Backyard Blasting With Challenge Targets: Amuse Yourself, Scare Criminals
Last updated: October 16, 2026 · Originally published March 25, 2020
Dr. Strangelove: The whole point of the doomsday machine is lost… if you keep it a secret! Why didn’t you tell the world, eh?!
Ah, deterrence: We here at Guns & Gadgets Daily have done some debating on the question of whether or not it makes tactical sense to announce the fact that you’re a gun owner to the world. On the one hand, why give up that knowledge–surprise is a tactical advantage of its own, after all. On the other hand, as Dr. Strangelove shouted in his ersatz German accent, the point of a deterrent is to let people know what they’re dealing with if they try to attack. On the other hand (how many hands are we up to now?), sometimes you just want to go out in your backyard with your .22s and ring steel like you’re the star of the Anvil Chorus. It’s a great way to stave off boredom if you’re under quarantine…and the pew-pew-pew resonating from your Back 40 might just remind some of those criminals who have just been released from jail en masse that the homeowner is present, armed, and one heck of a shot.
That’s where the Challenge Targets Propeller Texas Star shines! This incredibly challenging moving target boasts three independently rotating axes, so it’s nearly impossible to predict the path of these targets. When shot, the plates are released from the retention pocket and fall to the ground. The change in weight distribution causes the crossbar and plates to rotate. The precision machined shaft and pillow bearings maximize the speed and change of direction with each successful shot on the plates.
What’s awesome about this brand-new target, which was just released in 2020, is that it’s rated for pretty much whatever firearm you’d like to use. Handguns, rifles, and shotguns are all in play as long as you don’t exceed 3,000 feet per second at the target. (So pretty much everything except .50 BMG, in which case you’d need to move the target back far enough so that the projectile isn’t exceeding 3k FPS when it impacts.) Your minimum shooting distance will be 10 yards for handguns, and 100 yards for rifles–as long as you adhere to that, these AR500 steel components will last you a lifetime.
This robust design, rated for high-volume commercial use, stands 6 feet 8 inches tall at the highest point, and includes six 8-inch-diameter steel plates that are 3/8 of an inch thick. A heavy-gauge cover protects the pillow bearing from falling plates, and the precision machined shafts are zinc-plated for weather resistance. A spring retention system makes resetting the target quick and easy.
At an MSRP of $985, the Challenge Targets Propeller Texas Star is a bit of an investment–albeit one that will pay off with years if not decades of heavy use. They’re in stock and shipping now–all the better for your cabin fever–or if you don’t mind waiting until Tuesday, March 31, you might just win one!
Right now, through midnight on Tuesday the 31st, we’re running our 20th Century Foxes $3K Gun & Gear Giveaway, which also stars an Auto-Ordnance “Victory Girls” 1911, ammo to feed it, and more! Entering is free and easy, just click here!
A real gun safe took it: 58% of you who voted, with 25% using a locked cabinet or box.
Reader Favorites
Firearms reference desk
Plain-English references worth bookmarking — the gear terms behind every review, plus NFA and carry law.
| Term | Category |
|---|---|
| Striker-fired | Action |
| MOA | Optics |
| Twist rate | Ballistics |
30 gun, ammo and optics terms explained in plain English.
Open the glossary → Network| 2026 at a glance | |
|---|---|
| NFA tax stamp | $0 |
| Permitless carry | 29 states |
| Suppressors legal | 42 states |
50+ NFA, carry and gun-law terms, from Freedom's Lodge.
View full chart →
