Remote controlled target

Well I have been lucky enough to be gifted an old powered wheel chair base and I have also had the desire to shoot at things that move, so it is time to get into some 5 minute crafts.

The chair has a controller area network (CAN) for control and i was going to just chuck a wireless bridge in between the joystick and motor controller. Unfortunately this isn’t really as easy as it was in my head so I’ve decided to ditch the CAN system and add a DC motor controller. As the motors are 120amp i have to get the expensive one off course :unamused:

The beauty of these controllers are you can use a normal RC radio system so the wireless part becomes super easy. Any plane controller will do. This should give me around 400m range hopefully.

It will basically be an armored moving deck that gives me the flexibility to mount different target types. I made a rough cardboard mock up before sending off the dimensions to get cut out of AR500. The sides will come down another 50-75mm to about the axle height just to ensure the batteries and motors are covered. Tyres and castors aren’t too bad to replace. The machine itself weighs over 100kg, 130kg as new, and had a capacity of over another 100kg of payload so I don’t think I will be able to over load it.

Once I get the gear together and begin installing it I will add pics.

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Holy geriatrics this is gonna be soo good.

Roll it out with the Texas Star mounted it.

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Was thinking more of a resetting popper target but if we are going for ‘stuff we never hit’ the Texas star will be spot on.

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Look into " running boar" competition. It used to be an Olympic event but changed to “Running target” to sayisfy the whiners.
I actually met an old bloke at a gun show in Amarillo, Texas, that used to coach the U.S Olympic team. Great old fella, he invited my wife and I to visit with him at his ranch where he still had a range set up for it. At his insistence we had a go at it, damned missus beat me.

Got the controller. Bit of a screw around getting the software to recognise the controller but got there in the end. All works testing with the PC but hopefully will get it running on the remote tomorrow. It uses an 8 pin mini molex connector for the rc inputs and it seems none of the usuals stock them. Might be able to knock something up.

Playing around with what to do with the internal brake solenoids in the motors. Might just wire them off the isolator so they are only on when power is cut.

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This is sooooooooo cool!

It would be heaps cooler if i knew anything about Pi or arduino. Could program movement patterns and everthing.

I’m basically making it as dumb as possible.

Do you know much about Python?

Clearly not, never heard of her.

Well, you are using fancy words like Arduino and Pi, so I thought maybe you have some foundations.

Hard not to see those two when searching robotics. Python never came up. Is it similar ?

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It’s a programing language, that has a lot of features to make Raspberry Pi do things.

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Now for some fab work and fine tuning.
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There were some guys in Australia that did build remote targets just as you have in mind. They were so good that the US asked them to go into production and supply them. It was about two years ago now from memory. Think I saw the info on TV. They mounted pretty much full scale torso targets of Ar500 steel.

What you have going looks really good well done.

Yeah i came across at least two Australian companies that make them but i was told they are over 7k each by some guys that have used them. Not sure they would sell to a civvy also. Should get out off this one around 2k i recon.

It’s going to have an ipsc and a running fox as options. Pretty sure I’d get a visit if i ran one of those 3d torso targets that fall down.


Electrical hardware locations sorted. Had to weld a 25mm flat along the to due to the size of the controller. Receiver location will be sorted once i have the top on to work out best reception.


Main supports for the deck. Going to run the pipe as the main target support. Will take star pickets which are everywhere out bush.

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Wiring complete, bar the receiver. Yes i used a crimp spade on the park brake ground, we can’t all be perfect.


I’ve made a plate to protect the main power wires at the bottom of the controller. Just waiting for the paint to dry on it.

Charger port stolen from the old chair harness and fitted up.

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Email shot off for armour pricing. Not sure cardboard will cut it. Ran out of SHS for the frame sides so finishing that tomorrow after i get some more.


Anyone got ideas for a target support ? At the moment just getting a flat top and likely bolt something to it.

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Hi, my name is @Gregfiddich You may remember me from other instructional information videos like “How E.O.D. changed my life” and "Fun with diesel and vegetable garden improvers"or maybe “How I got I.S.I.S. to eat my ass”.
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