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Range Report Hearing steel at long range

BattleAxe

BattleAxe

Chief
Full Member
Minuteman
    • Mar 3, 2010
    1,225
    50
    Earth
    What are you guys doing to better hear the ring of steel at distance? I can hear my 12" swinger at 600 but my full size ISPC cannot be heard at 850 even when its relatively quite at the range.

    Now it is mounted on a pole with a bracket that angles the plate towards the ground so I'm wondering if possibly squaring the target more towards my position might make a difference.
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    In my experience the swinging targets clink better. I strongly suspect it is due to the nature of a swinging/vibrating object and the pole mount is not there to damp the impact response.

    I have no trouble hearing a 12" swinging plate at 1200yd but hearing an impact from a pole mounted torso at 1000yd is sometimes difficult with a 140 Amax.
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    It's louder if you hit it.



    Sorry, couldn't resist....

    How is it mounted to the pole? If the mount is very hard with little room for vibration, that will tend to dampen the impact noice. The plate angle, unless very severe (think 45 degrees) will not do much. Try tapping it with a hammer to see how the mounting affects it. I've got some that ring like a bell and some that just thump.
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CoryT</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It's louder if you hit it. </div></div>

    Hahahaha.....
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    Wind direction is a factor and electronic ear muffs help a lot too. I paint mine white so can see the hits. Free swinging gong targets resonate better.
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    I used rubber washers where the hanger bolts go through the steel. Got a bit better ring out of it. For under a dollar per target I am pretty happy with it.
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    Or use a bigger gun...
    grin.gif
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    Yea I'm thinking its the way its hung. Its a Big Dog 4x4 pole mount so its a bit tightly mounted. I'll try isolating the plate better so it hangs looser and maybe more vertical. I can see the hits with a spotter but have to disrupt my shooting position to do it and I rarely have someone to spot for me. I ony have the problem shooting .308. The Barrett can be heard the next county over.
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CoryT</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It's louder if you hit it.
    </div></div>

    I would have capitalized on that one too
    wink.gif
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    Hang it from some chains and it will ring much better....
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    I'm shooting at large plates, 18"x18" 3/4" thick. I noticed when I shoot square on they ring loud, 600 meter's. These are just sitting on the ground propped up by steel rods at the back. Electronic muffs (just purchased) work great when shooting longer distance with the wind blowing the other way.

    Albert
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BattleAxe</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Yea I'm thinking its the way its hung. </div></div>

    A lot of stuff depends on how well you're hung.
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    Battleaxe- make sure if you are using rifles you leave the bolts on the post bracket plenty loose. I typically leave them at a 5-10* angle. Increase the angle to around 12-15 for pistols.
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    Electronoc muffs, and thin steel. I use 3/8" AR500 and it rings like a school bell. My 1/2" stuff doesn't ring nearly as well. Put that 1/2" stuff beyond 600 with a .223 and any wind, it's tough to hear. Plus, it's kind of fun to "wait" for the ring, even though you saw the hit a second or so earlier.
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    Depends on the wind, light breezes I can still hear hits on free hanging steel around 2000 yards using 300grainers.
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    with electronic hearing protection, no problem if the steel if handing free to swing.
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: osuarchitect</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Battleaxe- make sure if you are using rifles you leave the bolts on the post bracket plenty loose. I typically leave them at a 5-10* angle. Increase the angle to around 12-15 for pistols.

    </div></div>I backed them out and can already tell it will help. Target hangs more vertical and rings like a bell. Gonna try it out today at 850.
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: fw707</div><div class="ubbcode-body">A lot of stuff depends on how well you're hung. </div></div>

    May be part of the problem. My mom told me I'd go blind if I didn't leave that thing alone but maybe I'm going deaf
    grin.gif
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lucks</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hang it from some chains and it will ring much better.... </div></div>

    This. My local range has all the steel plates from 400 to 1,000 yards all hanging of fence stakes with chains. Even with ear pro in I can hear the "tink" of the 1,000 yard plate. Plus a solid center hit will send it swinging violently, so there's no doubt you hit it
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DFOOSKING</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
    And I'm a believer of the fact that the sound wave of the muzzle blast cancels out the ringing sound wave coming back </div></div>

    Thaaat's bullshit.....unless you are shooting really light stuff at really long range.

    Heard all 13 rounds fired yesterday from 345 out to 690...and with foam plugs in my ears.
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tengo1</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lucks</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hang it from some chains and it will ring much better.... </div></div>

    This. My local range has all the steel plates from 400 to 1,000 yards all hanging of fence stakes with chains. Even with ear pro in I can hear the "tink" of the 1,000 yard plate. Plus a solid center hit will send it swinging violently, so there's no doubt you hit it </div></div>

    This, too....

    Make it reactive so you can SEE that you made a hit.
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    I loosened the bolts and can hear it as longd as no one else is shooting and it now swings enough to see it. Since I rarely miss this isn't a big issue
    wink.gif
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tripwire</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thaaat's bullshit.....unless you are shooting really light stuff at really long range.

    Heard all 13 rounds fired yesterday from 345 out to 690...and with foam plugs in my ears. </div></div>You do have to factor other noise into the equation. My 12" swinger is loud as hell but you often cant hear it if others are shooting around you.
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bohem</div><div class="ubbcode-body">In my experience the swinging targets clink better. I strongly suspect it is due to the nature of a swinging/vibrating object and the pole mount is not there to damp the impact response.

    I have no trouble hearing a 12" swinging plate at 1200yd but hearing an impact from a pole mounted torso at 1000yd is sometimes difficult with a 140 Amax. </div></div>
    This is the answer I think, yesterday I was shooting two steel plates at basically 1100 and 1200, one was about 3/8 thick, the other was about 1". The thick one was never heard, probably because it is too thick and ridgid to vibrate at the frequency to be heard at such a range, even the .338 Lapua wouldn't make it sing. The same size plate at 1100 which was thinner, rang like a bell everytime we hit it.
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    Use a big gun with big bullets. My .243/105gr load can be difficult to hear past 650 meters.

    Thinner, loosely supported targets ring better.

    The terrain and ground cover can play a big part.

    I can routinley hear hits on 3/8 AR500 plates at 1200+ meters. I am shooting .338 lapua/300gr. This is with hearing protection and a stiff breeze. I shoot on the pairie where nothing is taller than my hip. If the target is on an opposing hillside it will bounce the sound back towards the shooter. Dense trees or tall bushes will muffle the sound.

    - Scott
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    Although today I was only shooting my steel at 500yds, I must say that somebody would have to be deaf in order to not hear these XM856s smacking the shit outta some AR500:) I have a cpl. other videos with distances up to about 900yds IIrc., and ultimately I have found that as long as you hang the steel right allowing maximum movement when hit...your gonna get feedback at least up to distances of a 1000yds or so(still a featherweight and I haven't shot past 1k yet. An upcoming MWS should change that though). I just now got a method of attachment in which my 12"x20" CMP plate will completely rotate at least 180 degrees upon a solid hit if not more, that dramatically improved the noise or feedback I received. I'm just stating the same as most did above, however I come bearing fresh youtubeage:)

    <object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HL0rtWcZ8Hw"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HL0rtWcZ8Hw" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>

    I actually broke a bolt today as you can see in the video.
    DSC00554.jpg

     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: trident1982</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Although today I was only shooting my steel at 500yds, I must say that somebody would have to be deaf in order to not hear these XM856s smacking the shit outta some AR500:) I have a cpl. other videos with distances up to about 900yds IIrc., and ultimately I have found that as long as you hang the steel right allowing maximum movement when hit...your gonna get feedback at least up to distances of a 1000yds or so(still a featherweight and I haven't shot past 1k yet. An upcoming MWS should change that though). I just now got a method of attachment in which my 12"x20" CMP plate will completely rotate at least 180 degrees upon a solid hit if not more, that dramatically improved the noise or feedback I received. I'm just stating the same as most did above, however I come bearing fresh youtubeage:)

    <object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HL0rtWcZ8Hw"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HL0rtWcZ8Hw" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>




    I actually broke a bolt today as you can see in the video.
    DSC00554.jpg

    </div></div>


    Nice back-stop...Try putting the target on THE OTHER SIDE of the water. You know, were the bullet goes into the dirt and stays (I know ....crazy idea).
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    The acoustics of shooting into a bowl or valley like that are vastly different than the flat land I shoot at where there is no echo.
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BattleAxe</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tripwire</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thaaat's bullshit.....unless you are shooting really light stuff at really long range.

    Heard all 13 rounds fired yesterday from 345 out to 690...and with foam plugs in my ears. </div></div>You do have to factor other noise into the equation. My 12" swinger is loud as hell but you often cant hear it if others are shooting around you. </div></div>

    Yeah, you do have a point......

    Sorry, I'm spoiled/out of touch, with my own 1K range and permanent steel. I hear a cow, or a sheep, once in a while....and the wind's prone to blow often. Other than that, it's pretty quiet.
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tripwire</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I'm spoiled/out of touch, with my own 1K range and permanent steel. </div></div>

    Xanadu...it <span style="font-style: italic">does</span> exist.
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Pat M</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Set a cell phone on speaker next to target ? </div></div>
    Now there's an idea.

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lucks</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hang it from some chains and it will ring much better.... </div></div>
    Just dont invite any noobs out, they tend to have a nack for breaking chains and pissing me off.
    smile.gif
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    Leave mounting bolts way loose. You should see and hear a hit. I will even use lock nuts so they will not vibrate off.
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    I hang mine with 2 eye bolts, and clevises. Eye bolts through the frame, and clevises to go through them, and the plate. They swing freely, ring loud, and the clevises are tough as nails for shrapnel, or the occasional bullet strike.
     
    Re: Hearing steel at long range

    I have no problem hearing 223 at 1k or 338 LM (285 grain) out to 1500 with plugs in...all steel is 3/8ths AR 500.

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">portable radio near the target set on VOX, you'll hear it just fine, just keep it out of the frag zone</div></div>

    Tried this last week, and it's pure genius. I've only had those radios sitting around in my garage for years.

    Taped one to the back of the steel and put it on VOX transmission. Whenever there was a noise, radio would transmit automatically.

    If you missed wide, no transmission.
    If you barely missed the steel, radio would transmit the sound of the bullet hitting the ground (essentially static) for a second or two.
    Of course, hits were obvious with a nice clear ding.

    I'm just kicking myself for not thinking of this years ago!
     
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