What targets do you like?

Jackomason

Jackomason

Poop-smith aka "Turd Herder"
Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 26, 2013
1,688
1,501
Westcliffe Colorado
#1
For some reason I just love targets. my set up is all mobile, consisting of t-post & rebar frames from 2" ar500 up to 12" depending on what I'm feeling.

What do you consider standard size? If you had to pack all your targets out, what do you think would be the most valuable targets to bring? What shapes do you like?
 
#5
Fig said:
I like the ones that scream Allahu Akbar...with a flasher.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing that's not the T1000 flasher...? I've never had the opportunity to shoot one of those but if I ever see one when I'm out shooting I'll make sure to ring it and let you know what I think.

hookedonbrass said:
I keep 3 12x20" silhouette targets, 2 8" circle plates with rubber straps and my wooden "saw horse" style hanger in my truck at all times.

All my steel is from Magnum Targets, they have good pricing and free shipping.
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I've been considering a 1/4" full size ipsc and using it for 500+ with SA and 800+ for magnums. I got some targets from JC steel and while I like what they are doing they are expensive and honestly haven't held up any better than my Ebay targets besides being water jet cut. I've really liked Shootsteel7. They have done everything I've asked of them and at what I would say is a great price. I'll have to compare Magnum Targets.
 
#6
Jackomason said:
I'm guessing that's not the T1000 flasher...? I've never had the opportunity to shoot one of those but if I ever see one when I'm out shooting I'll make sure to ring it and let you know what I think.



I've been considering a 1/4" full size ipsc and using it for 500+ with SA and 800+ for magnums. I got some targets from JC steel and while I like what they are doing they are expensive and honestly haven't held up any better than my Ebay targets besides being water jet cut. I've really liked Shootsteel7. They have done everything I've asked of them and at what I would say is a great price. I'll have to compare Magnum Targets.
Click to expand...


yeah check them out.

my first 3/8" plate from them i've had for almost 4 years. its been shot by everything imaginable and only recently have some holes appeared in it. i still use it. it's tore up, but it works! I've gotten my monies worth 10x over on that thing.
 
#7
I've seen nothing short of stellar performance from the JC Steel targets in matches, some getting hammered on all day at close ranges! Something new that I will be trying this summer is the T21 (Titanium Carbide I believe) targets from the guys up here at Insite Arms. They are supposed to be just as hard, more dense and louder than AR500! I've got one 1/4", 50% on order now to test :D
 
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#8
MDT_Josh said:
I've seen nothing short of stellar performance from the JC Steel targets in matches, some getting hammered on all day at close ranges! Something new that I will be trying this summer is the T21 (Titanium Carbide I believe) targets from the guys up here at Insite Arms. They are supposed to be just as hard, more dense and louder than AR500! I've got one 1/4", 50% on order now to test :D
Click to expand...

ooooohhhhh loud is good!
 
#9
I have 2 full sized IPSCs, 2 3/4 ISPCs, 4 1/2s, and probably twenty gongs from 2"-16". All are mobile, all were purchased off Amazon, made (or maybe just cut) by USA guys claiming water jets. None of them have anything other than micro pock marks from thousands of rounds of everything from .223-.300WM hitting them.

That said, everything I shoot is a (exploding) match bullet. No bonded cores, certainly no steel AP rounds, and impacts that disintegrate.

I am guessing that they really are all water cut, because they ARE "Abrasion Resistant". I have bought sets of them on Amazon, for cheap, from no name guys who probably buy the stock, and have a jet cutter in their garage. I'm 100% satisfied. I'm not going to pay extra for the name on a piece of metal I'm going to shoot. This is especially true since I've had such a good experience cheaping out on it.

I put an ISPC @ 50 yds and shot it with a stout load of .300WM (against recommendations not to shoot under 100 with magnums) to see what it would do...nothing. No damage, no pock, nothing.

So, my real favorite target is the one that has just been freshly spray painted. My least favorite is the one on stage 20 that's been shot 2000 times with zero paint on it. It is now a mottled haze gray, that the military should adopt instead of digital, that blends into the background as if it were invisible.
 
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#10
Fig said:
So, my real favorite target is the one that has just been freshly spray painted. My least favorite is the one on stage 20 that's been shot 2000 times with zero paint on it. It is now a mottled haze gray, that the military should adopt instead of digital, that blends into the background as if it were invisible.
Click to expand...


LOLOLOL.

if I hadn't just shot my first match last weekend I probably wouldn't have understood this. but I know exactly what you mean! those little boogers are tricky
 
#11
MDT_Josh said:
I've seen nothing short of stellar performance from the JC Steel targets in matches, some getting hammered on all day at close ranges! Something new that I will be trying this summer is the T21 (Titanium Carbide I believe) targets from the guys up here at Insite Arms. They are supposed to be just as hard, more dense and louder than AR500! I've got one 1/4", 50% on order now to test :D
Click to expand...

Hope that didn't come across as slamming JC steel. The targets do work and they seem to be giving back to the community with the money they make. That being said, all my targets have held up just as well. And I've defiantly abused my JC stuff.

The carbide idea sounds great! I shoot on a colorado "school section" and I'm not supposed to drive on that land so weight is a big factor. And loud is always a bonus!
 
#12
In my experience big targets make a loud sound, and small targets make a quiet sound. The 1/2" seem to be louder than the 3/4" too. I used to buy all 3/4 (why skimp if they last longer), but no damage to a 3/4" isn't any better than no damage to a 1/2"...
 
#14
Jackomason said:
Btw, how is competitive shooting in Canada these days? I grew up in Edmonton and moved away 2 years ago. Colorado is defiantly better for shooting but the family is still in Alberta, decisions decisions haha.
Click to expand...
Funny, I just drove down to compete in Colorado... which maybe gives you some insight into the competitive scene here in BC. I guess that's a little harsh though, as there are a lot more matches popping up all over the place, especially AB and ON. The Southern Alberta Precision Rifle League (SAPRL) is gaining a lot of traction and will hopefully expand to be like the NWPRL in WA, OR and ID, with Southern Ontario also going a similar way. Overall, the trend is to be more like our Southern neighbors ( ;) ) with most of close to the border coming over to shoot your matches and taking our knowledge back across the line lol.
 
#16
longrangers said:
For sighting in I shoot paper plates with either a 1" circle or an "L" marked on 'em with a magic marker.... just depending on the gun I'm using and the type of sights. For load development I use the sight-in targets with the 4 squares around the big one in the center.
Click to expand...

I've never done the "L" but the USO scope testing target uses it as well. Seems like a good aiming point. How important is it that the "L" is square and level? Just curious.
 
#18
Do we have any idea of price on the carbide targets? They sound really appealing but price is always a factor. I'm expecting more but they very well may be worth more! Couldn't find much via Google search but I didn't look too hard.
 
#19
So, are you having a problem shooting up your AR steel targets? I’m just trying to understand the problem that titanium carbide plate solves...
I admit, “titanium carbide” plate sounds kewler than plain ol’ AR plate, but the ones at my club need replaced every couple of years with tens of thousands of impacts on them (probably quite a few bonded and even steel). I fully expect my great grandchildren to be shooting at mine. After hitting them with the rattle can they appear new...
 
#20
Jackomason, from Insite in Canadian dollars, I paid $90 all in for a 1/4" 50% IPSC and t-post hanger (that's taxes and shipping too). So $90 CAD is $70 USD, and in comparison the same package of AR500 from JC steel is $80 USD + shipping/taxes. So there is not a huge price difference.

Fig, I don't think any of us have a problem with AR500, just want to try something different :) For basically the same price, T21 is supposedly louder and I am just curious to see how it hold up! When my target comes in next week, I will update this thread for sure.
 
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#21
FYI the titanium carbide is only made in Canada I found out. There is no hope of decent priced targets made from it in the US....cost is substantially higher due to tariffs, and shipping the completed product from Canada is also real expensive. Looks like targets with a cool name are out of the picture for now.
 
#22
All sorts . I prefer the simple 3 star picket and chain setup for ease of use and energy absorption .
In the past I prefer MOA size out to 1k , but I’m finding when I shoot with other folks , the ding %
can be low . 1500 and over a 24 round keeps folks happy . Recently we tried a KO2M sized target .
I must say after struggling a bit with the 24 round gong at that distance ( 2500 ). those big square plates
are a hell of a lot easier to hit !
 
#24
The Hang Fast System mounts the steel target loosely on short chain. Very reactive and the single mounting point enhances harmonics a lot better that plates hard bolted to brackets. Easy to use with all the necessary wrenches built into the hanger.

Other hanging options are available
Hang Fast Targets

66% IPSC .5 chain side.jpg
 
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#25
I'm thinking about investing in some nice steel targets soon. My question is: are 3/8" 45% IPSC and 66% IPSC steel targets going to hold up to 6.5 Creedmoor rounds and will they be a good size for distance shooting? I only plan on going out to 200yds at most initially but eventually will be shooting at 1000yds. These targets will also be used for pistol work as well.
 
#27
Fig said:
Real AR500 won’t loose a flake of metal from a .300 Win Mag target bullet much less a 6.5.
Click to expand...

This completely depends on your distance and impact velocity. I've personally put 6.5s right through AR500, granted that was a hot round. A 300 Win Mag at 200 with light bullets will DEFINITELY harm AR500.
 
#28
So what's the safest distance for 6.5CM at a conservative MV of 2800 fps. I was hoping to set it at 100 yds at least. I would like to do rifle CQB work with it as well (<50 yards) but I won't risk it if it will damage the targets.
 
#35
Tyler Kemp said:
This completely depends on your distance and impact velocity. I've personally put 6.5s right through AR500, granted that was a hot round. A 300 Win Mag at 200 with light bullets will DEFINITELY harm AR500.
Click to expand...
Then I would submit that either your targets are not actually AR500, or you are shooting depleted uranium 6.5s.
 
#37
I like steel E's, F's, "pepper poppers" (a 9" wide x 36" tapered pointer with a dinner plate size circle a few inches from the top) small circles. I also like dueling trees, those are a lot of fun!

For paper, A types on the UKD ranges (A's are the small bullseye, right) and hostage targets on stress shoot ranges. I love well planned stress shoots through villages with steel, dummy's held up by wire w/balloons in the chest (those look real when it's dim or smoky) and other crafty and ingenious targets and objectives.

Unfortunately, I don't see all this daily like I did in the army, so been shooting a lot of 18" gongs at 225m or so... Just spinnin' the fucker back and forth, so boring... Rather shoot rocks at long range in the desert. Oh, any target in the desert or on a clear cut with a good 2 or three miles of sight.
 
#38
Tyler Kemp said:
This completely depends on your distance and impact velocity. I've personally put 6.5s right through AR500, granted that was a hot round. A 300 Win Mag at 200 with light bullets will DEFINITELY harm AR500.
Click to expand...

I've definitely slammed 8" AR500 with both 150gr ballistic tip nosler at about 3275, and 220gr smk at about 2650, from 100yds out to 500yds, only took my white paint off....... as for the targets themselves, I like to try and stick with 1 moa at the distance I'm shooting (4" @ 400, 8" @ 800.......)
 
#39
A 220 SMK @ 2650 shouldn't harm AR500, 3275 FPS muzzle velocity at 100 yards will. If you'd like I can get a mill cert of some steel, a brinell hardness of the specific sheet, and prove you wrong lol. I've cut probably 100 sheets in the past few years and am pretty familiar with "Real AR500".
 
#40
Tyler Kemp said:
A 220 SMK @ 2650 shouldn't harm AR500, 3275 FPS muzzle velocity at 100 yards will. If you'd like I can get a mill cert of some steel, a brinell hardness of the specific sheet, and prove you wrong lol. I've cut probably 100 sheets in the past few years and am pretty familiar with "Real AR500".
Click to expand...

Glad you're in the mood for "proving me wrong", but the reality is, I'm simply stating what's worked for me. The targets I have were purchased at my LGS, and he gets them from shootsteel.com I believe. As far as "proving" anything goes, I'm still shooting the targets......
 
#42
AR500 Steel can be damaged by a “high power” rifle round if fired at too short a distance, or too high a velocity. I cratered a 1/2” thick plate with a Federal AE223 at either 50 yards or 25 yards, I can’t remember. So I can’t use that plate for pistol anymore.

This is from JC Steel’s website:

What can I expect from AR 500 Steel Targets?
AR500 is very hard stuff, but like everything, it has its limitations. If you would like to have your AR500 Steel Targets for a lifetime, follow these basic guidelines.
-Pistol rounds at 15 yards and further-
-.223 type rifles at 100 yards and further
-.308 type rifles at 100 yards and further
-300 WM type rifles at 200 yards and further

If these guidelines are followed, you should be able to use these premium targets with no damage to the steel.
Speed is what hurts steel! It is common to see a .223 round dimple AR500 at 100 yards with some ammo because of the speed of the bullet upon impact.
 
#43
MGM has been in the steel business longer than most. Here is their "NO BULL" warranty

What is the MGM "No Bull" Warranty?
If for any reason you don't agree that the performance, design, craftsmanship, and overall quality of our products constitute the best target value, return your purchase within two weeks for a 100% refund. No questions asked. We want you to be satisfied.
Every component of every product which is not intended to be shot is covered by a limited lifetime warranty. This means if a component not intended to be shot is damaged by gunfire, it is not covered by warranty.
If ANY weld breaks at any time, we will replace the part for free, including shipping.
When using a PISTOL EXCLUSIVELY, we warranty the target plate itself FOREVER.
With that said, we know and expect that targets shot with a center fire rifle will show a mark for every shot and will ultimately fail due to multiple hits in the same area, along with cracks, breaks and holes shot through them. This is not a manufacturing defect nor is it a defect in the steel and therefore is not covered by the warranty.
We manufacture a full line of steel targets for civilian, competition, Law Enforcement, and Military firearms training. We would be honored if you would consider MGM for your steel target needs. Our products are competitively priced and there are no higher quality steel target products available anywhere. Please call us at 888-767-737 or send us an email at[email protected]
 
#44
So CQB rifle training cannot be done with steel plates? I'd have to use a paper target? I see videos of people shooting steel really close with their rifles on youtube but I guess I do not see how often they replace those plates.
 
#45
Srikaleak said:
So CQB rifle training cannot be done with steel plates? I'd have to use a paper target? I see videos of people shooting steel really close with their rifles on youtube but I guess I do not see how often they replace those plates.
Click to expand...

If the target plate is at an extreme angle it can re direct some of the energy and lessen damage to the plate. Some outfits make massive welded brackets that hold the plate on the extreme angle but I found that gravity was much cheaper than steel and welding rods. Here is one of our plates as an example.
B0fbqFh.jpg




Another solution to CQB practice on steel is frangible ammo. In this video I shoot our steel plates at FIFTEEN FEET and then paint the targets to fully expose the extent of the damage..... none. I used 45 gr SinterFire bullets loaded to about 2900 fps.




But my favorite CQB practice gun is the 9mm PCC set up exactly the same as my .223 AR. No damage to the steel, cheap cheap ammo, very close recoil pulse, same trigger, same controls, same scope, same irons etc.

Visit us at Hang Fast Targets. 4th of July sale in progress @ 15% off the entire store.
 
#47
Srikaleak said:
One more question: T-post vs 2x4? What's your preference?
Click to expand...

T posts are about the same price and can be pounded directly in the ground so they can be used without an expensive stand. Wood will splinter and absorb bullet jacket fragments that can lay your hand open like a razor blade. T posts can get shot up but they rarely break. Used with the Hang Fast Target hanger they provide the most stable, versatile and inexpensive platform available on the market today.

If you cannot pound a post in the ground for whatever reason we manufacture the ONLY T Post stand on the market today and the ONLY stand that is truly ALL TERRAIN and can be used with heavy targets on hillsides using no stakes to hold it in place.





Try doing this with a 2 x 4 or any other t post mount on the market today.

botjoeL.jpg
 
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#48
t-posts are the bomb! We make mounts for them as well, cheaper and safer just like Mr. Hangfast said.

I'll throw my targets into the ring. Waterjet cut, Mill-Certified AR500. Free shipping through the 4th, use "4thfree" at checkout. What's the difference with waterjet cut vs laser or plasma you ask? Here you go:



While waterjetting is a bit more expensive, I try not to raise my prices. For example, here's a complete "Know Your Limits" Setup minus the t-post (but with a t-post protector) for $174.99 w/ flat rate shipping

Kh0Rx93.jpg
Kh0Rx93.jpg

Find all our targets here and use "4thfree" for free shipping:

https://mkmachining.com/product-category/ar500-targets-mounts/
 

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#49
NEW PRODUCT !!​

I finally got around to rebuilding my 200 yard using a new product we developed. My old target board consisted of 2- 10' 4 x 4's sunk 2 feet deep. It was sturdy and lasted years.... until I bumped it with the brush hog while mowing one day and it broke off leaving stubs in the ground. So now we have a new T Post bracket that can hang a 2 x 4 (or whatever you can screw to it) This bracket has a thousand use possibilities but for now I just needed my 200 yard target board back and I didn't want to sink new wood posts in the ground because it was 95 degrees today.

Check out these pics and I think you will agree that this system has to be the easiest way to set up a permanent or temporary target board. You could even hang targets with two chains on it very easily. ( I like the original HANG FAST system better)

Buy them HERE

(set up for my "Tall Target" test below)

yaZpBif.jpg


sEGhBjt.jpg


XHPJhP9.jpg


7Fmo3f2.jpg
 
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