Gongs, steel targets, need advice

I found a place that's pretty close to home where I can setup to shoot to 1k yards.

What I need is some ideas/help on deciding what to do for a stand that's reasonably portable and can be setup in a reasonable amount of time as it's not a place that I could leave it. Also curious what size gong(s) I should get. I intend to work my way back and develop dope for at least a couple of rifles. I'd probably start at 300-400 and work my way back to 1k in this area.

I think there's another area I can go shoot a mile, or close to it too. So I was considering getting 2-4 gongs or steel plates to shoot at but am not sure what would be adequately sized for the different ranges. Also not sure what thickness to get. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.
I have a couple of these in the AR500 model. I will likely buy a third this year. With 2 I can set one up at 400-500 then push the second one out to 700-1000. We have shot them in to about 100 yards with typical high powered rifles. The nicest thing about it is the variable height stand. Shooting in wild country it allows you to change the height of the gong so it can be properly seen from the firing line.

 
The unfortunate thing is that I don't weld or have a welder. I'm sure I know at least a couple of people that do though.
If you want I can build you a hanger for a plate or disc to fit over your T post. PM me and happy to go over what you want and what we can do.
 
I have a couple of these in the AR500 model. I will likely buy a third this year. With 2 I can set one up at 400-500 then push the second one out to 700-1000. We have shot them in to about 100 yards with typical high powered rifles. The nicest thing about it is the variable height stand. Shooting in wild country it allows you to change the height of the gong so it can be properly seen from the firing line.

That's pretty nice and reasonably priced.
 
If you want I can build you a hanger for a plate or disc to fit over your T post. PM me and happy to go over what you want and what we can do.
I will keep that in mind. I'm really not too sure what I want or need just yet. I know I have access to a welder as I do work for a school district and we have a welding shop in the high school. Both of the people that I was sure had a welder both need leads for them so I'm stuck with probably using the school's welder. Plus, I think there's no time like the present to learn how to do something I should've learned a long time ago. I'll take a look at how mobile my A-frame stand is that I have in the back yard and consider using it, it could probably take a few modifications and end up very mobile, I know it at least has enough metal tubing there to make something out of it if it came down to that. I'd really rather not have to try and use t-posts because they'd likely get stolen or destroyed in this area, so I think having an entire assembly that I can load up before and after might be the best idea.
 
I will keep that in mind. I'm really not too sure what I want or need just yet. I know I have access to a welder as I do work for a school district and we have a welding shop in the high school. Both of the people that I was sure had a welder both need leads for them so I'm stuck with probably using the school's welder. Plus, I think there's no time like the present to learn how to do something I should've learned a long time ago. I'll take a look at how mobile my A-frame stand is that I have in the back yard and consider using it, it could probably take a few modifications and end up very mobile, I know it at least has enough metal tubing there to make something out of it if it came down to that. I'd really rather not have to try and use t-posts because they'd likely get stolen or destroyed in this area, so I think having an entire assembly that I can load up before and after might be the best idea.
Hello yes they would love to help you. Heck mig/wire feed is pretty much point and shoot and draw little circles or short side to side scribbles.
Show us what you make up!!! So excited to see your creativity and new skill. Remember chicken crap may not look good and it sticks like glue.
 
Check out Atlas Target works. Great guy, great products. I have two pieces of advice. 1 is get 12" gongs out to 800 or so. 1.5-2moa after that. Reasons: it's way more fun to challenge yourself to maintain 1/2 or 1moa, centered on a 1.5 or 2 moa target than it is to have a 1/2 to 1moa target and strictly measure yourself against hit or miss. Also, spotting mises can be a challenge, and hitting is safer all the way around than missing. if you really get good, you can set up.dofferent points of aim on the same target to save money and time repainting all of the time. Lastly, even if you and your rig are plenty good to hit 1moa targets, if you take friends or new shooters out, it's way more fun for them to hit larger targets than to miss smaller ones.
I really like the know-your-limits target stands. It's a fun theme to place at 3 or 4 hundred yards to compete with someone or against yourself.

There nothing like the report of a steel target being impacted on a cool crisp morning!
 
I recently did the same, I bought a 10" & 12" round gongers with 35" steel stakes and they work great

I bought them off ETSY, seller is "make it ring", their shipping time is ver VERY slow, but they are cheap, I also had to grind on the stake hanger area to make it actually fit in the gong hole, but that was easy with a hand held belt sander

these are small enough to fit into a day pack
and be carried out for set up

I also have a pipe conduit hanger type setup
but mo way am I carrying all that out to 1,000 where I live in the mountains

we set up two targets and them shoot from 3 different locations to get six different distances
 
I agree that 12" gongs are a solid choice, but for the sake of learning you might want to go with 18-24" and paint a smaller size target on the steel. This will help you spot your misses more easily at distance. I also think the t-posts are going to be your best option for a target stand. There are numerous places that make target hangers for t-posts. Also make sure your target is AR500 and not mild steel as others have mentioned, and avoid target designs with mounting "ears" that protrude from the target (a lot of round targets are done this way. Those ears are stress concentrators and AR500 is somewhat brittle. They will crack and break eventually.
 
I found a place that's pretty close to home where I can setup to shoot to 1k yards.

What I need is some ideas/help on deciding what to do for a stand that's reasonably portable and can be setup in a reasonable amount of time as it's not a place that I could leave it. Also curious what size gong(s) I should get. I intend to work my way back and develop dope for at least a couple of rifles. I'd probably start at 300-400 and work my way back to 1k in this area.

I think there's another area I can go shoot a mile, or close to it too. So I was considering getting 2-4 gongs or steel plates to shoot at but am not sure what would be adequately sized for the different ranges. Also not sure what thickness to get. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.
20220104_164002.jpg

Something I'm working on, legs will fold flat, top board sets on top, still fine tuning but is a start.
 
I have a couple of these in the AR500 model. I will likely buy a third this year. With 2 I can set one up at 400-500 then push the second one out to 700-1000. We have shot them in to about 100 yards with typical high powered rifles. The nicest thing about it is the variable height stand. Shooting in wild country it allows you to change the height of the gong so it can be properly seen from the firing line.

My buddy and I have made several like these out of conduit and they work well. I really like what steveaqha has shown here. Anyone can do this and you can make them any height you want. One thing I will ad, whenever you make yours, depending on the terrain and if you shoot prone, we've ranged and set targets only to get back to shooting position and behind the scope to find we didn't notice a slight ridge between us and target and not be able to see it. Whoops lol. Stand up and see it fine, lay down and its gone. When going 1k ish, don't make them too short lol.
 
I found a place that's pretty close to home where I can setup to shoot to 1k yards.

What I need is some ideas/help on deciding what to do for a stand that's reasonably portable and can be setup in a reasonable amount of time as it's not a place that I could leave it. Also curious what size gong(s) I should get. I intend to work my way back and develop dope for at least a couple of rifles. I'd probably start at 300-400 and work my way back to 1k in this area.

I think there's another area I can go shoot a mile, or close to it too. So I was considering getting 2-4 gongs or steel plates to shoot at but am not sure what would be adequately sized for the different ranges. Also not sure what thickness to get. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.
Two large rocks drilled and buried to ground level, two electric wire conduit steel posts and cable and target, we use 10" round for 1000 yds. painted white
 

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