Big bore Shooting range

[Havegunwilltravel]

Hey AH- I’m going to set up a little shooting range for lose range iron sight practice behind my house.

Reading up on steel gong thickness. From what I’m reading it looks like none of them are rated for African calibers (even 1/2” steel) under 200 yards?

Will steel gongs stand up to big bore soft points at close range? I’d primarily shoot 300wm, 9.3x62 and 450-400.

If not, any recommendations for some other type of -large permanent target that will “ring” when you shoot it?

 

[AZDAVE]

Get 1/2 in or thicker AR500 and with those rounds you will be fine. I have shot a ar500 at 50 meters with a 416 solid at 2400 and with the ar 500 it took the round and swung around a few times on the stand. with common steel plate it goes through

 

[Havegunwilltravel]

Thanks AZ Dave. Good to know. AR500 is what I was looking at.

If anyone has recommendations on shooting targets or stands or pics of thier setup I’d love to see it.

Thanks!

 

[WAB]

I use AR500 plates. Over time the heavy calibers dimple them, but they do stand up. As Dave says, heavy calibers just punch holes in standard plates.

 

[JG26Irish_2]

Just use strong supports for your plates. Those big, heavy bullets hit really hard. It is easy to break hooks or chains if they are not heavy duty. BTW, I shot our AR500, full sized IPSC plate at our range at 400y with my 375HH. Three rounds in a tight cluster. I was aiming at the upper right shoulder since I had another group in the center that I wanted to measure when finished. When I drove down range to measure them, I noticed that the three hammer blows from only a 375 into the shoulder had managed to bend the plate back by about 1/4". It was 1/2" thick AR500. If it hits that hard at 400y, what will a true big bore do at 50y or 100y? With that in mind, you might want to either go thicker or weld some reinforcing ribs on the back side of the plates?

 

[CBeck]

Mine all hang from chains to help with deflection and adsorb recoil.


.375 ruger 270 gr dgx……..1/2 ar500

1/2 mild steel

 

[AZDAVE]

Those full size IPSC plates usually don't get mounted where thy move like the round or square plates. I shot a IPSC at 150 with 5 shots from a 416 Rigby and it bent but face down in the dirt and park the truck on it and it was back to straight. After that we mounted all the steel, on chains so that they could move under impact, problem solved.

 

[skydiver386]

Those full size IPSC plates usually don't get mounted where thy move like the round or square plates. I shot a IPSC at 150 with 5 shots from a 416 Rigby and it bent but face down in the dirt and park the truck on it and it was back to straight. After that we mounted all the steel, on chains so that they could move under impact, problem solved.

That's exactly how it's done. Let the plates swing on a heavy chain so they can move on impact, they don't suffer as much damage.

The problem can then become what to use as a stand that won't move and fall over when those heavy plates start swinging. The thin tube steel quick assembly stands are fine for rimfires, and most anything under 3,000 ft lbs , but above 4,000 ft lbs even the 3/4 inch thick AR500 plates can swing enough to tip the stand over.

 

[TennesseeHunter]

1/2” ar500 would be a minimum I’d say. I’ll try to get a picture of one of my stands later.

I have a couple 3/8” ar500 silhouettes that are perfect on the surface (no divots or anything) but have bent dramatically, even when they’re only shot at >300 yards. Something like if you laid it on a table the middle would be bowed an inch or two up.

Steel targets have both a maximum energy and velocity rating. So ar500 is good to 2700 fps if I can recall, and 1/2” is rated up to 3 to 4000 ft lbs, but that depends on how it’s mounted. I haven’t had any problems with a lot more energy than that on target.

300 win? Mag is pretty quick so that could divot ar500 at sub100 yards depending on ammo.
Ar550 is an option to consider as well, since it can take a bit more velocity.

 

[Nhoro]

At our range, we found soft actually go through a plate easier than a solid. Lots of theories like the soft makes some kind of hot metal plasma torch. That is at 75m. Also watch out for bounce back from the plate at shorter ranges. Even when it is angled down, the plate manages to throw some bullets back at you.

 

[cajunchefray]

That's exactly how it's done. Let the plates swing on a heavy chain so they can move on impact, they don't suffer as much damage.

The problem can then become what to use as a stand that won't move and fall over when those heavy plates start swinging. The thin tube steel quick assembly stands are fine for rimfires, and most anything under 3,000 ft lbs , but above 4,000 ft lbs even the 3/4 inch thick AR500 plates can swing enough to tip the stand over.View attachment 673770

A relative near my farm, had this style stand fabricated by a local welder with 2 3/8" drill pipe, available here as oilfield pipe, no longer used for drilling. Many ranchers build corrals for cattle out of these pipes.

Heavy as hell, just move once on a trailer to your range. Depending on your soil, may need feet welded to the legs so as not to sink at an off angle.
It holds up, hanging AR500 plates with heavy chain.

Buffalo Bore 405 grain JFN, out of a Marlin 1895 Cowboy, moving at 2000 fps, it doesn't move.
I will be testing it with 458 Win Mag 500 Hornady DGX at 2150 fps.

 

[TennesseeHunter]

Thanks AZ Dave. Good to know. AR500 is what I was looking at.

If anyone has recommendations on shooting targets or stands or pics of thier setup I’d love to see it.

Thanks!

Here are what 90% of my targets look like, more or less. it’s angled down only a couple degrees, which id recommend as much as possible. I just shoot down a hill 6-8 degrees to this target and it angles a bit to one side so there’s already a lot of angle there.

I personally like chains. Can hit them with pretty much anything and it won’t do a thing. A chain on this target got hit with a 458 win mag and broke the link but not enough to undo the chain so it’s still working well.

My buddies hang targets with rubber strips cut from semi truck mud flaps. They work great until something big hits them then it tears the target out. But it’s Cheaper than 3/8” chain!

 

[WAB]

I switched from chains to strips of tire rubber. Tire rubber is far superior.

 

[Havegunwilltravel]

Awesome info here gentlemen, keep it coming. I appreciate the info.

 

[WAB]

Make sure the plates are hung on an offset so the lead goes to ground.

 

[Bonk]

I have AR500 plates and gongs. I limit shooting them with anything 30 cal or bigger to at least 100yds.

Ditto the comments about chains and hooks. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve had to repair chains after hitting the gong at 100yds with larger calibers. The gongs are only slightly dimpled but unless you’re using a high strength chain the chain will get stretched and eventually separate. The alternative is to use high quality chains but even then all it takes is one bullet strike to the chain to separate it. Yeah, I know, don’t shoot the chain. Stuff happens…...

 

[WAB]

I have AR500 plates and gongs. I limit shooting them with anything 30 cal or bigger to at least 100yds.

Ditto the comments about chains and hooks. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve had to repair chains after hitting the gong at 100yds with larger calibers. The gongs are only slightly dimpled but unless you’re using a high strength chain the chain will get stretched and eventually separate. The alternative is to use high quality chains but even then all it takes is one bullet strike to the chain to separate it. Yeah, I know, don’t shoot the chain. Stuff happens…...

Use tire rubber to hang your steel. Bullets do not destroy it and there is zero chance for a deflection off of it. I’d never go back to chains.

 

[bowjijohn]

I use paper for DG calibres

Paper doesn’t lie

Steel takes an awful bashing from heavy calibres

I also fear the ricochet

‘Charging lion’ is a paper target on wooden sled

Each to their own of course

 

[WAB]

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I use paper for DG calibres

Paper doesn’t lie

Steel takes an awful bashing from heavy calibres

I also fear the ricochet

‘Charging lion’ is a paper target on wooden sled

Each to their own of course

There is zero chance of a ricochet if you hang steel targets on an offset with tire rubber straps.

 

[Havegunwilltravel]

Do you make the tire rubber straps? If so what do you cut them with? Can you buy then somehow?