Firearms Section

[Frank237]

Originally Posted by drivingagain

Very cool! Here in Florida hard to get past 300 yards. I have a friend who I am helping to clear some land and make a 1000 yard range. Just got 3 bullet dummies to add this weekend for $700. Supposedly will take 10,000 rounds but I told him for $700 I would rather shoot steel around the dummies! haha

I'm assuming you are talking about targets?

For high powered rifles, you need a minimum or 1/2" aR500 rated, plate. Have them water jet cut, NOT by torch.

Impact velocity, bullet design and allowing plates to swing freely ALL impact longevity. Stay away from hi velocity magnums, shooting solid copper bullets. UNLESS the plates are at 300+ yds. 400-500 even better.

We hang plates by conveyor belting. It's self repairing and can take many hundreds of rds before failing. Chains, welding stuff onto plates....forget it.

If you can angle the plates a bit, even 10 degrees...you help longevity.

Take a look at MGM, Mike Grand manufacturing for high quality targets.

Another good one is JC Steel.

[Mr Twisty]

Do you bolt the belt to the plate? I tried grade 8 bolts and chain. Grade 8 was a waste, high speed lead shears it clean. Same with chain.

[Norm Peterson]

If you weld an angle or even just a tab to the upper back side (but not at the top) and bolt to that you shouldn't ever be able to hit the bolt unless you were to catch it with the plate in mid-swing. Plus, the weight of the plate will naturally make it angle itself downward.


Norm

[Frank237]

Originally Posted by Mr Twisty

Do you bolt the belt to the plate? I tried grade 8 bolts and chain. Grade 8 was a waste, high speed lead shears it clean. Same with chain.

For the Club steel....We have our water jet guy cut us a pair of 1" holes in the upper corners on the big plates, and a single 1" on small plates, top, center. Allows us to use LARGE bolts, that get chewed up, but last. We use 1/2" conveyor belting cut 6-12 inches wide. Punch holes to match you plate on both ends. Loop over the crossmember on our frames, bolt together. We use punches with the belting on a board and a 3 pound sledge to make the holes with the punch.

Welding to AR500 will anneal it , allowing impacts in the weld area to make dents. Once the dents start, the plate gets chewed up more and more.

For my plates we use here on the Ranch....I have used 5/8" grade 8 bolts and they work fine. For the plates at 800 to 1K yds I used some old 3/8" AR500 from the pistol range....and they have lasted just fine.Then again...NO one here is TRYING to hit a bolt, or trying to destroy the plates like at the Club Range. We had idiots shooting steel at 25 yds or less.....HOPING to put a hole or dent in it. Thats what we fight at the Club.

For personal use welding a tab on the back, etc. May work fine over the long haul. It doesn't ,when subjected to dozens of impacts on a daily basis. The tabs are actually a good idea especially if they allow the plate to be angled a bit. The angle really helps to save the plates.

[Norm Peterson]

I'd bet you could weld any tabs only at the outer edges of the plate and have minimal issues with annealing for the vast majority of 'hits'. But make any person who insists on intentionally shooting at the weld areas buy the next plate.


Norm

[Frank237]

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

I'd bet you could weld any tabs only at the outer edges of the plate and have minimal issues with annealing for the vast majority of 'hits'. But make any person who insists on intentionally shooting at the weld areas buy the next plate.


Norm

Tough to do as we never seem to catch these assholes. We had a shoot and I added a 5" square, 3/8" AR500 as a harder target, basically a 1/2 moa target at 250 yds. Here's what I found after 3 days when I returned to retrieve and repair stuff.....



The welded tab idea, as well as angling the plate, would probably work fine in limited use. You and a few buddies.

I get years and years out of plates here at home , as I don't abuse them. NO hi velocity impacts, no copper solids or GI AP, etc.

[Yippee38]

What about water jet cutting the top corners and bending them back far enough that they point down to the rear of the plate? Then bolt onto that. That way you're not welding (though bending it would take quite a bit) and the bolts would be protected.

[Mr Twisty]

Originally Posted by Frank237

Tough to do as we never seem to catch these assholes. We had a shoot and I added a 5" square, 3/8" AR500 as a harder target, basically a 1/2 moa target at 250 yds. Here's what I found after 3 days when I returned to retrieve and repair stuff.....


The welded tab idea, as well as angling the plate, would probably work fine in limited use. You and a few buddies.

I get years and years out of plates here at home , as I don't abuse them. NO hi velocity impacts, no copper solids or GI AP, etc.

AR500 1/2" will hold up to .50 all day long. They probably thought it was real cute shooting AP at someone elses steel.

Originally Posted by Yippee38

What about water jet cutting the top corners and bending them back far enough that they point down to the rear of the plate? Then bolt onto that. That way you're not welding (though bending it would take quite a bit) and the bolts would be protected.

Using a spacer on the back side and mounting chain or belt back away from the steel will tilt it, It'll take a pretty big hoss and anvil to bend 1/2" AR500 and still may weaken it.

[Frank237]

It's not .50 AP. It's apparent from the other Ranges when someone is shooting a fifty. Usually other shooters will check to see what they are using for ammo.

You are right that angling the plates helps, it surely does.

[drivingagain]

Speaking of targets Have been eyeing this one. Wish they just sold the top part. I could supply my own angle iron for the legs and save on shipping too.

[Mr Twisty]

Originally Posted by Frank237

It's not .50 AP. It's apparent from the other Ranges when someone is shooting a fifty. Usually other shooters will check to see what they are using for ammo.

You are right that angling the plates helps, it surely does.

I have no idea the cal. But that damage is definitely from ap ammo. Folks want to shoot ap they can bring their own steel. AR500 is expensive!

One of these days is like to build a Texas star

[PHXLT1]

Assholes! Sorry about your steel. Get some armor plates off an M1A1 Abrams and you shouldn't have that problem again. I'm looking to invest in some ar500 plates but haven't gone shooting, or will be shooting anytime soon. Az is getting hot!

On a good note I got my AK back from Century Arms. The bolt had deformed after only 5-6 hundred rounds so I sent it to them. New bolt and gas piston installed at no charge. Woohoo!

[Frank237]

Twenty years back the MT Guard was sending their remaining M-113's out to NTC and Hill AFB range to be used as targets. Me and a few of my rifle loony Buddies "appropriated" three sets of the rear doors. Just over 3/8" thick, maybe .4", Armor plate.

I am STILL using some of that plate here on the Ranch. Only issue; with time the plates CRACK and then break on the crack.

[h422694]

Originally Posted by Mr Twisty

Do you bolt the belt to the plate? I tried grade 8 bolts and chain. Grade 8 was a waste, high speed lead shears it clean. Same with chain.

My son gets his targets from Big Dog Steel. Water jet cut also. He shoots up to 820 from deck and has not had any issues with them. Uses 5/8" grade 8 bolts to hang them. Company also makes them for some ranges and sponsors a match in the PRS series. http://www.bigdogsteel.com/index.html