Choosing the right steel for pistol targets, pics up while bandwidth lasts

[Specop 007]

Aren't you worried about ricochets? Hope you knock your eye out son

Actually backsplash is a huge risk when shooting steel. Always ALWAYS wear eye protection when shooting steel. The problem isnt so much the lead as it just mushrooms out. The problem is the damn copper jacket.

You can shoot pistols at 5 to 10 yards on steel and not worry too much. Rifle I wouldnt shoot at less than 75 yards or so. When I first got my night vision a few friends and I were out shooting his steel on the pistol range and I took a copper jacket in my stomach. It fucking hurt and left one hell of a big welt with a bit of blood.

 

[Kelvrick]

Actually backsplash is a huge risk when shooting steel. Always ALWAYS wear eye protection when shooting steel. The problem isnt so much the lead as it just mushrooms out. The problem is the damn copper jacket.

You can shoot pistols at 5 to 10 yards on steel and not worry too much. Rifle I wouldnt shoot at less than 75 yards or so. When I first got my night vision a few friends and I were out shooting his steel on the pistol range and I took a copper jacket in my stomach. It fucking hurt and left one hell of a big welt with a bit of blood.

Reminds me of a time I swear something came back and nailed me in my armpit. Hurt like an mfer. I was probably 10 yards away from a steel plate shooting fmj 9mm out of my 1911.

 

[Scotteq]

Not to derail, but at our range the range officer always states "Those of you with high powered rifles, 223 and above, your targets must be 50 yards from the firing line"

I just never considered 223 to be a "high powered rifle". I've changed my mind. The damage to that plate shows a LOT of energy.

It was developed and eventually favored over the older/larger/heavier~bullet 30-06 and .308 because the military found that most firefights were inside 100 yards for reasons of terrain: You can't see or engage that far in a jungle or a city, except under more limited circumstances. There was also some anecdotal evidence of a (highly contested!!) psychological limitation where some soldiers figured the enemy was too far away to be an immediate threat and would be less likely to attack.

From there, a smaller/faster round is easier to shoot in auto or burst fire than a .30 cal class weapon, and simple math says a given soldier can carry around twice the ammunition.

Mostly that seems to have served well, but (even I) have heard complaints from Afghanistan and Iraq indicating the 5.56/223 lacks punch at longer ranges. From that, I infer that the SCAR was developed and issued to certain units for a reason.

 

[Phanuel]

Always ALWAYS wear eye protection when shooting steel.

To back this up, you should always wear hearing and eye protection at all times when shooting, regardless of steel or paper. Spending about $20 to protect things you cannot replace is near along the lines of knowing that 'sticking your hand into a crocodile's mouth is a bad idea' levels of common sense.

And a solid steel cored .223 would have gone straight through that plate. .223 is traveling at 2600-3300 fps, nearly 3 times the speed of the 9mm.

 

[Texashiker]

Actually backsplash is a huge risk when shooting steel.

If you will angle the plate just a little bit, the bullet is supposed to ricochet downwards instead of straight back.

A lot of people will weld a piece of pipe or tubing to the top of the target, and hang it straight up and down.

But if you take a piece of 1/4 X 2 inch flat bar, cut the edge of the flat bar so that it makes a slop (maybe a 1:12 slope), weld the flat bar to the back of the plate and then weld your tubing to the top of the flat bar - so when the target is hung, it will hang at a slight angle pointing downwards.

Instead of striking the target straight on, the bullet hits at just a "little" bit of an angle. If everything works right, the angle of the plate will help direct the bullet into the ground, instead of back towards the shooter.

 

[Scotteq]

If you will angle the plate just a little bit, the bullet is supposed to ricochet downwards instead of straight back.

A lot of people will weld a piece of pipe or tubing to the top of the target, and hang it straight up and down.

But if you take a piece of 1/4 X 2 inch flat bar, cut the edge of the flat bar so that it makes a slop (maybe a 1:12 slope), weld the flat bar to the back of the plate and then weld your tubing to the top of the flat bar - so when the target is hung, it will hang at a slight angle pointing downwards.

Instead of striking the target straight on, the bullet hits at just a "little" bit of an angle. If everything works right, the angle of the plate will help direct the bullet into the ground, instead of back towards the shooter.

It is Well, Good, and Proper to angle the plates.

But please, please always wear eyes and ears.

 

[Electric Amish]

**JEALOUS**

Wish I could shoot out in my backyard.

 

[Specop 007]

**JEALOUS**

Wish I could shoot out in my backyard.

Thats not my back yard. Thats my garage.

My front yard can go out to around 600 yards. Trying to figure out where I can go "in my yard" to get 800 but thats going to take some work. If I drive to my own land (about 20 miles away) I can shoot "as far as you can see" (2 mile range).

It aint so bad.

ETA:

This is set up in my front yard, shooting at a plate at around 275 yards or so.

 

[Texashiker]

But please, please always wear eyes and ears.

Make sure the safety glasses have "Z87" engraved on the lens - the Z87 is a safety rating and ensures that the lens is shatter proof.

If you took a pair of Z87 safety glasses, put them lens down on a steel table, and hit the lens with an 8 pound sledge hammer, the lens will not shatter.

 

[Scotteq]

Make sure the safety glasses have "Z87" engraved on the lens - the Z87 is a safety rating and ensures that the lens is shatter proof.

If you took a pair of Z87 safety glasses, put them lens down on a steel table, and hit the lens with an 8 pound sledge hammer, the lens will not shatter.

Years ago, after a stone kicked up on the highway shattered the shield on my full face helmet, I use them for the motorcycle, too. ( Wiley~X PT1 )

 

[Gibsons]

new rule: shells with the screwed up shape should be called "high powered"

here is a nice cylinder shape; let's call these low power from now on:

weird shape; let's call these high power

Not in terms of raw energy but in terms of penetrating power. The bullet has so much gun powder for its size that it needs a wonky looking shell to contain all of it.

 

[Possessed Freak]

To back this up, you should always wear hearing and eye protection at all times when shooting, regardless of steel or paper. Spending about $20 to protect things you cannot replace is near along the lines of knowing that 'sticking your hand into a crocodile's mouth is a bad idea' levels of common sense.

True, I was shooting pistol and one round was shaved as it was fired. Shaving hit my glasses, was very glad I was wearing them. For the .22 bolt action, I still wear ear protection in case some guy busts out a larger rifle in the range next to me (no visibility between the different length ranges).

 

[Scotteq]

That looks less like a bullet so much as it does a marital aid...

 

[duragezic]

Very cool. Thanks for the tests.

I've really been wanting to get some steel to shoot with my Marlin 795, but things like the Action Target Evil Roy are over $100. There's some sites that sell just plates that I was going to use a lawn ornament hanger to hang them.

I'm going to have to find a welding shop and pick some up. With a .22 LR it won't matter the steel. I'm pretty sure my range allows you to bring steel targets. There's a few swinging plates at 100 yds but they are very small and I can't hit them unless I'm on the bench.

 

[Specop 007]

One bump for the evening crew.

 

[Lithium381]

banned in california

 

[Raduque]

Awesome. I wish I had land to shoot on. I have to go to an indoor range.

 

[Juked07]

I'm completely clueless about shooting, and read through the thread with curiosity. Newby questions: What is behind paper when you shoot at paper? Why do we prefer to shoot at steel?

 

[Kelvrick]

I'm completely clueless about shooting, and read through the thread with curiosity. Newby questions: What is behind paper when you shoot at paper? Why do we prefer to shoot at steel?

One of the rules of shooting is to always know what is behind your target. In this case, it is nothing and the bullet will just fall to earth (unless there were giant bales of hay or tire stacks I didn't see).

Steel makes a nice "ping" noise so you know you hit something instead of staring to see if a new hole shows up in paper.

 

[Ticky]

So, on a complete tangent...

Someone needs to try sapphire targets. You should be able to get a 4" dia. 1/2" thick sapphire plate for a couple grand... And you would be the total range pimp-daddy.

 

[Howard]

So, on a complete tangent...

Someone needs to try sapphire targets. You should be able to get a 4" dia. 1/2" thick sapphire plate for a couple grand... And you would be the total range pimp-daddy.

It'd probably shatter on the second bullet.

 

[Ticky]

It'd probably shatter on the second bullet.

It depends.... I think it might actually do ok... the question is if the bullet puts in enough energy to force crack propagation. Sapphire vacuum and high-pressure windows can survive a lot of cycles.

Be interesting to see what would happen to the bullet.... my guess is powdered.

 

[Specop 007]

I'm completely clueless about shooting, and read through the thread with curiosity. Newby questions: What is behind paper when you shoot at paper? Why do we prefer to shoot at steel?

A berm or backstop usually.

Steel is a reactive target, It makes noise, so gives positive feedback of any hits scored. Also you dont have to reset hangers and as well you dont wear them out like you do paper.

 

[SlowSpyder]

The only outdoor range in the area is about $30 for a day. I want land so I can have this type of fun. OP, if you don't mind, what state do you live in?

 

[Texashiker]

I'm completely clueless about shooting, and read through the thread with curiosity. Newby questions: What is behind paper when you shoot at paper? Why do we prefer to shoot at steel?

When using papers targets, there is usually a dirt mound, trees, cliff, or a hill behind the target to stop the bullet (projectile). The dirt ensures that you know "where" the bullet is going and where it will stop at.

With steel plates, you still need a secure backstop, but the steel plates help stop the bullet.

If there is nothing to stop the bullet, it will keep going, sometimes for miles.

One of the big differences between paper and steel:

Paper targets wear out. they finally get so many holes in them the bullet holes overlap.

Steel targets do not wear out, unless you use too big of a caliber on them. After you get too many "dings" in the steel, just put a coat of paint over the steel and its back to new.