Plate thickness?

[CoachChris]

One of my projects for this winter will be building a portable, long range steel target. What thickness steel should I make the plate? How big? Is 3' X 3' O.K.?

It is for my current 7RM and I may be making a trade for a .300 WM Mark V. My buddy hunts because it is the manly thing to do. He doesn't shoot until 2 days before the season starts. Last week he gut shot a 5 X 5 bull. He says "hunting is really about the bull****ing and the Budweiser." So I laid a huge guilt trip on him and offered a trade for his Win.Mag.

 

[jmden]

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/search.php?searchid=265987

I'd go with 1/2" AR500 for a very long lasting target.

I have a 1/2" mild steel 18" by 18" plate and won't shoot at it with a 240SMK at 3K MV at less than 1/2 mile. Even at that I get 3/16" to 1/4" deep craters and bulging out the back at each shot. I had a nice flat piece of 1/2" mild steel until the first shot at 1/2 mile warped it...

 

[jwp475]

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/search.php?searchid=265987

I'd go with 1/2" AR500 for a very long lasting target.

I have a 1/2" mild steel 18" by 18" plate and won't shoot at it with a 240SMK at 3K MV at less than 1/2 mile. Even at that I get 3/16" to 1/4" deep craters and bulging out the back at each shot. I had a nice flat piece of 1/2" mild steel until the first shot at 1/2 mile warped it...

If you use A-36 steel plate (commonly refered to as Mild Steel) then at least 1" thick is my recomendation and what I have used in the past and it works reasonably well. The down side is it's heavy. AR-500 steel targets can be as thin as 3/8 of an inch and they work well for the calibers that you are interested in. 1/2 inch AR-500 targets are what I use and highly recomended them..

 

[SquirrelNuts]

I have a plate of the 1/2" reinforced stuff. I don't shoot it closer than 300 yards. No pits or indentations ever. Just don't shoot FMJs.

The only problem with mine is it is Very Heavy.

I bought it at metaltargets.com They do custom targets too.

Cheaper than every other place I found.

 

[CoachChris]

I have a plate of the 1/2" reinforced stuff.

What do you mean by "reinforced stuff"?

What do you all think of hard facing the steel ?

 

[SquirrelNuts]

My target is a 500 brinell armor protector plate. It basically means that as long as the terminal speed is less than 3200 fps, you can shoot it all day long.

Also, My target has a bolt on clasp instead of a chain. I think chains can break after getting hit one or two times.

go to www.metaltargets.com I am very happy with mine. You can also interchange the gongs. I have a 15" and will get an 8" soon.

If you can tell from photo, after being hit, the only thing done to target is the paint is chipped off. No dents or pocks. All you have to do is spray paint over it.

 

[redbone]

Go to your Nearest Rail Road Track .

You Can Look Around an Find an Steel plate about 3/4 Thick laying around .

They Use them To go between the Rail an the Cross Tie .

When they Replace the Cross Tie the Will Put new Steel Plate in an Throw the Old to the Side of the Tracks .

They will Be 10 in buy 14 in an 3/4 Thick . an They will Be Free . Just Weld some Chain on two Corner an There you go .

Terry

 

[CoachChris]

Thanks redbone. That's a good tip.

Chris

 

[BHP9]

My target is a 500 brinell armor protector plate. It basically means that as long as the terminal speed is less than 3200 fps, you can shoot it all day long.

Also, My target has a bolt on clasp instead of a chain. I think chains can break after getting hit one or two times.

go to www.metaltargets.com I am very happy with mine. You can also interchange the gongs. I have a 15" and will get an 8" soon.

If you can tell from photo, after being hit, the only thing done to target is the paint is chipped off. No dents or pocks. All you have to do is spray paint over it.

Could you show the bolt on clasp please?

 

[SquirrelNuts]

The clasp goes around the horizontal metal bar. You have to lube the clasp and it swings pretty good.

 

[BHP9]

The clasp goes around the horizontal metal bar. You have to lube the clasp and it swings pretty good.

Thanks.

That's so much better than what I have seen.lightbulb

 

[CoachChris]

SN, How much was your shipping costs on that target rig?

 

[SquirrelNuts]

Wlfdg,

I can't remember exactly. It was pretty reasonable though. I company is out of Mass. and I live in Utah.

I think it was around $38.

 

[Ian M]

I have a couple of their targets, the deer and yote and they are very good. Not cheap but once you have the target and IF you take care of it should last a very long time. No close shooting simple as that. Saw a .300 Win. shooting Trophy Bonded 180 go through the AR500 gong at 100 like it was cheese. We had been shooting it with 7mm mags with Ballistic Tips with no damage at that distance.