My Custom AR500 ½” Steel Target Set
On the day I committed to attend the “2019 Summer Gathering”, which was Wednesday the 10th, I went out behind the house and dug up a 40 plus year old heavy duty ¼” thick steel swing stand that was buried within our creek levy.
Once I got it back to my shop, I started cleaning it up by washing all the dirt off with a regular garden hose.
While I was waiting for the sun to dry it off, I got on-line and ordered the hardware needed to hang all the targets I intended on purchasing for it.
- I first purchased four pairs of Galvanized Ductile Iron Pipe Beam Swing Hangers for the chains to connect to using 3”x¼” spring clamps.
- Secondly, I purchased twelve 3”x ¼” spring clamps, leaving me with four spares just in case any of them break by chance.
- Third, I purchased four hanging chain sets that are the heaviest-duty type (14”x 5/16”) with bullet proof bolts.
- Additionally, I also ordered four sets of the 6” hanging hooks that slide over the 1” steel pipe.
- Finally, I purchased a total of eight ½” AR500 targets. Not all of them are of the same size and/or shape at you can see below.
- The rest of the stuff I had in stock, like spray paint, fasteners and steel pipe.
Then next morning, I washed off most all of the old paint with a high-pressure washer.
Then I grabbed my heavy duty 6 amp 4 ½” ‘Skil’ grinder with 40 grit sandpaper and used it on all swing sections to get rid of the rest of the old paint & whatever pitted rust areas on the steel surface.
After I finished that, I went ahead, and spray painted all sections with Rust-Oleum grey primer paint. I gave each section approximately three coats and let dry completely overnight.
On Tuesday evening of this week, I started the final painting phase. No sooner I finished my very first coat of the gloss black, a quick burst of rain showed up, so I had to grab my ‘Quick Shade’ canopy to protect and cover what I painted thus far.
During Wednesday morning and throughout the rest of the day, it continued to rain off and on, but to stick with my original schedule, I continued the final paint work outside under the canopy.
I applied two more coats of the gloss black spray paint.
I did receive all of my main AR500 targets this afternoon and my Galvanized Ductile Iron Pipe Beam Swing Hangers.
The rest of the items that I ordered is supposed to show up next Monday & Thursday the 18th (4 - 3"x1/2" Gongs & 4 - 6" Steel Hooks).
The entire set is extremely heavy, but easy to erect & breakdown. I designed it purposely that way so I can take it to different gun ranges if need be.
The top four targets are mainly for rifle shooting from long distances and the bottom four targets are for pistol shooting.
The entire target set should out last me that's for sure.
I’m sure my family & friends will get plenty enjoyment out of it over the coming years.
I hope you all enjoyed my sharing this project with you and if anyone has any questions, suggestions or concerns of any kind, please don’t hesitate in let me know, thanks!
( Now some of you might understand why I was a little heartbroken to hear that I couldn’t bring any steel targets to the ‘2019 Summer Gathering’ gun range.
I intended on debuting my target set right there for everyone's enjoyment. )
