Swinging steel targets

[Northwest Cajun]

Hi Guys
I'd like to make a swinging steel target for a highpower rifle. It would need to take a hit from a .338 WM at 100 yds.( also .223, .308,30-06&45-70)
It would be a simple design of a 24" H shaped base made with 1" re-bar and a 18" stand with a 6" or 8" disk attached by two piecees of heavy chain. I'm figuring total weight of about 30 pounds. Would 3/4" hardened steel be enough? Should I go up to 1"? Only soft point bullets would be used.

Any advice would be graetly appreicated.

Cajun

 

[Pumpkinheaver]

At the range I frequent we have steel plates at 100, 200, and 300 yds. They all are about 1.5-2" thick. There are two steel poles in the ground with a rod connecting them, the plates hang off of this rod. Let me tell you they take a beating but the plates seem to stand up reasonably well it seems like the welds break well befrore the plate "wears out." I shoot at them all the time with my L1A1, 45-70 and various other rifles I own and it's fun.

 

[hps1]

Pumpkinheaver is absolutely correct on welds being the weak link. We finally cured that problem on a stationary "gong" made from 3" thick steel by drilling and tapping two 1/2" holes in back of plate and bolting to the angle iron post which held the plate.

Would also avoid re-bar (which is not very uniform quality), usually results in brittle metal @ the weld and cracks quickly if hit.

Regards,
hps

 

[Northwest Cajun]

Thankes for the replys,
Would a hinge on the cross beam connected to a bar that is screwed to the back of the plate last longer than the welded chain?
HPS1, and if not re-bar would 1" square tube steel be better?

Cajun

 

[hps1]

Would a hinge on the cross beam connected to a bar that is screwed to the back of the plate last longer than the welded chain?

Yes, I found it quite difficult to keep a chain welded to the plate as the metal seems to work harden right at the weld and will break on a regular basis.

I would bolt two pieces of 1/4" thick angle iron, probably 2 x 2" to the back of your plate and drill holes in the top end to run a round steel bar through. This would serve as a very heavy duty hinge (both the angle iron and the gong will swing when hit). Make your arms long enough that no one will hit the hinge pin, which should be 3/4 to 1" diameter. The arms will last longer if you trim the side of the angle off that bolts to the plate where it is exposed above the gong. This leaves only the 1/4 " edge of your hinge/arm exposed to hits.

Any mild steel, angle iron, pipe, etc. can be used for the frame to hang your swinging arm from, just make it wide enough to allow for a few wild shots to minimize damage if this is to be left at the range permanently. Re-bar is just a sorry grade of metal and very unpredictable when welded. Welds tend to be brittle....will bend with one bullet hit and shatter on the second hit.

Regards,
hps

 

[zeke]

Instead of chain, solid vertical bars keep the target swinging straight back, and the bullets going down into the dirt.

 

[duckfoot]

Had the same problem with welds snapping on a steel plate a while back . What we came up with was insted of welding the plate on to the top bar we cut the plate arm longer and bent it around the bar itself in the shape of a P. The problem was getting a 1inch thick plate arm to bend tight enough to stick on the 1 inch top bar. The fix for that was having a local black smith do for three bucks.

.02 to be taken with salt

duck

 

[Fatelvis]

I used to shoot at a silhouette range, that had a different type of steel reactive target, that was pretty neat. It consisted of a standard piece of boiler plate, (not sure of thickness), welded to a car`s coil spring, and the base was a truck`s wheel rim laying flat on the ground, also welded to the coil spring. It worked well, and there was no question if it was hit, even at long range!..... Just thought Id throw out another idea for you guys!

 

[444]

I built a very simple target that has held up for years. I admit that I never shot it with a .338, but it has been hit with .30-06 and 8mm Mauser. The thing about my target is that it is portable. I am lucky enough to live in an area of the country where I can still just go out and shoot without there being a designated range.
Anyway, I went to the junkyard and bought what they said was a "leading edge" a piece that goes on a road grader blade at the bottom that is replaceable. It is no more than 2" thick. I cut it with a torch the size I wanted it and welded it to a car coil spring. I then welded the coil spring to a tire rim. Of course I did add a little piece of steel to the back of the plate so that the plate is welded to the spring in three places and the back is supported.
When the plate is hit, the spring flexes to take some of the shock. To minimize penetration of the plate, I simply shoot it at a slight angle instead of straight on.
It took many thousands of rounds before the welds cracked, but was easily repaired. The plate itself only has a few dimples in it. Mainly caused by firing a Galil (sp) on full auto at about 50 yards or less.
It probably weighs about 30 pounds. I can pretty easily take it in and out of my pickup. I don't have to put it together when I want to shoot and there is nothing swinging around to smash my fingers.

Edit, I see that Fat Elivis and I were typing pretty much the same thing at the same time. Great minds think alike.

 

[Northwest Cajun]

Hi Guys,
I finally finnished my Target, It's nothing like I had planned. I found a piece of scrap 1/2 " plate for $2. It's about 10"x12" with 2, 1" rings on the back.
The stand is 1" plywood and is 24"tall and 48" long The pipes are 30" long.
The entire thing can be taken apart and easly transported. The thing weighs 50-60 pounds. I'll first try it out with 22LR and 45acp @ 25 yards. Then I'll take it out at ranges from 100-400 yards with my .223, 45-70,30-06 and when it's finnished my .338-06.

Cajun

 

[Helmut]

www.mgmtargets.com

look for a "FLASH" target......10" plate with 5" head.......you can use up to a 300wm on it....no problem....