Range upgrades

[wcd]

So now the new range is set up for anything short of a rocket launcher. I have it at full 10 feet tall 12 feet long and about 10 feet deep give or take a bit.

Before I was using parts of an old soccer goal frame to hang my plates off of. Now that it’s a bit taller I am looking for some ideas to hang the targets. I would prefer to stay away from wood due to it being out in the elements 24/7.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[bwframe]

So now the new range is set up for anything short of a rocket launcher. I have it at full 10 feet tall 12 feet long and about 10 feet deep give or take a bit.

Before I was using parts of an old soccer goal frame to hang my plates off of. Now that it’s a bit taller I am looking for some ideas to hang the targets. I would prefer to stay away from wood due to it being out in the elements 24/7.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I'm not a range designer, but if you can find ways to use steel supports, you'll avoid splatter eventually wearing away other materials.

T-posts used as designed and creatively? Maybe with steel framed supports designed for such?

Heavy steel chain is the preferred hanger, if you are suspending. The swing also helps the splatter and potential ricochet go the right direction.

A lot of home range folks are not cognisant of where steel plate edge ricochet might go. I've been to large established high volume ranges with very tall berms and heard the occasional ricochet over the berm that we were on the other side of. It was of no danger to those of us there, but that bullet has to land somewhere...


.

 

[indyblue]

Angle iron with the corner facing the shooter. The the vee diverts the rounds and if hit dead on just cuts the round in half.

That is how @ditcherman did it.

 

[wcd]

I'm not a range designer, but if you can find ways to use steel supports, you'll avoid splatter eventually wearing away other materials.

T-posts used as designed and creatively? Maybe with steel framed supports designed for such?

Heavy steel chain is the preferred hanger, if you are suspending. The swing also helps the splatter and potential ricochet go the right direction.

A lot of home range folks are not cognisant of where steel plate edge ricochet might go. I've been to large established high volume ranges with very tall berms and heard the occasional ricochet over the berm that we were on the other side of. It was of no danger to those of us there, but that bullet has to land somewhere...


.

Yup I use pieces of logging chain to hang the targets, and yes spacers on the plates seem to keep them at the correct angle.

My biggest thing is durability and safety.

 

[BJHay]

I use pressure treated wood certified for ground contact on my range and my homemade deer stands. I don't know how long it will last but some of it's easily been out for 10 years.

One of my commercial target stands has iron (?? or some similar type of soft metal) legs. It's good because even 9mm will go through it without a ricochet but they're going to fail any day. They're full of holes.

 

[BigRed]

One of my commercial target stands has iron (?? or some similar type of soft metal) legs. It's good because even 9mm will go through it without a ricochet but they're going to fail any day. They're full of holes.

Um....
If you hit the target, the legs last longer.

 

[Creedmoor]

I hang my steel with pieces of rubber 5/16's? conveyor belt.
Working in the Power Plants I was lucky and ended up with a new cutoff roll maybe 32" x 100'

 

[wcd]

I use pressure treated wood certified for ground contact on my range and my homemade deer stands. I don't know how long it will last but some of it's easily been out for 10 years.

One of my commercial target stands has iron (?? or some similar type of soft metal) legs. It's good because even 9mm will go through it without a ricochet but they're going to fail any day. They're full of holes.

They may have a future use for Highway signs.

 

[ditcherman]

Currently using chains to hang the 8” steel at the 100. When this set of chains gets shot up will be switching to rubber belting out of a grain leg. I anticipate that there will be less movement of the steel, slightly less satisfying but the upside is quicker follow up shots possible.

We also have a full size silhouette on a 2x4 stand that has lasted amazingly long, and a couple of the 70% silhouettes from rural king on their hangers meant to clamp to a t post. Very happy with that as well.

It’s all depreciable, throw-away-at-some-point stuff. Just keep that in mind, that it will get shot op and need tossed or rebuilt, and enjoy it.

 

[radar8756]

Used Metal Swingset Frame ?

 

[BJHay]

Um....
If you hit the target, the legs last longer.

Yes, yes, I get your point. I can feel the love in the air.

Seriously though it's a good test for the target material. My wife and I both have instructor ratings and we often invite beginners to our range.

Since all of my shots are perfect it's clear the errant shots came from someone else. Regardless, the target supports have taken a few rounds for the cause.

 

[ACC]

I am a big fan of the t-post hangers that angle the steel down toward the ground.

If I am hanging steel, I like old fire hose materials. Very durable.

 

[wcd]

I am a big fan of the t-post hangers that angle the steel down toward the ground.

If I am hanging steel, I like old fire hose materials. Very durable.

T post hangers? For plates?

thanks

 

[ditcherman]

T post hangers? For plates?

thanks

Yes, a collar that slips I’ve a t post or pipe, with a threaded knob through collar to tighten onto t post, and a hook welded on the front. And the steel had a hole in it for hook to go through.

Might shoot hook but it’s pretty durable. Might shoot below steel and hit post, tell them to just stop doing that.

 

[wcd]

Yes, a collar that slips I’ve a t post or pipe, with a threaded knob through collar to tighten onto t post, and a hook welded on the front. And the steel had a hole in it for hook to go through.

Might shoot hook but it’s pretty durable. Might shoot below steel and hit post, tell them to just stop doing that.

Thanks, something like these?

 

[ditcherman]

Thanks, something like these?
View attachment 281049

Not exactly but that's a good idea too, that gets a lot accomplished.
The hook is similar, but instead of the assembly resting on top of a post, its a tube with a screw through the back to clamp down on the back of the post. That way you don't have to drive posts all the way down or evenly, as the collar slides. It also allows use of other posts, like the seed companies use to litter up the sideditches with. Can't find a picture for the life of me.

 

[ditcherman]

T post hangers? For plates?

thanks

I bet ACC above was talking about something like this…

 

[wcd]

Not exactly but that's a good idea too, that gets a lot accomplished.
The hook is similar, but instead of the assembly resting on top of a post, it’s a tube with a screw through the back to clamp down on the back of the post. That way you don't have to drive posts all the way down or evenly, as the collar slides. It also allows use of other posts, like the seed companies use to litter up the sideditches with. Can't find a picture for the life of me.

We have a boat load of t post around here. I was kind of looking for something that I could run a pipe through. We have about 10 plates of various sizes.

 

[ditcherman]

We have a boat load of t post around here. I was kind of looking for something that I could run a pipe through. We have about 10 plates of various sizes.

I like my silhouettes separate from my 8" plates that are on the hundred.

Another way to hang the more standard silhouette that has the two holes in the shoulder; bolt an angle iron across those two holes, weld a 2x4 ish i.d. tube on that pointing down (with a cap on the top) and 2x4 i.d. piece is welded to whatever your ground support is and the 2x4 wood holds the silhouette at your desired height, but easy to break down and move to mow.

I'll try to get pictures of these mounts soon. The t post holder could be made out of the funny triangle-circular PTO shaft, thats what this reminds me of.

 

[Hawkeye7br]

An old clothes line post works well but hard to find pre-owned. Has 2 arms, eye bolts to hang targets are already in place.

Someone makes a T-post protector. It's about 4" wide and 36" long, and bolts to the T-post under and behind your main target, protecting the hanger hardware. Made from AR500.