Anyone here make their own steel targets?

[bulletdodger]

I'd like to pick up some steel targets for a small range we're putting in up at the cabin. Anyone here cut their own steel targets? I've been pricing them online and they're ridiculous. I'd be interested in buying standard sillhouette type plates with holes drilled to hang from a post. Nothing fancy.

[Tilos]

To shoot with what?
For 22LR mild steel will do, anything bigger and you'll need T6, so pricing some of that will show why targets are so "expensive".
What about those special polymer targets that re-act to a hit but the bullet passes thru without much of a hole...a lot safer than steel.

Edit:
I'm not sure where the T6 reference came from, as it's a condition of aluminum, not steel:o
Bullet craters and pock marks in mild steel can cause bullets to deflect in many directions when shooting at close range.
Mild steel that has been cratered from longer distance rifle fire would be dangerous if shot with a handgun at close range.
just sayin'

[RevRay]

No, but I have my own Steel Magnolia ... except that she's from New Jersey.

[CJB]

I used 3/4 plate plain steel... nothing fancy... for all handgun, even 357 and .44.

Works for 22 rifle.

I'll tell you this - .223 will daylight 1/2 easily and some 5/8 plate as well. And .308 will do 6/8 place like buttah, and will almost go thru the 3/4 in one shot as well. The almost thru is like a huge goose egg on the back side of the plate.

However, for shooting 9's and 38's and .22's and such... 45acp... the 3/4 inch plate will last for a very very long time.

Eventually, the battering will twist the plate... no matter how thick... its just a matter of time.

[tigwelder56]

I'm a retired welder and find making these steel targets quite simple, provided you can get your hands on a torch! Seriously though, here's an idea for you guys and gals to try. Go to your local ready mix concrete plants, I used to run a maintenance shop at one and know what usually lays around. They always are required to line their rock chutes with AR (abrasion resistant) steel. I used to buy sheets of AR 300 and 500 steel to do this and always had left over (drops) of this steel when finished. If you can get ahold of someone working in these shops, ask them if they'd be willing to cut you several round gong size targets from their left over steel. If you offer to buy the shop a couple of pizzas in exchange for them, I've found them more than willing! They get lunch and a use for their left over waste steel (recycling) and you'll get some steel targets made out of steel that will outlast you! :Amflag2: ;)

[gb6491]

I'm a retired welder and find making these steel targets quite simple, provided you can get your hands on a torch! Seriously though, here's an idea for you guys and gals to try. Go to your local ready mix concrete plants, I used to run a maintenance shop at one and know what usually lays around. They always are required to line their rock chutes with AR (abrasion resistant) steel. I used to buy sheets of AR 300 and 500 steel to do this and always had left over (drops) of this steel when finished. If you can get ahold of someone working in these shops, ask them if they'd be willing to cut you several round gong size targets from their left over steel. If you offer to buy the shop a couple of pizzas in exchange for them, I've found them more than willing! They get lunch and a use for their left over waste steel (recycling) and you'll get some steel targets made out of steel that will outlast you! :Amflag2: ;)
That's good advice on the AR steel tigwelder56http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-gen078.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)
My buddy got some cutoff's from a local metal supply shop for next to nothing; all we did was weld some legs onto them. They've taken numerous hits from 9mm and 45ACP at close range plus rifle fire (30'06, 7.62x54R, .308, 45/70, 5.56, etc.) from 100yds and out with little damage.
The cutoff targets are center and left in this photo (the swinger on the right is by a local guy, but it's AR as well):
http://i43.tinypic.com/34pf2xj.jpg
Results from rifle and pistol fire:
http://i43.tinypic.com/20gmyjl.jpg
(Thought it humorous that the captcha to upload this photo was "heavy metal")

I did see this site that offers some ready made gongs out of AR steel, but I've not had any dealings with them: http://shootingtargets7.com/

Regards,
Greg

[bulletdodger]

Great advice guys! Thanks! I have a cement company right down the road. On a side note, has anyone heard of Endura steel yet? Supposed to be far better than ar500 and much cheaper. It is being used for excavator buckets and such.

[tigwelder56]

I haven't heard of Endura but will do a little snooping and see what I can find. If it's cheaper, that would be great for everyone! I can't recall how much left over AR plate I ended up throwing out to the recycler over the years. It wasn't until the last decade or so did we see the rush to shooting plate steel like we are now. Had I known, I would've had so many of those gong plates made and available, I would have had enough to supply anyone that wanted them for next to nothing! Hind sight is so clear :D, isn't it? Oh well, I hope you give my suggestion a try. I know that stuff is just sitting around waiting for your pizza lunch offer to come knocking, ha, ha!!

Stay safe and happy shooting!! :Amflag2: