Walking Targets

[Scratch]

By the way... if anybody needs any "other" types of metalwork done, maybe with regular steel, or where a CNC plasma cutter might work like signs or stuff... my website is:
http://www.edgemetalworks.net

[xd ED]

A couple of thoughts/ questions about walking targets:

I can imagine an interesting competition-
figure out how far the target will 'walk' from 10 well placed hits...
make that distance the radius of a marked semi-circle with the target in the center...
have a timed shoot to get the target 'walked' out of the semi-circle,
or
how far can you walk it with 10 rounds...

Secondly: would it be practical to use AR steel to face the round target disks only?
TIA
Ed

[JJ]

A couple of thoughts/ questions about walking targets:

I can imagine an interesting competition-
figure out how far the target will 'walk' from 10 well placed hits...
make that distance the radius of a marked semi-circle with the target in the center...
have a timed shoot to get the target 'walked' out of the semi-circle,
or
how far can you walk it with 10 rounds...

Secondly: would it be practical to use AR steel to face the round target disks only?
TIA
Ed

I have built some targets that combine AR to other base materials. It does not seem to butt-weld to other materials well, but if you can fillet weld to it, its seems to hold up. Also consider that if you are welding on the plate, it will effect the heat treat, more than likely making it softer.

Another thought is the base target design is setup so the targets can be rotated 180deg. If you put plates on the front, you would not be able shoot the backs. I think you would end up butt welding and it probably would not go well. By the time you got dinking around it would be easier to do one all outta AR.

[xd ED]

Another thought is the base target design is setup so the targets can be rotated 180deg. If you put plates on the front, you would not be able shoot the backs.

Good Point; something I hadn't considered.

[Ranger01]

I've dealt with AR steel... it is a PITA! If you dont pre and post heat after cutting or welding it you mess up the temper (usually making it more brittle). Also if you end up having to grind it your gonna find that your better off getting another piece and re-cutting, I saw a couple ppl run through about $300 in grinding disks before they realized that it was never going to work.

Another funny thing about AR steel is it is more likely to shatter than to ever bend (due to it being so hard). One guy in my class welded up a test plate (1/4" thick, 2 pieces with a bevel welded togiether) and somehow didn't realize he was using AR plate (the fact that it kinda dulled and moved the blade of our shear out of position while cutting the plates didn't register to him). He got it down after a week or so of grinding (I don't even know how many disks he used). Once he started them in the test bend press the first one wouldn't bend, it ended up blowing apart into two pieces (the strip of AR, not the press).

Your best bet for getting AR plate cut would be a laser, but if you don't have access to one (find a shop that does!) a Oxy-Acetylene torch works.

[FJ540]

Brazing might be an alternative. The filler is much softer, and the temps are lower. A good ductile solution.

[westberg]

Brazing might be an alternative. The filler is much softer, and the temps are lower. A good ductile solution.

Most of the commercially made targets I have seen are built so they are bolted together vs welding of any type, because of the repeated pounding even good welding don't hold up.

[FJ540]

Brazing has a tensile strength of something like 57000psi, if done correctly. The brass is more ductile, and as such flexes when pounded, instead of forming stress cracks (tearing). Kind of like how airplane wings flex; if they didn't, you'd be in trouble.

It's a thought... I have no clue how well it would work in the application. If you want to find out, I'll braze one for you.

[JJ]

I didn't even think about brazing. I don't think a butt joint would work though, not enoungh surface area. If you sanwiched two plates though

[Scratch]

Brazing or bolting on the AR to the CR would work for that part, but the part I would be afraid of is if you hit that 2.5 inch circle, it would probably bend the CR steel right below the circle. It's only about an inch wide at that point. I know the design could be changed to make that wider, and using 3/8" steel would also help too.

Maybe I'll have to do some "field research"

[JJ]

Maybe I'll have to do some "field research"

I like reasearch! And I'd be glad to help out

[FJ540]

I was thinking you could flame/plasma/laser the walking shapes out of the AR plate, then braze them at the joint which would be fillets if you laid it on heavy.

[westberg]

You guys can do all of the research and testing your hearts desire, but there have been commercial targets made for a long time. These companies have a lot of testing and feed back from customers and there is reasons they build them as do. But who am I to bring logic into the discussion. Have fun with it.

[FJ540]

There's a whole bunch of reasons that the mass produced targets are bolted together. I'm pretty sure $$$$ covers them all.

[westberg]

I have shot steels targets at the ranges in this area that have them and the only steel targets that fail are the ones welded together.