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  #1  
Old 11-02-2009, 10:19 PM
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Question Homemade steel targets

Never shot steel much, but have been thinking about making a couple of plates/squares to hang on chains to plink at. I've got plenty of 1/4" X 4" flat stockt and I'm a pretty fair welder. Will 3 layers be enough for 243 class bullets at 300+ yards or do I need to buy a chunck of 3/4 or 1" stuff and cut it out with a torch?

Thanks for any advice.
SC
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Old 11-02-2009, 10:38 PM
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I'm not sure if there's any difference in a laminate of 1/4 " plate vs. solid stock, but it would seem to be a moot point at 300 yard range. Check local steel fabricators for heavy scrap plate, and particularly, commercial sign fabricators, who often end up owning unneeded/unwanted "ring centers", the leftovers of fabricating stepdown ring sleeves for telescoping pipe splices, as used in fabricating high-rise signs and huge flagpoles and etc.
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  #3  
Old 11-02-2009, 10:54 PM
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I would try the flat stock you have on hand first and
see how that turns out. People that make commercial
steel targets use a different type of steel that holds
up better. I don't know what kind of steel that is. Don
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Old 11-02-2009, 11:10 PM
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At least one major silhouette target maker uses AR400 steel. Google "silhouette targets" and see what target makers are using . Targets take a terrific pounding from centerfire rifles, and with enough use almost all will all begin to fail or will have major pitting.
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Old 11-03-2009, 08:05 AM
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Steel reactive targets: Safety and use
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Old 11-03-2009, 12:41 PM
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Post Steel plate frame

Quote:
Originally Posted by jkc View Post
I'm not sure if there's any difference in a laminate of 1/4 " plate vs. solid stock, but it would seem to be a moot point at 300 yard range. Check local steel fabricators for heavy scrap plate, and particularly, commercial sign fabricators, who often end up owning unneeded/unwanted "ring centers", the leftovers of fabricating stepdown ring sleeves for telescoping pipe splices, as used in fabricating high-rise signs and huge flagpoles and etc.

XXXXXXXx

Here's what I came up with this morning. I took my torch and cut up an old sod cutter I had made in the spring. I wound up with 4 pieces of 1/4 x 4 x 10. Welded the four plates together all the way around, welded on a 5/16 chain at the top and then the 1/4 x 1.5" angle iron as a deflector. Not sure how much it weighs, but it's pretty heavy. As long as it will moves without breaking when it's hit I'll be happy. Trying to see/show that I've hit what I was shooting at without having to walk down to the target.

Thanks for all the input and the link Dennis.

SC
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Old 11-03-2009, 01:18 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Senior Citizen View Post
Never shot steel much, but have been thinking about making a couple of plates/squares to hang on chains to plink at. I've got plenty of 1/4" X 4" flat stockt and I'm a pretty fair welder. Will 3 layers be enough for 243 class bullets at 300+ yards or do I need to buy a chunck of 3/4 or 1" stuff and cut it out with a torch?

Thanks for any advice.
SC
you need an easy button.
if you want a steel target to plink at ... get your tail down to the junk yard and search the piles for manual transmission fly wheels.
saves you hours of cutting and drilling that are better spent shooting
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Old 11-03-2009, 01:19 PM
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Tie a bunge cord to the bottom of the steel and the
wooden frame to steady the steel down quicker after
shooting it. Don
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Old 11-03-2009, 01:36 PM
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Please come back and post some follow up photos after your target has been shot a few hundred times. I am interested in how the laminated target holds up.
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Old 11-03-2009, 01:36 PM
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If you can hang a rectangular plate at a slight angle so the bullet is deflected downward you can use thinner steel and it is much safer. Take a look on Youtube and see how far bullets can bounce off of steel. There is a clip of a guy shooting at a steel target that is quite a ways off and the bullet bounces back and knocks his hearing protectors off!
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Old 11-03-2009, 03:33 PM
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Thumbs up Bungee cord............

Quote:
Originally Posted by HAWKEYE10 View Post
Tie a bunge cord to the bottom of the steel and the
wooden frame to steady the steel down quicker after
shooting it. Don
XXXXXXXX



I thought about that. Even a strong wind can/will move this thing enuff to miss it left or right at 400+ yards (and that's if I'm a good shot). Probably will put a very light cord on it. One that will stop it in a little bit, but let it shake long enough for my chest to puff up! ;-) and get high fives and say "See I told you I could hit that thing at a quarter of a mile"!

will post some pix in a few days. Gotta check the zero on a few rifles before I start backing up very far.

SC
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Old 11-03-2009, 03:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HAWKEYE10 View Post
Tie a bunge cord to the bottom of the steel and the
wooden frame to steady the steel down quicker after
shooting it. Don

Yeah!
And you'll be amazed how hard it is to hit the target compared to how easy it is to hit the bunge cord.
I know this from many long walks to replace the bunge cord!
What worked better for me was hanging the plate from two chains with another chain hanging from bottom of plate dragging the ground.
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  #13  
Old 11-03-2009, 05:53 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeb Stonewall View Post
Yeah!
And you'll be amazed how hard it is to hit the target compared to how easy it is to hit the bunge cord.
I know this from many long walks to replace the bunge cord!
What worked better for me was hanging the plate from two chains with another chain hanging from bottom of plate dragging the ground.
XXXXXX

I figured the less resistant it was to "momentum" (the bullet) the less damage would be enflicted on the plate. Kinda like "roll with the punch".

SC
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Old 11-03-2009, 11:12 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Farmer17 View Post
If you can hang a rectangular plate at a slight angle so the bullet is deflected downward you can use thinner steel and it is much safer. Take a look on Youtube and see how far bullets can bounce off of steel. There is a clip of a guy shooting at a steel target that is quite a ways off and the bullet bounces back and knocks his hearing protectors off!
I saw that video! just a little closer and he would have had a real headache!
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  #15  
Old 11-04-2009, 03:33 PM
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This is what we made up, just to have something fun to shoot at.
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File Type: jpg Steel.jpg (10.3 KB, 168 views)
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  #16  
Old 11-04-2009, 03:49 PM
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Here's the ricochet video...

YouTube - Guy hit in head with .50 caliber ricochet
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Old 11-04-2009, 07:49 PM
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I used half inch plate on my spinning 45 auto target. My 22 spinner is made with 5 sixteenth plate. They work well,but one day I shot my SKS [7.62X39] at the 22 target and punched a hole right through. The bullet type has a lot to do with it. FMJ bullets will be more inclined to bore right through.
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  #18  
Old 11-04-2009, 10:00 PM
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Use AR500 steel for rifle targets. If you do an internet search, you will find a number of companies that have precut targets. Find one that uses either waterjet cutting or plasma cutting under water. That way the target edges won't loose their temper and cause cratering when hit.
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