Metal gong target

[rjpalmer]

I'm curious about a minimum safe distance to shoot  .36 caliber and .40 caliber long rifles at a 9 inch steel gong target cut from 1/2 inch steel plate hanging from chains drilled into the top left and right sides of the gong. I plan to use only lead round balls. I have never shot at steel targets with muzzleloaders and would like to give it a try, but only if it is safe.

[snapper]

my closest hanging target is around 35 yards and I have not had any issues.  Hundreds of rounds by quite a few shooters.

Fleener

[Mike Brooks]

Cowboy action shooters shoot gongs as close as 5 yards.

[Molly]

Firearms safety.  Now that's a good subject.  Many say the led will splatter effectively disintegrating upon impact.  I know that is true because I see the splatter marks on the gong and find "fragments" embedded in the wood frame.  Hitting the gong straight on is important, so make sure the impact is as near 90 degrees as possible.  Don't know why anyone would shoot a target at under 25 yards however but personally I would not set it nearer than that.  50 to 100 is reasonable however and in my mind completely safe from ricochet.   I see the "cowboy" shooters popping metal much closer that 25 however.  Also some action handgun shooting done nearer than 25.  I have been told that makers of commercial targets offer "recommendations" on their use but don't know if that's true.  If so it's probably good to follow them.  As always, the bigger danger is behind the trigger rather that the distance of the target.

[WKevinD]

I've been shooting NSSF matches where some of the pistol speed rounds are three steel plates at seven paces.
Steel gongs are great for instant feedback and when top hung direct the splatter toward the ground. Any "back spray" ricochet can be attributed to rocks or gravel under the target.
I use an old acetylene tank with the bottom removed for a long range deer sized target for all calibers or round ball.

[smylee grouch]

I only have one gong at the present time, 115 yds. I have it angled down so as to deflect the bullet down. It is used for muzzle loaders and center fire rifles.

[bones92]

A local shop sells their own brand of declined torso steel gong, which uses a 4' length of 2x4 to hold a torso-shaped steel gong with a slight lean.  With a bit of a slant, I think you could not only safely shoot PRB, but you could probably also build a nice bullet trap underneath (using sand) to conveniently catch lead for reuse.

[Daryl]

Targets (gongs) on our field course, run from about 5 yards for some of the pistol targets out to 110 yards for our furthest rifle gongs.  The trees take "the gaff" from lead spray - been shooting some of them for 20years. Some of those gongs are the ones set up 20years ago.

[EC121]

I had a friend who got hit in the forehead by a round ball ricochet while shooting a .36cal. revolver up close.  BUT he was shooting at a water soaked piece of plywood.     The ball bounced straight back and nailed him in the head.  It probably would have splattered on steel.

[hanshi]

Lead balls spatter paper thin on metal gongs.  If you're worried just angle it downward slightly.

[smylee grouch]

One member of one of the clubs that I used to shoot at got hit be a bounce back, and now they call him back stop.

[bones92]

I'm always reminded of this video when the subject of gongs and ricochets come up...

[Mike Brooks]

I had a friend who got hit in the forehead by a round ball ricochet while shooting a .36cal. revolver up close.  BUT he was shooting at a water soaked piece of plywood.     The ball bounced straight back and nailed him in the head.  It probably would have splattered on steel.

Did it splatter on his forehead?

[Candle Snuffer]

IMHO, this is the safest way to hang a metal gong. Also, I prefer, and use AR500 metal gongs from Shootingtargets7.com

I feel the safest way is for a gong to be hung at a down backward angle from the shooter as it forces the bullet/ball to fall/splatter at a downward direction as the gong is moving rearward when hit.

[snapper]

I have been hit in the forehead from a .22 that bounced back from about 12 yards and by a 12 ga slug from 50 yards, hit me in the leg.

Fleener

[Daryl]

IMHO, this is the safest way to hang a metal gong. Also, I prefer, and use AR500 metal gongs from Shootingtargets7.com

I feel the safest way is for a gong to be hung at a down backward angle from the shooter as it forces the bullet/ball to fall/splatter at a downward direction as the gong is moving rearward when hit.

The angled targets are good for eliminating any possibility of ricochets.

[hanshi]

One member of one of the clubs that I used to shoot at got hit be a bounce back, and now they call him back stop.

Did he "clang" when it hit him??

[One Shot]

I got hit hard on the arm a week and a half a go on a trail walk shoot from a ricochet from the next metal target down the trail....

[Molly]

What is this?  Several shooters with reports of being hit.  I have at least two questions.  First are you still shooting them?  Secondly, are you talking an actual "gong" suspended and free swinging OR just a stationary metal target.

As to the trail shoot incident.  Never participated in one but any event putting multiple shooters sprinkled about firing at various targets with different locations and from different positions simultaneously does not sound safe. 

All things considered, carelessness will eventually take care of itself.

[Bob Roller]

I got hit hard on the arm a week and a half a go on a trail walk shoot from a ricochet from the next metal target down the trail....

THAT would be my last time to be near that range.That could have been your eye(s) instead of your arm.
About 60 years ago I was clipped on the right ear by a bounce back from a Smith&Wesson 44 Russian and
that is a real attention getter.

Bob Roller

[Candle Snuffer]

No one should ever shoot at a metal target that has craters from previous bullet strikes in it as those craters can and will return portions of lead right back towards you or someone else.

Your metal targets should be at least AR500 metal and hung with chains (as said before) in a down/rearward direction. Soft lead simply splatters downward to the ground as the target is hit and can be found within 1 to 2 feet on the ground in front of the swinging target.

When hung correctly even targets with dimples (like found on a golf ball) in them are safe to shoot, but do not shoot at metal targets with bullet craters in them. Nothing good will eventually come from shooting at cratered targets.

This is where AR500 metal comes into play. It is perfect (when hung correctly) for metal target use, and is completely safe when hung correctly.  

[bob in the woods]

I have a steel ram hung at 200 yards.  I think it's safe enough.

[Hadden West]

Slow moving hard cast bullets can ricochet. I've had hard cast bullets hit in a wood pile and bounce back through the target, and I heard them bounce back into the leaves next to me. Kind of unnerving to walk up to the target and you have bullet holes going in both directions. I have shot many hanging steel targets and never had a problem. The chains allow the target to swing, which deadens the impact of the lead. Solid fixed targets are the ones that concern me.