Merlin Orr Posted January 20, 2004 Share Posted January 20, 2004 I have been calling around the Dallas area trying to find a supplier for AR500 steel to make some targets. I am shocked and dismayed at pricing. $100.00+ for a piece 18x35 of AR400 is the best I have found so far. No one even gave me a price for the AR500 stuff. Is there someone who has a line on this stuff? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zak Smith Posted January 20, 2004 Share Posted January 20, 2004 See if you can get surplus from a local mining company. -z Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpspeed Posted January 20, 2004 Share Posted January 20, 2004 Unless you are planing on using major pf loads, A36 carbon steel plate, 3/8" thick is more than adaquate for SC plates. Maybe go to T-1 but anything more is a waste of money, IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted January 20, 2004 Author Share Posted January 20, 2004 Warpspeed - I got a quote for "A6" for 4x8 sheet @ $136.00. Is this the same (or Approx) as A36? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted January 20, 2004 Share Posted January 20, 2004 Merlin When we made our plate rack, we salvaged some pressure vessels from Shell from a turn around. Bought it by the pound, you might look into that if you have some friends in the process industry.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 Unless you are planing on using major pf loads, A36 carbon steel plate, 3/8" thick is more than adaquate for SC plates. Maybe go to T-1 but anything more is a waste of money, IMHO. If you're going to hold SC matches, you've gotta assume somebody is going to show up with major loads, no matter how many rules you lay down. "it's all I had loaded".. "it's not really major".. "it doesn't hurt steel".. A full set of SC steel is 11 18x24 gongs and 24 round plates... unless you're going to run all seven stages at once, you can get by with less, especially on the gongs I'd try the various IPSC target suppliers too. An 18x24 shouldn't be more than $75 or so in 500 Brinell. Make sure your targets can swing and/or move too-- it reduces the beating considerably. If you want to drive, there's some guys down near San Antonio getting into the steel target buisness that might be interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ankeny Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 Our good friends at WOTCO donated a complete set of Steel Challenge targets (cut out and ready to go) to our club. They also donated a dozen plates for our plate rack, 8 USP poppers, etc. The Steel Challenge stuff and plates were 500 AR and the poppers were 400 AR. My point is this, to a large fabrication company pieces of 500 AR 3/8 thick 18x24 are nothing but scap to trip over. In fact, I have seen pieces of scrap 3 feet by 6 feet and larger. They sell the stuff to recyclers (here) for four cents a pound just to get it hauled off. If you look around (mining industry is a good start) you should be able to find a company that will either donate or sell at scrap prices all the steel you need. If you have a junior college, or for that matter a high school welding program in the area, ask the teacher for some sources. Who knows, they might even throw the iron on a plasma table and cut them out for you. As for 3/8 mild steel, it will bend, warp, and twist from the constant pounding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted January 21, 2004 Author Share Posted January 21, 2004 Thanks to all for the great ideas. The natural gas business here in central TX is going full bore so I may find something from the gas patch around here. There are 2 lignite coal mines within 50 miles of my house and I even know a couple of guys that work as equipment operators at one of them. Also my wife gets her haircuts from a gal whose husband owns a tank fab company. I will be on the phone tomorrow beating the bushes for some scrap/leftover steel. I feel a little optimism! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 Merlin, Great attitude. Go man go!!! I think the harder steel also will cause the bullet to fragment more completely...less chance of bounce-back. Safer...closer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMike Posted January 24, 2004 Share Posted January 24, 2004 Expect steel prices to continue to rise due to some significant international purchases ...specifically China. This is driving the prices up domestically and we are beginning to see these passed on here in teh U.S. Good luck. TXMike Sugar Land Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpspeed Posted January 24, 2004 Share Posted January 24, 2004 My local fabricator just told me that as of February 1st, material will be going up 10% here on the west coast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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