how should I set up steel targets?

J

Jack Straw

New member
A friend just gave me two 1/2 inch thick, 9in diameter steel circles. I'm thinking that they would make good 100yd targets to use for practice with my deer rifles. What I'm trying to figure out is how to set the things up. I'm considering either making them as spinning targets, or hang them on a frame with a couple of pieces of heavy chain, or stationary targets slightly angled so as to deflect the bullets downward.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

Jack
 
Hanging on chains work, they should ring nicely when hit. If you were to hang them with one piece of chain per circle, you would have both spinning and hanging targets.
It is a lot of fun to try and keep a handing target spinning by hitting it as it presents the flat face to you. It is a little difficult with a single shot or bolt rifle to amintain the needed cadance, however. A good semi auto works well. After you get tired of shooting at the plates, you can always go for the chain links. :D

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Ne Conjuge Nobiscum
"If there be treachery, let there be jehad!"
 
If this is just mild steel plate, all you'll end up doing is putting holes in it. Save it for plinking with handguns at 35 to 50 yards if this is the case. For high velocity rifles you need some really tough stuff. RKBA!

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THE .41 MAN
HAVE MORE FUN WITH A .41
 
I love shooting at steel targets! I have fabricated many of them using 3/8" Kaisalloy 50 armor plate. We weld sharpened #4 rebars to the bottom of each target, and stick them in the ground. They hold up very well to all pistol and SMG rounds. 7.62 military ball will, however damage them.
 
Ive put holes in 1/4" steel with 7.62x39, after a billion holes in it by that i doubled it over with a 45. at 100yds i dont think they will be affected too much by near any rifle.

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"Those that give up essential liberties for a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining.
 
Thanks for the input guys. At that distance I'm not worried about hurting the plates (there are plenty more where those came from). My main concern is safety (ie.. not sending ricochets all over the place) and finding a way to set up the targets so that I don't have to walk out and set them back up after each shot. I should have given more detail on my original post; .308 and .30-06 hunting rounds will be the strongest things to hit these plates, so I'm trying to come up with some sort of frame that won't get knocked over when I hit the plates (assuming I can actually hit the things :)). I would however, like something that can be stored and transported easily.

Jack
 
Weld the plate to a big spring (like from a car suspension), and weld the spring to a base. It bobs when hit, so you get instant feedback. Lots of fun!
 
I thought you were talking about a set up that would stay there forever, not something you were planning on hauling around. If you think you are going to have trouble hitting the steel plates, don't. At least i have had no problem hitting plates that size with open sights on my Mausers.

As to ricochets, there is NO way to assure that you will not get some. I have shot at a lot of steel targets at 100 yards or so and while once in a while a piece of jacket comes back it is a rare event. Or it could be a lot of jacket bits come back and it is arare event that anyone knows about it.



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Ne Conjuge Nobiscum
"If there be treachery, let there be jehad!"
 
There's a company that used to advertise in American Handgunner (probably still does) named Artenzen or something to that effect. They make pepper poppers and every other steel design you can think off. The used to mail out fliers to anyone who called that had diagrams and parts lists that would show how to build nice stands.

Gator

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Root Hog or Die Poor
 
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