Alternative to chains for hanging steel

[Stradawhovious]

I was at Oakdale for several hours yesterday banging away at at a steel gong I bought from SigFan (good stuff by the way.... took a few hundred direct hits from 7.62x54r spam can stuff and is no worse for the wear). It's all great fun watching it dance from a .30cal round until the chain and/or hardware gets a direct hit, or just wears out due to use.

Is there another method of hanging these you folks have found that will end up being more durable?

Common answers I would expect......

- Don't hit the chain.

- Don't use .30 cal FMJ.

I don't disagree with the first one, but at 200 yards with surplus ammo and an 8" gong it is just inevitable that I will hit the chain or mounting hardware every now and again.

I do disagree with the second one. It's just too much damn fun to stop.

Any advice or idea is welcome. Thanks!

[engnerdan]

It can be attached to a steel arm and set to pivot on an metal stand. Think of a knock over plate rack upside down. So there is no resetting it.

[JoeH]

This looks interesting although I know nothing more about it than what's on the web site.

http://tubbenterprises.com/

[Stradawhovious]

It can be attached to a steel arm and set to pivot on an metal stand. Think of a knock over plate rack upside down. So there is no resetting it.

That certainly is a good option, but a couple of things stand in my way. #1, how would it be attached? If by hardware, I find myself with the same dilemma. If by welding, I've heard that welding will ruin the temper of AR500, and be counter productive. #2, I would like to try to keep it as portable as possible. I'm not sure I would want to haul the equilivent of a medimu sized popper plate back and forth down a 200 yard range. Seems like a lot of gear to haul around.

[engnerdan]

It can be attached to a steel arm and set to pivot on an metal stand. Think of a knock over plate rack upside down. So there is no resetting it.

That certainly is a good option, but a couple of things stand in my way. #1, how would it be attached? If by hardware, I find myself with the same dilemma. If by welding, I've heard that welding will ruin the temper of AR500, and be counter productive. #2, I would like to try to keep it as portable as possible. I'm not sure I would want to haul the equilivent of a medimu sized popper plate back and forth down a 200 yard range. Seems like a lot of gear to haul around.

So you want your cake, to be able to eat it, and not gain any weight from consuming the whole damn thing?

I see the pain in a steel frame and more solid steel but it would work. If you are really interested I could sketch something up but I have nothing handy to show you.

[Stradawhovious]

So you want your cake, to be able to eat it, and not gain any weight from consuming the whole damn thing?

Yeah, something like that.

I'm just tired of making a trip to the hardware store before every range trip, and don't want to turn 10lbs of steel target into 75lbs of steel target.

[engnerdan]

So you want your cake, to be able to eat it, and not gain any weight from consuming the whole damn thing?

Yeah, something like that.

I'm just tired of making a trip to the hardware store before every range trip, and don't want to turn 10lbs of steel target into 75lbs of steel target.

You might want to try a heavier gauge chain or a higher test chain. It does come in different grades like Grade 3,5,8 bolts.

[photogpat]

I used hardened shackles on mine that seem to have resisted the ravages of a similar workout schedule.

The chain is the weakest link (no pun intended) in mine too, I've severed mine several times with an errant shot (or 4).

Problem is that guys like Strad and I use the chains to attach to the target holder posts at OGC. This way the gong is centered between the two posts with spray by and large going downwards.

Are there any chain options in a material like AS500 (he asks, knowing that it exposes his lack of engineering expertice).

[Shipyard]

get better guns that shoot straighter....

[BemidjiDweller]

Maybe you could use something thinner to hang em up. Maybe a few bits of paracord with some padding right where it contacts the gong would work. Maybe I have too much faith in paracord, but it would be harder to accidentally hit. Maybe a braid of three strands would be good.

[photogpat]

Maybe you could use something thinner to hang em up. Maybe a few bits of paracord with some padding right where it contacts the gong would work. Maybe I have too much faith in paracord, but it would be harder to accidentally hit. Maybe a braid of three strands would be good.

Bullet fragments would cut paracord far too quickly methinks....

I found a couple of good ideas out on ARFCOM one involving eyebolts and rebar...just have to figure out how to get that to attach to the target stands at OGC...granted I suppose one could just make their own target stand too....but then thats yet another thing to lug out to the range with you.

[Stradawhovious]

get better guns that shoot straighter....

At least my rifles don't self destruct when I pull the trigger......

[Squib Joe]

Levitate the gong with the power of MAGIC

[Stradawhovious]

Levitate the gong with the power of MAGIC

Do you sell that at Bill's?

[mn_smokeater]

Strad,

How about something along the lines of this?

http://www.amazon.com/Galvanized-Steel- ... B002X4DCQU