Welding up shooting targets?

   / Welding up shooting targets? #1  

woodskiff

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Hi, would like some input if you've made your own practice shooting targets for the range. Material gauge?
 
   / Welding up shooting targets? #2  
We have a rack of targets set up. They are made out of scrap iron of whatever dimension we found. Figured out pretty quick that you can't use light gauge metal and then shoot it with a high power rifle. But most of our shooting is "plinking" with a 22. We've got horizontal rotating targets, vertical swing targets, spring mounted targets and stationary targets. Lots of fun. :)
 
   / Welding up shooting targets? #3  
Most I see for sale (MidwayUSA, SG, others) are just cut from A-50 HR steel and 3/8" to 1/2" thick, said to handle up to 'high powered rifle' but range for that not always specified.
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Edit: Wrong!! (apologize for misinformation, clumsy typing, etc. :duh:)
 
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   / Welding up shooting targets? #6  
Unless you are only shooting 22 LR bite the bullet, and get some AR-500 steel. Anything less is dangerous. The softer steel craters and returns bullets in your direction.
 
   / Welding up shooting targets? #7  
I made a 6" round swing target from 1/2" mild steel. Then shot it at 100 yards with a 25/06. No movement at all...though I must have missed.

Going downrange, I found a nice hole in the center of the target. The bullet had passed through without so much as a slight swing of the target. After that, it was pistol rounds only...although a 30 Herrett round would put quite a dent in it.

It really wasn't too bad since I'd just weld up the holes.

Moral of the story. Get hardened steel but still expect craters.
 
   / Welding up shooting targets? #8  
I made a 6" round swing target from 1/2" mild steel. Then shot it at 100 yards with a 25/06. No movement at all...though I must have missed.

Going downrange, I found a nice hole in the center of the target. The bullet had passed through without so much as a slight swing of the target. After that, it was pistol rounds only...although a 30 Herrett round would put quite a dent in it.

It really wasn't too bad since I'd just weld up the holes.

Moral of the story. Get hardened steel but still expect craters.
I agree, do it right and get the hardened steel. But dang, you really were piercing 1/2in steel plate at 100 yards? Impressive.
 
   / Welding up shooting targets? #9  
Really makes it hard to watch TV, seeing somebody hide behind a tin building when being shot at, see the bullet holes in one side of the tin, but around the corner our hero is untouched. Maybe you need some of that tin for your target.

I shot a possum in our barn one night with my 9mm, went thru 3/4" pine board, the possum, another 3/4" pine, 1/4" paneling, a plastic organizer with drawers (back, drawer, side), ricocheted off the floor, left a dent in a wooden cabnet, and landed back on the floor in front of the plastic bins. That's why I prefer to carry the .22 to the barn.
 
   / Welding up shooting targets? #10  
Metal targets are made out of AR500 steel, and are to be shot at with weapons/bullet that will not deform/gouge/blow hole in/or in any way cause them to be more dangerous than they were when they were first manufactured. They are usually plasma cut to shape to keep the metal from getting too hot to change it's properties. The are usually mounted with a slight slant to deflect the bullet fragments downwards and allow to swing to help with that downwards deflection. If they are deformed in any way [ gouges/holes/dents/etc.], they should be taken out of service and not used anymore. You can no longer count on the bullet being deflected downwards. Not saying you can't set up a steel range and shoot at/blow holes thru/dent your targets... but that is not what they are for. Shooting steel is a lot more fun than punching paper, but is not for everyone...
 
 
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