Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Guns and Ammo => Topic started by: Recurve-Elk on May 05, 2012, 07:15:42 AM

Title: Homemade steel rimfire targets?
Post by: Recurve-Elk on May 05, 2012, 07:15:42 AM: Hey all, has anyone ever made steel targets for 22lr? I know the steel needs to be pretty strong for high powered rifles, but would ordinary mild steel withstand thousands of 22 shots with out denting or warping? How thick should i go?
Title: Re: Homemade steel rimfire targets?
Post by: Special T on May 05, 2012, 09:11:45 AM: I would imagine 3/16 would work fine... Are you thinking like the animals that sit on a log/board? or a swinger? I think a swinger you might want to go 1/4 because it absorbs more energy, but you can buy those pretty reasonable from the store.
Title: Re: Homemade steel rimfire targets?
Post by: jeepasaurusrex on May 05, 2012, 09:55:05 AM: I make mine out of AR400 plate. Its the same stuff they use for armor plating and wear parts on heavy equipment (dozer blades, base edges for front end loader buckets, etc.) Being harder, it also makes a nice "PING" when you hit it. A36 is what most mild steel is and when you hit it, makes a dull thud.
Title: Re: Homemade steel rimfire targets?
Post by: Recurve-Elk on May 05, 2012, 12:22:32 PM: Taking your advise I headed to the junkyard this morning. Looked for a small chunk of AR400. Couldn't find anything small enough, so I just looked for whatever I could find. Ended up getting a perfect sized disc (8-9 inches in diameter) that is about 1/4 or 1/3 inch thick. Welded it up to a steel rod and added a little blade so the target wont spin on me. This will be perfect for when I go shooting up in the hills. Hike out and pound it into the ground (angling slightly towards the ground.) Now I don't have to mess around with paper targets! :tup:

Now all it needs is a coat of white paint and I have an eternal target!

Thanks!

(pic was taken on an angle so it looks a little distorted.)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi164.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fu7%2Fsnowboardernitro%2FPhoto0641.jpg&hash=b46c2b6bc14b21193f4cd9bf3515cdd266e13527)
Title: Re: Homemade steel rimfire targets?
Post by: jeepasaurusrex on May 05, 2012, 07:11:24 PM: One I made for a member on here.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages5a.snapfish.com%2F232323232%257Ffp63262%253Enu%253D3283%253E7%253A4%253E682%253E23747%253A4773257ot1lsi&hash=15111e2b4f2d46af2c9c119793ef05c074c475ba)
Title: Re: Homemade steel rimfire targets?
Post by: Recurve-Elk on May 05, 2012, 07:30:23 PM: That's a nice looking setup there! my original idea was something like that. A hanging gong. I went with a simple stake plan though because I have to keep mine in my truck haha.
Title: Re: Homemade steel rimfire targets?
Post by: jeepasaurusrex on May 05, 2012, 08:07:57 PM: I also have one with 4" disc mounted on a piece of round bar that sits on a stake with a rotation stop. When you hit one side, it goes back a little until it hits the stop. You hit the other side and it rotates back. Its fun to shoot with the pistol.
Title: Re: Homemade steel rimfire targets?
Post by: elksnout on May 05, 2012, 08:14:03 PM: Any chance or ricochets with those?
Title: Re: Homemade steel rimfire targets?
Post by: jeepasaurusrex on May 06, 2012, 08:13:18 PM: Unless your shooting FMJ bullets, no. Even then, no.