My 9 year old granddaughter gets to shoot every time she visits me out here in the country in NC. She's getting really good. The 5 year old grandson not so good yet. I have several versions of the spinner type targets but we wanted something new. We recently hung a piece of steel from an old fireplace insert about 10" square. It is probably about 1/8" thick. It is suspended by wires from each upper corner at a 30 degree INWARD angle. There are two nails a couple inches apart in a 4x4 above it holding the wires. When hit from about 40' away, it gives a nice resounding "bong/gong" sound and then twists back and forth on the two wires. We found flying saucer shaped flattened bullets in the dirt as far back as 2' from the target. I have no clue what type of steel it is, but it is probably just cheap stuff used in fireplaces 23 years ago.

Now we are addicted to gong type targets. What are you guys using and where are you getting the scrap steel?

My wife and I also would like to try our 9mm on gongs, so getting something that could handle both would be great. What distance would you recommend for basic 9mm ammo? The cheap stuff for $20 box.

What should I look for and what should I avoid? I do realize that the target needs to be able to move a good bit to absorb some of the energy and prevent ricochets.

5 years old huh, I've been wondering what others were starting their youngins out at.

I always wondered about using a old plow disc shooting at the convex side and what that would sound like. A couple of old drum set symbols may be cool as well but wouldn't last long.

There are some pre cut targets on eBay.

I use 1/4 inch steel either hung or we have a couple 4 an 5 inch pieces welded to steel rod and hammered in the dirt. It still gives a nice plinking sound, not as good as the hung ones though. I started my boy out at 4 years old, he's already using my 15-22 and can't wait to go again!!

These stands work great for multiple styles of targets.
200 Lb. Capacity Portable Work Stand

That stand looks like a project itself. Two pieces of electrical EMT tubing and four bends with a hickey. Add a couple 2" hinge bolts and the restraining chain or rope. All that stuff should be out in the workshop now.

The 5 year old has problems with the sights. We moved him up to about 30' away and he then hit the 10x10 several times. They were using a Savage Rascal rifle with factory peep and front blade.

I bought a $6 scope at Walmart and the $15 Rascal mounts and will see if that helps him.

At 5, he has about a 10 shot attention limit. At 9, she will shoot a bunch of ammo. She also shoots a left handed Genesis bow on these same trips to visit.

Not past the first shot.

the plow disks will work.

I started my youngest grandson shooting a Cricket and a S&W M34 at age 7. He got a 15-22 for this past Christmas and turned nine two weeks before.

I had to buy his his own, he kept hogging mine!

Well it sounds like its time to send the wife over the deep end when I get home from Oklahoma in a few weeks, there was a reason that I bought two 15-22's for myself at Christmas....

You need to be real careful with 1/4 inch plate that you have mounted solid. Make sure it can swing.

When they get tired of the "bong/gong" sound they can shoot the nails.

I've been getting steel gongs from Quality Targets (qualitytargets.com) in Illinois. They have a really good selection of plates, gongs, silhouettes, animals and resetting targets in both A36 (mild steel) and AR500.

I get my steel gongs on Ebay......just do a search for " steel target"

MGM Targets has some specific .22 LR targets. I have a couple and like them.

As far as metal targets go, I have a Crosman Zombie Spinning Target they sell at Wal-Mart for $10. Need to get another one or two. I also have two different size AR500 jumping targets.

A friend found a piece of 1/4 inch steel at his grand dads farm and I bought it for $50. Cut it into 12 inch wide and 18 inch tall pieces with a cut off wheel mounted on my circular saw. I then went to Lowes and bought some 1/2 inch rebar and welded 2 legs on each.On the shooting hill I pound them into the ground up dirt at about a 15-20 degree angle so all the bullet splatter goes downward.
The 22 rings it a bit, the 9mm and 45 makes it clang and so far the 9 or the 45 havent harmed the 1/4 inch steel but Im not shooting jacketed at them, just lead.
Wound up with 10 targets and thats enough to simulate a short stage for Steel Action matches which is what I use the 15-22 for.

Very nice find and re-purposing!!

After a long hiatus, I was finally able to hit an outdoor range today and they had some steel setup. Different sized targets setup at ranges from 25 - 75 yard. What a blast!! Burned up 500 rounds but worth the fun. Nothing like the immediate feed back when ya hit it.

Glad to have you back, I find reaction targets so much more fun to shoot at then paper.
Instant feedback and no need walk all the way down to see if how well you hit.
Another suggestion is shotgun clay targets.
Them being bright orange, easy to see. Hit the large target, then try to hit the shards.
I amuse my self by shooting at either pieces of clay targets or pebbles @ 25 to 30 yards.
No need to shoot long distances like 75 or 100 yards to improve yourself, just reduce the size of your target.
Hope this helps.

How about "retired" disc brake rotors? Maybe weld a piece of re-bar to one and pound intot the ground. OR string some wire through the vents for hanging. Think it may withstand 9 and 40 too?????

Surely there must be thousands that are warped or have been machined one too many times. I know I've got a warped couple pair out in the garage somewhere from my 1985 Jeep. Towing the boat, errrrr, STOPPING the boat "challenged" them. OK I was much younger and more invincible then

Hopefully, in the very near future, we'll be retired and moved out to some land in the countryside where I can carry a range bag out the back door with a cup of coffee in the morning

You have to be careful shooting steel, you could easily make it a two way range. You should have the targets angled with the top towards the shooter so that splatter is directed to the ground. Most of the steel targets you see on ranges are AR500 steel. For some great fun with rimfire you could get a dueling tree from Brownells for a decent price. If you can weld or get somebody to do it for you, you can make your own dueling tree pretty cheap that will handle pistol calibers from the Target Man with extra paddle kits for rimfire. He also has gongs for sale, his prices include shipping.

Not gong style, but I use those "political" style signs... with the small aluminum frame and slide-on perforated plastic signs. Then we either tape targets on to the face of the sign or use the frame to mount cans, bottles, clay pigeons, what have you. Something simple and my office has thousands of them in the attic so it costs nothing.

I use old drum cymbals

Sometimes my range sounds like a heavy metal concert.