Banging Away with Range Time Targets

The sweet sound of PING! It’s addictive! It’s something that everyone who has experienced it will agree with. Throwing jacketed lead at a sheet made of hardened steel is a great way to have fun and adds visual and auditory appeal to the range time any red-blood shooter can appreciate. Steel shooting is addictive. And it can save you money. If you need a long-term solution, make sure to treat it well. It will last for years. You can get instant feedback on every hit. You can hear every hit. Range Time Targets by AR500 Target Solutions is a high-quality steel target market. Range Time targets can be found at the FBI Quantico training ground and the Navy. It’s not easy to reach this level, especially with so many pretenders trying to steal business from legitimate companies. But what makes Range Times targets different than discount brands you can find at your local mega-outdoor store? It all comes down to the metal. Range Time uses the right type of steel for the job. This is the stuff that will catch bullets. It is a great target for shooting, given its history. Its hardness and resistance against impact stresses are two of its most important attributes. It won’t wrap or gull, unlike brass tacks. This is a good thing when you don’t want a bullet flying back at you. Buyers beware. AR500 or AR550 are not required on any AR500 or AR550 targets. This means that you could end up with something that doesn’t last a cup or puts you in danger. Range Time deserves praise for this. Range Time’s products, which range from simple gongs and silhouettes, all have clean lines and precise attachment holes. You’re spending a lot more on steel than you would with any other option so it makes sense to demand top quality manufacturing. Range Time understands this and their laser-cutting process proves it. Upgrading the RangeI have previously used Range Time’s steel, particularly their IPDA/IPSC Silhouettes, and was impressed by their resilience. I was sent a few packages by the company to test, including an AR550 Reactive Hostage Target as well as three AR550 swinging gongs. Both have proven to be worth the effort and are comparable to Range Time’s AR550 Reactive Hostage Target. The AR550 Hostage Track Kit includes everything you need to set up your shooting range. Only a 2’x4’s is required for the post. Range Time comes with hardened hangers, which can be used in conjunction with a 2×4 to create a neat row of targets. These are great for target transition practice, casual shooting sessions, or any other purpose where a simple target is needed. The flapper mounts to the target’s rear and sits off the silhouette’s side, mimicking a bad guy’s noggin snatching up behind a hostage. This setup has a bonus: the flapper is dynamic. Make contact with it and it flips sides, adding some excitement to a shooting session. Range Time sells quality carriage bolts, but you have to supply the lumber. Hitting SteelIf you were expecting to be entertained at Range Time’s actual review of its targets, prepare for disappointment. From here, it becomes very pedestrian. Why? Because their performance was exactly as you would expect from quality steel-which is boring. We’ll get to that in a second. However, how did the steel perform against a hail of 9mm and.223 Remington fire? That’s where this review really gets interesting. We can then all look at the picture and frown, and mutter in understanding tones. Sorry, Range Time is not for you. The targets were hit with pistol and rifle fire at distances of 10 to 100 yards. They left with paint chips. They were almost as perfect as the day they came out of the box. They were truly impressive considering the 200+ rounds that were rained upon them. I will have to purchase a few rattle cans to protect their surfaces from corrosion and make them look even more attractive. It’s a small price to be paid for target systems that I know will withstand the abuse I put on them over the years. The Hostage Target is definitely a better option, as it allows you to practice your pistol skills and work with your carbine very close in. It doubles as a simple silhouette and can be used for a variety of training purposes. The gongs are all-arounders. They are perfect for plinking with a rimfire or a target course with your pistol. You can move them down range to simulate the vital zones of North American game. For a wide range of applications, both packages are the best option. You’ll also need plenty of ammo to throw at them. A brief note on steel and thickness. This all depends on the type of shooting you are doing. The Hostage Target is resistant to.223 Remington rifle fire from as close as 50 yards. A.308 Winchester can be beaten at 100 yards by the 3/8-inch gongs. If you are interested in pistol shooting, the AR500 can be saved a little money. It is able to withstand a.308 Winchester at 100 yards. Parting Shot Not all steel targets can be compared and there are many options that could last longer than paper. Range Time targets are American-made, precision manufactured and dynamic. They will last for many years. This gives you plenty of sweet PING! These posts will help you get on target.