45 auto vs steel

[iblong]

Im wondering how many of you shoot steel plates with a 45 and at what distance.In my back yard range I have a 6x12" 1/2" thick peace of plate steel suspended with rope,that I shoot at 200yds with my 223 and was wondering
would it be safe to use the 1911 at 25yds with a suspended target.I generally avoid shooting hard targets,I would be shooting 230 gr hard cast RN.
My 223 puts serious divits in it at 200yds but its a small bullet travelling fast.
Thanks,Bob.

 

[Drail]

Unless a steel plate is smooth and free of impact craters it is dangerous to shoot at close range with a handgun. Find a new plate for close range pistol work.

 

[gglass]

From a rope!!!

Please tell me you don't live in Northern Indian... I don't want to be anywhere around that impending disaster.

 

[Brian Williams]

Shooting Steel with a handgun is best done at least at 15 yards and should allow the plate to react to the hit, either swinging or falling down.

 

[wally]

The plate rack at our club is set at 10 yards. Very rarely get hit by splatter, much rarer for it to break the skin.

As long as the eye protection is good and the plates are not pockmarked (which "focuses" the splatter back towards where it came) 10+ yards is fine. In fact I get hit more often from splatter from .22s the most often because they barely knock the plates over.

I average over 2000 rounds a month at the plates so I think I have good statistics. About 50% 9mm or .45ACP, the rest mostly .22 with a little .40S&W or 7.62x25 from time to time.

--wally.

 

[robctwo]

Our club follows Brian's suggestion. Even then there have been ricochets back to the firing line and beyond. We have three sided buildings for most of our pistol bays and have a range rule to keep the doors closed because of that problem. I have my own 10" plates that I shoot from stands as well. The only time I think it would become a big problem is if the steel is firmly planted. Did you see the video of the guy who parted his hair with a ricocheting rifle round?

 

[barneyfife.357]

I have a small back yard range, and we shoot falling plates, 3X4-3X6, at 15-20 yards, and for the most part is fine with 9mm, 357 sig, 40 s&w, but we have had a few 45's that will come right back at the shooter and behind the shooter line. With that said, I rearranged the plates on the holder so that they angle DOWN slightly, and that problem has been deleted almost entirely. Also, for free standing plates, that do not move, those can be at a downward angle to deflect splatter and work quite well for pistols also

 

[Grizfire]

I don't like shooting at steel targets. If you do, I suggest you DON'T use FMJ.

 

[Hostile Amish]

Use frangible ammo. 15 meters

 

[Muddflap]

You'll shoot your eye out.

 

[beatcop]

IPSC minimum is 10 meters for steel...once in a while you can get a little splash.

 

[ambidextrous1]

A little splash can be a good thing; it focuses your attention.

We all wear ear and eye protection, don't we?

 

[Mr.510]

What type of steel for plates?

I've been wanting to make an 8" steel plate for shooting at 10-20 yards with my .45acp and would like to know what type of steel will hold up well. Unless it's unsafe I would really like to make a RIGID target that's angled downward to deflect bullets into the ground. I was thinking of making the plate an elipse that's twice as tall as it is wide and angling it down 45 degrees. This way it would appear round from the shooter's perspective. What are IPSC targets made of and how much downward angle do they have? Or are they all reactive? I've read a lot of conflicting information about FMJ on steel at close range. What type of bullets do they use in IPSC?