Shooting Steel - Want Information on Mounting/Hanging Solutions!

jimbobborg said:

I don't think I've shot an SASS match where the pistol targets were further than 5 yards away.

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SA and controlled environment.. Sure it works.

Leisurely shoot.. Take a wild guess what's goimg to happen.

Lol

Been hit with lead just rsoing a steel match before.. And the targets were 10 plus yards.

Keep the answers coming!

Yet another question:

What angle is the steel supposed to be at? Does it matter? Is any downward angle ok?

Scarab

If Im not mistaken it's 30 degree angle for a static target

Laddertowr said:

If Im not mistaken it's 30 degree angle for a static target

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What about chain dangling?

Scarab

You said rimfire targets, then mentioned someone else shooting a garand. 3/8" chain should be fine. I have targets I shoot and they are fine.

I like the fire hose for hanging and wood frame for holding every thing up. Steel pipe not so much due to deflections.

I use a single screw link and hang them from a 5/8" diameter shepherd's hook that stands 60" when pressed into the ground. The trick (not a trick, really) is to have the shepherd's hook sideways--not behind the target. That way you won't shoot the stand. Like this:

http://www.mdshooters.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=100145&d=1382489406

I use 3/8 welded link chain with big S-hooks bent over. I can't imagine the chain ever breaking from impact on the target. I wonder what kind of chain the OP was referring to.

I ended up with a chit load of hose and more comming soon... if anyone wants any let me know

Here's the rig I came up with. The two on the left are 1/4 AR200 Rimfire only and the three on the right (squares) are 3/8ths AR500. I was shooting them at 13.3 yards (about 40 feet) with .22, 9mm, and 45 ACP. I do need to get a lighter chain for the rim fire targets as they don't swing much when you hit them. Actually, I'm probably just going to do away with them all together and just buy 3/8ths AR500 so that I can shoot them with everything.

DISCLAIMER! - I'm NOT an engineer. I'm not in any way telling you this is how you should build YOUR rig. This is merely letting you know how I built mine. I am not responsible for whatever build you decide to go with or what you do with it or what materials or hardware YOU use. Basically, I'm NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR WHATEVER YOU DO! I shouldn't even need to put this on this post but there are huge a-holes that walk among us and they are willing to sue anyone for anything whether it's their fault or not. I'm not responsible for you. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF!

So basically what this is made of is:

2x4s (48" each) with folding saw horse tops.
1/4" galvanized chain in 12" lengths (soon to be replaced by firehouse!)

The targets from xsteel have 1/2" holes in all of them. I used 3/8ths 4 1/2" long carriage bolts. On the back side of the plates there is a 5/16ths washer, three 3/8ths nuts (one to lock down the carriage bolt from turning, one to lock down the previous nut, and one as a spacer), another 5/16ths washer, the 1/4" galvanized chain, another 5/16ths washer and a lock nut. You will need to adjust the 3rd nut and the locking nut to get the proper downward angle from the plate.

The top through the 2x4 are 3/8ths 4" long carriage bolts, on the back side of the 2x4 there is a 5/16ths washer, 3/8ths nut, 5/16ths washer, chain, 5/16ths washer, and a 3/8ths nut.


Lessons Learned from the my first day at the range with my steel plate setup for handguns:

The little 3" 3/8ths AR500 target (second from right) take a wallop from the 9mm and 45 ACP and get flipped around the top of the frame rendering them useless. The 4" 3/8ths AR500 targets faired a little better. The 6" 3/8ths AR500 target was great. I will probably be replacing the rimfire targets, and the 3" and 4" AR 500 squares with all 3/8ths AR500 in either the 6" or 8" gong or square in the near future.

The rig sat a little low. I need to create leg extensions with multiple holes so that the rig sits higher so that any missed shots go into the berm at the range and not into or across the ground. I will be able to customize to the height with the impact berm no matter what distance I'm shooting from.



With post this, I hope I can save everyone a LOT of the trouble, testing, trial and error I had to go through to get it right. Please make sure you take your steel target plates WITH YOU to Lowes/Home Depot and fit everything on it AT THE STORE to make sure I remembered all the correct parts I used. (I'm writing this from memory).



Scarab

Very nice setup.
The only change I would suggest is maybe make the header longer so that you can space them out a bit more and have a little more clearance from target to leg.

rseymorejr said:

Very nice setup.
The only change I would suggest is maybe make the header longer so that you can space them out a bit more and have a little more clearance from target to leg.

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Agreed but i'll tell you why I used just a 4' section: I have to lug it around by my lonesome. Version 1.0 had an 8' 2x4 on the top and it was hard to carry with 50 pounds of steel hanging from it Also, I didn't hit the legs at all (I was rather proud of myself for that....) And to be honest I didn't see the targets hit or clash with one another at all after an impact. They all stayed in their general location. Version 1.0 had the target top chains spaced at 12" and then a 6" space in between each target. I think if I remember correctly I spaced these (version 2.0) about 2" between each target and made the top chains only 6" so that the stance wasn't so wide. (I could be wrong as I'm writing this from memory). Version 1.0 taught me a lot about what I needed to do and what I didn't need. And more space was one of the things it didn't need.

Scarab

I'm still perfecting my setup so I'm learning just like you. For pistol caliber and rimfire (22LR) I've found that the 10" dia 3/8" AR500 plates I have work pretty well hung from "shepherd's hooks" - those stick-in-the-ground things you can get at hardware stores:


(http://images.orgill.com/200x200/5065750.jpg)

I suspend my plates from the hooks with carabiners. When shooting pistols (9mm-45ACP) I usually have one plate at about 10 yards and one at about 25 yards. I can see that my rounds strike the plates and reflect into the dirt a few feet behind the plate. I've yet to have anything come back to the firing line.

The shepherd's hooks don't work at all when I've shot plates with rifle calibers. I've always shot at 100 yards and the plates rarely stay up through a few rounds. i'm going to try some sort of sawhorse setup using old conveyor belt material.

Scarab said:

Agreed but i'll tell you why I used just a 4' section...

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I'm dealing with a similar issue. I'm the only one having to haul things around and everything has to fit in my car. Definitely limits things :/

Wow. Surprised that I didn't get any more responses. I guess my rig sucks!

Scarab

Pushrod said:

I use old metal clothes hangers hung from shepherds hooks. Cheap and easy.

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Brilliant!!!!

Scarab said:

Wow. Surprised that I didn't get any more responses. I guess my rig sucks!

Scarab

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You want chocolate chip, or peanut butter?

Nice rig. I will be stealing many ideas from this thread. Let me know if I need to send a quarter somewhere.

I like the one in this video. Not sure if bought or custom made but looks great.

Full Auto on Steel Target

Wait until about 56 seconds into the video to see how the target works. pretty cool.

Dave

Traveler said:

You want chocolate chip, or peanut butter?

Nice rig. I will be stealing many ideas from this thread. Let me know if I need to send a quarter somewhere.

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Hell No! I want no part in you using my ideas! Don't want to get sued! READ MY DISCLAIMER IN BOLD AND BRIGHT RED LOL!

Scarab

Scarab said:

Hell No! I want no part in you using my ideas! Don't want to get sued! LOL!

Scarab

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But I needs mah check!!!! I better call Saul.