Steel targets for 1000 yards

[82HALO]

Lol, living here in Amish country I bet I can find a few old plow discs!

[babue]

I used fire hose initially b/c I had some pieces for free. Unfortunately when I shot with less skilled people, it got chewed up and gave way pretty quick.

I also like to challenge myself with the small targets at longer range but got frustrated with the lack of feedback on missed shots, I found myself wasting ammo chasing things with wind or elevation problems rather than learning and improving. That's why I went so big with my long plate. I then made little cardboard cutouts so I can paint diff. sized targets on the large plate.

This allows me to have my goal of the small target, yet gives me the feedback I need to improve and learn from wind calling or truing my ballistics.

This is the one I use the most. I can just choose to paint the outer ring which is an 8" circle, or just the inside which is a 3" circle. I also have a 1" circle I can paint too.


This is on my 12" plate here.


Here's a screenshot from the video above, you can see I just use the thin outer ring, so I can see my shots inside better. I found impacts on the orange paint didn't provide enough contrast when viewing far away.

That painting template is a great idea, thanks for sharing. That thought never crossed my mind. I have a 24 inch gong made out of 1/4 inch AR500 that the maker, MOA Targets said would be fine for my Grendel or 260 Rem from 400 yards and out. He makes alot of nice steel and is local for me so I will be getting more from them. I have not done much longer range shooting, so I wanted a bigger target.

[xlcc]

Nice steel targets to shoot are railway tie plates.They come in a variety of sizes depending on the size of track.

[dsmless]

9BD5EE9E-FA68-4516-AFAD-2E58F9D2D334.pngI use 10" ar500 gongs in 3/8" thick I bought off amazon for 77.99 for a 3 pack. I try and shoot it past 300 yds as under that if not staked down it gets knocked down. They have taken hits from .223 a grendel a 6.5creed and a 7.62x54r like a champ, leave a can of white spray paint for touchups. At 700-800yds its very challenging to hit, at 800yds I hit it 1 out of 9. Always ends impacts in between the target and stand legs (10"gong). When I have a chance to go to the local scrap yard will get a 20"x20" square and paint a 10" circle on it to use for the 800-1000yd shots. I usually just put them on my shoulder and carry them out to were I set them up.

The most blurry picture is how it looks thru my spotting scope just putting my phone up to it at 810yds, the other is at 525yds

[mel]

i built my gongs out of scrap laying around at work
2 steel fence posts cut in half one piece of scrap 1 inch square tubing and a 20 inch diam disc off one of our pieces of equipment (disc)
i end up welding in some roundstock plugs in the center holes so theres not a hole in it
not sure what the steel is made out of but its only 3/16's thick and holds up even to my creedmoor at close range


this was before i made one into a gong and shot it with the creed at 250 ish yards to see if it would even hold up


im actually going to see if i can cut them down to 15 and 12 inch in diam with the plasma or oxy torch since i can hit them consistently at 1100-1200 yards

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALYtlp8nCrg

[GREYBUFF]

Steel targets for 1000 yards

Here is how I make my stand using 1" rebar and large bolts. They come apart and are relatively easy to transport in the field.

[lazyengineer]

In my limited experience, steel at 1000 yards starts to require a little extra thought. To be a 2 MOA target (my suggested minimum size); the metal size and weight starts getting pretty big. At the same time the bullet energy at 1000 yards gets pretty low. Combined with the ability to see and hear reports getting strained that far - further compounded by the more absorbing weight of the larger target. At 1000 yards, it gets tough to be sure you hit or not. Fresh white paint helps, but the practicality of that isn't as nice as the demonstration, as you have to travel that >1/2 mile to repaint it. Once you get 5 shots or so on there, it might be tough to start seeing more (depending). Once you get 20, forget about it. So that means you have to go up there and repaint every 20 shots? That's effort. Better if you can hear it and see it move.

So to that end, I'd suggest keeping it around 2-3 MOA, as larger just gets too massive. For thickness, I really don't know for sure, but I'd consider trying something a little thinner, since the bullet will be low energy by then anyway; and such should move more and so be more visible when you hit it (at 1000 yards).

Another option is to do a multi-plate version. Maybe four 16x16" squares in a big square, so that there will still be enough energy to visibly see one of them was hit and is moving.

[Sinclair]

I saw this a long time ago. The individual used worn out disc harrow blades (about 16 or 18" when worn), to the hangers he attached a short piece of pipe sufficient to hold the staff on a small triangular flag. The kind that surveyors use to mark the "track" through the boonies. When the plates were hit the impact caused the flag to wave furiously. No need to hear the ping to verify the hit.

On further thought, in today's throw-away society, maybe surveyors do not use the small red triangular flags like the ones I saw as a kid. Oh well, as Gunny Tom Highway said in "Heartbreak Ridge", "Adapt, Improvise, Overcome".

[mel]

I saw this a long time ago. The individual used worn out disc harrow blades (about 16 or 18" when worn), to the hangers he attached a short piece of pipe sufficient to hold the staff on a small triangular flag. The kind that surveyors use to mark the "track" through the boonies. When the plates were hit the impact caused the flag to wave furiously. No need to hear the ping to verify the hit.

On further thought, in today's throw-away society, maybe surveyors do not use the small red triangular flags like the ones I saw as a kid. Oh well, as Gunny Tom Highway said in "Heartbreak Ridge", "Adapt, Improvise, Overcome".

dang ima have to use that flag idea , at 1200 yards it gets real hard to hear the hit , though u can deff see it moving , ours get tossed out at 19-20 inches i have a huge pile of them
ive found the old wore out dirtbike chain i use to hang them lets them move pretty good even with light impacts

[Lemonaid]

No experience with this just brainstorming, maybe add a flasher system?

http://targetimpactsignal.com/

A home made version shouldn't be that hard, flashlight, switch with a spring that impact would activate?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt3GQ2pJ56Q

[FLshooter]

When I shot 850 yrds,we pitched in for a steel target.I went down to a welding shop and for around $150,they made us a 36x36 with a 12x12 recessed cutout in the middle held by links that were welded in the back. It was pretty cool,when you hit the middle you know it,because it moved.1/2? thick steel.It hung off a frame I made w/4? wood posts.
Go to a welding shop that works on large equipment they will have half inch thick hardened steel. They can make you something for a lot less than you can buy steel target.Better made too!

[GREYBUFF]

I built a light flasher using a solar panel, mercury switch (ebay) and 8 red trailer side lights (ebay) and an electric panel box. The mercury switch mounts to the back of the target and I run the wires so that it's shielded from hits, about 10 feet to either side of the target. The mercury switch was mounted to a homemade leveling device so that you can adjust sensitivity. It works good in really good sunlight but would probably be better w/a motorcycle battery. My target is @ 480 yards.

[Lemonaid]

I built a light flasher using a solar panel, mercury switch (ebay) and 8 red trailer side lights (ebay) and an electric panel box. The mercury switch mounts to the back of the target and I run the wires so that it's shielded from hits, about 10 feet to either side of the target. The mercury switch was mounted to a homemade leveling device so that you can adjust sensitivity. It works good in really good sunlight but would probably be better w/a motorcycle battery. My target is @ 480 yards.

Your post gave me a possible good idea. I've put up these solar powered motion activated led lights around my house and they work quite well, have lasted a couple years so far. The mode I use turns on the light when it senses motion (sonic) and stay on for 30 seconds after no motion detected. If placed in box so that it was dark (the light wont turn on until its dark enough) there should be a way for this to be a easy flash system.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JS285JS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Sinclair]

Dang, where were you guys 25 years ago when I could still get out and about. The fun I could have had with some of these ideas!!!!!!

[Klem]

... there should be a way for this to be a easy flash system.

You could use a toggle circuit with the target as the momentary switch. Bullet passes through, ON, next bullet passes through, OFF. Whenever the bullet misses, no change to state.

For the switch you can use three layers of Corflute; the middle layer is the insulator between two sheets of metal fly screen or Alfoil style insulation cladding also works. As the bullet scrapes through and against the two layers of fly screen it completes the circuit. When it has passed through, the switch opens again. This is connected to a toggle circuit so it remains in state until the next momentary connect; OFF, hit, ON, hit, OFF, hit ON...

This is a 12V battery connected to a magnetic flashing vehicle safety light. During daylight you could connect it to a battery operated thing that is visible but I have not done this; nightime, twilight only. Truth be known, you will probably be able to see a flasher through your scope during daylight anyway.


The target can be any shape or size; circles, squares, large, small. This is the rear of a man-size target on the right, where the whole size is one set of leads, while the more precise centre hit is another set (so, using two flashers). The smaller left-hand target is front view and one switch.

You can clearly see the rlasher high in nearby trees, buildings so safely tucked behind the mound or or behind something is the go. It doesn't have to be directly facing the shooter.


Fly screen takes several hundred hits before needing replacement. Just don't bore a large hole through the centre with bench-rest accuracy at close range.