AR 500 plate, I lost my ding/ring and ping ?

[gray wolf]

Have not shot at it yet but I have a question.
My 6X8 AR 500 steel plate will ring like a Church bell ( very Loud ) but not anymore.
Now that I have a carriage bolt, three washers ( makes plate hang a little to the rear ) then a link of the chain and a Nylon lock nut in place, all it does is give a thud sound when hit with something.
I am thinking that whatever vibrations needed to ring the plate and cause the harmonics are being absorbed by the attached bolt, washers and chain.

Is this how it is or is ? there a way to bring back the loud ring.

GW

[Pb2au]

The odds are on that the bolt/chain/washer arraignment is dampening the vibrations.
Sometimes, hardened material like that can crack, which also would dampen it. But seeing as this one is new, not the problem.
Try making the connection between the chain and target with some heavy gauge wire or use a shackle.

[petroid]

I'm confused. If you haven't shot at it yet, how do you know It doesn't ring now, or that it did before? Are you banging it with a steel bar or something?

[gray wolf]

Well my answer is going to be very basic but here goes.
Before being hung if I tapped it with a hammer or any piece of metal it rang, now it just has a dull sound.

[dilly]

You may find that it still gives off a decent sound when hit with a high powered rifle bullet anyway. I suggest you give it a shoot and find out.

[huntrick64]

I have some AR500 plates that hang from steel frames with log chain and "S" hooks. They rang like church bells when you hit them with my 540 grain BPCR. My nephew showed up with some sort of military shoulder canon and blew the chains apart. I replaced them with agri-belt material due to its ability to take a hit. The gongs now just make a "thud" and no "ring". I'm going back to chain and "S" hooks and keeping my nephew away from my targets. I am sure the agri-belt was the silencer, but bolting it to the target probably contributed as well. That target flopping without the ring just doesn't do it for me.

[petroid]

try replacing the nylon lock nut with an all-metal lock nut. The nylon bushing may be absorbing the vibration. mine is hung as you describe with standard nut and rings fine

[gray wolf]

That target flopping without the ring just doesn't do it for me.
Me either


try replacing the nylon lock nut with an all-metal lock nut. The nylon bushing may be absorbing the vibration. mine is hung as you describe with standard nut and rings fine
No good, I took it apart and held the plate with one hand and tapped it with a hammer, it has a deafening ring.
Put one bolt through one hole and held the bolt with my hand, No washers, no nuts.
it went right back to the thud sound. I put a piece of shielded # 10 copper wire through the hole and held the wire with my hand, RING---
I am wondering if a rubber washer against the bolt head and another on the other side against the washers will help.

[tomme boy]

I always weld 2 j-hooks on the back so it hangs at an angle. Let it hook onto a loop under the cross bar. Only the smaller ones never rang.

Pissed a guy off at the local range last year with his gong. He shot over a couple hundred 40cal pistol at it over the dayand about the same amount of 556. He came over to see what I was shooting. I had my 45 colt carbine that day. I had it loaded with a 300 gr flat point and 25grs of H110. This is not mild at all. I told him I would like to shoot the gong but I did not want to hurt it. He laughed and said go ahead. I told him OK. I put a 1/2" dent in the plate it it flew about 10 yards off of his stand. He was not happy. This was at 15 yards.

His just hung from one of those J-hooks that they use to hang flower pots from.

[fatelvis]

I would keep fiddling with it until you get it in tune. Preferably a B sharp. Just listen to the beginning of Black Sabbath's song Black Sabbath, and use that as a guide. After it is in tune, practice singing like Ozzy.

[petroid]

I don't tighten the nut all the way on mine. Just enough that it is hand tight. Maybe being too tight is absorbing the vibrations

[captaint]

GW - I would try to make ALL of the contact points metal to metal. Even the coated chain. Nearly anything COULD dampen the delilghtful ping !! I'm with ya. I'd have to hear the ring too..
Mike

[C. Latch]

Mine are hung off bolts and washers, from small chains. They ring, but not church-bell loud.