Metal targets. What have you made?

[Flailguy]

Just finished this still have to test it. Might have to work out some kinks.

[Handloader109]

I've a 1 1/2" galvanized pipe repurposed from being a coat rack that I've got my metal targets hanging from. Don't like chains, both break and don't hang perpendicular to me.
Bought a couple of flat hangers at show a while back that work really well. Got a small one of those duelling trees that was supposed to be centerfire rated. Nope, broke a wing in just a couple of outings after shooting with 9mm.
so it is rimfire only......

[gunarea]

Oh my gosh
Search up "Lawnsteel". Some of the fellas I shoot Lawnsteel with, took on the project of making a full set of Targets. Although they had plasma cutter and a wire feed welder, not one of them will ever do it again(that is what they told me).


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Each set has 66 targets. The first set was made of water tank shell. To date I have cut five sets by myself and two with help. All seven sets were cut by me. Some welding help on a set made it possible to do it all in a weekend. One particular set was made to rule minimum and one set was made to rule maximum. A mix has been the best of all.

While explaining the game to a new person one of the guys paid me an unintended compliment of great magnitude. The Lawnsteel player explained that my set of targets were cut with a plasma cutter and mig welded. When I explained that they were cut with a torch and welded with a stick using a Lincoln ac buzz box, Wilbur asked me how I knew that. Cause I did it!!

In fairness, at the time I had a 4g SMAW and a 4g GMAW certification and thousands of hours of experience.

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The shortest targets are a little over a foot tall, the animal targets are full size. While there have been repairs on the two sets at the range now, one set is over twenty years old now. I have gotten a full set of sixty six targets from a single quarter sheet but a lot of the bases were not exactly rule compliant.

Hosting Florida Sunshine State Shooting Competitions meant full sets of rule compliant targets must be employed. When cajoling Sturm Ruger into sponsoring an all Ruger Lawnsteel tournament, Rusty, the facility and our targets got us sponsored. Even though a Super Blackhawk was the dominant handgun used, the target loads are more of a 44 special.

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If your going to shoot steel with rifles, get ready for some major bucks. At 850yds a 50BMG military ap will hole a inch and a half steel plate. This I know!! Without complete control at the shooting facility, decorum will break down. Good skill to you all.
Roy


Shooting cast bullets has extended the target life dramatically.

[Flailguy]

Lawn chair shootin' sounds like a good time to me!

[Flailguy]

If only ha owned a few acres out of town...

[waco]

I just made these at work. 3/8” AR-500 steel
We use them for long range rifle shooting. They work well for pistol work too. They are 10 1/2” in diameter.

[Flailguy]

What velocity and distance are you using the 500 plate without damage?

[jeepyj]

Here is one we call triple nipple. It's for handgun shooting. We generally set it up aroud 50-60 yards out. 3.5" - 6" plates
Your's looks nice. I'm wondering if your going to have to angle it a bit to prevent bounce back of the plates. ( when you hit them they go all the way around and back)
Good luck

[jeepyj]

This one we use for speed shooting to practice for some local competition.

[Flailguy]

Yes, It will lean forward when in use
I think your speed shooting target looks fun

[jeepyj]

This one was the first and probably been shot the most. No less than 10,000 times. Work threw out some pipe hangers I added some scrap pipe and a little welding for years of fun.

[jeepyj]

Yes, It will lean forward when in use
I think your speed shooting target looks fun

I have about 4 different ways to set that one up. It is one of the favorites.

[kens]

the plates under railroad tracks thump pretty good !!!
the ones under the rail an on top of the cross-tie.

[waco]

What velocity and distance are you using the 500 plate without damage?

Full power jacketed .308 at 100 yards won’t hurt them.

[mike69]

Just finished this still have to test it. Might have to work out some kinks.

That looks good I've been wanting to make one of those for a while now.

[Oklahoma Rebel]

ive thought about making one too, they have to lean forward to work right? you could weld the plates at a slight angle so that even though it is leaning forward the plates would be straight, but,like someone said, you might have to worry about ricochets... I think those are more of a problem with slower loads, I have seen a lot of slow moving j'ed bullets, and even lead wadcutters bounce about 10-15 yards back. be carefull!! cover your eyes ( think safety glasses, not blindfolds)

[Flailguy]

I imagined it leaning forward would deflect boolits downward? I always wear safety glasses I don't like the idea of being blind...

[ak_rob]

I have cut the bottoms out of high pressure gas cylinders 9" diameter any were between 1" & 2" thick.
They work great for high power at range not for pistol range.

[jmorris]

[jmorris]