Steel Target Thickness???

[Razz]

I'm looking to get some swinging targets made up from a steel fab shop I deal with. Wondering what thickness steel to use. Hoping they can cut out a piggy or 2 and maybe a turkey. Will only be shot with ML's.
Any experience would be great.
Thanks
Buffler Razz

 

[Frank/Pa]

We use half inch thick steel for the targets at our club. They hold up quite well. Usually the only problems are the chain suspension being shot loose.

 

[Norskie]

Go half inch because sooner or later somebody's gonna take a poke at one with a centerfire. Happened to us and punched right through quarter inch.

 

[J.D.]

It depends on what you plan to use these targets[url] for...aside[/url] from the obvious. :blah:

If these targets are for your personal use at ranges of 50-100 + yards, 1/4 inch plate should work well enough. 3/8 would be better for smaller targets intended to be placed at closer ranges.

If these targets are for a ML club and will be used only by members at monthly club shoots, 3/8 for all but the smallest targers would probably be ok. 1/2" would be better for smaller, life size rabbit, and groundhog targets intended to be shot at 30+ yards.

If these targets will be used for general shooting at rendezvous two or three times a year, 3/8 inch for larger targets intended to be placed 50+ yards will work out well. Large targets a half inch thick might be too heavy to swing easily when shot with smaller bores and lighter charges.

Life size pig, and turkey targets placed at 100+ yards would probably be better made of 1/4 inch plate.

Targets the size of squirrels, intended to be shot at 20-40 yards would be better made of 1" thick plate. The increased weight of these smaller targets prevents them from wrapping around the chain when hit with large bore rifles. In some instances, it will be necessary to hang the squirrels by long chains, 3-4 feet, to allow them to swing freely, as opposed to wrapping themselves up.

I made and used steel targets ranging from 3/8 to an inch in thickness for our gun club rendezvous.
We had over 100 shooters in two days of shooting, with most shooters hitting many of the targets all three shots. The only breakage we had was chains, which were repaired with repair links in a very short time.

The 1/4 inch chains were attached to the targets using 3/8 bolts, so there were no welds to break. All targets that did require repair were repaired in less than ten minutes. And these were rare.

I might add that these targets were used for several years for club shoots and annual rendezvous with as many as 140 shooters in two days. All targets held up well, as did most chains.

As mentioned, small, close targets need to be heavy to keep 'em from wrapping around the chains. Larger targets intended for longer ranges need to be somewhat lighter to swing feely.

I have a personal target of a 7" diameter disc, 3/8 inch thick welded to an arm, which in turn is welded to a 1/2 inch ID X 1 inch long piece of pipe. The target is supported by a 1/2 inch dia frame about 26 inches high X 18 inches wide, with the pipe located in the center of the width of the frame.

I have been shooting at this target at ranges of 20-100 yards with a .54 cal rifle, .75 cal musket, and modern pistols, not to mention that it was used at the local rendezvous the first year as well as being used at smaller events for several years, so it has had LOTS of hits.

The welds broke earlier this year. The 3/8 plate is dented and dinged, but it is usable. The welded arm was replaced by a bolted on 3/4 X 1/4 angle iron, bent over the pipe and bolted onto the plate with 3/8 bolts. It still works well, after all these 20+ years.

As I said, it depends.
J.D.

 

[Bountyhunter]

I would recommend that when you are done with your shoot on your targets, that you pick them up and put them where the general public doesnt ruin them.

At our range here, some good samaritan made a bunch of 1/2" targets and left them out, and the local idiots shot them all to He!! with centerfire rifles. Ruined them.

Take care of what is yours.

 

[silverfox]

For our reduced silloute targets we use 1/2" for 25yds 5/8s would be better these are chickens or squirrels, 50yd pigs also 1/2, 75yd turkeys same and 100 yd Rams 3/8s. These are loose knockover targets. For swingers as mentioned our biggest problems is the chain or rod connections breaking. Also the close range swinger should be much thicker than you would think so as to hang and not do loops around your stand.
If you want them I can trace mine and send them to you.
The full silloutes are 1/2" for 50 and 100 and 3/8 beyond 100. Can't be to thick at 200 or weight makes them to hard to knock over.
Fox :thumbsup:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Saying that they will only be shot by MLs isn't enough. Distance, and caliber is also important. My club has been shooting a metal plates, made from scrap metal for years. Most are 1/4 inch thick. They bell in the middle over the year, and we have to use a sledge hammer to bend them back to flat each season, so they do work harden. And target that may be close as 25 yds or closer should be made of very heavy gauge steel. 1/2 Inch is NOT TOO thick for these targets, regardless of caliber, and velocity. At close ranges- we have a " swinger " that is a modern tool handle for a socket wrench that we found in the mud, set at 5 yds - any caliber ball is going to bounce the target around.

You will need to think about stress cracks with any arrangment you make to suspend the targets to swing, and for all targets set on pedalstals. Use U-channel stock to protect the welds of targets set on a log to be knocked over. Weld the base in the center of the two sides of the " U ". With swingers, you should consider disrupting the harmonics of the vibrations caused by impact by welding a piece of angle iron across the back of the target, 1/3 down from the top, then drilling holes or welling chains to that angle iron to suspend the targets. You can get by with 1/4" steel for targets at 50 yds, and further, but not for very long, really. I would recommend 3/8" thick steel for the far targets, and 1/2" for the close in targets. My club has a woods walk where the distance to the targets is not known, and changes from shoot to shoot depending on where the range officers in charge set the positions you have to shoot the target from. For safety, we are shooting down into a ravine, and depending on where they trim back brush they can create a new angle to the target for the shooters. We don't always have the soooters standing at 90 degrees to the targets when they shoot. That makes it much more interesting. The size of each target, as well as the distance, and lighting conditions determines how difficult it is to hit the thing.

Good shooting.

 

[Razz]

Thanks!!! To clarify, the targets are going to be used at our family cabin. Maybe a small Rondy type gathering of a dozen shooters twice a year and occassional weekends with the family. I shoot a .54 and have a .50 on the way. We can stretch from well beyond a 100 yds if we want to as close as we dare shoot.
Thanks again for the input.
Buffler Razz

 

[J.D.]

My club has been shooting a metal plates, made from scrap metal for years. Most are 1/4 inch thick. They bell in the middle over the year, and we have to use a sledge hammer to bend them back to flat each season, so they do work harden.

Our club 1/4 inch thick targets, and my 7" in diameter X 3/8" would dish like that too. I just turned 'em around and shot 'em straight. :winking:

I made a 3/8 thick X 29" X 18" buffalo target for use at 150 yards. I had to go back and cut out another one of 1/4" thick material. Even the 54 wouldn't swing the heavier target enough to see it swing with the naked eye at that range.

ML silhouette targets are made of 1/4 inch material and are shot at 50-200 yards. Heavier weight targets won't fall reliably, especially at the longer ranges.

Buffler Razz
IMHO, if these targets are for personal use, 1/4 material should work well enough. Compare the price of targets made of thicker material with the price of 1/4". Though targets made of thicker material will last longer, I doubt that using thicker material will be cost effective for your purpose.

That said, I would use 3/8 or 1/2 thick material for small targets intended for use at 20-50 yards, depending on the price.

J.D.

 

[Maynerd62411]

I have a back stop that's 1/4" thick and after a few shooting sessions , we've managed to push the center out at least 2".
I made a swinging target out of 2-1/4" plates welded together and welded to a steel rod. The first shot ripped the plate off of the rod and slung it 5 yards behind and the rod just spun around and around. Apparently my weld broke. :hmm: I was only shooting 50 gr. PRB .50 cal. at 40 yards. It looked cool, though. Next time worked better. Always OVERWELD.
1/2 " isn't safe from the center-fire rifles. A friend of mine made one out of 1/2" plate and punched holes in it from 250 yards with a 7mm. :shocked2: That was cool. :thumbsup: