Anybody made their own Steel Gongs..?

[Stevie Ray]

Can someone please explain to me why non-hardened steel is less safe? Unless you are on the other side of it. I would think hardened would be more likely for the projectile to bounce back.

Rosewood

He explains towards the end of the video.

 

[rosewood]

Not sure I buy that argument. He is trying to sell his product. Sounds anecdotal to me. The softer metal is going to absorb some of the energy slowing down any bounce back. Harder is going to reflect that energy somewhere, whether it is bounce back or disintegration of the bullet. Throw a golf ball at a piece of wood and then throw it at a blanket and see which one bounces back the most.

I would like to see some high speed footage showing the bounce back he is talking about compared to on harder plates. Then does it apply to all velocities? What if you are shooting a slower projectile? What if faster? What if the bullet does not disintegrate when it hits that AR500 plate? Does it bounce back then?

Rosewood

 

[JeffinPTC]

Maybe its about durability of the gong. My son gets really po'd when someone shoots 223 close up at his pistol plates.

 

[7Mag Hunter]

Made several 30 yrs ago out of a 1 ton truck flywheels...cut and welded a center piece to plug up crankshaft and bolt holes.....welded 2 rebar rods on each side to hammer it into the ground...mainly used for 45 acp long range shooting (50+ yards) several were placed 200-300 yds out for centerfire rifles...never had any ricochets...

 

[Stevie Ray]

The only time I've ever had shrapnel from steel targets was shooting soft steel up close (10 yards) with a pistol, all of the hardened steel targets I've shot redirected the shrapnel down towards the ground but I've always had my targets swinging and not standing sturdy.

Here's yet another video from Hicock45 explaining the steel targets on his range.

 

[rosewood]

Find it interesting, he said hard steel is better, and that the mild steel with craters could direct shrapnel back "maybe". Sounded like he wasn't ever sure of that hypothesis himself.

He is right about swinging vs fixed and to angle it down when possible. That solves most of the issues.

I can see a deep crater from a high powered rifle and then hitting that same crater at close range with a pistol bullet, it might come back. If you notice, he had 2 pieces of mild steel he had been shooting at with pistols for decades and neither had significant cratering. Don't shoot mild steel with high powered rifles and you don't get significant cratering. And you shouldn't be shooting any steel at close range anyway.


Rosewood

 

[rosewood]

Maybe its about durability of the gong. My son gets really po'd when someone shoots 223 close up at his pistol plates.

I agree with this for sure. Harder steel is more durable and it is best to shoot at distance to prevent any dangers of ricochet and damage to the plate.

Rosewood

 

[sleepr71]

I “think” the hardened steel may do a better job of causing bullet fragmentation..as long as the gong can handle the impact. I kinda like that idea of old Flywheels. Probably need to be out of a heavy duty truck/tractor/etc. Heck,old brake drums & rotors may hold up Used ones have already been heated & tempered?

 

[Bobby Bigtime]

Can someone please explain to me why non-hardened steel is less safe? Unless you are on the other side of it. I would think hardened would be more likely for the projectile to bounce back.

Rosewood

With hunting bullets I don't think it matters much. For plates that see a lot of action it's more of a durability issue than safety.

 

[Bobby Bigtime]

The local club range here has some 5\8 plate welded to some vehicle coil springs I have yet to see a hole in them. That combo works well.

 

[treemanjohn]

Not sure I buy that argument. He is trying to sell his product.d

Correct. All nonsense. The bullet has to come to a complete stop, reverse its path, and return rearward. Aint happening

 

[trial&error]

i have have shot pistol targets at 20 yards . I heard fragments of bullet or plate strike my backdrop. Everything i shoot at now is angled down to direct ricochets.

 

[bullethead]

Correct. All nonsense. The bullet has to come to a complete stop, reverse its path, and return rearward. Aint happening

That's exactly what happens.
On a 90 degree hard surface the lead and or jacket can spring back. No different than throwing a golf ball off a wall. Divots amplify it.
https://www.alloutdoor.com/2020/06/12/jerry-miculek-shooting-steel-targets-correct-ammo/

 

[treemanjohn]

That's exactly what happens.
On a 90 degree hard surface the lead and or jacket can spring back. No different than throwing a golf ball off a wall. Divots amplify it.
https://www.alloutdoor.com/2020/06/12/jerry-miculek-shooting-steel-targets-correct-ammo/

The OP is asking about rifle gongs for longer range shooting. Thats not coming back

I've shot a ton of competitions and been hit with copper jackets thats not a bullet ricochet

 

[fireman32]

Most of these are saying not for magnum rifles. Which plate is best for a 7mm mag.?

 

[bullethead]

https://shootsteel.com/faq/

Q: Do I have to worry about ricochets?

A: Most of the lead and copper deflects at 20 degrees. You must always wear safety glasses and set up the targets in a safe location. In general the bullets do not “bounce” back or ricochet. This doesn’t mean they never will, just that most of the bullets will fragment and deflect at 20 degrees.

 

[bullethead]

Most of these are saying not for magnum rifles. Which plate is best for a 7mm mag.?

https://shootingtargets7.com/pages/target-selection
There is a chart here ^

 

[treemanjohn]

Most of these are saying not for magnum rifles. Which plate is best for a 7mm mag.?

You can shoot magnum rifles at any ar500 target at a distance , not up close. You have to let it settle down a bit.

Hanging steel will dissipate energy with mild steel

 

[BriarPatch99]

Quite a few of the farmers and ranchers around here use old plow discs. They are tempered very well but not brittle come in various sizes as well. the hole in the center is great for bolting it to a chain. Most of them are cupped somewhat so they mount them cupped side toward shooter.

Guilty of shooting harrow disc .....

It was amazing that all the center fire rifles we owned at the time ....30/06, .270 Winchester, .25/06, 6mm Remington & .243 Winchester would all splatter on a well worn harrow disc at 100 yards .....but a a 290 grain .45 Muzzle loader bullet would crack out a hole in the blades .....

That was all the "steel" targets we had in those way back days .... until I cut out a "chicken" out 1/4" steel . ..metal silhouette shooting was big in those days ..... I could flip that chicken at 100 yards with my .41 mag S&W.....

 

[BriarPatch99]

I had a set of these type targets that are really fun with rimfire pistols and rifles ....

They are on Amazon for $80 ... mild steel so wouldn't do for much else



I kinda wish the metal silhouette games would come back .... It will make you a better shooter ...

Here is a link to AR500 animal targets ....https://www.atlastargetworks.com/collections/animal-shaped-targets