Buy/rent steel targets near Portland?

positron · Aug 31, 2016

I have a couple of friends coming into town from California (The No Fun Allowed State) this weekend and I'd like to take them shooting. Putting up paper targets outdoors is a bit of a pain and making holes in paper just doesn't have the same appeal as a nice ping, so I figure some basic steel targets would be good to bring with us. Unfortunately, I don't own any!

Is there any place that sells or rents steel targets in the Portland or Vancouver area? I want something small, relatively cheap, obtainable locally, and capable of withstanding being hit with calibers up to 7.62x54R.

Flopsweat · Aug 31, 2016

positron said:
I have a couple of friends coming into town from California (The No Fun Allowed State) this weekend and I'd like to take them shooting. Putting up paper targets outdoors is a bit of a pain and making holes in paper just doesn't have the same appeal as a nice ping, so I figure some basic steel targets would be good to bring with us. Unfortunately, I don't own any!

Is there any place that sells or rents steel targets in the Portland or Vancouver area? I want something small, relatively cheap, obtainable locally, and capable of withstanding being hit with calibers up to 7.62x54R.

The only place I know of in OR is Salute Targets in Hillsboro. You should be able to get a small gong for about $50. They go up quick in price as they get bigger. Be at least 100 yards away when you shoot at it, and be sure everyone else is too, including anyone with access to the area. And you want a mounting system so that you don't create a ricochet hazard. You can buy a stand or if you make your own make sure the gong leans forward at a twenty degree angle.

Member 34319 · Sep 1, 2016

Check out slick guns here. He posts up some good deals from the interwebs.

Amazon carries a bunch and one company on there is pretty inexpensive and they cover shipping. I recently picked up a 4 pack of 5" plates to use on shepards hooks for $40 shipped.

If not, I too recommend Salute Targets.

3MTA3 · Sep 1, 2016

Curt's on McLoughlin Blvd in Gladstone/Milwaukie area has them.

NWGlockgal · Sep 1, 2016

If you are a member of TriCounty, they sell steel targets at very good prices.

UserNameInUse · Sep 1, 2016

Last year I went through the same thing, trying to get some steel targets at the last minute.

Salute would not let me pick them up in person but when I explained I was going to a friend's place near Hillsboro, they asked for his address and one of the guys dropped it off there. Very good bunch of folks and the zombie video on their web page cracks me up.

I've shot the 8" gong with handguns up to .44 Magnum and the front surface remains perfectly flat.

I also got a target at Sportsman's Warehouse that I like. It is a prairie dog sitting on rockers. I think the rockers might be acting like a tuning fork because it rings very loudly, much more than the gong. I shot this one with a 5.56 from an AR and it put a pretty large divot in it so handguns and rimfire only on that one from now on.

I guess the maker calls it a gopher, not a prairie dog.
Jumping Targets Rocking Gopher Steel Motion Target | Sportsman's Warehouse

nammac · Sep 1, 2016

If you had given yourself a few more days lead way, <broken link removed> has great prices on AR500 gongs and quick delivery. Just a few days from order to receipt... Mine were shipped 2-days USPS...

Camelfilter · Sep 1, 2016

Maybe try a "last stand" full kit.

The Last Stand Full Kit | Sportsman's Warehouse

Says out of stock, but my local store had one on the shelf just the other day. You might give your local store a call, or swing by.

You'd still need the 6 lengths of rebar.

Usefullness of that plate? Dunno honestly. But it is AR500.

5.56 divots/dimpled one of my AR400 3/4" torso sized plates at 100yd. I'm planning on seeing what kind of damage .308 will do to it.

I'd lend it & the 6' saw horse type frame for it to you, for a $65 deposit, but your too far.

If you want to drive down here to pick it up, that'd be fine, but my time to meet up (to pick up & to return it) is very limited thru next week. I'd sell the hole thing to save you a return trip, for the deposit $. You'd have to post up what further damage that plate takes though....

If you can locate plates up there, and need a stand, the 2x4 one is pretty easy & inexpenive to make yourself. Lowes has saw horse brackets at $6.99/pair. The trick will be safely hanging your plate(s), especially if you'll be doing any pistol stuff.

Member 34319 · Sep 1, 2016

Also, I shoot 54r too, if your thinking long term use some of the 3/8" plates don't do so well against the steel core bulk surplus within 200 yards.

I've got 1/2" plates that 54r will divot pretty good at 100-200.

Those that you can get at Sportsmans are not true AR500 hardness, I'll post up a pic of what 54r does to those at 100 when I get home. Think Swiss.

Just a tip.

nwslopoke · Sep 1, 2016

nammac said:
If you had given yourself a few more days lead way, <broken link removed> has great prices on AR500 gongs and quick delivery. Just a few days from order to receipt... Mine were shipped 2-days USPS...

I ordered 3 8" gongs. I painted them but haven't built a stand yet. They arrived so fast I hadn't even checked my mailbox. It must have been 3 days. I didn't pay for quick shipping. I plan to purchase a 10 or 12 gong this weekend.