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School me on Steel Targets

We shoot AR500 and nothing phases it (under 3800 fps and nothing steel core of course). 22-250 at 100 to 150yards pits it pretty good. So no more 22-250 at my range .223 up to 300 win mag doesn't phase it. I've shot handgun down to 5 yards. Not sure I'm going to do that again without frangible ammo though. The .45's richochet pretty bad on our setup. We were getting fragments back to 15 yards or more.
 
If your friend has a water-jet cutter that uses the proper abrasive, he probably can cut out targets for you. It can be cut with an oxy-acetelene torch but will soften the edges. I find good old water-base latex paint the best for my use as most spray paints are messy and the nozzles often plug up. I use conveyor belt to hang my target. Use grade 8 bolts to hold the target to the belt. It takes several months to shoot it down. I got my gong from midway (do not waste your money buying their stand unless you bench shoot only) and 62 gr green tips make tiny craters in the surface, but no real problem. If you want the target to ring good, put the bolt(s) thru the plate and back nut or double nut them with about 1/8 to 1/4 inch of slack. Then using fender washers, tightly bolt the target to the conveyor belt. My target is about a half mile from the house and my wife says she can hear the "gong" when I hit the target.
 
Just don't shoot AP. Goes right through 500 AR steel.

https://www.theoutdoorstrader.com/threads/careful-with-that-ap-eugene.900339/

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Get the right steel and angle the top of the target toward the shooter so the splatter is directed down I shoot pistol at 10' on my "man" targets almost every weekend with no issues like this. My rifle gongs are all hanging "free swing" to prevent what's in the video.

Soft steel will send a rnd back at you every time.
 
If your are shooting with kids, get the cheapest small soda cans and dont drink them. Give them a shake and a 22lr will be impressive as they explode.
 
Golf balls are fun to chase with a .22, depending on your terrain. And if you can get bowling pins, tie a noose around their necks and hang them up. They make nice reactive targets, but only for a couple of hundred handgun shots. Rifles will destroy them in just a few shots.
 
If your are shooting with kids, get the cheapest small soda cans and dont drink them. Give them a shake and a 22lr will be impressive as they exploxe.

I buy bad fruit and veggies to shoot at with kids from a local stand. The give me most of the stuff and I pay for some just as a thank you. Everyone loves the instant gratification, everyone likes seeing the "target" explode, there is nothing to clean up and best of all............kids get a better understanding of the devastation of a bullet can cause, not just a simple hole in paper or a can.

My kids love to hear the DING at distance on steel too. We've worked on math many days shooting long range steel.
 
We did the balloon thing on a range we used. Only difference we hooked them to remote cars, worked great, different colors you had to shoot only your color. Problem whoever was on the remote would messed with you on speeds, turns etc... then get teed off and shot the cars. Can get expensive. But alot of fun.
 
Got some personal land now that I am able to shoot on. Been looking at some different ways to set up targets and want to get some steel targets. The issue is I don't know much about them. I want to be able to shoot pistol rounds for close range but rifle rounds up to 308 with some distance. So my question is how thick do the targets need to be. Can I buy sheets and cut them myself since I have a buddy with that capability. Also where is a good place to buy some.
Make some like these... the chicks and the snowflakes really dig it when you tell them you've been shooting kitties all day!

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