Plate Rack Stability

[Hardball]

Hi All,
I am a retired bullseye shooter, 60's 70' 80's , and now manage a private range. We inherited two well used steel plate center fire handgun racks, and installed them at 11 meters from our fixed firing line. The members are having a great time with them.

They are resting on 4 ft angle iron runners secured with u shaped rebar stakes they seem to wobble quite a bit when the reset rope is pulled. I have been asked to set them in concrete for stability.

Is this a good idea from both a Safety and Maintenance standpoint?



Any advice?

 

[powderbrake]

No, don't lock them into concrete.

The wobble when you reset the plates doesn't hurt anything.
They could be set on the ground, perhaps you have mounted them the way you describe to avert possible thieves stealing the plate racks.

Rigidly mounted AR500 targets don't always work properly, particularly Shooting Trees, and auto reset targets. As a retired target manufacturer, I have seen this happen.

 

[Fuj]

Besides deep stakes into the ground, supplement with sand bags,
And place the bags in such a way the bullet splatter does'nt tear
them up. I have also seen them mounted to several railroad ties.
Cut angles on the ties so the racks can be towed easily to another
position.

 

[acloco]

No railroad ties either. Bullets bounce back.

 

[Hardball]

No, don't lock them into concrete.

The wobble when you reset the plates doesn't hurt anything.
They could be set on the ground, perhaps you have mounted them the way you describe to avert possible thieves stealing the plate racks.

Rigidly mounted AR500 targets don't always work properly, particularly Shooting Trees, and auto reset targets. As a retired target manufacturer, I have seen this happen.

Thanks, I was also told that there had to be a certain amount of "give" to negate some of the shock value of the bullets impact and prevent premature cracking of the welds. It sounded reasonable, but my primary reason for a concrete base was immobility.

A governmental organization that we let use our range loosened my stakes and moved the rack closer to the firing line.

To prevent any future nit wittery, I need to make sure they can't be moved.

 

[snert]

Let me guess...the local PD moved the rack so that the new qualifications could be met...with no thought whatsoever to splatter. I know these guys...

 

[Hardball]

Let me guess...the local PD moved the rack so that the new qualifications could be met...with no thought whatsoever to splatter. I know these guys...

You got it in one

 

[snert]

Of course I did...I was a LEO range instructor and the guys before me kept records on a napkin. Idiots.

We learned a lot when we went to steel. Particularly we learned to keep the knuckleheads from testing an AR on our plate rack.

After two years of increasing requirements and demanding professional behavior, retirees streamed out the door. It was a godsend.

 

[acloco]

Sometimes hard to do. Sometimes painful in money and/or time...........

"targets" MUST be able to absorb or deflect the projo....safely.

Even "cowboy action" have to follow the above rules. Rimfire, centerfire pistola, and, of course, rifle.

People forget about the ENERGY our sport achieves.

We have also been introduced to a plethora of a huge variety of engineering in projectile engineering. Regardless of calibers, many produce phenomenal energy and destruction, even at distance.

 

[std7mag]

No railroad ties either. Bullets bounce back.

The wooden ties. Not the metal rails.

Those wooden ties are quite weighty. But you can cut the end on an angle & pull with a tractor or 4 wheeler fairly easily.

 

[std7mag]

Thanks, I was also told that there had to be a certain amount of "give" to negate some of the shock value of the bullets impact and prevent premature cracking of the welds. It sounded reasonable, but my primary reason for a concrete base was immobility.

A governmental organization that we let use our range loosened my stakes and moved the rack closer to the firing line.

To prevent any future nit wittery, I need to make sure they can't be moved.

With the AR400 & AR500 steels, you need to heat the steel before you weld it. Otherwise it will crack.
Done properly it's no worries.
We deal with a LOT of AR400 at work making dozer blades & escavator buckets.
They all get the warning sticker of special proceedures needed to weld on them.

 

[Hardball]

With the AR400 & AR500 steels, you need to heat the steel before you weld it. Otherwise it will crack.
Done properly it's no worries.
We deal with a LOT of AR400 at work making dozer blades & escavator buckets.
They all get the warning sticker of special proceedures needed to weld on them.

Thanks, I'll pass that on to our welding guy, I noticed that he did not preheat when he re welded the pivot back to the plate. I am still at a loss as to how to keep the things anchored in one place and still have enough flex to avoid damage to the racks or splatter to the shooters.

I'll post some pictures later and see if they give anyone any ideas

 

[std7mag]

The rack itself can be fairly stiff mounted.
As long as the plates aren't.

At 200 meters a free swinging plate will hold up to 7mm Rem Mag impacts.
Lean it against the railroad tie & the Rem Mag will punch a hole straight through it!
Looks like you did it with a 1/2" drill bit.

Oops....

 

[Hardball]

The rack itself can be fairly stiff mounted.
As long as the plates aren't.

At 200 meters a free swinging plate will hold up to 7mm Rem Mag impacts.
Lean it against the railroad tie & the Rem Mag will punch a hole straight through it!
Looks like you did it with a 1/2" drill bit.

Oops....

Thanks for the information and suggestions, I probably didn't make myself clear on my first post, but I am working on a Handgun Range with the re -settable plate racks 11 meters from the firing line.

I haven't any room for railroad ties, our range is surrounded by an 8ft chain link fence with just a 36 in gate.

 

[acloco]

The wooden ties. Not the metal rails.

Those wooden ties are quite weighty. But you can cut the end on an angle & pull with a tractor or 4 wheeler fairly easily.

Railroad ties should not be used when the possibility of somebody shooting them can and will occur.

They are usually oak, seasoned, and rather hard. Rounds WILL come back.