Bob S.
Well-Known Member
Anyone know how to make a gong or where I can find info on homemade gongs for doing some long range practice?
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Gongs
- Thread starter Bob S.
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308 nate
Well-Known Member
Hi Cowboy,
what size gong are you looking for I have a 4x5' sheet of 1/2" AR400 and this stuff will last a long time. 200 yds. with a 162 grain 7mm at 3200 fps just takes the paint off her and puts 1/32nd - 1/16th dimple. mild 1/2" steel it goes right through! I have a full size mild steel coyote set up at 700 yds. and my .308 doesn't touch it.But the 7mm leaves a good 1/8" dimple.Anyway got the steel for making impact resetting targets. but haven't quite worked all the quirks out of it.Right now it's operating with .308win at 100 yds. and the 7mm at 2-300yds.It has operated at 500 but you gotta hit high on the target.Target size 4" wide 10" high (roughly)they are in the shape of a prairie dog and a coyote.
Anyway if your interested I could cut you out a gong to your specs.there is a 10.00 - $20 cutting fee depending on your size. and the steel is around $25.00 a square ft. don't quote me on that though I will have to look up how much I paid for it.I can get you a more solid price if you are interested.
308nate
P.s I am redesigning the resetting targets to make them more impact sensitive and when I get it working to my satisfaction.I'll post pixs an price. As busy as I am I'll be lucky to have it perfected by spring.
what size gong are you looking for I have a 4x5' sheet of 1/2" AR400 and this stuff will last a long time. 200 yds. with a 162 grain 7mm at 3200 fps just takes the paint off her and puts 1/32nd - 1/16th dimple. mild 1/2" steel it goes right through! I have a full size mild steel coyote set up at 700 yds. and my .308 doesn't touch it.But the 7mm leaves a good 1/8" dimple.Anyway got the steel for making impact resetting targets. but haven't quite worked all the quirks out of it.Right now it's operating with .308win at 100 yds. and the 7mm at 2-300yds.It has operated at 500 but you gotta hit high on the target.Target size 4" wide 10" high (roughly)they are in the shape of a prairie dog and a coyote.
Anyway if your interested I could cut you out a gong to your specs.there is a 10.00 - $20 cutting fee depending on your size. and the steel is around $25.00 a square ft. don't quote me on that though I will have to look up how much I paid for it.I can get you a more solid price if you are interested.
308nate
P.s I am redesigning the resetting targets to make them more impact sensitive and when I get it working to my satisfaction.I'll post pixs an price. As busy as I am I'll be lucky to have it perfected by spring.
Shawn Carlock
Sponsor
Check out RAW Industries (www.RandRRacingonline.com) We use their self resetting steel targets in 3 gun and long range competition. They are great. They are made from AR500 and are practicaly indestructable. Their phone # is 503-551-7283 tell them I sent you.
Shawn
Shawn
Bob S.
Well-Known Member
308 nate, shawn c. thanks I was looking for some plans for making my own but may look into just getting them from someone else. I lived in rathdrum for a while in high school back in 78. haven't been there in a lot of years tho. I'm sure the place has changed, I don't recognize Coeurd A'lene anymore.
Shawn Carlock
Sponsor
Guys,
I moved to Rathdrum about 1.5 years ago from Lewiston Id. I don't work for Bruce and have yet to meet him, although i should. I own and operate Defensive Edge Inc. (www.defensiveedge.net) I do alot of tactical and competition training. The bulk of my work load come from the gunsmithing side, mostly precision rifle. Yes I have noticed that the center dot of paint stays while the rest splashes out. By the way if you haven't been here in a while it will only be a few more years and CDA, Hayden, and Rathdrum will all be one area.
I moved to Rathdrum about 1.5 years ago from Lewiston Id. I don't work for Bruce and have yet to meet him, although i should. I own and operate Defensive Edge Inc. (www.defensiveedge.net) I do alot of tactical and competition training. The bulk of my work load come from the gunsmithing side, mostly precision rifle. Yes I have noticed that the center dot of paint stays while the rest splashes out. By the way if you haven't been here in a while it will only be a few more years and CDA, Hayden, and Rathdrum will all be one area.
sscoyote
Well-Known Member
Hey Shawn did u go to the ITRC this yr.?
goodgrouper
Well-Known Member
Shawn C
I was just noticing you are from Rathdrum. Do you work for Bruce Thom at BAT?? Also, have you ever noticed on gong hits that there is paint chipped off everywhere in the bullet splash except in the dead center? I would think this would be the first place the tip would hit. Kind of weird. It seems to happen with all bullets and at all ranges.
I was just noticing you are from Rathdrum. Do you work for Bruce Thom at BAT?? Also, have you ever noticed on gong hits that there is paint chipped off everywhere in the bullet splash except in the dead center? I would think this would be the first place the tip would hit. Kind of weird. It seems to happen with all bullets and at all ranges.
Shawn Carlock
Sponsor
No, but I have been talking to one of my teammates about going this year. I made it to quite a few bigger 3 gun matches this year. Unfortunatley there is only so much time & money, same old story.
My mom and dad live in hayden and they own All In One mini storage on Hwy 41 in post falls. They just sent me an email about the new Indoor shooting range thats going in.
I remember when we moved up to that area in "84. Rathdrum was so small of a town that we called it "The bar". It seemed that every other building served adult beverages and most of the population lived in the hills or on a farm. Now it is just a suburb of Coeur d'Alene (pronounced: "core duh lane" for those reading along)
[ 11-02-2004: Message edited by: 4ked Horn ]
I remember when we moved up to that area in "84. Rathdrum was so small of a town that we called it "The bar". It seemed that every other building served adult beverages and most of the population lived in the hills or on a farm. Now it is just a suburb of Coeur d'Alene (pronounced: "core duh lane" for those reading along)
[ 11-02-2004: Message edited by: 4ked Horn ]
Cowboy, Go to a welding shop and have them burn you a 1' circle out of T1 steel at least 1/2" thick (mine is 3/4" and it might be a tad too thick). T1 steel is not as hard as some of the steels that are being used in commercially produced targets but it is much cheaper and the "T" in T1 comes from Tank. This is the steel used to armor plate tanks in some of the older wars. I think that for the price you will be quite satisfied.
If they will do it have them knock off the slag and sharp edges with a coarse belt grinder or a hand grinder.
Take it home and drill and tap the back to accept a pair of eye bolts to hang it from. Make sure that the eye bolts are near the top of the gong but fully behind the target for protection. The eye bolts should be quite short to reduce the forward tip of the face of the target
Now all you have to do is to find a way to hang it. I hang mine from an old swingset frame along with a bowling ball that I picked up at the local thrift store for two bucks and a bowling pin or two that I got at the local bowling alley. I got a box of 10 for free. Just call around for those.
You could also make a frame from metal tubing that is threaded for fittings on the ends.
If they will do it have them knock off the slag and sharp edges with a coarse belt grinder or a hand grinder.
Take it home and drill and tap the back to accept a pair of eye bolts to hang it from. Make sure that the eye bolts are near the top of the gong but fully behind the target for protection. The eye bolts should be quite short to reduce the forward tip of the face of the target
Now all you have to do is to find a way to hang it. I hang mine from an old swingset frame along with a bowling ball that I picked up at the local thrift store for two bucks and a bowling pin or two that I got at the local bowling alley. I got a box of 10 for free. Just call around for those.
You could also make a frame from metal tubing that is threaded for fittings on the ends.
Bob S.
Well-Known Member
4Ked Horn - Thanks for the info I had something along those lines in mind and you helped a bunch. I'll let you know when I get the stuff together and try em out. It won't be tomorrow but soon (after hunting season).
Cowboy, I searched for the last hour and was unable to find the post where I have pictures of my 1 foot gong after being shot at 100 yards with a 300 win mag loaded with 180 grain nosler accubonds. There is a splash that is about 1/8" deep and 5/8" in diameter. The back of the plate has a visible bulge. If you make one out of 1/2" I would start the shooting at 300 yards to see what the bullet does. When we shoot the .308 win at it at 400 yards (we haven't tried it any closer) all that we get is missing paint and maybe a depression that you can feel when you rub it with your finger. In other words there is no damage and it should last for a very long time.
BTW paint the gong white and hang it as close to the ground as possible with a nearby backstop. This will help your spotter call your missed shots.
Also, to reduce swing time tie one of the eyebolts to a leg of your target frame as well as the top bar. The gong will settle down in half the time it would if allowed to swing freely.
What caliber are you shooting at it?
BTW paint the gong white and hang it as close to the ground as possible with a nearby backstop. This will help your spotter call your missed shots.
Also, to reduce swing time tie one of the eyebolts to a leg of your target frame as well as the top bar. The gong will settle down in half the time it would if allowed to swing freely.
What caliber are you shooting at it?
Bob S.
Well-Known Member
4ked horn - I want it mainly for my new 338 but also plan on using it for my 22-250. I imagine it will have to be pretty hefty for 338 practice but it will be for the longer ranges (500+ yds) with this round. I have a friend who wants to use his 300 also and since he is manager of the ranch where we will be setting this up I gotta let him take some pokes at it. White is the best color? I was thinking a flourescent of some sort.
Here is the Gong link I was looking for. It is one of my better posts.
You won't have any problems with 3/4" thick plate at those ranges with those calibers. It is just a little heavy to tote around and may not move well with long shots from the .22-250. If I was going to do it again I would try 1/2" and shoot the .300 win mag no closer than 400 yards.
White shows hits better than orange. I have never tried floro yellow though. It might work well.
If you want a more precise point to aim you could give the center of the target a quick spray dot of any color that you feel suitable like orange or black. I always just bring a can of white along to refresh the target mid session.
You won't have any problems with 3/4" thick plate at those ranges with those calibers. It is just a little heavy to tote around and may not move well with long shots from the .22-250. If I was going to do it again I would try 1/2" and shoot the .300 win mag no closer than 400 yards.
White shows hits better than orange. I have never tried floro yellow though. It might work well.
If you want a more precise point to aim you could give the center of the target a quick spray dot of any color that you feel suitable like orange or black. I always just bring a can of white along to refresh the target mid session.
