[PrimePorkchop]

My friend and I have saved up our extra money and we're looking to get some AR500 3/8" steel plates to make some targets at our range.

We're wanting to do something fun with these, we have access to a welder, along with big wooden beams (his family tore down an old barn and we can have whatever lumber out of there we want...these things are like 10x10

We can do the construction and assembly ourselves, but we're coming up short on finding design plans or ideas for some cool targets to build.

Anybody have any favorites?

Follow up question - im getting mixed answers to this question: If you shoot this, say, with a .223 from 30-100 yards, can it actually ricochet and come back at you?

 

[mountainman13]

You shouldn't shoot them any closer than 100 yards and make sure they are angled downward a bit.
If your asking for ideas as to the shape of the plates maybe bowling pin shapped ?

 

[PrimePorkchop]

You shouldn't shoot them any closer than 100 yards and make sure they are angled downward a bit.
If your asking for ideas as to the shape of the plates maybe bowling pin shapped ?

By ideas I meant in building stands... Dueling poles, spinning stuff... Basically think of a poor mans version of "top shot"

 

[mountainman13]

Ah got ya. Cool
Hope you get some good ideas. I really don't have any. Lol

 

[jjfuller1]

we put screws and nails in some plywood to hold clay pigeons with. also maybe make a step design that you could have different targets on?? if you just want to use steel i say just go with a simple U shape to hang them from.

 

[canebrake]

Cooperism

"For people who are concerned about lead spray from steel targets, we point out that spray is distributed in a circular pattern perpendicular to the angle of impact. It goes up, down and sideways regardless of the aspect of the target. (You can test this with cardboard shrouding if you wish.) Thus, nothing much is accomplished by slanting the target at minor angles. Eventually, of course, you will achieve ricochets, but target display will suffer." - Jeff Cooper 2003

Here's a good read on the subject;

Steel Challenge

 

[PrimePorkchop]

Cooperism

"For people who are concerned about lead spray from steel targets, we point out that spray is distributed in a circular pattern perpendicular to the angle of impact. It goes up, down and sideways regardless of the aspect of the target. (You can test this with cardboard shrouding if you wish.) Thus, nothing much is accomplished by slanting the target at minor angles. Eventually, of course, you will achieve ricochets, but target display will suffer." - Jeff Cooper 2003

Here's a good read on the subject;

Steel Challenge

Thank you, Canebrake, as usual, you are a gold mine of information!

 

[beaglesam]

Cooperism

"For people who are concerned about lead spray from steel targets, we point out that spray is distributed in a circular pattern perpendicular to the angle of impact. It goes up, down and sideways regardless of the aspect of the target. (You can test this with cardboard shrouding if you wish.) Thus, nothing much is accomplished by slanting the target at minor angles. Eventually, of course, you will achieve ricochets, but target display will suffer." - Jeff Cooper 2003

Here's a good read on the subject;

Steel Challenge

Great read, thank you.

 

[ScottA]

I'd watch some Top Shot reruns and see what ideas that gives you.

 

[PrimePorkchop]

I'd watch some Top Shot reruns and see what ideas that gives you.

I went back and watched all of Season 1 and 2...my problem is I need plans to follow...I can look at something and get a general idea of how they set something up, but my guesswork usually results in ... guessing ... and im no carpenter...but I can read instructions real well

We'll probably end up doing some basic stuff... i was hoping for some reactive targets, but I can't find any place for some concept designs that don't charge your out the hind end...I realize people gotta eat and thats fine, so I guess we'll just get some chain and some steel and see what we come up with =)

But that article from Canebrake is great...gave me a lot of info I wasn't aware of.

 

[utf59]

You might get some more ideas here.

 

[PrimePorkchop]

You might get some more ideas here.

Oooooo! This is REALLY good!

Thank you!

 

[Longrange]

I have 6" square plates, 1/2" and 3/4" thick. I drilled a hole at the top and hung them on shephard hooks. My wife and I use them for pistol training @ 35 feet and @ 100 yards just plinking with the rifle.

I would not weld them, static steel plates, when hit with a large enough caliber tend to snap the welds. Depending on the caliber used, you might not need that ballistic steel. I had a local shop cut 4 plates for $20.

 

[Ranger-6]

I went to Quality Farm and Home and picked up some sweep, tines, 7FC. They have the angle a shooter would want and make great targets. I have been shooting them with a 45 carbine at 50 yards with wonderful success.

The tines appear indestructible with the .40 and .45 FMJ. I took lawnmower handles, added chain, hose clamps, S-hooks, and attached the tines to the chain. Total cost: $15.00

 

[ineverFTF]

My friend and I have saved up our extra money and we're looking to get some AR500 3/8" steel plates to make some targets at our range.

We're wanting to do something fun with these, we have access to a welder, along with big wooden beams (his family tore down an old barn and we can have whatever lumber out of there we want...these things are like 10x10

We can do the construction and assembly ourselves, but we're coming up short on finding design plans or ideas for some cool targets to build.

Anybody have any favorites?

Follow up question - im getting mixed answers to this question: If you shoot this, say, with a .223 from 30-100 yards, can it actually ricochet and come back at you?

Build the shape of a man and put steel squares in all of his vitals and "sensitive" areas. And then tape tanerite to it!

 

[Flat Tire]

I have hung AR500 from firehose on a rebar frame. When you hit the AR500 plate you get great movement. The firehose lasts forever.

 

[beaglesam]

Best target that I have used is a paper plate with a dot in the middle.

 

[PrimePorkchop]

Best target that I have used is a paper plate with a dot in the middle.

I was using those actually, oh and yard signs from election years....problem is, I have to walk my *** up there every so often and replace them. I want to stay down range and shoot all day =)

but my targets arrived today. 8 four-inch AR500 steel circles and 4 six-inch of the same...going to try my hand at making a dueling stand...or some kind of flip target system that resets its self automatically...now I just have to find time off work to spend working on it =)

 

[Coyotenator]

I just put in a new range at my place and made some swing plates out of 1/4" AR500( I wanted 3/8" but they had 1/4" as scrap so I went with it).They work fine for rifles as long as you are at least 100yds away, any closer and FMJ will dent the 1/4" plate.They will withstand up to .45 cal pistol fire without a mark, but make sure you are wearing eye protection and be be prepared to be struck by occasional fragments even at 25yds.

I also kept the cut-offs of the synthetic decking we just put down.I hang them from a string and they move in the wind and swing and spin wildly when struck by a bullet.They last pretty well too.

For the longest lasting target, get some old heavy duty rubber truck mudflaps and cut shapes out of them.They last almost as well as the expensive self-seal targets do.

 

[PrimePorkchop]

Coyo, what kind of hardware did you use to mount your swinging targets?