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What are your favorite targets?

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I like anything that moves or explodes when you hit it. I got several round plates from a local scrap yard that made nice swinging gongs, empty propane cylinders with the bottom cut out really ring .Clay pigons hung from strings hot melt glued are nice exploding targets, Balloons with a little flour put in them before blowing up really pop.
 
I'm slowly working on building my own shooting range and I'm needing some inspiration. What are your favorite targets to shoot at while on the woods walk or other shooting range? I'm a farmer and I have access to a decent amount of junk steel laying around, so materials shouldn't be a problem. I'm decent with a torch and a welder so anything is on the table- knock down targets, swinging targets, slot shots, anything. Thanks in advance!
I'm slowly working on building my own shooting range and I'm needing some inspiration. What are your favorite targets to shoot at while on the woods walk or other shooting range? I'm a farmer and I have access to a decent amount of junk steel laying around, so materials shouldn't be a problem. I'm decent with a torch and a welder so anything is on the table- knock down targets, swinging targets, slot shots, anything. Thanks in advance!
a few yrs ago I set up a 400yd shooting range along the back side of the fam property, its only 15yds wide. In March this yr a friend & his brother helped me build a permanent shooting bench & set it in concrete. I'm a journeyman metal fabricator/welder by trade, but I didn't get fancy with anything. I love hearing steel ring as much as the next guy, but I generally shoot for accuracy & I like stacking bullets in one ragged hole, or trying to. So I just made wooden frame & plywood targets along with the cpl real estate signs. I use both the round stick on targets or grided paper targets. As much fun as having some steel to ring is, I doubt that I'll invest in making or buying them. I went shooting yesterday & 3 of my targets have rotted away & were on the ground. Last yr I knew that I'd need to make new targets by this yr. A few months ago I went to the local Homie De Pot to buy some 1/2" angle iron for new target frames. I about soiled my shorts at the prices for 6' lengths. I got 1/2 square tubing instead, it was a little cheaper. But at 50.00 for 3 sticks to make 1 target, thats it for that. I'm getting 1/2" rebar for the rest of the new target stands & let that be that.
 
When load developing or sighting in we use paper targets like everyone else.

For all the fun shooting on our range we have round steel plates of 10", 8", 6" and 4" set at various distances out to 400 yds. They are suspended from the top of the plates using strips of old machinery belting. When hit they swing back at the bottom and deflect bullet fragments into the ground. I use the belting instead of chain 'cuz eventually errant rounds will take out chain - where the belting survives for many rounds.

(That's just the guests of course - being a consummate marksman I personally would never miss my target in such an outrageous manner.)

Ahem, anyway......

Today I'm doing range maintenance and I'll get pictures of what I use.
 
supposed to use at least 20th century steel SMO! lol:D
that shear looks like maybe the Romans used it to plow Jerusalem!


I found that one buried in the woods… it cast iron! lol

Here’s my replacement..

The Red Coat, Pinocchio ….


199521F6-A8FF-4A92-8005-BCAE9E4899E5.jpeg
 
a few yrs ago I set up a 400yd shooting range along the back side of the fam property, its only 15yds wide. In March this yr a friend & his brother helped me build a permanent shooting bench & set it in concrete. I'm a journeyman metal fabricator/welder by trade, but I didn't get fancy with anything. I love hearing steel ring as much as the next guy, but I generally shoot for accuracy & I like stacking bullets in one ragged hole, or trying to. So I just made wooden frame & plywood targets along with the cpl real estate signs. I use both the round stick on targets or grided paper targets. As much fun as having some steel to ring is, I doubt that I'll invest in making or buying them. I went shooting yesterday & 3 of my targets have rotted away & were on the ground. Last yr I knew that I'd need to make new targets by this yr. A few months ago I went to the local Homie De Pot to buy some 1/2" angle iron for new target frames. I about soiled my shorts at the prices for 6' lengths. I got 1/2 square tubing instead, it was a little cheaper. But at 50.00 for 3 sticks to make 1 target, thats it for that. I'm getting 1/2" rebar for the rest of the new target stands & let that be that.
just wait for this fall and all the campaign signs are left up and down the road. Targets for free! with a satisfaction quotient of 100!
 
We use steel targets for our woods walks. They hang on a T Post on a back angle to deflect frags and a short chain section gives them amazing reactivity. The single mounting point enhances harmonics so the steel rings like a bell.
Here is a video of one of our plates being shot with a 12 ga slug @ 25 yards. Gravity holds the target in place very nicely.
 
I'm slowly working on building my own shooting range and I'm needing some inspiration. What are your favorite targets to shoot at while on the woods walk or other shooting range? I'm a farmer and I have access to a decent amount of junk steel laying around, so materials shouldn't be a problem. I'm decent with a torch and a welder so anything is on the table- knock down targets, swinging targets, slot shots, anything. Thanks in advance!
I have made and designed quite a few metal targets over the years, and I follow the rule that the target has to move (a lot) when hit, or it has to make noise that can be heard by the shooter. Too many steel targets are far too heavy to move when hit by medium to small calibre balls, and those tend to be pretty quiet as well. I made 'cow bells' out of disposable propane bottles sawn in half and hung them on the backs of some of our targets to help that. For swingers and spinners, the hubs from the back wheels of front wheel drive cars make great centers for whatever you attach for targets (get them for nothing from garages, even stuff that is too noisy for a car works forever for a spinner) Old decertified gas cylinders with the bottoms cut off also make great gongs that ring like bells when hit. Best to avoid old propane bottles, because they dent, and will occasionally re-direct ricochets right back past the firing line.
 
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