Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Home made steel gong pic-best hangars?

Made a couple of stands from scraps found around the farm...1/2" rebar, steel tube/pipe...bought a tractor/trailer mud flap (the one that's made of recycled rubber/tires) and cut it to size to hang the AR500 plates. Nice and light. Don't know how long it'll last, but stand material is free and easy to make/replace. I usually hammer the legs into the ground 3"-5" to anchor the whole setup.

I have these at 1,2 and 300 yards.(fence behind has no use anymore, needs to come out)


A few more gong pics






This target sits at 1760 yards, Time will tell how much of a beating the top bar will take.

Man, I gotta' come shoot with you.... grin

if I ever get it done I'd like to host some shoots like Scenarshooter is doing..Buried a 10 wheeler up there yesterday trying to haul dirt for the backstops.I leave next week for 5 months of work, dont look like i'll get everything done by then,dammit.

I failed to read thru the whole thread and missed where the OP is needing a portable system..Mine would certainly suck for that, My 1 mile target is around 250lbs! Those re bar stands look slick to set up/transport.

I rigged up a very portable setup, since I also have to run and gun, seeing as I don't have land to shoot on, either.

I take 4' lengths of 1/2" rebar, 1/2" diameter galvanized electrical conduit, and some semi-truck mud flaps that I cut into 2" strips. I also use chains, but when they break I replace them with rubber mud flap strips.

I cut the conduit into 6" pieces, and I weld 3 of the pieces together into a bracket in order to mount 2 pieces of rebar in an A-frame shape as legs, and a top piece for a cross bar. I use one bracket on each side, 2 per target stand. Then I loop the strap around the cross-bar piece of rebar. It sets up quick and easy, and it breaks down into two small brackets and a handful of 4' lengths of rebar. The best part about this setup is that if you hit one of the pieces of rebar, it only costs a couple of bucks to replace. The conduit is only a few bucks for an 8' length and a little bit of time to cut and weld.

Here's a video showing one of the setups. It's tough to make out the frame against the stubble field, but it's there. You can see it better if you watch on full screen mode directly on YouTube.

I'll try to post some pics of my setup...

I, too, had to go portable. I made a modular one out of square tubing that would be easy to replace any piece that got too battered. It was taller to get my target above the sagebrush. I held it down with homemade sandbags, but shrapnel can quickly sieve those out.

Found a lane to shoot down that allows me to use a simpler, easier setup.

Like others, I use conveyor belt (super tough) but I attach mine with cheap 1/4" bolts with lock washers and regular nuts. I carry spares in a plastic container and only tighten them by hand so it's really easy to replace a hit one. I've already hit the side and bottom bars of mine but I just pound/sand out the sharp edges and keep,going. If they get too bad I can just weld some flat strap on the sides.

I use a 3' stake (like concrete form stakes) cut to length and drilled for hairpins to act as my hangar. I pull the hairpins and slide it out of its 'tubes' and I'm ready to go.

Again, when I get time I'll post some pics so you know what I'm talking about.

PS. mine had to be free standing due to our rocky soil there's little to no chance of driving any legs in deep,enough to hold.

The fact you didn't complete this range before I left the state shows me how much you value my friendship...

PS- Once it's done, I could easily be talked into buying a plane ticket...

Permanent set-up, but not mine.


portable targets:


Shows the portable hanging set-up with a larger target.

I want an XP pistol so bad.

Can I have one?

Be glad to help you set one up

Mild steel is worthless as teats on a boar hog!!

Here is looking to a future SP build

I use AR-500 plate hung by a chain on a tripod that I made with removable legs for easy transporting

Tie-down straps from big rigs (often found on the side of the highway) work great.

My no-weld set up using threaded fittings and extra EMT conduit I had laying around. This was just a quick mock up when I built the frame. I'm now using grade 8 bolts and seat belt webbing for hanging the plates.

Little bit of improved belting hanger from my Uncle's Shop...

Old hay baler belts (I have a lifetime supply at my in-laws) or retired fire hose (departments will often give them away if you ask) work great.

Baler belt on the smaller ones, and chain on the bigger ones.
All of the steel is from JC.

^ That's exactly how I build mine.

We use old fire hose to hang steel at our matches.