Home made targets....

stovepipe · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 6:10 am Post subject: Re: Home made targets....

Bushmaster wrote:

I hate to be a critic on such pretty targets (nice and shinny. Too bad you plan to smudge them all up with lead.), but...Shouldn't the hole for the "drag chain" be on the bottom? It would seem to me if you attach a chain there it might upset the target, especially when hit.

Well I guess you'll have to hit them first. Right? Laughing

You, hate to be a critic...rrrrright. Laughing

I put a long heavy drag chain on the small one from the middle hole and it killed the swing in the tests I was doing. It's an option in case the 30cals try and wrap it or knock the whole thing out into the desert. The bigger ones past 200y wont need anything.

Hit them first...you a funny guy...esp since your range is a whopping 40 feet. Shocked

Thanks Elvis!

slimjim · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 7:34 pm Post subject: Re: Home made targets....

stovepipe wrote:

your range is a whopping 40 feet.

one wouldn't want to get the heart going to fast when checking targets. A fast heart beat makes shot placement harder and the reel-to-reel isn't there to provide stress relief.

PaulS · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 7:35 pm Post subject: Re: Home made targets....

Um, 3/8" steel is likely to have holes in it from rifle fire.
I used 5/16" on my pistol gongs and I put holes in them with the 357 Maximum.
The rifle gongs I made were from 1/2" steel and it was badly deformed from hits at 100 yards.

slimjim · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 7:48 pm Post subject: Re: Home made targets....

the type of steel used makes a big difference. what type steel did you use, PaulS?

Bushmaster · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 9:26 pm Post subject: Re: Home made targets....

Didn't I mention the 200 yard range across the road. I could make it longer, but my neighbor won't let me cut his trees down.

Elvis · Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 2:25 am Post subject: Re: Home made targets....

Bushmaster wrote:

Didn't I mention the 200 yard range across the road. I could make it longer, but my neighbor won't let me cut his trees down.

a few stray rounds from the ol 30/30 and they should fall over nicely Very Happy

stovepipe · Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 6:15 am Post subject: Re: Home made targets....

PaulS wrote:

Um, 3/8" steel is likely to have holes in it from rifle fire.
I used 5/16" on my pistol gongs and I put holes in them with the 357 Maximum.
The rifle gongs I made were from 1/2" steel and it was badly deformed from hits at 100 yards.

Agreed- if you use mild steel.

I did a lot of reading on this as I was tired of dragging home junk to replace it all again...My plates are 3/8" AR500. Good luck putting a hole in that with hunting or target loads. I've seen these shot with 50BMG ball and it destroys the target stand but the little plate is only bent. No hole. Guy flattened it out with a hammer and kept shooing with .30 cals. Still no holes. The brinell is 475-500. Pretty hard stuff.

PaulS · Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 7:18 pm Post subject: Re: Home made targets....

Well I was using A-514 (T1) steel for my targets not mild steel but it is a higher carbon alloy than your AR500.
I put three 180 grain flat nose Speer .358 diameter bullets through it at a muzzle velocity of only 1800 + a bit. The gong didn't even swing - I thought I had missed - three times. But when we walked the 40 yards to the target there were three holes in a tigh cloverleaf pattern dead center. That was the last time I used my 357 Maximum on the pistol targets.

Elvis · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 1:16 am Post subject: Re: Home made targets....

time will tell Very Happy

. I had some mild steel discs that I hung on a wire to ping with the .22 and that bent the thinner one nicely 3-4mm if I remember rightly. the smaller disk didnt dent as I guess it moved more and let the energy go??
we look forward to seeing the longevity of your creation Mr Stovie Very Happy

I for one have faith in ya Very Happy

Aloysius · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 1:55 am Post subject: Re: Home made targets....

better not squeesh to hard now for Stovey is not in the best position: when he ruins the target real quick, it could also mean he's tough enough to use a serious caliber rifle and is able to hit it. That approach is totally different from saying he has been using "zjakamakka-steel"...
On the other hand when these targets last long time, it can mean it's good steel, or he's using an airrifle or he's using a decent rifle but no hits...
Shouldn't we write a testprocedure?

And Elvis is also right: when it stands still as a rock, it means it has to adsorb all the energy. When it swings and transfers part of the energy in kinetic energy... isn't that the difference between football and martial arts? I've never seen tiny Chineses play football...

but I have to admit that when Stovey makes something, be it a new livingroom, a reloadingbench, a shotshelldeflector or a target, the finish is always that nice that I would hesitate to use it. As always it's going to hurt the first time, I think...

stovepipe · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 8:51 am Post subject: Re: Home made targets....

Paul- through hardened 3/8" AR500 steel @ 100y is not going to get holed or even cratered with the 300WM with hunting/target loads under 3100fps. My 200gr SMK is flying @ around 2700 on a good day. Google these targets you'll see, it's impressive. @ 200y+ the bullet poofs and the gong has a smudge. This and the 550 steel is used in all sorts of amoring-up. AR500 pistol stuff mandates 50y min and 1500 fps max if I'm correct so it's no wonder you were blowing though- 357 Max aint no slouch!

Elvis and Aloy- thanks for the nice words!

Quote::

On the other hand when these targets last long time, it can mean it's good steel, or he's using an airrifle or he's using a decent rifle but no hits...

And Mr. Alloyman Razz

? With the 308 Howa and the 300WM I can call everything to minute of grapefruit with 100% certainty to 300y, 60% certainty @ 400y with a 10mph full value wind. Those are my limits- not too impressive but, I'm honest about it. After that I need a spotter to call the splash when I miss etc. as I don't shoot much anymore.

And as said nothing is for sure until tested so...we shall see soon with fingers crossed.

Aloysius · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 9:34 am Post subject: Re: Home made targets....

Always good to know your limits, for me normally that's about 200-250 m. Further means on the shooting range very long walks and at hunting gessing about the quality of the roedeer.
But maybe soon I also will try at a longer distance. I got myself a nice Sabatti in .222 Rem a few weeks ago and I topped it with 10-40x optics and from what it showed on the range till now, those long-distance-crows are coming in reach...

but when side winds begin to help the targets, I don't talk about 50-60%, unless I'm allowed to shoot twice. We simply don't get enough chances on long distance here in our country and without practical experiences one stays a poor shot. Practise makes the master perfect.

stovepipe · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 9:52 am Post subject: Re: Home made targets....

I agree. Shooting is a perishable skill. And I'm honest about my abilities. I know some that aint. There seems to be a fudge factor of around 100-150y with some. I look at it this way- if I can connect with a 6" round target @300y 5/5 times with a light breeze, but start missing after that...I go back to the nearest 100y mark. Start over. It comes down to dope and hold for me. My hold aint that great. My dope after 400y is sketchy at best. Out to 300y I own it all. Not long range but that's as far as I can call myself w/o help. I can hit 12x24" plates @ 600y with a spotter to check splash and call but it takes a shot or two to dope it. I've shot with guys that have the dope and a good hold and can whack 10" gongs at that range like it's nothing.

MacD · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 10:16 am Post subject: Re: Home made targets....

I enjoyed this post as making some gongs is one of my future projects.

Our local range max is 200 meters. I have been looking around for a good 400 meter flat piece of open land with a good butt to start getting used to the long range shooting. Many years ago when I was a militia member we used to do a run up from 1000 yards shooting 10 rounds at each 200 yard interval. Target were typical actual size military figure. Rifles were FNC1 7.62 NATO. Any hit beyond 400, for me, was lucky with the aperture sights.

stovepipe · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 10:32 am Post subject: Re: Home made targets....

Oh God yes... I need glass for everything. I have a Merrit device for open sights but- it's blurry even with that so 200y is really pushing it there.