jeans and a T-shirt for some realistic practice. The noodle cost less than $2 at Wally World and can take hundreds if not thousands of rounds. For about $30 I made a small army of mannequins that we could arrange in countless CQC or hostage scenarios. I will say, don't try to simulate a longer range shot by making a reduced size version, it looks like a kid and makes you feel terrible as soon as you see it wearing a shirt. However, Osama holding a cardboard AK is hours of fun.
My friends have always been there for me. They encourage me to make new mistakes instead of the same old ones.

Offline Mikey

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #10 on: August 13, 2008, 12:58:02 AM »
williamlayton - there are 3 or 4 varieties that I can recall.  One is the FBI Barbie  - this is the lon houriuchi  sniper target that gets shot through the nursing baby at her breast as she runs for the house; then there is the Pamela Lee Anderson Barbie, complete with tattoos who loses her swimsuit at the thought of a gun, and finally there is the muslim Barbie who simply explodes on contact...............  sorry, almost forgot about the plain ol inflatable barbie too......

One of the tattoos on the Pamela Lee Anderson barbie is supposed to be a, ummm, treasure map.......or so I've heard.........

Offline XD9

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #11 on: August 13, 2008, 02:00:30 AM »
Hey LoneStar, any chance we could get a couple of pictures of what you're talking about building.  It sounds like a great idea; I may try it.
I'm an accountant and I carry a gun...'nuff said

Offline Savage

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #12 on: August 13, 2008, 02:49:54 AM »
William and Mikey,
Aren't the inflatables just good for one shot only?  :D Wouldn't want to see Mikey's doll collection! :o
Seriously, I don't see how a mannequin would improve my pratice sessions. I think the standard IPSA/IDPA, or a B-27 target works just fine if the setup is challenging. The purpose here is to improve my gunhandling skills and marksmanship. Pratice time is not playtime! Oh well, to each his own.
Savage
I should add that I enjoy playing gun games like Steel Challenge, and IDPA. That's my playtime with guns!!
An appeaser is one who feeds the crocodile hoping it will eat him last,

Offline Lone spur

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #13 on: August 13, 2008, 04:01:22 AM »
Hey LoneStar, any chance we could get a couple of pictures of what you're talking about building.  It sounds like a great idea; I may try it.
I've been searching for a picture all morning but I don't have one on this computer and the last of my mannequins are 200 miles away right now. I'll try to get one up in the next couple of days though.
My friends have always been there for me. They encourage me to make new mistakes instead of the same old ones.

Offline XD9

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #14 on: August 14, 2008, 02:00:18 AM »
Pratice time is not playtime! Oh well, to each his own.

I'm not looking for playtime.  I'm looking for a way to simulate a realistic 3D environment.  I too enjoy shooting paper / steel targets.  However, a real person is not always going to be squared up to you where you have full center mass chest to shoot at.  I've done many different setups with paper targets but you're limited.

I watched some videos from Valhalla and they used the police practice manequins.  Just got me thinking that it would be great if me and a few buddies could come up with something like that to practice with.
I'm an accountant and I carry a gun...'nuff said

Offline Savage

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #15 on: August 14, 2008, 04:02:52 AM »
XD,
Not being critical of your pratice regiment. Guess everyone doesn't have access to the types of targets that I do. (Movers/swingers/disappearing/blading). Cardboard targets can be made much more challenging by setting them up at near "bladed" angles, partially behind hard cover, or horizonally positioned. Targets can be made more lifelike with "T" shirts as well. Works well for me, your mileage may vary. Regardless of target choice, pratice, pratice, pratice!
Savage
An appeaser is one who feeds the crocodile hoping it will eat him last,

Offline XD9

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #16 on: August 14, 2008, 06:16:20 AM »
No harm, no foul...just letting you know they were for serious use.  I do the same thing with turning the targets at an angle but, right now, I have no way of having moving targets.  There's no nice indoor ranges around where I live.  We have a great hunting and fishing club that has a couple thousand acres of ponds, ATV trails, and outdoor shooting ranges.  While it's a great place to shoot, there's nothing set up for moving targets.

I'll have to try the t-shirts thing...haven't done that.  I'm sure I have some old ones somewhere... :)
I'm an accountant and I carry a gun...'nuff said

Offline Merle

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #17 on: September 09, 2008, 03:38:26 PM »
jhm:  Ha!  I wonder how the folks at that range would feel about my showing up with my life size inflatable Barbies????

I can dress them too if it would make anyone feel better............ Mikey.



Yeah, but I'm betting they aren't too durable!!!

 :o :o :o

Offline jsoukup

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #18 on: September 11, 2008, 09:21:01 AM »
Some people only can use blue silhouettes, because there have been complaints that the use of black silhouettes was racist.

You couldn't make stuff like this up.

 

Offline 45-70.gov

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #19 on: September 15, 2008, 09:18:47 AM »
i  read  in  a book  years  ago about stuffing  clothes  with news paper to  make a dummy  to  shoot.  what  they said  to do  is take  some clothes similar to what is  worn by  some one  you  dislike and  use a  lifesize picture for his face put  his name and address in  the back pocket [better yet steal his wallet].   then  you prop  the  dummy  up  in  the  woods   and  when  another  hunter/hiker   walks  by  shoot  the  dummy  down  and  leave........you   think  the  police  will  ask   him  who  might  want to  kill  him.....Lol....i  did not make  this  up  or  ever  do  it  just  read about  it
when drugs are outlawed only out laws will have drugs
DO WHAT EVER IT TAKES TO STOP A DEMOCRAT
OBAMACARE....the biggest tax hike in the  history of mankind
free choice and equality  can't co-exist
AFTER THE LIBYAN COVER-UP... remind any  democrat voters ''they sat and  watched them die''...they  told help to ''stand down''

many statements made here are fiction and are for entertainment purposes only and are in no way to be construed as a description of actual events.
no one is encouraged to do anything dangerous or break any laws.

Offline scottt

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #20 on: September 21, 2008, 01:30:33 PM »
I can see a use for a dummy, especially if you were able to cut out the backside and hang a balloon in the vitals area. Shooting a steel plate or paper target won't teach you how to hit vitals on a target not facing you. It's just like when hunting you don't aim at the same place if the animal is angled away as when it is broadside. I realize adrenaline and fear will be factors as well, but training as realistically as possible can't hurt.

Offline XD9

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #21 on: September 22, 2008, 02:00:05 AM »
I realize adrenaline and fear will be factors as well, but training as realistically as possible can't hurt.

That's where I was coming from.  The more closely you can simulate a real encounter, the more prepared you will be.
I'm an accountant and I carry a gun...'nuff said

Offline Nasty Jack

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #22 on: October 13, 2008, 08:07:34 AM »
Do everyone a favor and don't leave this crap lying around where-ever it is you're shooting. Same goes for stuffed toys, couches, broken glass, appliances, beverage containers . . .

BLM is closing public lands because they become "shooting galleries" -- which means they become "dump sites."

Don't take crap out in the woods and shoot it up. It's bad environmental policy and poor public relations.


Offline Savage

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #23 on: October 13, 2008, 09:26:24 AM »
Jack,
From the tone of most of the posters on this forum, I doubt that anyone here would turn a place to shoot into a dump! It usually happens the other way around. Someone finds a remote area, and it becomes a dump site. Shooters like to utilize the same remote areas to shoot,---------and there are sooooooo many targets of opportunity left at the illegal dump. In some areas shooters organize cleanup efforts to try to prevent the areas being closed. The problem that gets private and public property closed to everyone is illegal dumps, although frequently shooters get the blame. In my area, thousands of acres of paper company land were gated off to prevent this dumping. It is good to remind all responsible persons to report any illegal dumps they might come across, and not to become part of the problem ourselves.
Savage
 
An appeaser is one who feeds the crocodile hoping it will eat him last,

Offline XD9

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Re: Mannequins for Practice...
« Reply #24 on: October 13, 2008, 02:26:51 PM »
Don't take crap out in the woods and shoot it up. It's bad environmental policy and poor public relations.

Not sure where all of this came from but most people on here are not only shooters bud avid sportsmen and hunters.  Meaning, we are the ones that enjoy the outdoors and the wooded lands so much.  We are the ones that like to keep it clean and friendly toward the game that we hunt so as to keep them coming around.

I do all of my shooting at a range unless I'm hunting.
I'm an accountant and I carry a gun...'nuff said