What size gongs for 400-600?

Plasma cutting ruins the temper at the edge of the target. Water jet cutting does not. It has full hardness at the exact edge of the plate. I have a 1/4 inch plate that was water jet cut and you can split a 308 at 100 on the edge. Also have a 1/2 inch 5x5 and its edges look like shark teeth. It was plasma cut

Water jet always seems to cost a little more though

I've broke the ears off of 3/8 ar500 gongs on chain @ 300 yards with 300 Norma & 7mm stw pretty quick and swapped to 1/2" and it's holding up pretty good. 3/8" is still holding up pretty good @ 400 & 500

Bravo 4 said:

A 300 grain SMK or Berger will make a nice clean hole at that range,

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Yep.....so does a Berger 210. Admittedly though this is NOT ar500 steel.

Another thing I've found is hanging the targets with grade 8 bolts and scraps of fire hose or conveyer belt works a lot better and longer

Not to hijack but maybe the discussion will be of benefit (if not let me know)...

This post is really interesting as our club just added on to our rifle range and have 400-600. A couple of us are working up a plan for targets using AR500, currently debating 3/8 or 1/2" thickness, target size, etc, etc.

Currently a buddy (metal magician/welder guru) and I are shooting mostly 8" soft steel gongs and an assortment of things and hangers trying to see what works. (The reduced IDPA silo with a 4" hostage taker is fun at 600!)

The goal in my opinion, is for all to enjoy the range - so I like the 1" gong idea!!

..but I want to err on the side of the newer mid range shooters (and folks like me who just cant settle on the gun some days). So with that in mind the current plan and thinking is 3/8" (cost less) AR500 with 1 - 24" square per 400/500/600 and several 12" of the same (making the 400 and 600 squares, the 500 diamonds - to help distinguish the distance on our flat range). After reading through all this it seems we should maybe go with 1/2" as we have a couple folks with magnums/.338Lap/.50BMGers... Thoughts?

Oh, we have a range guy who just loves conveyor belt... but the targets are always shot down so it is a pain. Seems the splatter cuts right through but I can see where the hanging method could be to blame. I had some heavy strapping from a semi but after all the complaints about the conveyor belt I pitched it... we are looking at grade 8 bolts, carriage bolts, heavy chain... Have I beams set in a half barrel of concrete right now with a cross bar, just waiting on targets....

I have five that are twelve by twelve from 300 yards to 750 yards of the AR500 steel in 3/8" and the bullets don't even make a small dent. We are shooting rifles in 28 and 30 caliber most of the time.

I had a friend that said he used to hang old oxygen cylinders with the bottom cut off said it sounds like ringing a bell I haven't tried it but it might be a good project . I don't know what steel there made of but being a cylinder might be pretty tough to shoot a hole in one

Bigeclipse said:

What size gongs do you all like for ranges from 400-600 yards? Also do you like 3/8 ar500 or 1/2inch thick? Thanks!

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I use a 10" circle, just because it's easy lazy math when I set them out in the pasture at random, 3/8 is all you'll need unless you're launching some screamer at it.

Now that said, if you're around farmers, you can try to get old plow discs from them, or Tractor Supply probably has them pretty cheap, although they're usually between 1/4" and 3/8" thick. I haven't shot through one, and as I said they're cheap enough to replace.

The best and only targets you will ever need.

https://thor-targets.com/

I have shot these with a 338 Lapua and a 50 BMG at 100 yds, no penetration at all. Golf ball sized dent from the 50 BMG and nothing but a scratch from the 338 Lapua. These were 3/8s inch plates

1moa

Bigeclipse said:

What size gongs do you all like for ranges from 400-600 yards? Also do you like 3/8 ar500 or 1/2inch thick? Thanks!

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As big as you can find. It is nice to see where you are hitting when you are off. 3/8" should be fine at those ranges if it is hung so it can swing and not being hit by a APFSDS.

Ar500 1/2" withstands 300 MinMag. I use 4", 6", 8" out to 400 at 600 I have a custom circle swinger with an outside diameter of 16" and an inner swinger of 6 1/2" it is nice to know when you are close.

338 Lapua and under 3/8" I'd make them 2 Moa targets for each range.