I just ordered ~$350 worth of steel targets, I want to see how /k/unts are setting up their home ranges and steel. I'm not buying the over priced mounting trash the target dealers sell, I want to make what ever mounts/stands I need. So basically DIY home range inspiration thread.
>>28357334
Free farm scrap. Can't beat free for a 25 target setup at 400 yards that takes less than 30mins to set up.
It's basically drop rods with discs hung on them from the planter, or the thicker discs from heavier digging equipment I have in the center for an easier rough sight-in.
Next year's smaller planter discs are going to be a bit thicker than 1/8in, so I probably won't even be able to penetrate them with anything but 556 & large rifles even at 100 yards. 762 barely makes it through as-is, so very doubtful. But 556 even zips through my thick ones that 54r can't. Speed seems to be the main enemy of my steel.
side view of the smaller ones
and the larger one, heavy, but still not too hard to carry a couple at a time
I use two discs to close the gap in the center, then one more on the back just as a weight to keep them standing upright.
556 is the only thing I shoot that cuts through these
>>28357526
Like you said free is free hard to beat. I also had some scrap set up, but I looks kind of nasty and it just wasn't holding up being left out. Whereas most people leave their AR500 out all 365, and a good coat of paint keeps them (surface) rust free. I bought all 1/2" because I want to be able to shoot them with 5.56 under 100yds.
>>28357728
Different anon here. What all did you buy?
>>28357458
>>28357477
>>28357526
I would have loved to get farm scrap, but farmers turn that shit back in for cash, and I can't blame them. Oh well, even bought targets are great fun and worth the investment.
I made stands out of 2x4s for the AR500 targets i have (H bases with single post coming).
The posts needed replacing twice each for a days worth of shooting mostly becuase people were shooting the stands or shooting rifle rounds and buck when the targets were less than 25 yards away and meant only for pistols.
Other than that, worked fine no issues.
>>28357767
All 1/2" AR500;
4 2.5" rounds (they were cheap seemed like fun)
1 12"X20" torso
4 6" rounds
2 8" rounds
~4 4" rounds
1 5.7" X 12" torso
I did the order a few days ago so the numbers may be off, but the total was something like $360. Shoot steel was the site, they do free shipping over $250 and the prices seemed right.
>>28357334
>>28358010
What did you use as the supports?
>>28357728
>I bought all 1/2" because I want to be able to shoot them with 5.56 under 100yds.
556 is the nastiest round I've ever used on my steel, so I'd still worry a bit about cratering even on half inch. My thickest ~1/4in thick stuff that stops 54r dead is still too thin for 556. 556 knocks little notches out and even craters the 2nd 1/4in disc in line far more than 54r does to the first.
>>28357767
>but farmers turn that shit back in for cash
Scrap metal is worth jack shit, especially for the small amount you'd probably be grabbing. It'd still probably be really cheap or free if you knew someone who had some around. Just make sure and grab the HARD stuff like my discs. You don't want soft stuff that'll turn into a bunch of craters on day one.
But even if you don't have a cheap source, it still pays to have actual steel targets. They're so much more fun than paper. And even more fun if you set them out far enough for that delayed clank.
>>28358066
>cratering
I'm pretty new to steel so thanks for the advice, I'll make sure I test it before I start hammering them with my AR.
![IMG_15761_zps5ade5ce5[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/klLd49y.jpg "IMG_15761_zps5ade5ce5[1].jpg")
>>28358041
He's using one of those commercial 2x4 target stands. like this one
https://shootingtargets7.com/store/target-stand.html
You can make them out of sawhorse stands. cheapest way is to use a saw horse bracket from homeopath.
>>28358066
If you don't want pock marks, you set them out to at least 100 yards, have them angled, and have them hanging on a chain instead of static mounted.
Velocity is what kills steal (aside from actual AP ammo). The further the steel is, the slower the bullet will be before it hits.
>>28358090
Here's a guy who was shooting a very thick plate with 54r some years back.
If you compare his and mine, you'd almost have to be told that mine had been shot if you washed the lead stains off. You can just barely see a little ring where the edges of the steel core first contacted, or a smaller indent on lead core ammo just where the very tip of the bullet hit.
>>28358126
A little angle definitely helps, but distance helps more because of the speed issue. But I I'd have to have a pretty extreme angle to make mine survive 556 at 100 yards. I did what I could and it still went through, the angle was fairly extreme.
And my thicker steel doesn't get pockmarks. It either knocks a notch out like a paper punch, or the bullet just flattens and shows no major signs of impact beyond lead stains.
>>28358126
I haven't seen grass that healthy in years around here.
As for the commercial stand it looks clean, I just couldn't bring myself to buy one knowing I could build it for half that with some plates cut at a local machine shop and my arc-welder. The sawhorse brackets are a good suggestion, I forgot about those.
>>28358193
>Here's a guy who was shooting a very thick plate with 54r some years back.
and here's mine after a ton of 54r, 545, and 762x39
>>28357977
Yea, my last order from them was like 800. I bought a bunch of misc shit, and the fullsize 18x36 torso.
For your small rounds, I'd use either a carriage bolt with a spring, 2 nuts, and 2 fender washers.
Purple - spring
Green - nut
Yellow - fender washer
Red - 2x4
All tight, of course. Shootsteel cuts a square in their targets so you can easily make use of a carriage bolt.
A maybe cheaper option is to use shepard hooks, but you run the risk of hitting them and fucking them up with a few shots.
>>28358269
Until I get around to building some mounting stuff I'm just going to do chains and A-frames. The advise is appreciated.
>>28358126
>wood stands
Have fun replacing those all the time. Jacket fragments chew that shit up.
