On today's episode of...

[vmax]

Why we can't have nice things.

My range guest yesterday ..
Shot up my plain steel pistol targets with an M4 (actually my M4..because I had just paid him for it lol)

He has been here before and I know I told him no rifle rounds on the pistol targets...1st because its not safe because they are only 35 feet away and 2nd because only one of them is AR500

well..he loaded a farewell 30 round mag in the DD M4 I was buying from him and shot at the 75 yard and then before I knew what was happening he finished up on the pistol targets..

Its my fault..I didn't even say anything to him. He didn't do it intentionally..he is a really good guy.

I need to go over rules better with guest...so lesson learned

I got the big one over to the shop and tried to weld up some of the damage..
That one hurt my feelings because it was a hand made gift from a dear old friend for my 50th Birthday

Things happen.
We move on and learn.

Top pic is of the attempted repair

 

[baboon]

I did something similar over at EZE-E’s. When he reminded me the first time out of my mouth was that I would pay for it. I was only thinking about a smaller sized target.

 

[ILexpatriot]

This happened to me many years ago. I was young, and poor, and had welded up some parts and a mild steel disk I found somewhere. I just told a friend not to shoot it with a rifle, when he unloaded on it with MY sks and fmj.
ALL the targets I buy/build now are AR500, 3/8" minimum. It's cheaper to have them last than replace them every time a moron shows up..

 

[baboon]

Back while living in Houston while walking the dog I thought man hole covers might mage a great gong. The only thing preventing me from helping myself to a few of them is the thought of myself driving into one that missing.

 

[ILexpatriot]

Back while living in Houston while walking the dog I thought man hole covers might mage a great gong. The only thing preventing me from helping myself to a few of them is the thought of myself driving into one that missing.

Too soft...

 

[ILexpatriot]

Back on the farm, Dad had a 4'x8'x1.25" sheet of mild steel. I built a couple A frames and set it on the back with the loader, to use for a backstop. I even picked a couple buckets of sand in front of it. But the sand there is FINE. Blow sand, or sugar sand depending on where you learned to speak.
He told me it wouldn't work, but I didn't believe him. At 45 degrees, what could possibly ding it?
Well, the first time someone showed up with 5.56 steel core, I found out..
It chewed it up bad. He was pissed.

 

[baboon]

Back on the farm, Dad had a 4'x8'x1.25" sheet of mild steel. I built a couple A frames and set it on the back with the loader, to use for a backstop. I even picked a couple buckets of sand in front of it. But the sand there is FINE. Blow sand, or sugar sand depending on where you learned to speak.
He told me it wouldn't work, but I didn't believe him. At 45 degrees, what could possibly ding it?
Well, the first time someone showed up with 5.56 steel core, I found out..
It chewed it up bad. He was pissed.

Nice of him to let you learn that hard lesson. When I received my G3K after it was built I was up to Ralph's to shoot it. He had a stack of old farm disks that he put out to shoot. My first thought was they would be to brittle. Ralph disagreed ad it was his place so we went forth. Those 7.62 ball shattered those disc like dinner plates.

 

[oldag]

Ouch.

 

[ILexpatriot]

I know we all want to save money. But AR 500 is getting pretty cheap if you look in the right places. Buy it precut, but build the stands yourself. I've saved mucho $$ over buying completed stuff..

 

[ILexpatriot]

Here's a for instance. I've bought a lot of ours from eBay and had good luck. I don't check the RC of the plates, but I have been known to pop them with something I shouldn't from time to time.

Tactical Scorpion 2 PCS AR500 Steel Shooting Targets IDPA 12" x 20" X 3/8 Gong | eBay

2 PCS AR500 Steel Shooting Targets IDPA 12" x 20" X 3/8 Gong. Target Shape: 2/3 scale IDPA. 3/8” AR500 steel targets work great for the following calibers 223, 5.56, 5.45×39, 7.62×39 and 308. Handguns should be used no closer than 10 yards and rifles 100 yards.

www.ebay.com

 

[ILexpatriot]

My favorite stand is an old truck brake rotor, with a 4x4 post adapter welded to it. The rotors are free, and weigh enough to hold still. The post adapter I was getting at a building store back home. It's just a flat flange with a clamping coller on top. Drop in the post, tighten a couple bolts, done.
I buy 1/2 x 12" carriage bolts to fit the square hole most plates come with. Drill through the 4x4 at a shallow angle to give the plate some cant to help with bullet deflection. Cut a short spacer out of 1/2" PVC to give it some standoff, and something to tighten to. Do not over torque. Let the plate free float some. Shoot it some and adjust, there's a sweet spot. When I get it where I like, I tack weld the nuts so they stay put. One done stand, go shoot.
Edit. I was using these bases, but not paying near that much.. https://www.ebay.com/itm/3055636019...V/w/jK+S9SesaTrx9IdbpeiQ==|tkp:Bk9SR9jksu7HZA