Budget steel target

[JKaboom]

Has anyone had experience using this budget steel target?
BudgetTarget

Do you have a recommendation for a budget steel target that will handle up to rifle like 7mm .308 etc?

 

[ColtRevolver]

It will work ok unless the ground is soft, then it tends to get knocked loose and fall over every few rounds. Also, the frame is mild steel. It won't take many direct hits before becoming damaged.





I take buy and maintain the steel targets on 3 ranges at one of my clubs. I only buy AR500 plates, paddles, and swingers. We buy a lot of plates and build our own swingers out of rebar and flat stock.

 

[JKaboom]

It will work ok unless the ground is soft, then it tends to get knocked loose and fall over every few rounds. Also, the frame is mild steel. It won't take many direct hits before becoming damaged.





I take buy and maintain the steel targets on 3 ranges at one of my clubs. I only buy AR500 plates, paddles, and swingers. We buy a lot of plates and build our own swingers out of rebar and flat stock.

Thank you - maybe I'll hold off and just save a little money for some quality plates with good frame. The ground thing is not an issue in Colorado where I am at (or problem is just getting it into the dang hard ground with tons of rock LOL).

 

[ColtRevolver]

One of the companies I use is called Magnum Target. Their prices are pretty good. Shipping is free.

 

[Kentos]

There is a guy on eBay I got my AR500 targets from, and it was reasonable, though only the target no frame. Was a while ago so I will see if I can find his contact info. Held up to 5.56@100y.

 

[Kentos]

Well I can’t find it. Must be too long since I bought it.

That one you linked looks ok, but the splatter from the bullets can really eat up the frame. I hung mine with some decent gauge chains and it ate the chain up astonishingly fast. I have heard old firehose holds up well but where the heck can you find that.

I have seen guys bend rebar to hang them on as well.

TBO get some decent ar500 and improvise the frame cause everything you hang it from will get beat to heck. A friend bought a 200.00 really nice metal target gong, took it to the range, and put two 7.72x49 holes in the frame lol.

 

[JKaboom]

Well I can’t find it. Must be too long since I bought it.

That one you linked looks ok, but the splatter from the bullets can really eat up the frame. I hung mine with some decent gauge chains and it ate the chain up astonishingly fast. I have heard old firehose holds up well but where the heck can you find that.

I have seen guys bend rebar to hang them on as well.

TBO get some decent ar500 and improvise the frame cause everything you hang it from will get beat to heck. A friend bought a 200.00 really nice metal target gong, took it to the range, and put two 7.72x49 holes in the frame lol.

Sounds like good advice, thank you. I've shot at steel targets but never owned one.

 

[nortac]

My experience using metal targets is similar to @Kentos 's, only the strongest target frames stand up, chains and metal connectors get chewed up pretty quickly.

 

[ColtRevolver]

Like I said earlier I maintain the steel for my club. I've been doing it over 10 years. The club has 400 members, plus guests. I have gotten to see what works well and what fails through our trial and error.



You need heavy chain. I use 3/8" grade 43 chain. Sure, it will occasionally break, but not often. I just bolt the chain back together. I rarely have a link break on the pistol ranges. It happens on the rifle range from one too many direct hits on a link in the same spot.



As far as frames go, I hang them a variety of ways. Some I hang suspended from a beam. A 2x6 will last about 6 months. The spatter eats them up. Sometimes, I'll put a piece of angle iron on the edge closest to the targets. That extends life greatly. Another simple and inexpensive way to hang the targets is to use metal T posts and hang the targets between them. If I was building a home range, I'd probably use T posts.