Saw blade target ideas?

[georgerkahn]

Picking up some sharpened mower blades, I noted a 14" circular saw blade rested adjacent to the trash drum at the shop. I instantly (almost ) got the idea of possibly using it, at camp, as kind of a hanging gong/target for my air rifles/pistols?
My thought is to put a nut/bolt through saw blade's centre, with a flex wire from bolt's end -- with another wire over a saw tooth to maintain a slight enough angle from vertical -- hung from a tree branch -- to (hopefully) not make any ricochet's a problem.
The price -- "take it if you want it!" was right... BUT -- do you reckon it will be a suitable airgun target? (I'm thinking 25 yards...) My major "question", I guess, is re hardness of saw blade steel versus that used in gong steel -- re its suitability as a target.
geo

[downzero]

An air gun could be shot at the mildest of mild steel at a few yards and be perfectly safe. Enjoy.

[JimB..]

It’ll be fine for airguns.

To get it to hang at a downward angle just put a 3” bolt through it, tighten it down. Add a second nut, the connector for the wire and then a third nut. The target will then naturally hang at a downward angle.

Its at this point that you’ll be unhappy with how it spins and decide that two wires or chains would be better. Drill and tap two holes, and there you go, steel airgun target.

[Brassmonkey]

I shoot at junk sawblades with 9mm 25 yards, it dents them pretty good, I just wedge them in a pallet.

[358429]

Picking up some sharpened mower blades, I noted a 14" circular saw blade rested adjacent to the trash drum at the shop. I instantly (almost ) got the idea of possibly using it, at camp, as kind of a hanging gong/target for my air rifles/pistols?
My thought is to put a nut/bolt through saw blade's centre, with a flex wire from bolt's end -- with another wire over a saw tooth to maintain a slight enough angle from vertical -- hung from a tree branch -- to (hopefully) not make any ricochet's a problem.
The price -- "take it if you want it!" was right... BUT -- do you reckon it will be a suitable airgun target? (I'm thinking 25 yards...) My major "question", I guess, is re hardness of saw blade steel versus that used in gong steel -- re its suitability as a target.
geo

What kinda guns are you shooting? Unless you have got a quackenbush pre charged pneumatic, I doubt theres a safety issue with mild steel unless the blade teeth snap off violently. That could be fun too!

I like to shoot at the cheap quart sauce pans, they can hang from a string or put the pot on a post or branch. I am using a .22 spring piston rifle and .177 spring pistol, sometimes a slingshot with powdercoated .490 lead ball. My slingshot is significantly more powerfull than my airguns.



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[georgerkahn]

358429 -- Mostly at camp I shoot Benjamin Marauders -- all in .22, my having the bolt rifle, the semi-auto (SAM), and the Marauder pistol. All PCP -- I love shooting them! I have an AA T200 (.177) target rifle and a Sig Nitro, too -- but these are mainly for target work at range. A few years back I got a deal on a NOMAD II compressor which works dandy off my truck battery (no A.C. at camp) -- so I not only have lots of fun at camp shooting -- I do not need to "sweat" running low on air pressure in the air rifles.
A while back I hung a garage sale cast iron frying pan (bubba had painted it -- deco?) -- but attained little when shooting at it. No neat sound, and not even clearly discernible splat spots where hit... Hence, my hopes re the saw blade.
geo
P.S.: I like JimB..'ss bolt suggestion -- probably what I may first try.
g

[358429]

Heres an interesting idea for your metal target.
I did it with tin can lids and an old sauce pot, I'm sure it'll work on any thin metal.
It also works on ar500 steel plates.
Degrease first wipe it with any suitable solvent and a clean rag.
If you spray paint it black, then afterwards spray paint it white, the bullet impacts should chip and splatter in interesting ways.

I think it'll work with any combination of colors, I suppose. I like the cheap white primer paint.

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[358429]

Having the compressor run off of the truck is awesome, bet you run through tins of pellets!

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[JimB..]

358429 -- Mostly at camp I shoot Benjamin Marauders -- all in .22, my having the bolt rifle, the semi-auto (SAM), and the Marauder pistol. All PCP -- I love shooting them! I have an AA T200 (.177) target rifle and a Sig Nitro, too -- but these are mainly for target work at range. A few years back I got a deal on a NOMAD II compressor which works dandy off my truck battery (no A.C. at camp) -- so I not only have lots of fun at camp shooting -- I do not need to "sweat" running low on air pressure in the air rifles.
A while back I hung a garage sale cast iron frying pan (bubba had painted it -- deco?) -- but attained little when shooting at it. No neat sound, and not even clearly discernible splat spots where hit... Hence, my hopes re the saw blade.
geo
P.S.: I like JimB..'ss bolt suggestion -- probably what I may first try.
g

Uhh, don’t try what I first suggested, if you put a bolt through the center hole and connect to it the blade will hang straight down. Challenging to hit the edge of the saw blade, but not what you’re after.

You can drill one hole in the upper qtr and hang from a bolt, but it’ll spin. You really want to drill 2 holes in the upper qtr of the blade and hang from bolts through those.

[georgerkahn]

JimB.. I "know what you meant" . Kind of hard for any of us to convey mental pictures to words -- as in my initial plan, that second wire would be looped/secured about an upper saw tooth and secured to wire from tree to blade centre -- guaranteeing it will not be truly vertical and will (hopefully) deflect pellets hitting it to the ground. Many years ago to aid on one of my sons' science project -- I don't remember what for (???) -- but we wished to drill some holes in a circular saw blade, and it was more than a real challenge. Even making a dam with modeling clay to keep a pool of cutting oil -- the drill bits I had barely made a dimple in it... Hence -- unless blades have been made with softer steel and/or I've acquired better HSS bits... the wire wrapped will have to do...
Thanks. If I make it to camp -- hopefully Saturday -- and play/try the sawblade -- God willing I'll post a picture or two.
geo

[GhostHawk]

I have a 4x4 electrical junction box cover hanging in my catch box/target area for airguns and slingshots.
It hangs on about 4" of mechanics wire through a screw hole.

Even the big Hatsan 135Vortex in .22 does not dent it at 20 feet. Rings it like a bell, but does not beat it up.

Another option for mounting would be a 1/4" 3" long lag bolt and a washer. Run the lag bolt at a slight uphill angle.
Just about anything would work for a spacer from a tree or post.

Before mounting borrow some fingernail polish in different colors from your wife. I'd say 4 or 5 aprox 1" dots would make good targets.

I'm guessing your saw blade would work fine.

[GregLaROCHE]

I would get a metal tang welded to it and then attach it with a couple of chains, that would allow it move when hit. That would take up some of the energy and it would last longer.

[rsterne]

I haven't tried it yet, but the next time I have a 20 lb. Propane tank that is out of date, I am going to cut the round bottom off, level with the bottom of the parallel sides.... I am then going to hang it out at 100 yards with a chain through the handle.... I would think that would make an awesome gong, should ring like a bell when shot with an airgun.... Should be a decent challenge for offhand....

Bob

[dverna]

That saw blade should take a lot of pellet hits so I would not worry about it holding up. But a 14" target at 25 yards might get boring.

[kbstenberg]

Just a thought. For those targets too large. Take a torch and cut a hole or multiple holes. To make it more difficult. An if you really want fancy, weld a swinging plate on the back side for 2 holes to be shot at. Kevin

[georgerkahn]

I am regularly "reminded" of my dysfunctionalities ! To wit, I really enjoy the challenges of attaining the best accuracy/smallest groups possible. (I even tried the shoot-an-aspirin-crazy-glued-to-a-spaghetti-end, stood in a pre-drilled 2" x 4" challenge (til I recognized that aspirin are toooo small / distance tooo great)) NRA targets suffice.
Re the range -- 25 yards for most recreational air-gunning works nicely for me -- I have a bum knee, and generally (99.9% of time) need two canes for me to get/retrieve targets; and, while I shoot powder-powered rifles generally at 75 yards -- the 25 yard range works quite nicely for air. We shoot competitively at 10 meters -- 25 yards is roughly 22.86 meters....
This does not negate any pure fun for me, and guests -- many who have never before fired any firearm, air or powder, to shoot at and *HIT* a target! A decade or so back a colleague (Richard) visited as I was shooting (happerstance) a CO2 rifle; I asked if he -- an ANTI-gun person in spades!!! - would wish to try it. As it was an "air rifle" he acknowledged it was OK for him to give it a try... and to make a long tale short -- he now has a few air rifles -- any one more costly than all of mine put together!
AND even for me -- I only hit the large saw-blade sized target maybe 90% of the time when, say, shooting off-hand from the hip -- e.g., "cowboy style".
FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
geo

[frkelly74]

That saw blade should take a lot of pellet hits so I would not worry about it holding up. But a 14" target at 25 yards might get boring.

You shoot the hole in the middle.

[rsterne]

Target too big?.... move further back....

Bob

[clodhopper]

Saw blade, pretty good idea. I have a nice little 5 1/2" carbide blade I just took off the cordless.

GhotsHawk, I really like your junction box traps. Saw pics the on another thread. I want to prowl garage sales for old electrical boxes, but NO! Need to deal with some of the stuff already here.

[dverna]

Shooting from the hip changes things...LOL. I never considered that type of shooting fun.