Rimfire Gongs

[alf]

I have a bunch of 3/8" AR-500 plates I use for my handguns, rimfire, and rifle shooting.

I've been thinking on getting 1/4" plates dedicated for rimfire.

Anybody have both for a direct comparison?

Curious if 1/4" will ring louder & show more movement when shooting to 300 and beyond.

 

[MarkS]

I have 3/16" from https://shootingtargets7.com/ they work great out to 500yds ring very well

 

[alf]

Thanks Mark, I was on their site earlier today, but didn't see the 3/16", but found it this time.

I have 1" through 12" in 3/8" now, not sure what the thinner would do for me besides easier to carry.

Wondering if I still would need electronic muffs to hear the clink at distance.

 

[Topstrap]

Didn't need electric headphones to hear hits for this 500 yard plate.

Topstrap

 

[JMA]

Some of the long gong targets are 1/8 suppose to ring louder
After working in machine shops and heavy industry for 50 years I can't steel ring anyways

 

[Jarhead6870]

At 300 yards wind can be a determining factor on whether you can hear impacts on steel. Beyond 300 yards I always use the Caldwell target lights to flash upon impact. I use 3/16” steel out to 600 and 1/8” steel beyond.

 

[deucedeuce]

I have a bunch of 3/8" AR-500 plates I use for my handguns, rimfire, and rifle shooting.

I've been thinking on getting 1/4" plates dedicated for rimfire.

Anybody have both for a direct comparison?

Curious if 1/4" will ring louder & show more movement when shooting to 300 and beyond.

From the guy that invented the long gong game in Maine Robert D. 1/8 is hands down best!!

 

[alf]

From the guy that invented the long gong game in Maine Robert D. 1/8 is hands down best!!

I figured 1/8th would be the best, but I chickened out on buying any more steel, & used my 3/8ths.....

I ended up driving t-posts at 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, & 400 yards, using my 8" rounds at the 1st four yardages, and my 12" squares at the last two.

 

[Csafisher]

Does anyone make a 24” or 30” plate (square or circle) in 1/4” or 3/8”?

 

[DShortt]

Only comment I can make is that at 300 yards, a 1/8" mild steel gong will ring clearly and suffer no more damage than the surface finish (paint) getting marred.
If the wind is blowing hard enough you can't hear it and and you're shooting a .22lr and you normally can......

OK then.

I shot a 6" gong but on calm or steady wind days under 10 mph.

 

[Tacoma]

In my experience, 3/8" is way to heavy for 300 yds. You'll struggle to see and hear anything but an edge hit. I use 1/4" gongs from 8" on down to 1/2" Diamiter which works OK for 300 and great at 200 and 100. ( Ebay, 11 target set for about $70) I also have a few 10 and 12" 3/16" thick gongs that ring even better. I've never shot 1/8" but my bet is they are great for 300 but my not fair so well at 100 or less should you want to double duty them. 1/4" targets are a dine a dozen on ebay and other mom and pop sites.. 3/16 and especially 1/8" are harder to find and more expensive when you do find them. Depends on what kind of versatility you want I guess.

 

[Tacoma]

Does anyone make a 24” or 30” plate (square or circle) in 1/4” or 3/8”?

Check some of the smaller/less established venders on Ebay. Generally, they will cut you whatever you want as they don't have to catalog it. I'll also bet you could find a scrap that big at your local welding supply.

 

[Rickhem]

I doubt this will work well at anything closer than 100 yards, but I've got some old circular saw blades hanging on trees across the lawn in front of my place. I have a .25 cal airgun I shoot at them, just sit on the front porch and see how well I can judge the wind. They're at 100 to about 140 yards, and they ring quite nicely when hit. I think the steel is better in the saw blades, and they're thin, so good vibration, and not even the slightest hint of a dent so far. A .22lr doesn't have all that much energy at distance, so these may work for you. At least it's worth testing with a coupla-few shots to see.

 

[dusterdave173]

Does anyone make a 24” or 30” plate (square or circle) in 1/4” or 3/8”?

We visit recycling metal yard where they sell scrap--by the lb--we get plates of all sizes cheaper that way and cut charge is not bad but usually if you don't mind rust and dirt you can find what you need much cheaper than retail on new
I use 1/4 in at 50 and 100 for backstop for 22 and 1/8th seems fine for long gongs but we use 1/4 when we find what we want in the scrap and it rings just fine

 

[Iowa Fox]

When we would change disk blades on the farm we would always save a few to hang. They rang very nice and would last forever with the rimfire. After a few hits with the 357 & 44 using cast they would eventually crack.