The Last Stand Steel Target System Review
Recently, I was forced to face the facts: my homemade steel target hangers simply weren’t getting the job done. After years of use and numerous revisions, the PVC and steel stands had proven themselves too unstable, too difficult to transport, and too damage prone for continued use. I needed to find something more legitimate and better thought out.
While cruising the sites of a number of smaller purveyors of steel targets, I came across a hanger system that caught my eye. Dubbed The Last Stand and sold by a company with the same name, these steel hangers incorporate common rebar and self-healing plastics to form a durable, easy-to-transport target system. With little to lose, I grabbed a set of their elbow joints and two of their plate hangers for a total of $60.
Assembly
The parts arrived remarkably quickly considering they had to travel from Idaho to Ohio. In fact, they caught me a bit off guard as I had not yet purchased the #4 (1/2”) rebar and carriage bolts/nuts that are necessary to assemble the system. Shortly after arrival, I scurried to the hardware store to gather these remaining parts.
With rebar in hand and ready to install into one of the elbows, you’ll quickly notice a smart design feature that isn’t so obvious when looking at the pieces online. While there are angled channels for the rebar to slip into to create the triangular legs of the stand, the bottom of each joint is open. This allows the rebar legs to fold inward and sit parallel with one another, saving space for transportation.
Sliding the rebar into the elbow isn’t difficult, but pressing it into the angled channel can be, especially when the set is brand new. My recommendation is to install the rebar legs in their folded/parallel arrangement, and then use a rubber mallet to knock them into the channels when you’re ready to deploy the stand.
With the legs ready to go, it’s time to prepare the crossbar. To prevent rotation and movement, the plate hangers require two rebar posts be stacked and slipped through the hanger’s rubbery loops. Because the material is flexible, it can be difficult to slide two posts through the loops, especially if your rebar is not perfectly straight. Based on my experience, I would strongly advise users to install the hangers onto the crossbar(s) before attaching a steel target. Once the hangers are on the rebar posts, simply slide the ends of our new crossbar into the elongated holes on each elbow. This completes assembly of the stand.
Next, we need to add a steel target of some sort. If you purchase the full $115 system from The Last Stand, you’ll receive a 3/8” AR500 plate. I already had my own steel targets; so I simply purchased the stand components. Using 1/2” zinc carriage bolts and nuts, I fastened my steel to the hangers and got ready to put rounds downrange.
Durability & Stability
The most glaring issue with my previous target stands was that they simply weren’t very durable. PVC was prone to breakage after being sprayed with bullet fragments and the threaded steel pipe often came unscrewed during use. Watching my targets fall down from 100 to 300 yards away was obviously very frustrating.
The Last Stand addresses my problems. Whereas the vibration from repeated hits would work the PVC loose on my old stands, The Last Stand is designed to flex without falling apart. Needless to say, it is nice to be able to pound the steel with .308 from 100 yards without the whole unit collapsing like a castle of cards on a windy day.
Aside from the stability of the system, I was also curious to see how well the hangers held up to bullet impacts. They’re advertised as “self-healing”, so the only way to test the claim was to intentionally shoot the hangers. After putting a few rounds of 9mm through the rubbery parts, I am thoroughly impressed. Sure, you can see that they’ve been punctured, but the fact that 9mm in diameter bullets left only tiny pinholes is pretty impressive. I expected that I would have to replace hangers rather frequently, but that does not seem to be the case.
The Verdict
To be completely honest, I expected I would like The Last Stand system. Even just checking it out online, I could tell that it was smartly designed and well thought out. Still, I could not be sure that the assembled stand would be stable enough to meet my requirements. After an intense range session with the system, I can absolutely say that it exceeds my expectations. It stood tall against an onslaught of full-power rifle cartridges from relatively close range and the self-healing properties of the hangers truly work very well. Moreover, the assembled system can be partially taken down into three pieces for easy transport and deployment. Without question, The Last Stand is a substantial upgrade over my previous, homespun efforts.
As a final note, The Last Stand sells the system complete (sans rebar) with steel target for $115, but the best value is to simply purchase the elbows and one or two hangers. My set (elbows plus two hangers) came out to $60 plus shipping and the only thing it really lacks from the full set is the steel plate. With all the companies that offer AR500 plates these days, I don’t think the official plate is worth $55.
Update: Since I first reviewed the Last Stand the prices have changed. The full kit is now $99 and the “10 plate is now $35. That brings the price down to a point that this is a good deal.Â
An information security professional by day and gun blogger by night, Nathan started his firearms journey at 16 years old as a collector of C&R rifles. These days, you’re likely to find him shooting something a bit more modern – and usually equipped with a suppressor – but his passion for firearms with military heritage has never waned. Over the last five years, Nathan has written about a variety of firearms topics, including Second Amendment politics and gun and gear reviews. When he isn’t shooting or writing, Nathan nerds out over computers, 3D printing, and Star Wars.