Steel targets

Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
I am looking to replace the cheap spinner target I use for handgun shooting. Mine is pretty bent out of shape, probably from being hit by lever actions it was never intended to handle.

Anyone have recommendations on a good supplier? I would prefer something that hangs. A single 4 inch and 6 inch plate would be plenty.

I want something that can handle rifles with cast too.
 
Ben

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
My shooting buddy and I are looking for the same thing right now.
I'll be watching this one.

Ben
 
Rick

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
For the rifles & big bore handguns nothing softer than T-1. Nothing thinner than 1/2 inch. Nothing closer than 50 yards.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Ah, I'm looking for something for 38/9mm and 45 ACP use at 20 to 25 yards. I want something reasonable for my wife to use. Clays are OK but I tire of needing to keep going down range to put more out.

I can find lots of AR500 gongs online. Prices aren't too bad either. I just need to decide what I want for a stand.
 
waco

waco

Springfield, Oregon
I make mine from 3/8" AR-500 steel. They hold up well to most everything. I only shoot them with high power rifles at distance. No less than 100 yards.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
What sort of hanger system do you use Waco? I'm leaning towards a short length of chain and a bolt. Make the frame out of wood, it is easily replaced and inexpensive.
 
Rick

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Make sure they are swingers, nothing rigid. By swinging much of the energy/momentum is used up. Rigid the target takes it all and greatly reduces the life of the target. Chains are best but a free swinging rod works also.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
I understand the swinger part, it also helps keep fragments close as they are deflected down. A simple wood frame would easily come apart for transport and be cheap if made from a couple of 2x4s.

Rick, any idea where a guy can get silhouette swinger targets for practice use? Nothing worse than running down range every few minutes. It tends to irritate those you share the range with.
 
Rick

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
I would need to look into that, it's been years since I've bought any for the club. Cheap they aren't, neither is shipping.
 
waco

waco

Springfield, Oregon
Brad said:
What sort of hanger system do you use Waco? I'm leaning towards a short length of chain and a bolt. Make the frame out of wood, it is easily replaced and inexpensive.
Click to expand...
That's exactly how I do it.image.jpg
 
waco

waco

Springfield, Oregon
That target in the picture is our 1000 yard target. I have 10" round ones also. Some 4" and 6" would be nice for 25-50 yard handgun stuff.
 
waco

waco

Springfield, Oregon
I had these cut on the laser at work. I was pretty happy with how they turned out.
image.jpg
 
Ian

Ian

Notorious member
Wow! That's nice. Best I get at work is use of the commercial bead blasting cabinet.
 
waco

waco

Springfield, Oregon
The engineer is a gun guy. I load 38's for him on occasion and we talk guns sometimes. He has been a handy guy to know.
 
smokeywolf

smokeywolf

Well-Known Member
Best target I ever had was the rear 12" or so of a JATO bottle painted white and hung nozzle up. Nozzle was a taper that was about 2" at its smallest and 4" at far rear of nozzle. Body of bottle was about 7 or 8 inches. About 5 inches of nozzle vs about 7 inches of bottle dia. Hanging by the nozzle with 1/8" stainless aircraft cable it looked like a bell and made a beautiful bell sound when you were doing your part.
 
Pistolero

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
I bought this kit for a dueling tree. Haven't had a chance to weld it together yet,
bought the angle iron locally for a VERY little money and I got the optional smaller,
lighter rimfire plates. Since they just drop into the pivot tubes, easy to change. Very
nicely cut, can't yet say about how well the steel stands up, but other AR500 plates
have done quite well with rifles like .223 and .308.

http://www.thetargetman.com/product/diy-dueling-tree-ar500-6-target-kit/

You need AR500 for anything very hot. Even .45 ACP cast lead over time will cause a mild
steel plate to dish as it stretches the front surface out longer.

Bill
 
fiver

fiver

Well-Known Member
we are some hick like types here.
one of our 300 rifle targets is just a cut off oxygen bottle.
my old swingers out on the 40 acre place are just some old steel I had.
I hung them from chains and shot them [shrug] 1/2" steel is enough to take cast boolits all day long.
 
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