3/8” 500 Brinell steel plate target strength?

[FFMedic]

I am by no means a metal worker, but I like the idea of a steel swinging target for plinking and instant feedback when trying new shooting drills.

I have seen a very affordable target and stand advertised as having 3/8” 500 Brinell steel plate as the target. I know Brinell is a measure of hardness but that's about all I do know.

I shoot .22LR LRN to .30-06 FMJ, what would this target be able to handle? Obviously the high powered rifle shots would be 80 yards+ but I would consider shooting my .223s up to 25 yards (any closer and you get spalshback from what I read). Can the target handle it? What can it handle if not?

Thanks!
FFMedic

 

[TehK1w1]

The private range I was going to until recently has a hanging plate of 3/4" mild steel, and a .270 win round (winchester softpoint) from 100 yards would leave a crater about .60" deep and .50" across. Dunno about 223, but .243 was almost as deep as the 270. It was used mostly for pistols or 45-70s(Which seem to act much like large pistol rounds) I dunno about hardness factors, but unless your plate is tool steel or harder I would think anything over 223 would pass through it. Just my $0.02 worth.

 

[rcmodel]

I would consider 3/8” 500 Brinell steel plate as pistol target material.

Just about any high-velocity rifle will burn holes through a 3/8" steel plate, or at least crater it deeply.

The higher the velocity the worse it gets.

A .220 Swift will probably shoot through it.
A .223 or 30-06 will probably just burn a deep pocket in it.

rcmodel

 

[jnyork]

Once it gets cratered the possibility of splashback is increased dramatically. Shooting steel targets with .223 on up at less than 100 yards cannot be recommended IMHO.

 

[brighamr]

agree with jnyork.

Ever seen the youtube where a guy shoots .50BMG at steel and gets hit in the head by a ricochet?

also, the range I went to used steel gongs from 300 yards up to 1000 yards. Never heard of a problem at those distances...