Steel Targets.... What size??

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Alright fellas, I am curious as to what size steel targets you use most. I am thinking about starting a group buy in the future for 3/8" AR500 targets, cut by waterjet. Do you guys prefer round targets, square, profiled??

Thanks!

[waco]

I shoot round 10" AR-500 targets I had burned on a laser from work. We mainly shoot at these out to 1000 yards.

They work well at closer ranges with all handgun rounds too. Steel is a very "rewarding" target to shoot at. I love mine!

Waco

[Artful]

I have several shapes and sizes - the 10" round is good and the 8x11 rectangular are nice.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

I was thinking about keeping everything 10" and under so they fit in a MFRB and still have a bit of room for packaging (probably have to line the box with wood).

[Strtspdlx]

I have two half inch thick 12" targets and a 3" target. All of them are round and I like them ALOT. I would like to find some silhouettes and reactive targets if I can ever get my range setup safely.

[243winxb]

8" is what i have. Round, like a bullseye target.

[jeepyj]

I have several different sizes and love them all. If you look under my profile there are several photos of different configurations that we use each week. I used a pipe bender for some different frame shapes and welded some here and some there. Everyone who has ever shot with our crowd wonders why they have hadn't used steel before. Ringing at 45 yards with a 5-6"steel plate using my 66 is my personal favorite. Are you looking for plates for rifle or handgun?
jeepyj

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

I am looking to make and sell them on here. Just wondering what shapes people like to shoot at. My first go around will probably be 3/8"AR 500...which is good for all handgun and most rifle (out at 100 yards plus). If the first run is successful, I may do the next batch at 1/4" AR 500 for pistol targets.

[trixter]

I know this conversation is about steel targets but shy of that the elections are coming up and yard signs make a really good paper Target holders.

[runfiverun]

8 and 6" square at the 300 yd berm.
the falling 25yd pistol targets are 5" and round.
both are easily big enough to hit and hit quickly or miss completely.

[Scharfschuetze]

I have a couple of E and F type silhouette targets as well as round targets of different sizes. They pretty well cover the spectrum of shooting from 25 yards to way out there.

[Bullwolf]

I have a few different sizes.

I have a re purposed Silhouette target that is not made form hardened steel. It's at the end of my 50 yard pistol range on my farm. It's about 20 inches tall, and 18 inches wide. I now use it for pistol caliber stuff only. Rifles, or other more powerful calibers will poke a hole right through it. I had to weld up lots of holes before working that out.

http://www.danwessonforum.com/wp-content/gallery/bullwolf/2015/04/_thumbs/_Porch-Silhouette.JPG


I also have two AR500 swinging plates. (10 inch and a 8 inch I think) on a rack.
One plate is round, the other hexagonal. They handle just about everything.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=157297&d=1451969991

I actually like the white one, and I'd thought that I would hate it. Sometimes I don't like waiting for them to stop swinging though.

My silhouette target is fixed in place. (Mounted through a post in the back) Sometimes I like the stationary target better because I can paste it a bunch of times in a row fast Ding-Ding-Ding with out any movement.

I still need to take a more current picture with the two swinging plates set up. The above pic was taken when I was still mocking up some kind of basic target stand/rack. I use the same fence post rack to hold up targets & other stuff too.


- Bullwolf

[rond]

10" square

[243winxb]

Most popular at Midwayusa- 10" Caldwell Magnum Rifle Gong Round Target AR-550 Steel White

[Scharfschuetze]

Suffer an old story about steel targets with me.

Once while at the Yakama Firing Center in Central Washington, my team discovered several M60A3 tanks waiting to get towed out onto the artillery ranges as targets. Never to look a gift horse in the mouth, we salvaged several 18" round inspection plates from the bottom of the tanks. They are 1/2" or so of armor plate with bolt holes around their edge to hold them to the tank. Those holes allow you to mount them many different ways to different stands. We all ended up with a couple of them and we used them quite a bit for various training events at Fort Lewis.

[fredj338]

I am looking to make and sell them on here. Just wondering what shapes people like to shoot at. My first go around will probably be 3/8"AR 500...which is good for all handgun and most rifle (out at 100 yards plus). If the first run is successful, I may do the next batch at 1/4" AR 500 for pistol targets.
IMO, stick with 3/8" for handgun, they last longer. I like 8": or 10" rounds.

[tygar]

I would like most any, but would like them in 1/2" also.

[MarkP]

I have round targets from 3" up to 16" the 16" x 1/2" targets have a very nice tone that can be heard with plugs or muffs when struck with a 22 LR (handgun) at 165 yds.

[Shuz]

I use IHMSA or NRA field pistol sized 1/2" and 1" thick AR steel targets in the shape of chickens,pigs, coyotes and jackrabbits. The targets all have feet and altho are free standing, would not fit into a SFRB with the feet welded on. The targets are quite challenging to hit with handguns at the placed 40 yards, but they do provide lotsa fun.

[edctexas]

Do not go cheap on thickness or steel grade. The first target I made was a medium grade steel and 3/8 inch. This worked for most pistols including 44 mag. Rifles would shot through it at 100 yds. Especially those with 3Kfps muzzle velocity. I shot at it and wondered why it didn't go down. So I shot again. On looking through the spotting scope, it looked like the target had two eyes!

Ed C

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

I plan on using AR500 plate, 3/8" thick. This should handle standard and magnum pistol up close and rifles at 100 yds (with a few exceptions...338 lapua, 50 BMG, etc).

I can cut any shape of target desired, but would just prefer to have it fit in a flat rate box for ease of shipping. If someone wants a specific shape target cut that is larger, I could most likely accommodate that.

I am still in the preliminary stages of getting prices on steel, waterjet time, etc. But if you have interest in a special shape target feel free to drop me a PM. When I have more information (prices, etc), I will post a new thread.

Thanks!

[BCB]

Various sizes, shapes, steel hardness, interchangeable with chain hangers--mobile to whatever ever range I wish to shoot....

A quick spray of paint and they are ready to shoot at again...

Good-luck...BCB

[country gent]

The local club hung 3 gongs at the 200 yd line this spring. These are swingers and it was a bank of 3 targets 10" 8" and 6".1/2" thick A500 steel. The 8" and 10" get used the most as the 6" is a little "chanllenging" to alot of members at 200 yds. These are water jet cut round with 2 ears and holes a replacement link on the chain or 3/8" bolt is used to hold the gongs to the chain. You want 2 chains hanging them to keep them straight and chains long enough to allow free swing. These targets have seen thousands of hits with little noticable damage. Not sur why but the 8" has a diffrent tone from center hits and edge hits.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

I will most definitely be putting 2 holes in them for hanging. They will most likely have the "ears".

[abunaitoo]

6" and 8" X 3/4" would be great.

[Nose Dive]

Hmmmm...let's see here...my metal plates to shoot at....hmmmm

Well,,,I cut my plates the size of a PEA and set them out at 1000Ms and bang away.
Yup..nail the all the time!

(If you believe that line of baloney...have some saltwater bridges to sell you in Arizona!)

I have a buddy who used to work for "XXX" city in Texas. BIG CITY. He worked for the
'city work's division'... sewers and drains and channels and etc...etc...

He was 'privileged' to grab some City Of XXX sewer covers that were bent and 'scrapped'.

I have about XX of them and set them at 50..100...200 and (yes)..1000Ms at my place
in West Texas. (OK...OK...the last 800Ms are on my neighbors place and he loves to
come over and 'BANG THE GONG") So...what do we shoot at...Measure a sewer cover,
and you will know. DON"T DO IT too close. At 50 AND at 100 we make sure they are
'angled down' to the ground so the don't come back and hit us...or others two miles over.

And...OK..OK...do I hit them at 50...yea sometimes..100...with my VZ24 with scope...
200...(Here's the truth...sometimes)...and out farther than that...my boys BANG THE
GONG all the time with their rifles and scopes and younger eyes, hands, and bodies.

So. my opinion...is get some 4"..6"...8"..10"...(do i need to go on?)...set the out..
and get after it. Don't let anyone say it is TOO BIG or TOO SMALL. (I shoot at peas)

Nose Dive
Cheap, Fast, Good. Kindly pick two.

[tygar]

3/8 is not thick enough for any but light rifle. 1/2" is the only way I go for rifle. Put too many holes in steel to use less.

[snoopy]

Since Scharfschuetze brought it up, I was at the Yakima firing center back in the day. Was working searchlight duty in the M60 A1, common practice then was to follow the searchlight beam to the target and fire. Well, that works 2 ways and when your on the searchlight tank, you definitely want the range officer paying attention TO THE RANGE FAN OF THE FIRING TANK! A 50 cal BMG won't do anything to an M60 but chip the paint and ruin a searchlight, but its a sound I will never forget, and I am ever so thankful it was NOT a main gun target!