Steel targets

[Nuthatch]

I’m looking to slowly make a woodswalking course on my property, maybe get a couple of targets each year. Do people mostly use the AR500 steel that is commonly used for centerfire? Or is 1/2” steel fine for lower velocity stuff? I saw a bunch of thick steel plates at the local metal yard cut into all kinds of shapes of targets. Definitely wasn’t AR500. But I don’t know what kind of velocities those things can take.

 

[hawkenhunter50]

I bought a piece of 1/2 mild steel from a scrap yard and it's fine for lead and lower velocity rounds. 30-30 factory loads put a big dent in it, I'm sure something faster would pierce it. It works great for handgun and lower velocity though. Much cheaper than the AR steels.

 

[dave951]

Long term AR500 will hold up better but if you're shooting low velocity round ball, mild steel is ok. I had a piece of 3/8 that started deforming with as few as 10 hits from 500gr minies.

 

[COTNTOP]

I am building a woodswalk also and started with 3/8in plate, Found out real quick that lead balls with 60gr BP bends target up real quick. I am investing in AR500 now.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

Steel always deforms eventually. I got a steel swinger target at the beginning of summer. It looks like it has been through a war now. Most of those are designed for 9mm lead bullets.

Has anyone tried empty milk jugs? If you fill them with water, they explode, but left empty, maybe hanging from a rope, they can take a surprising number of impacts before they get too damaged to register hits. Replacement is simple and cheap.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I used to manufacture steel targets. My steel was T1A, a high impact resistant steel used in the mining industry. My tests on both 3/8" and 1/2" proved, conclusively, that a lead round ball can dent them. Cannot speak for AR500.

 

[jdw276]

I’m looking to slowly make a woodswalking course on my property, maybe get a couple of targets each year. Do people mostly use the AR500 steel that is commonly used for centerfire? Or is 1/2” steel fine for lower velocity stuff? I saw a bunch of thick steel plates at the local metal yard cut into all kinds of shapes of targets. Definitely wasn’t AR500. But I don’t know what kind of velocities those things can take.

Shot the friendship woodswalk this year for the first time with the Maniac. For several stations they used simple chain. Vertical hanging and horizontal between couple posts. Couple other had a chunk of steel hanging that would flip pretty good to avoid serious damage from the hits. Tough to see course as in shade and woods. All targets were painted navy blue to be able to see em. Good luck with the course.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I’m looking to slowly make a woodswalking course on my property, maybe get a couple of targets each year. Do people mostly use the AR500 steel that is commonly used for centerfire? Or is 1/2” steel fine for lower velocity stuff? I saw a bunch of thick steel plates at the local metal yard cut into all kinds of shapes of targets. Definitely wasn’t AR500. But I don’t know what kind of velocities those things can take.

The reason why folks like me went with AR500 steel, was that soft lead from muzzleloaders just chips off paint, and if thick enough, you can use modern, jacketed stuff from a modern gun on them too, PLUS if you ever want to sell them off, you have a much wider customer base than a DIY steel target of unknown steel.

The DIY stuff may stop the lead and lead alloy bullets, but if not hard enough you start to get very shallow "craters" of the steel displacing. This can then cause bits of the impacting slug that break off to fly in interesting directions rather than being deflected parallel to the face of the target. On the other hand the DIY stuff price may be too inexpensive to pass up.

I like to check Sportsman's Guide to gauge prices. Sportsman's Guide AR500 Steel Targets 3/8" is the minimum if you want dual purpose. 1/4" AR500 will work fine for round ball..., but might bow over time if you hit it a lot with a heavy minnie, and I'd not want that for modern stuff. 1/2" will last for a generation for both modern and ML targeting. I compare the price of the target PLUS don't forget the shipping, and then I'd compare it to the DIY stuff...are you really saving enough money ?

You also might see if a local AR500 fabricator has a good price. Saving on that shipping, and "buy once ; cry once" might be better than DIY.

LD

 

[waksupi]

My favorite targets come from a welding shop. Buy condemned oxygen tanks, and cut them in quarters or halves, depending on what distance they will be placed. Around here they cost around $15-20. Use the torch to make hanging holes for the middle pieces, the end pieces just up-ended on posts driven into the ground. They ring very well, and there is no guessing if you hit or not.

 

[Idaho Ron]

I have several. One is soft and I beat it flat and weld it from time to time. I have a Disc that is super hard. It also is slightly rounded. So.far the only damage to it is the center.
Then I have a piece of pipe. And a hanger for cardboard for paper targets.
The disc is 21" which I believe is the size of the bullseye for 500 yards.
That thing rings so loud you can hear it a mile away.

 

[Nuthatch]

My favorite targets come from a welding shop. Buy condemned oxygen tanks, and cut them in quarters or halves, depending on what distance they will be placed. Around here they cost around $15-20. Use the torch to make hanging holes for the middle pieces, the end pieces just up-ended on posts driven into the ground. They ring very well, and there is no guessing if you hit or not.

Hmm…. That has me wondering how much thicker an O2 tank is vs a propane tank. I’ve got a couple scrap propane tanks that went through a wildfire & they’re probably 1/8” thick. But I wouldn’t shoot at them. We rendered them safe after the fire by punching them clean through with .308 copper rounds.

 

[Nuthatch]

I have several. One is soft and I beat it flat and weld it from time to time. I have a Disc that is super hard. It also is slightly rounded. So.far the only damage to it is the center.
Then I have a piece of pipe. And a hanger for cardboard for paper targets.
The disc is 21" which I believe is the size of the bullseye for 500 yards.
That thing rings so loud you can hear it a mile away.

That’s not a bad idea for something out at distance.

 

[dylan84]

I use whatever I have laying around. 1/2" thick plus low carbon steel will last forever with black powder guns. Break out the smokeless rifles and not so much.

 

[TDM]

I've only made one from 3/8" sheet steel on a movable stand. It works, but definitely deforms a good bit. I'm going to create a Woods walk too, no excuse not to.

 

[waksupi]

Hmm…. That has me wondering how much thicker an O2 tank is vs a propane tank. I’ve got a couple scrap propane tanks that went through a wildfire & they’re probably 1/8” thick. But I wouldn’t shoot at them. We rendered them safe after the fire by punching them clean through with .308 copper rounds.

You will shoot right through a propane tank.

 

[dylan84]

Light a fire around the propane tank and then shoot it. That always makes for some good fun!

 

[TDM]

Always wanted to try that but never have.

 

[Timber Wolf]

Always wanted to try that but never have.

Make sure you say “hold my beer” beforehand. ; )

 

[Packrat]

Weight is also a factor, our club has some Rams and Pigs that are just to heavy to carry around. They hold up great but by the time set up is done I'm to tired to shoot

 

[popgun54tc]

What size propane tank? Ha Ha