Best material to make gongs out of?

[GotCox]

Just wondering what everyone's experience is with long range gongs and what materials work best to both withstand 22lr and 17hmr hits and also broadcast a strong tone of the hit. I have terrible hearing and know that some metals ring much louder when struck. What is everyone using? Wanting to get some 300, 400, 500 and if i lose my damn mind 600 yard gongs setup.

Thanks

 

[clodhopper]

Re: Best material to make gongs out of?

I use what ever I can scrounge.
1/4" mild steel will last a long time at 50 yards with a .22 long rifle.

 

[clayne_b]

Re: Best material to make gongs out of?

I have found old saw blades work great

 

[3wide]

Re: Best material to make gongs out of?



I was lucky enough to purchase some 1/4" AR500 from a member here. That will last a life time, no pits, no worries. Except for the chain you hang it off of...

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Re: Best material to make gongs out of?

Standard velocity 22lr any steel you get at the scrap yard is fine. If you want to shoot 17 HMR AR400 at 100+ yds. Under 100yds with the hot 17 I would get AR600 if I could find it. We have an AR600 gong at the range and it has withstood hits from SS109 at 200M with no damage whatsoever. The harder the steel the better sound you will recive at the firing line.

 

[SkaerE]

Re: Best material to make gongs out of?

worn out diamond blades (10-14'' for concrete saws)

railroad plates (the parts the rail sits on) apprx 6''x10'' of almost 3/4'' mild steel. i welded 4x4 plates to the top to make them look like mini IPSC type targets

course now we have 3/8'' AR500 squares in various sizes from a group buy i think. best thing out there.

 

[Foul Mike]

Re: Best material to make gongs out of?

I would try old discs from farm implements.
I never have used them for gongs, but they do make pretty loud noise when you hit rocks with them or drop one on the shop floor.
I will make one and try it. I think they would work. Regards, FM

 

[Dylan in AZ]

Re: Best material to make gongs out of?

I found a small section of 1/2" diamond plate in our scrap bin a while ago and decided that was going to be put to use. Still haven't found the time to get it cut up nice and pretty but it should do the trick

 

[GotCox]

Re: Best material to make gongs out of?

Awesome suggestions guys. I have some of all the things you guys mentioned and would like to try them all and see how they work.

 

[reeljob]

Re: Best material to make gongs out of?

+1 on the saw blades!

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Best material to make gongs out of?

I like the idea of the circle saw blades, but...

The only place I have to shoot from is a club range, and putting out anything that won't stand up to a major caliber hit is an open invitation to returning to a roundish hunk of Swiss cheese.

One of our members even went to the trouble of putting up a really nicely made barber pole for Mil calibration.

It didn't even last a week.

Where you put it is at least as important as what you make it from.

Greg

 

[GotCox]

Re: Best material to make gongs out of?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Greg Langelius *</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I like the idea of the circle saw blades, but...

The only place I have to shoot from is a club range, and putting out anything that won't stand up to a major caliber hit is an open invitation to returning to a roundish hunk of Swiss cheese.

One of our members even went to the trouble of putting up a really nicely made barber pole for Mil calibration.

It didn't even last a week.

Where you put it is at least as important as what you make it from.

Greg </div></div>

Greg good point. These will be off the grid in national forest area's and as such will likely be encountered by other shooters. Unless i decide to pack them up every time after shooting, but i doubt i will. I figured i would make them semi perminate and leave a can of white paint by each one for touch ups. Nothing worse than walking 500 yards to realize you forgot the can of paint. lol

 

[HathcockProtege]

Re: Best material to make gongs out of?

On the cheap I have used heavy SS washers from the hardware store many times. Mostly for shooting inside 100 yards. They don't last forever, but they are cheap and give decent response. Stack two or three to give better sound.

-The Kid.

 

[CaptLink]

Re: Best material to make gongs out of?

A old argon bottle or Co2 bottle with the bottom cut off and hung by a chain gives a nice ring.With a rim-fire they should last a very long time.

 

[Lawyerman]

Re: Best material to make gongs out of?

I have a rimfire only range with about 40 targets on it. We use Rail Road tie plates- get them for free- cheap is good. You could leave them lying on the ground until you went shooting, if someone found/stole them, no big deal. They ring pretty well- get the smaller plates though, the really big ones have a duller tone. Another nice thing is that they are already cut for hanging- we hung ours with fire hose or pieces of chain from snow chains...again, free.

 

[isaaccarlson]

Re: Best material to make gongs out of?

I have a 9 inch gong made out of 1/4 harvestore plate. It holds up well to most things. I hit it with a 9mm FMJ at 20 yards and the chain broke and there is a very shallow dimple in the steel. I was surprised. It also holds up well to HMR with only a light ping mark where the round hit.

 

[GotCox]

Re: Best material to make gongs out of?

Lots of good suggestions for sure. Glad so many people have went through this and tried diff stuff. Thanks for sharing what works. Once i get a chance to test out the stuff i have i will let you guys know how they hold up for me. Thinking i will also make a few tree hangers with 1" washers at random distances to make shots in the wind even harder with a moving target.

I like challanges.

 

[GotCox]

Re: Best material to make gongs out of?

Skill saw blade at 50 yards with 22lr.

Skill saw blade at 65 yards top 17hmr bottom 243.

Big nasty steel plate at 75. The big holes are 243.

:AR15firin

Did not get a chance to set up the long distance ones like i wanted to. Never enough time to get stuff done. But from this little test i would say stuff as thin as a skill saw blade will work fine for 22lr both at 50 yards and further with no problem, but they are not very loud. The steel plate on the other hand rings nice and loud and can be used with anything you wish to fire at it.

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: Best material to make gongs out of?

is that guy in the funny hat peeing?