Hardox AR 500 damage.

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hunta

Well-Known Member
My friend and I use a gong, as above, mainly for longer range target shooting but also occasionally for checking zero at 100m. We typically shoot 243, 6.5 x 55, 260 Rem, 308 and 270 using target and hunting bullets (not copper). I recently checked zero at 100m using a 22-250, factory 55g varminter and proceeded to punch a hole in the gong. I was shocked as this bullet carried less energy than any of the other calibres we use.

Is it possible to get Hardox 500 repaired? The gong is large and cost £200 a few years ago so it would be nice not to have to replace it.
 
My mate did the same with his 22-250. Its probably a combination of cross sectional area x speed that allows it to cut through.
 
My .204 Ruger causes much more damage than my 6.5cm.
No where like going through but it leaves a decent witness mark on each shot
Speed is definitely at play in terms of damage.
 
Yes, you can weld hardox plate. Might need a bit of pre-heat and hard facing but it can be done. Trouble is, it’s not a quick job so you’d be looking at paying someone a few quid for their time unless you know someone who’ll do it as a favour.
 
I’ve welded it many times but clearly the weld is not as hard. I’ve been told it’s speed that blows through hardox so the very fasted cartridges muller it
 
Utectok said:
I’ve welded it many times but clearly the weld is not as hard. I’ve been told it’s speed that blows through hardox so the very fasted cartridges muller it
Click to expand...
I guess you could weld a hardox patch on that would be more durable then filling a large hole with weld
 
Thanks for the replies. I did wonder if it was a speed thing and also makes sense that the small cross sectional area of the 22-250 bullet combined with its energy was a factor. It came from Tom's Targets so I'll call them and ask for their advice.
 
I was just about to post my own thread when I thought to be a good citizen and search first.

Missus bought me a Hardox gong for Christmas. I had a few minutes before work so hung it from the fence and lobbed a few rounds at about 110 meters. To my horror the 223 pitted it using 55 grain Federal soft point, callipers said 0.3mm deep. My 6.5CM lead sierra polymer tipped game king, and 6.5CM yewteee, didn’t even scratch.
Not too much of a concern on a 10mm plate but I reckon if you practice groups at 100 yards/meters it’s not going to last many summers at all.

IMG_4985.webp

IMG_4986.webp
 
speed kills steels , it's common knowledge now

you can weld hardox but it's a PITA to do well and requires special electrodes to work properly and even then it will likely not be as good as original
 
Tex said:
I was just about to post my own thread when I thought to be a good citizen and search first.

Missus bought me a Hardox gong for Christmas. I had a few minutes before work so hung it from the fence and lobbed a few rounds at about 110 meters. To my horror the 223 pitted it using 55 grain Federal soft point, callipers said 0.3mm deep. My 6.5CM lead sierra polymer tipped game king, and 6.5CM yewteee, didn’t even scratch.
Not too much of a concern on a 10mm plate but I reckon if you practice groups at 100 yards/meters it’s not going to last many summers at all.

View attachment 402861

View attachment 402862
Click to expand...
You need to move the target further away to avoid pittting with the 223.
I bought some gongs from the states a while ago and they say that bullet speed should be under 2850fps at the target to avoid pitting.
 
I have had similar experience, speed is the killer.

iv shot all my centrefire stuff at 10mm hardox, all home loaded rounds.

.223 50grain, 243 80 grain, 270 140grain and 30-30 150 grain.

By far the worst is the 243 80s doing about 3300fps, the .223 50s are next in line. the 270 makes a mark, the 30-30 not a mark to the steel.
 
hunta said:
My friend and I use a gong, as above, mainly for longer range target shooting but also occasionally for checking zero at 100m. We typically shoot 243, 6.5 x 55, 260 Rem, 308 and 270 using target and hunting bullets (not copper). I recently checked zero at 100m using a 22-250, factory 55g varminter and proceeded to punch a hole in the gong. I was shocked as this bullet carried less energy than any of the other calibres we use.

Is it possible to get Hardox 500 repaired? The gong is large and cost £200 a few years ago so it would be nice not to have to replace it.
Click to expand...
You can repair a hole in Hardox but the filler materiel used in most cases/work shops will be from a mig so not the grade of your gong. Yes there are higher grades but not a direct match.
You could hard-face the area but H-Face is a fix.
If it was mine and in my workshop I would fill in the hole grind it back and weld a hardox patch over that sweet spot.
Bit of pre heat and burn it in.
2 cheap fixes is get the hole welded up but the area will be softer (we spot heat hardox to drill it)
Second is to get a piece of plate and bolt it through the hole which will need replacing.
You wont re-harden the welded up hole as the filler material is not the same.
My Hardox plate is 25mm so not much chance of putting a hole.
 
hunta said:
My friend and I use a gong, as above, mainly for longer range target shooting but also occasionally for checking zero at 100m. We typically shoot 243, 6.5 x 55, 260 Rem, 308 and 270 using target and hunting bullets (not copper). I recently checked zero at 100m using a 22-250, factory 55g varminter and proceeded to punch a hole in the gong. I was shocked as this bullet carried less energy than any of the other calibres we use.

Is it possible to get Hardox 500 repaired? The gong is large and cost £200 a few years ago so it would be nice not to have to replace it.
Click to expand...
The exact same thing happened me with 22-250
 

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