What Steel Targets to Buy?

[Western]

I have access to a range that I can pretty much set up however I want to.  Right now there are a few 8-inch and 5-inch steel targets out at ~75 yards (max distance) for rifle shooting and that's it.  I want to get this set up so I can practice my pistol skills for competition.  I'm thinking maybe a plate rack and a couple of rectangle/silhouette targets?  And then I can move the existing little steel targets around if I want to.  Any advice?

 

The range turns is in a depression and is surrounded by hills on 3 sides, so it turns into a swamp for much of the spring.  I have a few target stands for paper targets that I made, but I don't use them very often because setting them up and taking them down is a pain and I tend to get quite a few ticks on me as well.

 

Thanks!

[LuvDog]

Plate racks are heavy... will you be setting this up and leaving it?  Or are you just looking for portable items that you would setup and take down every time.

[shred]

Also what competition?  If you are going to get serious about one, you'll want some targets that match what the matches use.  Non-falling or auto-reset usually works best for practice.

 

If you leave steel on a range, expect it to get shot by all and sundry, including rifle shooters...

[Western]

18 hours ago, LuvDog said:

Plate racks are heavy... will you be setting this up and leaving it?  Or are you just looking for portable items that you would setup and take down every time.

I'm going to set it up and leave it, I'm not setting it up and taking it down every time I go to the range.  I might move individual plates around some but that's about it.

 

3 hours ago, shred said:

Also what competition?  If you are going to get serious about one, you'll want some targets that match what the matches use.  Non-falling or auto-reset usually works best for practice.

 

If you leave steel on a range, expect it to get shot by all and sundry, including rifle shooters...

I've only shot local stuff so far, two of which were very steel-heavy matches. There were a lot of poppers (not interested in having to walk down and reset those) and silhouette-sized rectangular plates.  With the national stuff I'll probably start off with IDPA because it matches my current equipment better, I'd have to buy 2-3 more magazines and mag pouches for USPSA.  Most of my shooting before I tried this out was standing in a range bay slow-firing at 1 target.

 

There aren't very many people who shoot there and a lot of the other guys shoot mostly rimfire.  We've got some notices up to not shoot steel up close with rifles, we haven't had any problems with it so far.  

[MILDOTS]

When my brother had a range behind his house I started with a plate rack  then 3 full size ipsic targets all from MGM we ended up with 2 pepper poppers and a swinger and a Texas star or what ever MGM calls it. I wouldn’t recommend the Texas star it’s too labor intensive for one person, very time consuming. Alas lost the rage it’s now a lemon grove. I bought the plate rack   In ‘97 and sold it to a local club and it’s still going strong. The  and plate rack and the full size ipsic targets were most beneficial.

[orangeman711]

I have nothing but MGM steel, used it for years. Not only the best product but also great customer service, and they support the sport tremendously. The Gibson's are great people also.

[Atlas33]

I have been using shootsteel and Xsteeltargets on my personal range for a number of years.