Shooting steel targets

[drewp 0]

I just purchased  6" and 10" steel "gong" targets.  Rather than shooting paper and checking for my groupings every fourth round or so, I thought it would be fun to shoot steel in a more "rapid fire" mode AND just see how well I hit a 6" or 10" target.  I've read a bit about the issue of ricocheting rounds.  My range allows shooting steel target on the 50yd and longer ranges AS LONG AS the target swings freely (I would attach the target via the "ears" to a hanging wire..it would swing freely).  I've read not to shoot steel at less than 100yd.  Any advice here?  I don't want to risk myself or anyone else if this isn't a good idea (although I don't think the range would allow it if it were a problem). I was planning on hanging the 6" at 50 and maybe 100yds, and the 10" at 100yds and out.  Thanks.. Oh, by the way I'm shooting an Ar15 style carbine...5.56 rounds.

[JimmyAGR 54]

I have shot steel at 50 yards with an AR, I never had an issue with a ricochet, but maybe I am just lucky. As long as it swings freely that will absorb most of the energy.  I would not use M855 on my steel at 50 yards as you will likely damage it. But just remember the information you get on the forum is worth exactly what you paid for it . Have fun, steel is so much better the paper to shoot.

[RecessedFilter 222]

I shoot steel anywhere from 15-100yds. 15yds (close range) is pistol, 50+yds is rifle.

 

As long as the steel can move or is placed angled downward, you won't have any issues.

[Vlad G 345]

Most steel you will beat to crap at under 100rd with 5.56. Maybe not on outing number one, but as soon as you start hitting the edges of the steel you are going to start breaking it. 3/4" AR500 steel is the minimum I would shoot at the distance.

 

It isn't just about the steel getting beat up, it is about safety as well. As the steel gets beat up, it is likely to have pockmarks, dents, etc and THAT is what the biggest safety risk is. If the steel is flat and can move, bullets will shatter and spray sideways or downwards. If there are craters to or dents to catch the bullet now you have issues.

[T Bill 649]

Over 3000 FPS projectiles at steel is 100 yard minimum.  Anything less is asking for problems.
AR500 is very hard stuff, but like everything, it has its limitations. If you would like to have your AR500 Steel Targets for a lifetime, follow these basic guidelines.
-Pistol rounds at 15 yards and further-
-.223 type rifles at 100 yards and further
-.308 type rifles at 100 yards and further
-300 WM type rifles at 200 yards and further

If these guidelines are followed, you should be able to use these premium targets with no damage to the steel.
Speed is what hurts steel! It is common to see a .223 round dimple AR500 at 100 yard with some ammo because of the speed of the bullet upon impact.

[Lien 1]

Maybe give AR550 steel a try?  I have an AR550 8" round target which shows no damage from 5.56 rds at 200 yards.  Have not been able to try it closer due to the limitations at the range. 

 

A buddy's M1A with .308s did no damage as well on my AR550 steel at 200 yards.  

[raz-0 1,259]

Ignore vlad's 3/4" I dunno what he meant to type, but that's not an item anyone stocks. There's 3/8" and 1/2" that is common. I have some 1/2 plates I use at 50 and have had no issues. 3/8 starts to get beat up around the edges quickly at that range from 5.56 velocity stuff. 

 

As for how to set it up, figure out how to hang it and let it dangle. I use hardened carriage bolts->target->washer->1-2 nuts->washer->chain->washer->1-2 nuts. the number of nuts depends on the thickness of the chain and the size of the nuts/bolts that work with the target as well as the size of the target. The net result though is that when hanging the top is farther towars the shooter than the base, meaning anything bouncing off hits the ground. 

[Vlad G 345]

Yeah I blame that on coffee deficiency. I have no idea what I was talking about, raz-0 is correct, 3/8th too thin, 1/2 good. I blame it on all of you measuring stuff in some silly measuring system instead of the good old metric.

[Respect2A 0]

I really wish we used metric. It comes in very handy when building stuff.

 

Be careful with Russian ammo on steel. Was shooting at 100 yards at CJ last week and my cousin was using wolf ammo. It was leaving craters. It may have been copper washed bullets and not lead core.

[Vlad G 345]

Wolf tends to be copper washed mild steel jacket with lead core,  but that doesn't make it much harder at steel. I've seen damaged AR500 at 100yards with all sorts of ammo.

[Respect2A 0]

Wolf tends to be copper washed mild steel jacket with lead core, but that doesn't make it much harder at steel. I've seen damaged AR500 at 100yards with all sorts of ammo.

What distance will it not crater? Push it out to 125 maybe?

 

It is decent steel too, MGM AR500 1/2 I think. I'll double check when I get a chance.

[Dirt diver 0]

I use the plastic duraseal gong targets. Search duraseal at cabeleas.com. They have lots. They spin and take thousands of rounds. Duraseal "heals" itself and the rounds go straight through so no ricochets. You can shoot these much closer to the target. Range 14 let's you use these closer than 25 yards. When I was just starting I used them right up to 10 yards at old bridge when placed should level on the berm. WD 40 on the supports makes them spin like crazy when hit

[Dirt diver 0]

Search: champion duraseal.

 

Amazon and bass pros shops have them also

[raz-0 1,259]

I really wish we used metric. It comes in very handy when building stuff.

 

Be careful with Russian ammo on steel. Was shooting at 100 yards at CJ last week and my cousin was using wolf ammo. It was leaving craters. It may have been copper washed bullets and not lead core.

Other thing to be careful of with copper washed steel is fire hazards. You can get sparks, which can start brush fires if the conditions are right.

[JayWilling 33]

Our club restricts shooting steel unless you use lead or plated bullets....no hardball. I've had hardball come back to the bench and destroy stuff. Soft rounds only.

[Vlad G 345]

Our club restricts shooting steel unless you use lead or plated bullets....no hardball. I've had hardball come back to the bench and destroy stuff. Soft rounds only.

 

Soft can be just as bad. The answer is not the bullet, but the steel. If the steel is high quality and its face is clean and not cratered or bent there should be very little risk of large pieces flying back. If the steel is in bad shape, anything can fly back. 

 

What distance will it not crater? Push it out to 125 maybe?

 

It is decent steel too, MGM AR500 1/2 I think. I'll double check when I get a chance.

 

It depends. It isn't just about the type of steel, but also about how it is cut. Plasma cut steel ends up with software edges which is where you see the first damage signs. For a lot of steel targets the first damage you will see is the a marginal edge hit taking out a half moon from the edge while a hit on the steel face would be fine. Unless you use water jet cut AR550, I think that risk doesn't completely go away until about 200yards. but water cut 550 will definetly last a lot longer then plasma cut 500 even at close ranges. 

[raz-0 1,259]

Soft bullets can be way dangerous too. What you need is sufficient velocity to shatter the bullet, regardless of construction. In fact probably the most dangerous is really soft lead going just slow enough to bounce whole. Probably next dangerous are non bonded hollow points, as the open ended jacket at the front can launch the jacket back at you and those buggers are sharp.

 

Cratered steel can make even plated or hard cast lead that fragments shoot some fragments back. Parabolic cupping of the steel can do the same.

 

Also last cut is the best as the laser heats up the least area beyond the cut. Water jet is next best. Then plasma. Then oxyacetylene. For all of them, thicker plate usually means tougher edges. I have 1/2" ar500 oxy cut that has fared better at closer ranges than 3/8" water jet cut. Also hanging loose on chain or whatever seems to do a lot to help with wear and tear.