Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Guns and Ammo => Topic started by: demontang on January 23, 2009, 09:06:26 PM

Title: long range target
Post by: demontang on January 23, 2009, 09:06:26 PM: Well after my streak of missing coyotes I decided to make a long range target to practice up some more. Its a 1/2" thick plate that's 15"x15" and its swivels on two 3/4" hidden hinges. The thing weighs a ton and I don't think it will fall over unless I shoot a leg of it. I'm hoping it will stand up to my 338 win at 300yd's+ :dunno: but I'm manly going to shot at it with my .223 but wanted to shoot my .338 at long ranges too.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi175.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fw131%2Fdemontang%2F100_2314.jpg&hash=e4dd979267e7286cf0a644cca9121d4ccab4f4a5)

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Title: Re: long range target
Post by: yelp on January 23, 2009, 09:10:44 PM: NICE :)
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: Huntbear on January 23, 2009, 09:14:00 PM: The 1/2 in. plate should stand up to the .338 at those ranges. I know a 13 in. tree at 250 yds. does not. Federal 210 gr. Partition loads went clear through the tree.
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: gasman on January 23, 2009, 09:15:10 PM: Nice "Gong", 8) we used to make them from semi drums, and 1 ton rotors.
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: Huntbear on January 23, 2009, 09:21:26 PM: Oh and by the way, it looks extremely well made, may have to talk to my brother and get one welded up for our 400 yd. practicing.
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: Jamieb on January 24, 2009, 03:11:14 AM: That target looks good. I normally just shoot rocks but I like steel for long range, I love hearing the Ding sound of a hit.
I set out some 3/8" plate I had, 300 RUM rounds wont even dent it past 600 yards.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv376%2Felkhunter%2Fth_shootingsteel.jpg&hash=884a06e36c746eab48525ca460639408ae82e0e4) (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v376/elkhunter/?action=view&current=shootingsteel.flv)
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: MIKEXRAY on January 24, 2009, 06:22:46 AM: Nice target, that does look like fun. Enjoy ! Mike
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: demontang on January 24, 2009, 09:32:35 AM: I know at 200yd's my .338 goes though 1/2" :o I just hope that the swinging action soaks up some of the energy. The load I'm shooting now is a 200gr nosler with 4200 ftlb's of energy at the muzzle and 1849ftlb's at 500yd's but I plan on getting the 300gr match kings for long range which will have 2588ftlb left at 500yd's :yike:
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: jeepasaurusrex on January 24, 2009, 09:56:50 AM: I work in a steel fab shop. I have made a bunch of steel targets in the past out of scrap we have left over. I could build some more if people are interested.

Some I've built.
This pig was cut from 3/4" A36. This was at 200yds. The Barnes Triple shocks sure make a distinctive colored hole. The two shots in the head nearly penetrated the steel. The small marks are from a .22 my 7yr old daughter was shooting. :IBCOOL:
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.static.flickr.com%2F3167%2F2746324207_e69c95f32f_b.jpg&hash=1a27bae01d31348550cb9df2ba69432cd6eb04be)
This was a swinging target I built. 200yds. 3/4" A36 steel. I tried a hurried offhand shot and hit the leg in the upper left. :chuckle:
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.static.flickr.com%2F3174%2F2747159084_75538b01ac_b.jpg&hash=ad7eaef5a9fc12d8df8a267c2b5bfe46fbb524f2)
The diamond is also cut from 3/4" A36 steel. 200yds. It is 4" square.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.static.flickr.com%2F3140%2F2747160924_13003ef5a0_b.jpg&hash=8d5bd8d624c0883a0b6e6c9bc3bfa8f2129096be)

Mickey had a bad day. :chuckle: This was a piece of 1/2" A36 at 110 yards. The .270 punched through it easily, but made some weird holes. This is the entry side. My wife hit the target in the upper right and spun it 90° leaving it facing us on edge. So, I took a couple of shots at the edge of the target, the results are on the bottom left. :IBCOOL:
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.static.flickr.com%2F3216%2F2747157340_a8415df00b_b.jpg&hash=72c46af90e967b8847b34e4f017b9c3887a1658b)
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: demontang on January 24, 2009, 02:55:03 PM: If that was all from a 270 I might not want to shot mine with the .338 tell 500yd's
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: dbllunger on January 24, 2009, 06:38:11 PM: Nice looking target. You are going to punch holes right through it. A 223 will probably go through in the 100 yard range. If not then dang close. Normal plate steel is just too soft. Check with your local rail road. They have piles of old rail plates of hardened steel. Also try your county/city public works guys for old plow/grader cutter bars. DOT wont give you any. You can also hit up any heavy equipment or excavation company. Weld a lot of wear pads or what ever you can find over your plate if that is all you can find. Weld them together and you can shoot it at any range. If you know someone who buys surplus stuff off Fort Lewis they buys scrap metal at times. They have old armor off from different vehicles. 3/8 armor will also pretty much stop everything. It will also help if you set your angle iron point facing forward it will help the frame last.
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: jeepasaurusrex on January 24, 2009, 07:51:21 PM: You want to use AR-400 or T-1 plate. Those are the hardest, with 400 having the best bullet stopping power. I can make some out of 400 no problem. :)
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: demontang on January 24, 2009, 08:39:42 PM: That would be nice, I dont have a clue what kind of steel the plate is.I found sheet that some one dumped and I picked it up and put what was left to use, I'm willing to bet its just mild steel. :dunno:
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: jeepasaurusrex on January 24, 2009, 08:52:40 PM: I work Mondays by myself and have full rein of the fab shop, I could whip some up for the Hunting-WA members.
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: demontang on January 24, 2009, 09:11:09 PM: I work at a fab shop too, we just dont deal with much over 16ga, but we have the tools to work 1/2".
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: jeepasaurusrex on January 24, 2009, 09:29:05 PM: Most of what we deal with is 3/4 and above, some 3".

Some of our products.
Thats me, 2nd from the right.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.static.flickr.com%2F3256%2F2597358968_57eb1a13d5_b.jpg&hash=b7d142081ec304e1da331b434042f519e473644b)

Welding on a bucket (standing on end)
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And some excavator buckets getting shipped out.
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: demontang on January 24, 2009, 09:42:18 PM: Those are spray arced arent they? I havent done to much welding on heavy stuff like that but I have welded some 1/2" to my rigs for recovery points and put them to the test though :chuckle:
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: cascademountainhunter on January 24, 2009, 10:02:15 PM: thats cool i out to make me one of them thats a good idea
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: jeepasaurusrex on January 25, 2009, 12:40:36 AM: We run 1/16" hardwire with 98% argon, 2% oxygen gasses. Burn it at around 300amps. 8)
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: Coasthunterjay on January 26, 2009, 06:22:40 PM: so if someone didnt have the tools to make a big thick target how else might we go by doing this? can we use something else? ide like to do some large caliber long distance shooting also.
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: demontang on January 26, 2009, 06:45:01 PM: I'm sure one of use will help you out with that, jeepasaurusrex offed to make some I think. What cal are you shooting?
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: dbllunger on January 26, 2009, 06:52:28 PM: Coast....did you see what I posted? Those rail road plates are hard as heck. They have four 1" square holes for the spikes, but the dimentions are right around 8"x12". They will weld together just fine. Contact your local railroad office, talk to one of the workers, (non office jockey), and they will give you some. Also old cutter bars work great. Just cut to length and weld them togeter. Not the nice cut outs Jeeps did, but you are not going to see any difference at 500+ yds.
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: demontang on January 26, 2009, 06:59:22 PM: Yeah it doesnt have to be pretty if you are shooting at it. :chuckle:
Title: Re: long range target
Post by: dbllunger on January 26, 2009, 07:17:29 PM: I don't care how they haul them. But there is some truth to certain people wanking about it. In that instance, huge bull, little jeep, I'm shooting it and making it fit. I have tried to move some full bodied bulls, and I have no idea how they got that thing in the jeep. Must have been 5-6 guys or a come along. If I had the time or option I always hide mine just to keep people from seeing it, so they have no idea where or if I got one. Kinda like hunting no tell em ridge every day of every season.