homemade steel targets

[42769vette]

Thank you. I knew it had SVT in it but for the life of me I could not remeber it all.

dont feel bad thats just a wierd screen name. hes always on my case for spelling it wrong

 

[esrice]

Listen to Kimball, as he knows his steel. He also doesn't want people injured by using lesser grades of steel.

We (by "we" I mean lovemywoods, lol) are currently using AR400 and AR500 plates in various shapes and sizes, some of them from Bobcat Steel. Our next order from him will probably include a full size IPSC, some smaller IPSCs for 30 degree rifle, and possibly something for a dueling tree. Kimball is good people, and he deals in good steel.

The only thing we are currently using mild steel for is a big sheet of diamond plate that is hung at the 200yrd range, for hitting with rifle. It's all beat up and pock marked, so we only hit it at 200 yards. It will soon be replaced with a full size IPSC.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...ade_target_stand_for_long_distance_steel.html

 

[E5RANGER375]

I am aware of the effects of welding on steel. My intintions were to place the welds to the sides far away from the intended point of impact. I was thinking if I hung the tragets off of chain I wouldn't need to angle them as much as they would absorbe a lot of the impact.

cut holes for the chain.

i would just buy them from the guy on here. bobcat steel. i saw a target of his the other day that another member had, and it was realy good quality stuff

 

[DHolder]

I can give for Bobcat Steel and Kimball. I was at Newcastle when he brought out the steel. We shot the heck out of it, a coat of paint and it was good to go. For the sake of safety, think about what has been posted, I've seen what happens to softer steel vs AR500. The prices I have seen are affordable too.

 

[42769vette]

cut holes for the chain.

i would just buy them from the guy on here. bobcat steel. i saw a target of his the other day that another member had, and it was realy good quality stuff

all that and you will not find it cheaper than kimball sells it

 

[Jack Ryan]

cut holes for the chain.

The ones I saw had two holes. I bet it's hard to drill and a torch will ruin it same as welding.

I'd put some grade 8 bolts through it with the bolt head to the front and the chain or cable on the back with a nut. Then it won't get hit with splatter and it will get a little bit of slope to bounce lead down. If you want to use cable to hold it up get some schedule 80 pipe to slide over the cable or even heavy square tubing would make it last longer.

 

[ZbornacSVT]

If you want to use cable to hold it up get some schedule 80 pipe to slide over the cable or even heavy square tubing would make it last longer.

Id recommend against that. Goes back to the predictable fragmentation. The tubing is no different than mild steel. Chain is soft enough it just goes to swiss cheese.

Although it is a bit ugly, I have heard of fire hose being used with great success.

 

[360]

I have 4 AR500 plates from Bobcat Steel. He'll do you right, and the stuff is nearly indestructible. You will replace the stands 1000 times over before you have to buy a new plate.

With that said, I use treated 2x4's made into tall sawhorses. I hang them with 3/8" braided steel cables. The splatter does a number on the stands, but I have yet to replace any wood, and we have shot the hell out of them all summer long. Only one 2x4 broke so far, but I go through the cables pretty quickly. They are cheaper than buying chain, and stronger than most anything else. I get them at lowes for about $.40 a foot. They'll usually last me one day at the range.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Id recommend against that. Goes back to the predictable fragmentation. The tubing is no different than mild steel.

...except I'm not shooting at it.

The "predictable fragmentation" case is way over stated even if you are shooting at it. I guess it wouldn't sell a whole lot of high dollar steel though if you just said, "weld it up when it get's a hole in it..."

 

[jclark]

Chains get shot in half.

 

[Instant=.40cal=Karma]

Is the integrity of high hard steel compromised that much by a little cutting or welding? You have to be able to put holes in it or weld it together somehow... I can see how using an oxyacetylene torch wouldn't be such a great idea, but I don't see how a spot weld here and there to hang it up would affect the entire piece. Good luck drilling through it too, hope you have plenty of time/money for bits. I would hope to know someone with a laser/waterjet to cut holes in it, if that was truly the case.

My first idea would be to frame the entire piece like a picture with wood, then hang as desired. You could suspend it or mount it via screws or nails... I just don't know how long the "frame" would hold up to splash...

 

[MadCity Hoosier]

I've got some 8" x 8" splice plates that are 3/4" thick. I have laid them flat, and then welded two bolts to the back, so the bolts are standing straight up off the plate. I then drill two holes in a 1 x 6 to match the bolt locations and stick the bolts through the holes in the board. Secure the bolts with a nut to the board. I then hang the board/plate combo with a hinge from a tall wooden saw horse (leave a foot or so of board above the plate/below the sawhorse). If the 1x6 gets shot up, I remove the plate/bolts and the bottom 1/2 of the hinge and simply replace the board. This arrangement keeps the plates angled down just a bit while allowing them to swing when hit.

 

[esrice]

In the Magpul Handgun DVDs I noticed that they were using some steel targets that were bolted to big flaps of rubber, like a semi truck mudflap, then hung from metal stands. Interesting.

 

[6birds]

We use mild steel for the revolvers, rimfire, and slow cast bullets in rifles (44-40 and other cowboy loads). I have several chunks of D2 that are years old and still taking hits, from 357/40/45 pistol to .223 to .308 rifle.

Alro Steel will sell you a 24" x 24" piece of AR-400, 5/8" thick, for just over $100. Thats Qty-4 12" targets, or Qty-9 8" targets. They take the fast rounds much better at 85-200 yards, my 338 Win is knocking the rust off, but that's about it.

We just weld a stud on or cut a hole in the corner, and use old sections of logging chain, haven't lost one yet.

 

[esrice]

We use mild steel for the revolvers, rimfire, and slow cast bullets in rifles (44-40 and other cowboy loads). I have several chunks of D2 that are years old and still taking hits, from 357/40/45 pistol to .223 to .308 rifle.

We just weld a stud on or cut a hole in the corner, and use old sections of logging chain, haven't lost one yet.

Pics of the setup?

 

[ZbornacSVT]

Alro Steel will sell you a 24" x 24" piece of AR-400, 5/8" thick, for just over $100.

I doubt that. I will now go away and let my tongue bleed.......

 

[6birds]

I doubt that. I will now go away and let my tongue bleed.......

Yeah, I'd be pissed to if i paid too much for steel, or an extra pile of cash for an attachment point.

MadCity, you've got the perfect set up, with the studs on the back, the plate angles down, kinda hard to tear up to chains on top.

ES, I don't have pics, but I'm getting two more sheets from Alro Steel in the next few weeks, I can post pics of a cut/build/weld before they go to my FIL's range if you're interested.

By BIL has a 4' section of Rail Road track as a top bar, and that works well too, but is tough to find for free like most of the steel I get.

 

[ZbornacSVT]

Yeah, I'd be pissed to if i paid too much for steel, or an extra pile of cash for an attachment point.

Who said anyone paid too much? I know what steel costs, and I know what operating costs are. I know that they are not making money selling that steel at that price point. Alro is not in the business of losing money.

The only way they would sell it at that point is if they lost traceability of the material and cannot prove what it is, in that case $100 is a ripoff as it is worth scrap value at that point. Without traceability you didn't buy AR400, you bought a piece of iron that will rust and sink in water.

If you have receipts and or material certs I would be very interested. People do screw up, yes. Most companies of good character will honor a quote if the error is theirs. How many times have you bought at that price?

I will just about guarantee that an employee couldn't get that price on the steel.

 

[6birds]

If you have receipts and or material certs I would be very interested. People do screw up, yes. Most companies of good character will honor a quote if the error is theirs. How many times have you bought at that price?

I will just about guarantee that an employee couldn't get that price on the steel.

I've bought at that price every time. A "guarantee" prefixed with "just about", isn't. Certs are shipped with each plate, just as my customers demand in a finished product, whether it be buckets, booms or track sections.
Start a thread on "predictable fragmentation", I'll just about guarantee I'll read it.

 

[ZbornacSVT]

I've bought at that price every time. A "guarantee" prefixed with "just about", isn't. Certs are shipped with each plate, just as my customers demand in a finished product, whether it be buckets, booms or track sections.
Start a thread on "predictable fragmentation", I'll just about guarantee I'll read it.

I don't understand why you are making this personal....

You offered out that anyone can walk in and buy at that price. Based on your previous post regarding your work invlolving booms, buckets, etc I would imagine you buy a fair amount of steel. You and I both know that steel is a weight game and the more you buy and the higher frequency you buy at, the better pricing you get. We are both accurate in our view of what you posted,but we were working with different information.

You posted that price up suggestion that John Public could walkin and buy at that price, I was saying that they couldn't. You are not John Public. If you are buying a lot of steel I believe you can get that price, but only because you are getting the benifit of your yearly business with Alro. Most of the time steel companies will take care of customers. better than employees.

I may of came across harsher than my intent, I just wanted to let people know that they shouldn't be surprised if Alro offers them the same plate at a much higher price.

You are right, I am not wrong. Back to our regularly scheduled programming.