News:

We need volunteers in sales, marketing, PR, IT, and general "running of an organization." 
Maximize your Appleseed energy to make this program grow, and help fill the empty spots
on the firing line!  An hour of time spent at this level can have the impact of ten or a
hundred hours on the firing line.  Want to help? Send a PM to Monkey!

Main Menu

Steel targets for Appleseed practice

Started by Houston, November 14, 2010, 11:41:59 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Houston

Does anyone know where I can find 2" x 2" or 2" x 2.5" or 2" x 3" hanging steel targets to use for Appleseed practice.  I like the immediate feedback of the "ping" when I hit a steel target.  50 yards is the furtherest distance to hang steel at my club, so 2 x 2 would be 4 MOA.  However, since the hanging steel I have has large holes at the top to mount it, and I would prefer to not hit the D-rings holding the targets to the chain 2 x 2.5 or 2 x 3 (longer dimensions being the height) would still give me a 2 x 2 target to shoot at, with less of a worry about hitting the D-rings.

I would prefer to buy from someone in IL, but I can buy out of state if needed.

Finally, if no one knows where to find what I stated above I could use a 4" x 4" steel target, but I would need something to act as a hanger as our 100 yard range doesn't have anywhere to hang steel.

Thanks,

-Houston

Gopher Boy

I can't direct you to an IL source, but I can to an Appleseed friendly vendor.

(In other words, tell them your from Appleseed. You should like what they tell you back)

MGM Targets

http://www.mgmtargets.com/

You may not see what you want online.  Call them, they can make it.

They are good people, as you will see.

If your at a shoot with me, ask me if I brought mine.  I generally bring my MGMTarget.

Hope to see you at a shoot.

G.B.

Francis Marion

Make your own from welding shop scrap (4" x 4" x 3/8" steel) and a concrete form stake from your local buildin supply store ($2).

Have a weld shop/muffler shop weld the steel scrap to the form stake.  Whole thing should be way less than $20.

Pound it into the ground; done. 

-FM

Houston

Francis, as it is non-moving is there any danger of splash back?

Xeyed

Tech Res did a nice write up on a similar project.

Here is a link to the thread.

http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=14421.0

Here is a link to 4" piece of  AR500 Steel for $10.00. This is more durable than scrap steel.

http://bobcatsteel.com/?page_id=236&category=6

These also look interesting, but have not tried.

Cheaper than steel too.

http://www.newboldtargets.com/shooting-range-pages/hangtuff-targets-for-ranges.htm

But no ping.

Keep practicing.

While the immediate feedback from steel  is satisfying. There is also something to said for the satisfaction of a tight group punched in paper.









One Man awake, Awakens another. The second awakens  His next-door brother.
The three awake can rouse a town. By turning the whole place upside down.

The many awake can make such a fuss. It finally awakens the rest of us.
One man up, with dawn in his eyes, Surely then, Multiplies. Lawrence Trib

EEL

I would second G. Boy's advice.  They (MGM) made up 8", 12" and 20" squares for me.  I had tried using 3/4" steel.  At 100 yds, the 223s chewed it up pretty bad.  308s not as bad, but still pocked it up alot.  The AR500 (1/2")....barely a dimple from 30.06 at 100yrds.

It isn't cheap but will last thru lots of AS.

EEL
Do not fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have war......Let it start here.

Houston

In case I didn't mention it I am only interested in AR500 steel, either 3/8" or 1/2" thick.  I will also only be using 22lr, even though the AR500 can take more.  My range only allows 22lr for steel.

I will also use paper from time to time, but the steel is useful, and fun.  I also think it will help reach out to more people.  When they hear the fast cadence ping  ping  ping  ping  ping they might get interested and ask me about it.  Then I can tell them about the Appleseed Project.

BTW - that link to the Appleseed subject won't work for me.  Maybe because I am a new member?

JustJeff

Quote from: Houston on November 15, 2010, 02:36:51 PM
In case I didn't mention it I am only interested in AR500 steel, either 3/8" or 1/2" thick.  I will also only be using 22lr, even though the AR500 can take more.  My range only allows 22lr for steel.

I will also use paper from time to time, but the steel is useful, and fun.  I also think it will help reach out to more people.  When they hear the fast cadence ping  ping  ping  ping  ping they might get interested and ask me about it.  Then I can tell them about the Appleseed Project.

BTW - that link to the Appleseed subject won't work for me.  Maybe because I am a new member?
IITs and Instructors frequently forget that a lot of their posts are in areas we ordinary folks can't see..... More incentive to get that Orange-Hat...... 
Your version of "ineffective" does not necessarily reflect the truth....
Having been "ineffectively" taught to the Rifleman Standard and having been "ineffectively" taught to teach others to the Rifleman Standard, I believe I prefer the "ineffective" over the other choice.

Shooterer

#8
My family and I have hours of fun (and serious training) with our Do-all Outdoors dueling trees. They make them for rimfire and centerfire, they cost about $50


http://www.doalloutdoors.com/

Jim
Stand up for what's right.... Even if you stand alone.

Francis Marion

#9
Quote from: Houston on November 15, 2010, 12:56:09 AM
Francis, as it is non-moving is there any danger of splash back?

This is a rimfire target due to its likely material and method of construction; don't plan to shoot it with centerfire.  Any scrap you're likely to find will be mild steel and thus will be ripped to shreds by centerfire.  

Jackets or steel cores may rebound, lead is very unlikely to do so.  

Whether you shoot a Sherman tank or a 4x4x 3/8 inch steel shingle standing on its edge, a lead projectile will vaporize in either case.    


Garand69

A good source for scrap is spring shops, especially those that do heavy trucks.

I have a spring stack off the rear of one of our old Cement trucks that will be cut up into 4" squares for some heavy duty swinging targets for rimfires. Spring steel is tough, but I'm sure the centerfires would carve it up quick.

I have seen leaf springs as narrow as 1 1/2" and as wide as 5", just cut them to length and add a hanger.
Garand69

42

WSMR 03-10 ...SAPPER STEEL!!!!

"Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results." - General George S. Patton Jr

"One can covet success or one can covet being Right, but if he covets both, he will achieve neither" - Stimey


Do not fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have war......Let it start here.

God grant me the courage not to give up what I think is right, even though I think it is HOPELESS.
-Chester W. Nimitz

Houston

I found a place in Michigan that will make the target out of 3/8" AR500 steel.  It's $8 WITH SHIPPING!

I will try it at the range, and if it works well I will post the contact information of the shop making it.

Houston

The target arrived today and it looks great.  I have to try it at the range to see how much it swings.  I hope that it doesn't move too much as I would like to shoot at the rapid cadence.  If worst comes to worst I'll have it welded to some sort of post that I can drive into the ground.

Xeyed

One Man awake, Awakens another. The second awakens  His next-door brother.
The three awake can rouse a town. By turning the whole place upside down.

The many awake can make such a fuss. It finally awakens the rest of us.
One man up, with dawn in his eyes, Surely then, Multiplies. Lawrence Trib

Garand69

Quote from: Houston on November 19, 2010, 11:56:43 PM
The target arrived today and it looks great.  I have to try it at the range to see how much it swings.  I hope that it doesn't move too much as I would like to shoot at the rapid cadence.  If worst comes to worst I'll have it welded to some sort of post that I can drive into the ground.

If it swings too much, simply add weight. Do you have to contact info for the company to share with us? &) @)
Garand69

42

WSMR 03-10 ...SAPPER STEEL!!!!

"Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results." - General George S. Patton Jr

"One can covet success or one can covet being Right, but if he covets both, he will achieve neither" - Stimey


Do not fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have war......Let it start here.

God grant me the courage not to give up what I think is right, even though I think it is HOPELESS.
-Chester W. Nimitz

Houston

I asked the company if they mind me posting their contact info.  I will if they say yes.  I just don't know how busy they are.

I plan on shooting the target this Saturday.  I might have stated before that I am worried that hanging it will end up in the target swinging too much for me to keep a rapid cadence, since it only weighs 0.5 pounds.  I could fix it in place, but I don't know if that would present ricochet or splash back danger.  What are your thoughts?  Remember that I am at 50 yards here.

I am also contacting the company about making a 4"x4" target that I could use at the 100 yard range.  If I do that one I might have to consider fixing it also.  It all depends on how much they swing.  What are your thoughts on ricochet and splash back at 100 yards?

Again, I am only using 22lr for these targets. 

Thanks!

Houston

Ok,  my targets were from gongshot.com.  They were custom orders, but they might still be up on the website.  If not, you can use their contact button to send them your size requirements and they will make a custom target for you.  I can't say enough about the customer service at the website.

I shot my 2"x2" today, and I have some things to report:1
1)  I fixed it to a solid bar, but at 50 yards it was too hard to hear the bullet impact.  Thus, I don't suggest this method.

2)  I then hung the target from chains at 50 yards.  It was great.  You could easily tell when you hit the target.  The only problem is that it would take 2-three breaths for the target to settle back down.  This means that you can't shoot in rapid cadence.  So, what I will do is use the metal target until I really lock in my NPOA and can hit it 8 out of 10 times.  Then I will use a paper target to shoot at rapid cadence

3)  I found NPOA for the first time today.  I don't know that I will have it consistently yet, but my last 30 rounds were all hits.  20 in prone, and 10 in seated position.  All I can say is THANK YOU APPLESEED!  NPOA is awesome!

I can't wait to do another Appleseed next year.  I will bring a friend and my wife next time.  I also want to do the IL 300 (2)

EEL

Houston,
That's great news.  Isn't NPOA wonderful!  ::)  Maybe try hanging your target with tarp straps.  Those black rubber dudes from Home Depot and such.  They would "give" a bit, prolly give a nice "ping", but then settle down faster.

Just a thought.

Have fun !!!!!!!!! :~ :~ :~ :~ :~

EEL
Do not fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have war......Let it start here.

Wade

Myself I have been using a short bit of steel I beam set it on wood 4x4's and it rings just fine .

Wade
Got Tired of looking for a Rifle Range So we Dug one up!
WOOF!
4 box's #1 the soap box#2 the letter box #3 the ballot box #4 the cartridge box, The founding fathers picked up the Cartridge box so that WE could use the first 3,,IMO If you don't use those 3 then you dishonour the founding Fathers !

Houston

How do you mount it to the wood?

I do have to follow the lead of the RSOs at my sportsman club.

I can't wait to go shooting again, to try and find NPOA.  I also can't wait until next year to earn my Rifleman's patch.  I previously got the USAF Expert Marksman ribbon, but I honestly think that was mostly luck.  This time it will be mostly skill.

Garand69

Great to hear Houston  O0 I just want to correct your post a little.... it should have looked like this...

Quote3)  I found NPOA for the first time today.  I don't know that I will have it consistently yet, but my last 30 rounds were all hits.  20 in prone, and 10 in seated position.  All I can say is THANK YOU APPLESEED!  NPOA is awesome!

I can't wait to do another Appleseed next year.  I will bring a friend and my wife next time.  I also want to do the IL 300 (2)

**) **) ^:)^ ^:)^ **) **)
Garand69

42

WSMR 03-10 ...SAPPER STEEL!!!!

"Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results." - General George S. Patton Jr

"One can covet success or one can covet being Right, but if he covets both, he will achieve neither" - Stimey


Do not fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have war......Let it start here.

God grant me the courage not to give up what I think is right, even though I think it is HOPELESS.
-Chester W. Nimitz

Houston

I can't tell if you are excited or laughing at me?

I am going to guess excited?

I'm already putting together my next order from Gongshot.com.  Since my club won't allow silhouetes (spelling?) I have to find shapes and sizes that approximate the AQT.

Garand69

LOL, Just saying you should have been more excited when you found NPOA!  O0

Thanks for posting the link to http://gongshot.com/
Garand69

42

WSMR 03-10 ...SAPPER STEEL!!!!

"Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results." - General George S. Patton Jr

"One can covet success or one can covet being Right, but if he covets both, he will achieve neither" - Stimey


Do not fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have war......Let it start here.

God grant me the courage not to give up what I think is right, even though I think it is HOPELESS.
-Chester W. Nimitz

Houston

I used exclamation points.  I guess I just keep my emoticons all bottled up.

I actually thought something was wrong at first.  I thought maybe I was hitting the chains, but after inspection it turned out that I was just hitting 10 out of 10.  I have hit the chains before and they broke, so now I have the chains connected to thick D-rings so that I don't have to replace the chains.  The D-rings didn't have any visible damage or scratching.

It's weird to see the target swing every time I pull the trigger, but weird in a good way.  I might just be addicted now.

Houston

Quick question: how do you shoot the AQT?

Stage 1 is standing
Stage 2 is sitting, but I think you start standing and then sit, correct?
Stage 3 is prone, do you start standing here and then go into prone
Stage 4 is prone, I think you start prone and stay prone (how do stage 3 and 4 differ?)

techres

FYI: Bobcat steel is now making AQT steel (stage 1 Silhouette from AR500 Plate)!  I will be posting up pics tonight from the one we used at Riley.
Appleseed: Bringing the Past into the Present to save our Future.

eaglescouter

Stage 1:  Start standing, stay standing. 
Stage 2:  Start standing, unloaded transition to seated/kneeling, shoot seated/kneeling.
Stage 3:  Start standing, unloaded transition to prone, shoot prone.
Stage 4:  Start prone, shoot prone.

Stage 4 is slow fire, you have more time for that stage, and you do not transition.
Old Guy:  Do it long enough and you get really good at it.

Rifleman:  Sacramento:  Four Ought Nine
Full Distance:  Red Bluff:  What year was that?
Pistoleerâ„¢:  Hat Creek:  Three Twenty One

Make yourselves good scouts and good rifle shots in order to protect the women and children of your country if it should ever become necessary.
--Lord Baden-Powell
Scouting for Boys (1908)

Houston

Thanks.

I looked at Bobcat steel, but again my club won't allow silhouette targets, well not silhouettes of people anyway.  Animals are fair game.

Garand69

Quote from: Houston on November 29, 2010, 01:32:00 PM
Thanks.

I looked at Bobcat steel, but again my club won't allow silhouette targets, well not silhouettes of people anyway.  Animals are fair game.

Adapt and over come O0
Garand69

42

WSMR 03-10 ...SAPPER STEEL!!!!

"Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results." - General George S. Patton Jr

"One can covet success or one can covet being Right, but if he covets both, he will achieve neither" - Stimey


Do not fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have war......Let it start here.

God grant me the courage not to give up what I think is right, even though I think it is HOPELESS.
-Chester W. Nimitz

nmmi9100

Quote from: Houston on November 29, 2010, 01:32:00 PM
Thanks.

I looked at Bobcat steel, but again my club won't allow silhouette targets, well not silhouettes of people anyway.  Animals are fair game.

Wow.  That sucks.  Amazing how anti-gun lots of gunclubs are, isn't it?

Techres:  how much for those D-targets?

-David
Edgewood, NM