Shooting Steel
Besides traditional paper targets, most shooting ranges also allow shooting at steel targets, also known as gongs. But is this only relevant for action shooting, or do they have a use for hunters as well? And if so, which type should they choose?
Anyone who shoots at the range more than just occasionally is probably familiar with the so-called gong, a steel target made of special hardened steel that reliably stops bullets. Upon impact, it produces a distinct, audible sound that can be heard over long distances, allowing the shooter to confirm a hit without having to walk to the target. This makes steel targets particularly useful—and equally entertaining—for dynamic shooting. However, they also have applications in hunting practice.
Title photo: AR500 5" Caldwell C Gong Target
What Are They Good For?
The gong comes from the factory with a yellow coating and a manufacturer’s label. Not that it’s necessary—the paint is quickly stripped away by repeated impacts.Caldwell Gongs
Overview of Caldwell’s wide selection of gongs. On the far right, you can see the typical design of a standalone base.
I tested the smallest target, officially named AR500 5" Caldwell C Gong Target, with dimensions of 16×14 cm and a weight of 1.4 kg. Priced at 591 Kč, it is truly “dirt cheap” and its size closely mimics the “hot” vital zone of game animals, making it a versatile training tool for shooting with a regular optic, not just a thermal scope. You hear the hit and immediately know you have fired a “lethal” shot with precision. Alternatively, you can choose a larger, slightly more forgiving 8" variant, which is more tolerant of minor accuracy deviations. The target has two holes for hanging. Textile cords are not suitable for this, and even wire has its limitations. Heavy-duty chains or steel rods around 10 mm in diameter with properly bent ends have proven to work best.
This is an exceptionally durable target in terms of surface longevity. The edges naturally take significantly more wear, but even so, it will take thousands of rounds before the target is destroyed.Durable and Functional
The quality of any steel gong target can be evaluated based on two simple factors: how much it can withstand and how well it transmits sound. In terms of durability, at the time of writing, our target has taken several hundred hits from .223 Remington, countless 9x19mm pistol rounds, and around 300 shots from hunting rifles chambered in .308 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, .444 Marlin, and .44 Remington Magnum. These shots included a wide variety of projectiles, from hunting soft points and full metal jacket (FMJ) rounds to hard monolithic bullets, all fired at the upper limits of their performance. You can judge its resilience for yourself from the photos. In my opinion, this is an excellent result, and the target should remain functional for many years under similar use. Of course, cartridges like .300 Winchester Magnum or .338 Lapua Magnum will wear it down faster—but then again, what wouldn’t? The second factor is how far the sound of an impact carries. Even through hearing protection, the ringing can be heard at 300 meters, though perception may vary depending on the shooter's hearing quality. At 500 meters, I find it barely audible—probably beyond my hearing range—but a larger target would likely produce a louder sound. In practical use, this isn’t an issue, as the relatively light weight of the gong causes it to swing noticeably when hit, allowing you to see the impact through your optic. Hardox 500 steel seems to transmit sound slightly better, but the difference isn’t dramatic. In terms of durability, my experience suggests AR500 and Hardox 500 perform nearly the same. The advantage of AR500 is its lower cost—just for comparison, the cheapest raw-cut Hardox 500 plate, 10 mm thick and measuring 20x30 cm, costs 1,999 CZK (see strikeface.cz). Some shooters also claim AR500 produces less ricochet, which is beneficial from a safety perspective. However, proper safety distances must still be observed. The manufacturer recommends a minimum distance of 14 meters for pistols and 91 meters for rifles, though in my opinion, the rifle distance is somewhat excessive, as we routinely shoot gongs at 50 meters. Overall, I can confidently recommend Caldwell gongs. They perform on par with Hardox, so there’s no reason to avoid them.
Image taken through a Hickmicro thermal imaging clip-on, showing different display modes. The target is clearly visible against the background, and the same applies to the impacts, which transfer heat to the material.
You can purchase Caldwell AR500 steel targets from STROBL.CZ s.r.o.. For more information, visit strobl.cz or check the manufacturer’s website at caldwellshooting.com.
Photo sources: Author’s archive, manufacturer materials – caldwellshooting.com
Author: Tomáš Prachař
The article originally published in the magazine Lovec by Extra Publishing.
The target can withstand military-grade full metal jacket rounds over extended use. Hunting bullets designed for expansion pose no issue, nor do monolithic projectiles.