Wanted steel targets, so I built some

[Jay]

Broke down and bought the steel, and welded it together.... The impact plates are 1/2" hot rolled steel, and they're tilted towards the shooter about 15 degrees. .45 ACP bullets slide off and impact the ground about a foot in front of the base

If anyone is interested here's link to a rough drawing of how it went together

http://personal.swayzee.com/jayb/tgtdrawing2.jpg

 

[Fletch]

Nice. Wish I knew how to weld... I suppose there's always continuing adult education.

 

[Que]

Looks good, Jay!

 

[JetGirl]

Can't wait to plink at them! Those are awesome, Jay! Nicely done.

 

[6birds]

Good work! Nothing better than a day ringing steel.

 

[GARANDGUY]

Good job! Just goes to show ya what is possible when a Marine will improvise,adapt,and overcome! Semper Fi!

 

[crispy]

I always thought that the plates needed to NOT be rigidly affixed?

Isn't it better if they can move so they absorb some of the impact by moving?

 

[Dogman]

Nice job, looks good.

 

[esrice]

I always thought that the plates needed to NOT be rigidly affixed?

Isn't it better if they can move so they absorb some of the impact by moving?

Free-swinging targets will absorb less energy, thereby extending the overall life of the target.

However fixed targets, especially ones angled down like Jay has done, ensure that all splatter hits the ground in a predictable pattern.

So it really depends on how you're using the target.

Looks good Jay!

 

[6birds]

However fixed targets, especially ones angled down like Jay has done, ensure that all splatter hits the ground in a predictable pattern.

QUOTE]
Lead will still fly high and wide, and can come back and bite you. It will not all hit the ground, nor will any bullet ever "splatter" predictably.

 

[Jay]

I thought about letting the targets swing, but I would have had to tether the bottom, and use two supports, and tilt them a bit or they would have hung vertically, and that seemed to me to allow more potential for ricochet than I wanted. Swinging would have reduced any tendency to ricochet, but angling the plates as I did seems to have eliminated any bullet debris coming back at the shooter. Just my thoughts... in any case they work well.....

 

[Don]

I made something similar only mine were flat and not angled. .44 mag @ 1400fps, .357 mag, .22lr everything just smeared off it straight down. As a side note, my .44 mag was reloads with cast bullets.

 

[esrice]

Lead will still fly high and wide, and can come back and bite you. It will not all hit the ground, nor will any bullet ever "splatter" predictably.

Nothing is outside the realm of possibility. However shooting an angled target does indeed allow you to predict where it will splatter. That's why you'll get a nice straight line of chewed up grass about a foot in front of the target.

 

[Tripp11]

Lead will still fly high and wide, and can come back and bite you. It will not all hit the ground, nor will any bullet ever "splatter" predictably.

Do you stalk Evan around this forum just waiting to pounce on this issue?

 

[esrice]

Do you stalk Evan around this forum just waiting to pounce on this issue?

Hahaha, you noticed eh?

 

[db1959]

Nothing is outside the realm of possibility. However shooting an angled target does indeed allow you to predict where it will splatter. That's why you'll get a nice straight line of chewed up grass about a foot in front of the target.

I made a temprary steel target, angeled it down some and put 4 inches of sand in front of the target. I really didnt have to worry about any ricoche because the steel was 1/8 thick and didnt stop much.

 

[esrice]

I made a temprary steel target, angeled it down some and put 4 inches of sand in front of the target. I really didnt have to worry about any ricoche because the steel was 1/8 thick and didnt stop much.

Doh!

 

[6birds]

Do you stalk Evan around this forum just waiting to pounce on this issue?

This, and any advice on welding. Stick with the tactical purse reviews, you'll be fine.

 

[Tripp11]

This, and any advice on welding. Stick with the tactical purse reviews, you'll be fine.

I only favor the tactial purse reviews when the color of the purse is purple. Purple is my favorite color, and any tactical oriented male strives day and night to save up the scratch for a purple tactical purse. My closet is filled with them.

 

[GARANDGUY]