Will it work?

[bobm]

A few weeks ago I made mention that members were firing at my personal steel without asking. It has happened three more times over the last few weeks. The other day, a brand spanking new member with AR15 in hand starts getting new gun and scope zeros on my 200 M 18" round gong. I was talking to another friend member when he sees dust clouds erupting around my steel.

I calmly walk over to the 30 something male and let him know please don't shoot at them. I am much more worried my nice rebar frames will get bullet damaged than the target. He was all over the place with dirt impacts.

A few of you made some suggestions......so here is one I am going to try out.

That "S" was a challenge, the other letters were a piece of cake. All lettering fits just inside the 18" circle.

 

[Bill K]

Want to bet that will turn into a invitation ?

 

[Kermit in Va.]

I'm sure it will

 

[SSL]

A few weeks ago I made mention that members were firing at my personal steel without asking. It has happened three more times over the last few weeks. The other day, a brand spanking new member with AR15 in hand starts getting new gun and scope zeros on my 200 M 18" round gong. I was talking to another friend member when he see dust clouds erupting around my steel.

I calmly walk over to the 30 something male and let him know please don't shoot at them. I am much more worried my nice rebar frames will get bullet damaged than the target. He was all over the place with dirt impacts.

A few of you made some suggestions......so here is one I am going to try out.

That "S" was a challenge, the other letters were a piece of cake. All lettering fits just inside the 18" circle.

That will work only with the people who actually stop at stop signs (and don't use them as targets), don't smoke in no smoking areas, don't text when driving and don't leave their vehicles running while filling their gas tanks. Oh yeah, they have to be able to read too. Won't work for the typical urban Rambos out there.

 

[Dub]

never work. brute force on your part is the only solution...

 

[Bill Score]

That will work only with the people who actually stop at stop signs (and don't use them as targets), don't smoke in no smoking areas, don't text when driving and don't leave their vehicles running while filling their gas tanks. Oh yeah, they have to be able to read too. Won't work for the typical urban Rambos out there.

“urban Rambos” - lol - seen plenty of those

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Putting a personal reactive target on a range and not getting it shot is like having a peeing section in a pool and staying out of it

 

[46and2]

 

[Ned Ludd]

There is literally zero hope for anyone that just starts shooting at targets that are not theirs without at least asking those around them to whom the targets belong. Anyone that would do that is beyond help. The best you can hope to do is politely ask them not to shoot your target(s) if they look like they're pointing their firearms in that direction, or after you observe them shooting at them. It's pretty pathetic that people would simply start shooting at targets on a range, of which they have no idea to whom the targets belong, other than that they are certainly not theirs. Nonetheless, it seems to be a pretty common occurrence at public ranges that draw bigger crowds these days. Maybe you should charge them 100 small rifle primers for every infraction.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

There is literally zero hope for anyone that just starts shooting at targets that are not theirs without at least asking those around them to whom the targets belong. Anyone that would do that is beyond help. The best you can hope to do is politely ask them not to shoot your target(s) if they look like they're pointing their firearms in that direction, or after you observe them shooting at them. It's pretty pathetic that people would simply start shooting at targets on a range, of which they have no idea to whom the targets belong, other than that they are certainly not theirs. Nonetheless, it seems to be a pretty common occurrence at public ranges that draw bigger crowds these days. Maybe you should charge them 100 small rifle primers for every infraction.

Maybe they think that since its a target, on a shooting range, that it was put there to shoot at. Its different shooting at a paper target a guy puts up but pretty much every range ive been to has steel targets up to shoot at. Ive yet to see a personal steel target on a range

 

[bobm]

Maybe they think that since its a target, on a shooting range, that it was put there to shoot at. Its different shooting at a paper target a guy puts up but pretty much every range ive been to has steel targets up to shoot at. Ive yet to see a personal steel target on a range

You need to visit our range. Even though I have 24 plus permanent steel targets from 100 to 500 meters, guys still bring their own. We allow and encourage it. It cuts down on club target wear. I have seen every size and shape of steel target sold on the internet and homemade ones, too.

The PRS shooters laugh at our LARGE targets and prefer their own small regulation sizes to practice on. I can appreciate that. Then there are the new to shooting in general guys that bring out remnant steel hung on rickety 2x2" wood frames that collapse or tip over with hits. Then the usual...can I get a cease fire to fix my target?

Then there are the guys that use wimpy chain or even rope sometimes to hang steel. They have no clue as to why their steel fell to the ground. Then the usual....can I get a cease fire to fix my targets?

Two weeks ago a guy and his son set up a plate gong rack made from 2x4's. Seven sizes of steel from big to small...set at 500 meters. Each gong was held hanging with of all things....bicycle tire tube pieces!!! As expected two or three hits sent them feet from the wood rack. Some power wrapped themselves around the frame out of commission. Then the usual.....can I get a cease fire to fix my targets?

I still have plenty of both new and old members courteous enough to ask what targets are they allowed to shoot at. I like these members.

I have been on that range every week for 22 years and have seen it all, especially in the last five years. We had 350 members in 1998. We are now at 1900 and still have membership applications pouring in. We hold two, new member orientation meetings a month. We have been running at this pace for months.

 

[rebel]

Either slam the guys head down on the concrete or leave your targets at home. There is no in between unless your club does some rule changes.

 

[ckaberna]

Why were you shooting an 18” target at 200? throwing rocks or what?
“scope zeros on my 200 M 18" round gong.”

 

[Texas10]

Reminds me of the farmer who painted "COW" on the side of his livestock, hopefully so some deer hunter wouldn't shoot another of his animals.

Didn't work.

 

[ckaberna]

A few weeks ago I made mention that members were firing at my personal steel without asking. It has happened three more times over the last few weeks. The other day, a brand spanking new member with AR15 in hand starts getting new gun and scope zeros on my 200 M 18" round gong. I was talking to another friend member when he sees dust clouds erupting around my steel.

I calmly walk over to the 30 something male and let him know please don't shoot at them. I am much more worried my nice rebar frames will get bullet damaged than the target. He was all over the place with dirt impacts.

A few of you made some suggestions......so here is one I am going to try out.

That "S" was a challenge, the other letters were a piece of cake. All lettering fits just inside the 18" circle.

Put you a 1” or 1.5” gong at 200 meters. Nobody else can probably even see it. When you hit it , it will mean something. My 1100 yard “steel”is close but not quite 18”
Maybe I’m doing something wrong?

 

[jelenko]

That "S" was a challenge, the other letters were a piece of cake. All lettering fits just inside the 18" circle.

Yeah. There's some that will see the o's and the inside of the upper and lower part of the S are just asking to be shot.

Of course, as others have said, many will see the words and find another target. But, from what I've seen, you're going to still get impacts that you didn't fire.

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

I agree with those that think it’s unusual to leave personal targets up all the time. Maybe this policy worked okay with 350 members, but doesn’t work as well with 1900 members.

 

[ED3]

Ever seen a: 'Wet Paint - Do Not Touch' sign work?
And it occurs to me that the lettering will weaken the target at various points, and cause bending, and errant ricochets.

 

[Rocketvapor]

Sign:
Range steel is white.
Private steel MUST be PINK

 

[bobm]

Why were you shooting an 18” target at 200? throwing rocks or what?
“scope zeros on my 200 M 18" round gong.”

That is a fair question. It has been decades since I last put a bullet through a paper target. I am a dyed in the wool rifle metallic silhouette shooter. I put most of my bullets on steel standing up. That day I was shooting standing offhand with my 6.5 Swede and open sight 8mm Mauser rifle. The 18" target is a nice size for that kind of "close" shooting.

I routinely set the 18" gongs at 300, 385 and 500 meters and shoot at them standing up. All the HP silhouette shooters here know what I am talking about.