Best AR-500 steel target. DIY or best price

[cookch]

Hey everyone, I've been debating on getting a new silhouette target for practicing with my AR-15. I was wanting to get some peoples opinions on what is the best target to buy for a relatively cheap price? Also, if anyone has just bought some ar500 steel and made their own I'm not against building my own! pictures please!

 

[EPeter213]

Bobcat Steel, and K&M Steel targets are both INGO sponsors. I’ve read good stuff about both of them on the Forum.

to

 

[schmart]

If you decide to to try and make your own.. just remember that the metal has been heat treated to make it hard. So in working the steel to make targets, temperatures must be kept in check. This also means, no welding. Given that it is hard, it will be very difficult to drill.

Now.. if you have a water jet cutter at your disposal, I'd say go for it!

 

[ACC]

Bobcat is a good source.

I bought a nice nice dueling tree from INGO member mik1202002. I think he makes is own targets.

I have ave also had good luck finding inexpensive ar500 plates on Sportsman’s Guide.

 

[fordfarmboy]

Check out magnum target.com .I got ar500 plates ,2 12" square 3/8 plates an 1 12x20 from alro steel in beachgroove for I think $135 then I cut holes with plasm cutter to hang them .

 

[bos-94-003]

I bought all mine off Ebay. Been shooting fmj at them for over 5yrs with no dimples.

Bad pic but assortment of 8" hangers, 4" knock offs, 6" tree, 10" gong and 2 silhouettes

 

[Clay Pigeon]

Hey everyone, I've been debating on getting a new silhouette target for practicing with my AR-15. I was wanting to get some peoples opinions on what is the best target to buy for a relatively cheap price? Also, if anyone has just bought some ar500 steel and made their own I'm not against building my own! pictures please!

To build your own know this, most home shops don't have the needed equipment and tooling to drill AR500 plate, you can use a plasma or torch to cut and make holes. You will soften the edges around when you use heat to cut, but steel targets are a shooting consumables.
They will eventually flex, crack and fail.
You most certainly can weld AR 500, I build new and I rebuild vibratory plow blades that are made from AR500 on a daily basis.
AR500 isn't just surfaced harden like lots of steel, it's through hardened. To drill it I use either carbide annular cutters of carbide lock drills and flood coolant with both.

Edit, you will get better life from 1/2" or thicker plate..
I suggest Bobcat in Shelbyville, you will get a good product from him.
Steel targets isn't a place to cut corners...

 

[KLB]

How close do you plan to be to your targets?

 

[schmart]

You most certainly can weld AR 500,

ClayPigeon,
You obviously have more experience than I do... When welding AR500 material, how do you keep the welding process from annealing the base material near the weld and making a soft spot? Whenever I've tried welding hard steel, I end up with a stress point that relatively quickly breaks out? I don't have the ability to preheat so have just gone at it with a stick welder... with unsatisfactory long term results.

--Rick

 

[BiscuitsandGravy]

I would not use anything smaller than 3/8"- IMO. There is a guy in Bringhurst that makes-sells various shapes on fleabay.