Metal gongs, what to use?

[300_whisper]

For size reference I would try to stay within 1 MOA gong at specific distances to keep it a challenge. I would get larger gongs for fun. So like your 5 inch plate is for 500 yards. Or you can buy a big gong spray paint a specific size circle and aim for that. Misses outside of it can be used for sighters to make W/E adjustments.

Here’s a thought. Could you place a piece of metal or something behind a swinging gong so when you hit it, it swings and strikes the metal bar behind it to give a louder sound??

EDIT: it would help if I read other forum members post. I just said exactly what was previously mentioned.

 

[300_whisper]

Some cool ideas here. The plow blade has a reactive center which is even cooler. Can all be made at home.

 

[hikfromstik]

I really like the 2X ultra Rust-Oleum spray paint and Rust-Oleum epoxy appliance paint to get a good thick coating when it comes to painting steel targets. Don't waste money on the 99¢ Walmart watered down spray paint .

 

[spife7980]

I have a various assortment but for 1k I find a full size ispc is nice. The small targets give no margin for error around here, I dont see splash much at all so a bigger area is really my only recourse to see where Im hitting at the moment.

I have 3/8 but I wish my full size for long distance was 1/4 " just so it rings a bit more with the small 6mm calibers. With the wrong wind conditions the clang is softer than my breathing in and out. A 30 cal is pretty evident even with poor wind conditions.

Bulsseyemetals is the lowest prices Ive found so far by a fair margin.

 

[alinwa]

this one didnt ring

View attachment 1041085

DUHH! Ya don't SHOOT AT the dinger!

LOL

Ya shoot at the target, which then HITS the dinger...... And my targets start at 1/2" AR500 and go up from there....

I'd show a pic of one of my portable ones but you'd all laff at me

 

[people]

The size depends on how hard do you want to make it? When I take my steel off my land many places just suck up bullets. If you miss you will never know where they went. So I like bigger ones. Lets say you have a 3'x3' chunk of steel out there. Just because you have 9 square feet to play with does not mean you need to use it all. It just allows you to spot what would be a miss on much smaller plates.

There are some companies that make some very reactive plates like the flagging ones. If you can spot your misses they are quite fun to shoot at.

When you can not spot your shot on a miss it is like shooting a blank with recoil.

 

[muleman69]

DUHH! Ya don't SHOOT AT the dinger!

LOL

Ya shoot at the target, which then HITS the dinger...... And my targets start at 1/2" AR500 and go up from there....

I'd show a pic of one of my portable ones but you'd all laff at me

Aw come on we won't laugh

 

[alinwa]

Aw come on we won't laugh

Wanna BET??

Just call me Al Goldberg, but it WORKS

This one is in getting a new AR500 front protector plate and installation of a forklift hoop so's I can carry it around with my tractor instead of pulling it down into 3 pieces to move it....

This is the front, the part you shoots at altho the big 24X24 plate of AR500 is mainly to protect the fencepost (and for the hunnert-yardt pistol guys LOL)

 

[alinwa]

And now for the Goldbergy part....

The Big ol' 24X24 protector plate gongs perty (really) loud provided you smack enough energy into it. 223/556 reverberates fine through doubled muffs etc, but BORING to hit.

The smaller disc (AR500) is hung with springs so it rings perty loud from 308 up, but a 223 isn't very loud..... but it's ALSO boringly easy inside 300yds.

So now we get to the purpose of the thing. The little hole is perty hard to hit from yer hindfeet anything over a couple hunnert yards....... and when you DO whack it it swings up, hits the actuator bar and daDINGSSS!!! the sawblade.

BwaWAAwaawaaWAAAAaaaaaa.....oiiiiiing..

3 separate and distinct noises make this an interesting target for open sight or any sort of field work.

This side picture shows the working parts.....some strings are just tying stuff back, but you'll get the idea.


If you look long and hard enough!


LOL



al

 

[muleman69]

And now for the Goldbergy part....

The Big ol' 24X24 protector plate gongs perty (really) loud provided you smack enough energy into it. 223/556 reverberates fine through doubled muffs etc, but BORING to hit.

The smaller disc (AR500) is hung with springs so it rings perty loud from 308 up, but a 223 isn't very loud..... but it's ALSO boringly easy inside 300yds.

So now we get to the purpose of the thing. The little hole is perty hard to hit from yer hindfeet anything over a couple hunnert yards....... and when you DO whack it it swings up, hits the actuator bar and daDINGSSS!!! the sawblade.

BwaWAAwaawaaWAAAAaaaaaa.....oiiiiiing..

3 separate and distinct noises make this an interesting target for open sight or any sort of field work.

This side picture shows the working parts.....some strings are just tying stuff back, but you'll get the idea.


If you look long and hard enough!


LOL



al

Looks good quite ingenious ,I can see were your tractor might be real handy. Thanks AL......lol

 

[4xforfun]

I have well over 20 pieces of 3/8ths AR 500....from 10" x 10" to 36 x 36. NONE of them "ring". Doesn't matter weather I shoot them with anything from my 22 BR to my 338 EDGE. All I ever hear is a PUCK" sound . I do use high grade hearing protection with the built in Mic.

Love the "PUC"!!

Tod

 

[alinwa]

I dunno how this forum works, I'll try again

Looks good quite ingenious ,I can see were your tractor might be real handy. Thanks AL......lol

Yup, got a clamped on crossbar top of pic, ready to weld up so's I can put hook a fork in it.

Started by bringing the pieces around in the tractor bucket and assembling but I got sick of teetering about in the mud herking that 85lb plate into the dangling offset hook.

Offsets and spring mounts really let the sound out (as any guitar player would know instinctively LOL)

 

[Milo 2.0]

2 & 1moa targets a good combo, so are 1.5 & 1 moa size, rigid mounts ring better than hanging, but you get movement from hanging in case the wind is blowing away from you. AR 400 will ring more than AR 500, but damage easier. The smaller plate you aim at, the better shooter you become, aim small-miss small.
On a range, I like huge plate at 2-3 intervals, certain conditions bullet splash is hard to see and on windy days a huge plate at 500, or 750-1000 may save the day getting a guy back on track. Plus those giant plates can serve for load development, shooting groups on steel results in instant verification.

 

[muleman69]

I dunno how this forum works, I'll try again


Yup, got a clamped on crossbar top of pic, ready to weld up so's I can put hook a fork in it.

Started by bringing the pieces around in the tractor bucket and assembling but I got sick of teetering about in the mud herking that 85lb plate into the dangling offset hook.

Offsets and spring mounts really let the sound out (as any guitar player would know instinctively LOL)

I dunno how this forum works, I'll try again


Yup, got a clamped on crossbar top of pic, ready to weld up so's I can put hook a fork in it.

Started by bringing the pieces around in the tractor bucket and assembling but I got sick of teetering about in the mud herking that 85lb plate into the dangling offset hook.

Offsets and spring mounts really let the sound out (as any guitar player would know instinctively LOL)

Good work AL,Stay in touch. Thanks

 

[muleman69]

2 & 1moa targets a good combo, so are 1.5 & 1 moa size, rigid mounts ring better than hanging, but you get movement from hanging in case the wind is blowing away from you. AR 400 will ring more than AR 500, but damage easier. The smaller plate you aim at, the better shooter you become, aim small-miss small.
On a range, I like huge plate at 2-3 intervals, certain conditions bullet splash is hard to see and on windy days a huge plate at 500, or 750-1000 may save the day getting a guy back on track. Plus those giant plates can serve for load development, shooting groups on steel results in instant verification.

I'm with you on big plates,Can always paint small dot and border it that way if you are off at least you can see it and adjust.

 

[Milo 2.0]

I'm with you on big plates,Can always paint small dot and border it that way if you are off at least you can see it and adjust.

You are 100% correct, but big plate can be counter productive if you think about it, you can throw an 80% effort shot at big plate and adjust, really all you did was waste a bullet. My favorite range has 5" plate to 1100 yards, wind dictates performance, we can shoot the 10" plate beside it if too bad.

 

[muleman69]

You are 100% correct, but big plate can be counter productive if you think about it, you can throw an 80% effort shot at big plate and adjust, really all you did was waste a bullet. My favorite range has 5" plate to 1100 yards, wind dictates performance, we can shoot the 10" plate beside it if too bad.

You guys are light years ahead of us. We are still trying to get set up properly

 

[Milo 2.0]

You guys are light years ahead of us. We are still trying to get set up properly

Do not over or under think this, not tough. No matter what size plate you choose, the backdrop the most important, need to spot a miss. So no targets on knolls or tops of hills, no 3ft weeds or grass behind them. Vegetation eats bullets like candy, so does the perfect moisture content in soil. Some days you will feel invincible, certain days nothing goes right, just go home and try later.