New from Action Target is the PT Scout, an innovative steel target system. If you were at the USPSA “9 Days of Nationals” last year and visited the demo bay for CZ-USA and STI International, then you may have seen it in action.
The PT Scout is designed with a forward-leaning 2x4; the smooth target plates sit on top in a bracket parallel to the wood. This means that bullets striking the plate are directed towards the ground and safely away from shooters.
“When developing the PT Scout with Tom Yost and World Champion Speed Shooter Max Michel, we set three objectives; that it would ring louder, be more portable, and [safer] for shooters to use than any other steel targets that are offered today. We met each objective,” says Chris Hess, the product marketing manager for Action Target.
Not only is this design safer, it is a tool-free target system that maximizes portability. The system is quick to set up, can quickly collapse and locks together for easy storage and transport. Because it can break down into such a small profile and weighs less than a gallon of paint it allows for maximum portability for every shooter.
The aforementioned Max Michel, captain of Team SIG explains, “As a pro shooter, I get to shoot a lot but don’t have the ability to store all my gear at the range. Therefore, I’m looking for something mobile and easy to set up. It’s extremely lightweight and easy to store in the back of the car. Once it’s ready to go, it’s the loudest ringing steel target I’ve shot yet. Not to mention the flat-faced plate and angled design base makes it the safest target in the industry.”
The PT Scout kit comes ready to go to the range, just add a 2x4. The tool-free design comes with a target stand assembly, left and right foot, a base and top cap with wing bolts and locking pins. The design is modular; you align the pieces together and slide the wing bolts into place and use the locking pins. Insert the 2x4, place the top cap on the wood—and with the kit you receive the 12-inch, ⅜-inch thick AR500 steel with attached spring steel bracket and hardware that you place on the top cap. You are now shooting steel. The carrying handle on the lower bracket makes it easy to pick up the unit and move around the range. The rugged AR500 steel is recommended for calibers up to .45 ACP, and there are rifle-rated target heads available.
The steel is engineered to ring loud so you have positive feedback on good hits and there are interchangeable target plates. The adjustable top cap allows you to reposition the target at any level on your 2x4. The base and feet are made from rugged 7-gauge mild steel. All the hardware comes attached; however if any should come loose, the PT Scout has a built-in ¾-inch wrench on each foot to crank those nuts tight. All the parts are painted to resist corrosion. Because all the parts are modular, if a piece happens to get damaged or lost, it is simple and affordable to replace compared to welded base designs.
When collapsed down, the entire target stand is able to be picked up and stored away very easily. The unit can be carried with the handle and tucked away in your vehicle when you are ready to head home from the range. In carry mode, the PT Scout is only 31 inches long and 3 inches wide and weighs 10½ pounds. The angle on the 2x4 aids in keeping spall and splatter from cutting up the wood. This keeps the 2x4 reusable, and keeps your hands and upholstery safe from cuts and unsightly scratches.
During the Coda and Ruger 22-45 test, we were using the PT Scout with the 12-inch plates. The stands were very easy to put together and get set up. We shot a few different stages, and it was great to be able to grab the handle on the Scout and move them around the range to set up in different locations. Even inside, with the echo you get at an indoor range the steel rang very well.
Being able to practice on steel gives you an immediate response when shooting—saving time in having to go downrange and paste targets as well. Action Target offers 10 different target plate designs in both AR500 and AR550 for rifles. The spring steel bracket system makes changing the target plates fast and helps in making the steel ring loud. Available in all the Steel Challenge plate sizes, you could get enough to set up a stage. Also available are reduced-size USPSA targets all the way up to a full-size, including IPSC targets.
The PT Scout is available now at www.shop.actiontarget.com. A complete kit with 12-inch plate has reasonable pricing: $290.99. Action Target has package pricing for clubs and teams who compete in Steel Challenge, USPSA and other shooting sports programs.
Article from the March/April 2019 issue of USPSA’s FrontSight magazine.
The PT Scout is designed with a forward-leaning 2x4; the smooth target plates sit on top in a bracket parallel to the wood. This means that bullets striking the plate are directed towards the ground and safely away from shooters.
“When developing the PT Scout with Tom Yost and World Champion Speed Shooter Max Michel, we set three objectives; that it would ring louder, be more portable, and [safer] for shooters to use than any other steel targets that are offered today. We met each objective,” says Chris Hess, the product marketing manager for Action Target.
Not only is this design safer, it is a tool-free target system that maximizes portability. The system is quick to set up, can quickly collapse and locks together for easy storage and transport. Because it can break down into such a small profile and weighs less than a gallon of paint it allows for maximum portability for every shooter.
The aforementioned Max Michel, captain of Team SIG explains, “As a pro shooter, I get to shoot a lot but don’t have the ability to store all my gear at the range. Therefore, I’m looking for something mobile and easy to set up. It’s extremely lightweight and easy to store in the back of the car. Once it’s ready to go, it’s the loudest ringing steel target I’ve shot yet. Not to mention the flat-faced plate and angled design base makes it the safest target in the industry.”
The PT Scout kit comes ready to go to the range, just add a 2x4. The tool-free design comes with a target stand assembly, left and right foot, a base and top cap with wing bolts and locking pins. The design is modular; you align the pieces together and slide the wing bolts into place and use the locking pins. Insert the 2x4, place the top cap on the wood—and with the kit you receive the 12-inch, ⅜-inch thick AR500 steel with attached spring steel bracket and hardware that you place on the top cap. You are now shooting steel. The carrying handle on the lower bracket makes it easy to pick up the unit and move around the range. The rugged AR500 steel is recommended for calibers up to .45 ACP, and there are rifle-rated target heads available.
The steel is engineered to ring loud so you have positive feedback on good hits and there are interchangeable target plates. The adjustable top cap allows you to reposition the target at any level on your 2x4. The base and feet are made from rugged 7-gauge mild steel. All the hardware comes attached; however if any should come loose, the PT Scout has a built-in ¾-inch wrench on each foot to crank those nuts tight. All the parts are painted to resist corrosion. Because all the parts are modular, if a piece happens to get damaged or lost, it is simple and affordable to replace compared to welded base designs.
When collapsed down, the entire target stand is able to be picked up and stored away very easily. The unit can be carried with the handle and tucked away in your vehicle when you are ready to head home from the range. In carry mode, the PT Scout is only 31 inches long and 3 inches wide and weighs 10½ pounds. The angle on the 2x4 aids in keeping spall and splatter from cutting up the wood. This keeps the 2x4 reusable, and keeps your hands and upholstery safe from cuts and unsightly scratches.
During the Coda and Ruger 22-45 test, we were using the PT Scout with the 12-inch plates. The stands were very easy to put together and get set up. We shot a few different stages, and it was great to be able to grab the handle on the Scout and move them around the range to set up in different locations. Even inside, with the echo you get at an indoor range the steel rang very well.
Being able to practice on steel gives you an immediate response when shooting—saving time in having to go downrange and paste targets as well. Action Target offers 10 different target plate designs in both AR500 and AR550 for rifles. The spring steel bracket system makes changing the target plates fast and helps in making the steel ring loud. Available in all the Steel Challenge plate sizes, you could get enough to set up a stage. Also available are reduced-size USPSA targets all the way up to a full-size, including IPSC targets.
The PT Scout is available now at www.shop.actiontarget.com. A complete kit with 12-inch plate has reasonable pricing: $290.99. Action Target has package pricing for clubs and teams who compete in Steel Challenge, USPSA and other shooting sports programs.
Article from the March/April 2019 issue of USPSA’s FrontSight magazine.
