Steel Target Cost

[Dusty Devil Dale]

In the last year and a half, I've watched the bulk price of steel increase by 60%.  Talking with local distributors, there is probably no end in sight to pricing increases, and we will likely never see price reductions.  That is mostly due, in shorter term, to shrinking trade with China, but domestic delivery (fuel) costs keep increasing and environmental regulation affecting steel production (exhaust scrubber installation/operation, etc) is continuing to affect per- unit costs.  

Perhaps others here who are connected to the steel industry can shed more light on future prospects. 

 

But the apparent bottom line is that specialty steels, like the AR series used for our CAS targets, are likely to go beyond the resources of most local clubs.  So clubs might want to consider prioritizing your target purchases as early as possible, AND take proper measures to protect these valuable treasures from theft, as scrap prices increase.  

Two thoughts I have: 

1.  We might start looking for help on target purchases from local Friends of the NRA affiliate clubs.  It might be possible for CAS clubs to obtain cost- share grants for direct target purchases.  

 

2.  We perhaps should be looking in the longer term for other substitute target materials.  I have no idea what those would be, but necessity is the mother of invention. 

 

[Mustang Gregg]

I shot at a few SASS ranges while back East in 2006.

One of them used cardboard backers and scrap box-cardboard.

But those area cause match delay because of scoring and pasting.

 

Bowling pins are fun, but they are likely to cause bounce-back with light loads.

 

On the other topic, we have lost some steel silhouette targets in the past.

I found some at a scrapyard about 20 miles from our range.

 

 

[Bailey Creek,5759]

I worked in a Steel Mill for 30 yrs. They went out of Businss , because of foreign steel.

They tried running steel from Russia and China , and other countrys .

It was hard to do.  The steel was junk .

I am sure the same now . Can't get the steel , prices go up .

The few Mills that were  still around Foreign Businesses purchased them  . Then Tore them down . 

It was hard seeing a place that i spent 30 yrs at Demolished .

[Snakebite Dust SASS 75484]

I work for a steel distributor and plate prices are still going up som, but not as large of a price increase at a time like last year. Doesn’t look like AR plate is coming down anytime soon.

mild steel sheets and plate 72” wide and narrower has been coming down steadily over the last few months as well as tubing and pipe.

Steel prices will come down as demand decreases.

steel prices normally follow gasoline prices. Gas goes up and steel normally does too.

I have 31 years in the industry 

[Assassin]

Be smart when cutting targets. Squares, diamonds, and rectangles leave zero waste. All those fancy shapes eat up steel., up to 30% waste. Our club uses only square, rectangles, and diamonds. I haven't had anyone tell me they won't come back to Hell On Wheels because we don't have cute little cowboy targets. When the targets get deformed I cut them smaller and make SG targets out of them. 

[Dogmeat Dad, SASS #48563L]

9 hours ago, Assassin said:

Be smart when cutting targets. Squares, diamonds, and rectangles leave zero waste. All those fancy shapes eat up steel., up to 30% waste. Our club uses only square, rectangles, and diamonds. I haven't had anyone tell me they won't come back to Hell On Wheels because we don't have cute little cowboy targets. When the targets get deformed I cut them smaller and make SG targets out of them. 

 

That is an awesome idea!  Never occurred to me to do that, but that shouldn't surprise anyone.  I'm not much of a welder, but I make up for it by being one hell of a grinder!

 

 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Just set the targets at the distance used in early SASS.

They won't get hit that much.... 

OLG 

[Assassin]

7 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Just set the targets at the distance used in early SASS.

They won't get hit that much.... 

OLG 

They were also a quarter of the size.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

1 minute ago, Assassin said:

They were also a quarter of the size.

Yup 

Another cost savings 

OLG 

[Sedalia Dave]

AR-500 targets need to be flipped over every 6 months or so to prevent warpage. Extends their useable life by years.

[Assassin]

5 hours ago, Sedalia Dave said:

AR-500 targets need to be flipped over every 6 months or so to prevent warpage. Extends their useable life by years.

The bigger the target the quicker they cup. Our 16 x 16 squares do not cup. 20 x 20 Targets and larger do cup and they get turned over annually. For some reason the 8 inch squares break the welds on the mounting brackets after a couple hundred hits. Although, the little squares don't cup.