January 23, 2018, 11:12 AM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: March 16, 2011
Posts: 489
|
Steel target options
I've recently made a few threads asking advice when it comes to long range shooting. I'm looking to get steel plates/gongs for long range targets, but I mostly just see AR500...and nothing really bigger than 16" plates. What other companies are out there that sell larger than 16" plates for a decent price? Are there local places (metal shops, junk yards, etc) that I should be visiting?
|
January 23, 2018, 11:23 AM | #2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 20, 2009
Location: Amity Oregon
Posts: 791
|
Going local makes sense. Shipping on big hunks of plate gets nasty fast.
It would probably help if you mentioned where you are? |
January 23, 2018, 11:38 AM | #3 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: March 16, 2011
Posts: 489
|
Quote:
|
|
January 23, 2018, 12:46 PM | #4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 13, 2002
Location: Canada
Posts: 12,453
|
Scrap steel may or more often is not suitable. The type of steel matters. So does the thickness and what type of bullet you're using. A jacketed bullet requires better and thicker steel than a cast bullet. And no cf magnums.
Talk to these guys. They're local to you. You might be able to pick their brains. https://shop.actiontarget.com/ The thing to remember is that scrap dealers can get money for steel. Isn't a great deal of money. Today's price for scrap steel is 6 to 10 cents per pound. Al siding gets roughly 4 times that for a comparison. That'd be in NJ and PA.
__________________
Spelling and grammar count! |
January 25, 2018, 09:07 PM | #5 |
Senior Member
Join Date: August 6, 2002
Location: SoCal PRK
Posts: 986
|
A 1" piece of plate will stop almost any bullet, lead core won't do more than leave a small dent. Even a 50 BMG match round wouldn't do much more.
So if you're only shooting that type then find a local scrap metal place and see how big of a piece you can buy. Then make a frame for it that you can hang it on with some chains or make some hooks to place it on the frame. Will save you a lot of money in the end over AR500.
__________________
I see the world thru bloodshot eyes Streets filled with blood from distant lies The dogs of war never compromise, No time for rearranging. |
February 19, 2018, 12:57 PM | #6 |
Member
Join Date: February 18, 2018
Location: california
Posts: 21
|
but you will very quickly get an unsuitable surface if using the wrong material for targets. You want the round to fragment and cleanly disperse on impact. Dents and dings will cause unpredictable ricochets. I stick with ar500 .5" or thicker..
Steel core ammo is a different beast though. My M1 puts nice big holes in mild 1" plate, and will badly pit even thick ar500. Plus bouncers will go a very long ways. Besides, it is more fun watching 4x4 wood posts disintegrate. |
February 19, 2018, 01:49 PM | #7 | ||
Senior Member
Join Date: November 18, 2001
Location: Over the hills and far, far away
Posts: 3,206
|
Quote:
I shoot milsurp ball ammo out of my Garand, FAL, PSL, etc at AR500 gongs all the time and it does nothing but chip the paint. Quote:
AR500 gongs are not that expensive. They are darn near indestructible if you don't shoot AP at them and mount them properly so they can switch and deflect most of the energy down into the ground.
__________________
- Homeland Security begins at home: Support your Second Amendment - www.gunowners.org - www.saf.org - act.nraila.org - www.grnc.org |
||
February 19, 2018, 02:41 PM | #8 |
Member
Join Date: February 18, 2018
Location: california
Posts: 21
|
well.. I guess badly pit is relative.. I don't even like dents in my nice clean freshly painted targets..
|
|
|