Built a large gong. This thing might be overkill. We had a cutting edge from a loader bucket, and welded two chains on it to hang it. It is 12" wide, and 20" tall. Seems rather large for medium range. Think 600 is too close for something that size?

Thanks. Hoping to blast it this weekend.

If you had the room I'd go 1K and call it a day. Too bad it's not 20" wide and 12 tall...grin

Dober

When it's windy, you might be wishing it was wider.

I don't think 600 is too close, as long as you're not just satisfied with hitting, but more interested in where you hit.

I can go all the way to 1000 or so. I have to carry it to where ever I hang it though, and it is heavy. Thinking packframe...

I like to paint them white with a spot of red paint in the center....easy to see the hits and easy to cover them up with another shot of paint..that thing should last forever.

Vitals-size is nice out to 600; keeps one from getting false confidence.

I'm with Dober, I'd go 1000 on something that big. Its not that it'll be easy to hit there at 1000, but that you should be thinking of being able to hit clay pigeons or scare the heck out of them at 500-600 yards IMHO. Hence its too big for 600 and would give false sense of security.

This is assuming you have weaponry capable of 1000 yards supersonic.... OTOH 800 could be a good compromise.

Paint a red 6" circle and shoot from hunting positions: kneeling, sitting and standing. Only a sling allowed. Great practice. For that I'd set it no further than whatever you estimate your longest shot to be.

On second thought you could cover it with 6" circles and shot with your buds. Fun competition.

None of my guns are set up for 1000yds. Only running turrets on varmint guns, and light bullets. Cannot imagine a 40-55gr could withstand any wind at that range.

The good news is, since I have to pack it in, it is doubtful anyone will steal it. Not to mention, seems like I am the only one that actually shoots anymore in my area.

or assed sized to 20 yards.....

Hang it where you'll do most of your shooting! A gong can't be too big. Look at it like a target backer you'll never shoot out! Spray paint makes everything work out just fine.

If your 223 is set up for bullets that light, I'll rethink my answer... those tiny bullets suck really bad in winds at 300 already...

And there is no way in hell they'll make 1000 supersonic.

Nix that idea. I'd either cut that into smaller targets and go say 300,400 and 500 to make it challenging, or hang it no more than 500 out IMHO. And then as noted paint red dots and shoot for groups at each dot.

And you'll get a great workout going back & forth to spray it.....

Yeah, my plates are mostly packed in and maintaining them is a real pain.

packed out a few elk myself, cannot imagine packing spraypaint will be a problem...haha.

You will see your hits on paint without a spotting scope. No paper targets blowing in the wind, no staples to run out. NO paper mess to clean up when you are done. Make your plate large enough to catch the near misses too. Instant feed back on wind guesses. Be aware of the shrapnel blowing off the plate. Don't leave the paint can down there.

It's good exercise but where my plates are, it's a solid hour plus down and back, and if I'm up there to shoot, that means I'm leaving 3-4-5 rifles in the truck on BLM land... always gives me the willies.

Jeff_O ,sorry to hear you are in a wheelchair. get well soon

Lol, they are across this canyon... I get to them through timber over to the left of the picture. Usually, that road there is gated shut.

How far is that?

The place I have in mind is a large sage filled draw. I just discovered it a couple weeks ago. It was like I found utopia. Already had the place set up to shoot out to 300 with my portable bench. I went over the hill and discovered the draw, and a pefect vantage point.

Jeff,
Have you considered using a mountain bike. You can lift it over the gate.

1760 yards

Doubletap,

That's not a bad idea. When I packed a pretty big plate in there, I just used a frame pack... It's hard to explain but my "main" group of plates, it wouldn't help much to access from that road in the pic; it's easier to drop down to them from the timber.

Used a towel to protect my pack frame. As far as I can tell this plate has now been stolen.

People will steal anything.

I bet it ain't stolen, but some yuppie anti gun idiot probably took it just far enough to hide it good.

1760 is fun. I wished I had access to it on a reliable basis... I loved shooting that far and farther the times I"ve done it. Not at all easy but damn sure fun.

Probably true. Thieves don't usually want to work hard enough to backpack out a heavy object.

Or the BLM removed it from public land as junk... Public land doesn't always mean do what I want to land.

I'm betting is was stolen.

Painted rocks and steel are very common on BLM and USFS lands in Southern Oregon. Which makes for a good time. I'm constantly amazed when I hear a guy say, "I was up plinking and found some steel plates so I took them." WTF... Just shootem, why would you want to move them? So when I drop plates it's usually way down in a canyon where if someone is stupid enough to take them, they deserve them.

Dropping off a canyon into the poison oak to paint steel is good exercise.

It'd take some tools to get that plate; it was nailed to a big stump with spikes about 6" long.

I've not been shy about pointing out where these particular plates are hung; they are up by an informal range that we locals have been using for decades, so I talk to lots of shooters when I'm shooting at the plates. They stop and chat. Anyway someone else went in and painted it orange... then about a month later it went missing. So, who knows. A little annoying to be sure. That was my only big plate. I still have a bunch of the 10" round ones, hooking up with a 'Fire member on Monday who's got a couple other friends that he's giving some to... I like the thought of sending steel out into the shooting world, just not that particular piece!