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AR500 Targets - Warped from years of use


Black Hills Drifter

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Our club recently invested in a plasma cutter.  We purchased several 3/8”, 4’x8’ sheets of AR500 and cut our own targets.  My question pertains to some older 3/8” AR500 targets that have become warped.  The surface is in good shape.  Could a press be utilized to flatten these old targets or is it time to take them to the scrap yard ?  We will be monitoring the new targets for warping and reverse the mounting bolts when appropriate.  Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

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30 minutes ago, Cliff Hanger #3720LR said:

Try turning them around and use the back as the face of the target.

In time the curved target plate will bend flat then curved again in the opposite direction.

This is what we do.

Works very well.

Regards

:FlagAm:  :FlagAm:  :FlagAm:

Gateway Kid

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We have a couple hundred AR500 targets and have dealt with this problem for many years. The targets curve away from the front. As they are continually shot the metal stretches in the center and they curve to the back. If you are diligent to begin with and turn the targets at every match you will not have the problem. We take our targets to place that runs them through a larger rollers and flattens them out again. It cost us $20 per target, but that is better than the $100 per target for new ones.   

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1 hour ago, Snakebite said:

We have a couple hundred AR500 targets and have dealt with this problem for many years. The targets curve away from the front. As they are continually shot the metal stretches in the center and they curve to the back. If you are diligent to begin with and turn the targets at every match you will not have the problem. We take our targets to place that runs them through a larger rollers and flattens them out again. It cost us $20 per target, but that is better than the $100 per target for new ones.   

 

This above would be the answer. We had one of our volunteers take some of Winter Range's targets to flatten on a hydraulic shop press and it was no-go.

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We alternate sides on our targets. As we paint the fronts, we paint a white "X" on the back. Next match we shoot the "X" side, paint the new X on the back. Repeat.  

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6 hours ago, Rattlesnake Slim said:

 

This above would be the answer. We had one of our volunteers take some of Winter Range's targets to flatten on a hydraulic shop press and it was no-go.

Just curious. When you say the hydraulic shop press was a no go, do you mean they wouldn't attempt to do it or that the press won't work flattening the plates.

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46 minutes ago, Smokin Gator SASS #29736 said:

Just curious. When you say the hydraulic shop press was a no go, do you mean they wouldn't attempt to do it or that the press won't work flattening the plates.

I tried this with one of our old targets - admittedly with a Harbor Freight shop press.  With the plate supported at the corners, the convex portion would flatten out under full pressure, but would spring right back when pressure was released.  A diligent attempt to force the plate past flat in order to compensate for the spring-back failed, as it resulted in the top I-beam on the press being forced into a lovely -and permanent - upward arc!

 

Being no metallurgist/engineer, I wonder if the resistance to being straightened is some form of work-hardening of the steel.

 

CS

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1 hour ago, Smokin Gator SASS #29736 said:

Just curious. When you say the hydraulic shop press was a no go, do you mean they wouldn't attempt to do it or that the press won't work flattening the plates.

 

The plates just sprung back like Count Sandor said. Given that the metal face has stretched as Snakebite noted, just pressing on them won't actually do anything permanent. His rolling method is probably your best bet.

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21 hours ago, a d said:

Howdy,

 

I am following this with great interest.....

 

What type of roller are you talking about,

is this something a machine shop would have?

 

AD

We have it done a Structural Metal Fabrication shop. They do Laser cutting, Shearing, rolling etc. They are large industrial metal rollers. I doubt that a regular machine shop would have such equipment. I would look for someone that specializes in large metal fabrication jobs. 

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