Cheap steel target for rifles!

[ricebasher302]

I've been banging away on my new steel target for a while now and have been very pleased with the results. I got ahold of an asphalt jackhammer bit and threw some white paint on it. So far its been hit with 5.56 M855 penetrator, 7N6 5.45x39 steel core and 7.62x54 Russian. All the steel core ammo does is put a tiny little ding in the surface, about the size of the tip of a fine-point ball point pen. Maybe a .005" deep. For any lead core rifle or pistol ammo, I think this thing would go indefinitely. I just drive the shank of it into the ground and shoot it 'till it falls over. It's a great size for 15-25 yard pistol, or for rifles at any range you can hit a 6"x9" rectangle. I got this one free when we cleaned out my shop. It was worn and didn't fit our new hammer.

You may have to keep your eyes peeled for one of these things at equipment auctions or places like that. Next, I want to try some AP 30-06 on it to see what that does. Don't forget eye protection!

 

[rcmodel]

Don't forget eye protection!

And don't shoot at it at less then 75 - 100 yards.

I have a one-eyed friend who shot a bridge rail with a .243 at 25 yards once.

Another friend put a hole clear through both sides of his 50 Ford's trunk shooting a 30-06 AP at a chunk of railroad rail at 25 yards.

The AP core missed his head on the way back by, near as we could figure, about 1" inch.
Before it punched through both sides of his car

rc

 

[ricebasher302]

And don't shoot at it at less then 75 - 100 yards

Agreed. Steel core stuff doesn't just liquefy like lead will on a hard target like this. The penetrator core (and possibly the jacket) is going to go somewhere.

 

[itsa pain]

rc you have shall we say interesting stories that have a one in 7 billion chance of happening lol

 

[ricebasher302]

There didn't seem to be much interest in this thread initially, but I'll follow up anyway.

I finally was able to hit this bit with an AP 30-06. The damage is pictured. It appears a bit deeper in the photo, but the deepest penetration was about 3/16th of an inch. as measured with a dial caliper. You can see the other little dimples in the photo created by the M855 and the 7n6. I don't plan to use AP on it in the future, but thought it was an interesting study in metallurgy and ballistics.

I've never been able to shoot this so called AR 500 steel that is advertised, but I can't imagine it would perform any better than this.

 

[wally]

I got ahold of an asphalt jackhammer bit

Just how cheap is it? Unless you've got a source that discards them, hard to see how they'd be cheaper that real AR500 plates sold by Weidners.com, Shootsteel.com, etc.

IMHO the photo shows enough creator to be potentially dangerous -- if hit dead on it could focus the lead core right back at you!

 

[ricebasher302]

Just how cheap is it?

Me:

I got this one free when we cleaned out my shop.

Unless you've got a source that discards them...

Me:

It was worn and didn't fit our new hammer.

I acknowledge the danger of shooting steel on steel and the potential for ricochet. I fire from extended ranges on private land, wear safety glasses and assume the remaining risk. Call me unsafe or irresponsible, but that was not the point of my post.

 

[chaser_2332]

I shy away from shooting any metal other than ar500 targets. Good targets from a reputable source is well worth the price and peice of mind.

 

[ricebasher302]

well worth the price and peice of mind

I have no idea what this means. Is shooting a piece of alloy tool steel marketed as a target somehow any safer than shooting one that's marketed as a asphalt/concrete demolition tool?

 

[Maverick6652]

Sparks from steel on steel

One note of caution about shooting steel targets with steel core ammo out in the brush in dry conditions. The forest fire in Yarnell, AZ was (supposedly) caused by target shooters in which 19 firefighters were lost. Anyone have any personal knowledge about this?

 

[ricebasher302]

I do know that the range one of my relatives uses in Utah is now closed due to high fire danger. Wouldn't surprise me if that were the case. We're pretty dry here now too. It'd be a bad time to run this experiment (which I actually conducted back in June).

 

[Arizona_Mike]

One note of caution about shooting steel targets with steel core ammo out in the brush in dry conditions. The forest fire in Yarnell, AZ was (supposedly) caused by target shooters in which 19 firefighters were lost. Anyone have any personal knowledge about this?

I own 36 acres about 10 mi North of Yarnell. The cause is believed to be lightning.

Mike

 

[JDGray]

I build these out of truck frame sections(cut off building dump trucks) They are 11" wide, and very hard! Angled as seen in photo, you can shoot up close with a handgun, and my shooting range has them at 100, 300, 500, 600yrds. The 600yrd target is a challenge if there is any wind!
Free if you build dump trucks....

 

[Walkalong]

Very nice JD.

 

[itsa pain]

One note of caution about shooting steel targets with steel core ammo out in the brush in dry conditions. The forest fire in Yarnell, AZ was (supposedly) caused by target shooters in which 19 firefighters were lost. Anyone have any personal knowledge about this?

why would you repeat something like that unless proved? shooters are under attack by antis no need to help them with conjecture. the guy that lives there said it was lightning

 

[Murphy4570]

I'd recommend mild steel versus tool steel. Rather have a round go straight through than bounce off and ricochet somewhere unknown.

You can always weld on a fresh plate of mild steel afterwards, or just weld the holes shut.

 

[tryshoot]

Had a friend hang a 2 inch trailer ball upside down on a string. Lot of fun, do not try at home. I will again.

 

[Walkalong]

do not try at home

Do not try within a mile of people. No telling what angle those rounds are leaving it at.

 

[tryshoot]

You are right and I was in a very save place. Do not try at home.

 

[chaser_2332]

I'd recommend mild steel versus tool steel. Rather have a round go straight through than bounce off and ricochet somewhere unknown.

You can always weld on a fresh plate of mild steel afterwards, or just weld the holes shut.

Harden plates like ar500 are much safer to shoot than mild steel. They fragment the bullet on impact, not a ricochet

 

[waffentomas]

I use 18"x18" 3/4" tool steel I buy from the local steel company from their 'remnants' area. It's cheap and easy to replace. I have a private range about 30 mi from my house set up on some old logging land...nobody ever goes there, and the few people who do probably would never even know it was my shooting range, but lugging out the steel was a heavy task.

Steel (any steel) is a great target, much better than paper!

 

[loose noose]

I've got a bunch of tool steel targets, "shooting tree", swinging targets in the shape of hearts, spades, diamonds, clubs, and just plain old round targets. Incidently one of the round targets I shot with a .44 Mag at 50 yards and it went clear thru it, had to have it welded shut. I also have a piece of armor steel plate that took a laser cutting torch to shape in a 36"X24" popper target that will reset after being hit. I've shot at that at 500 yards with a BP Springfield Trapdoor, as well as a Sharps, using Mil Spec 45-70 ammo and never even put so much as a dent in it, but the recovered projectiles were flattened out like pancakes. Further the .223 Varmint rounds at that range did basically the same disintegrated, as well as at 200 yards.

Note all the steel targets I shoot at are on a swing, or as the popper at an angle to the ground, even so shooting some of the tool steel targets, I've had some projectiles bounce back and strike me in the ankle areas, but without enough force to inflict any kind of injury, as the round was well spent. That was only if I was dumb enough to move within 15 yards of the target.

 

[PJSprog]

Note all the steel targets I shoot at are on a swing, or as the popper at an angle to the ground

And that's the secret to safely shooting steel targets. Your rounds need to impact the target and splatter downward. If you "just drive the shank of it into the ground and shoot it 'till it falls over", your ricochets are going god-knows-where.
And steel core on steel?
This is definitely not the safest idea I've read here.

 

[YZ]

Nice idea ricebasher. I am always on a lookout for steal targets (Yes: steal, as in free or el cheapo)

Not lecturing anyone, but frangible ammo is available for closer-up shooting. In training it was as close as 3 yards, firing 9mm. No, not my idea, and I didn't like it, it felt like a mini sand storm... But 10 yards I would do readily, goggles on.

For a steel plate mount, bought a 5-foot steel yard post with a bent top (for votive candles or flower pots or who knows) Some 5 bucks or so. Steel plates get drilled and hung upright on the pole curve, no chains necessary.

 

[ricebasher302]

Thanks for taking my post for what it was YZ. You're sure you don't want to mention how unsafe I am? You could jump on the bandwagon you know.

I guess when people read my post, they envision the quintessential YouTuber hammering away recklessly from the hip with his "hi-cap" semi-auto, flinging steel core ammo at a tool steel plate from several feet away with a beer in one hand while three sugared-up, barefoot toddlers run around his feet like attention starved housecats. Perhaps the language used in my initial post was a bit too casual and inadvertently suggested that I did not appreciate the potential danger involved.

I understand peoples' concern for safety, but they don't bother to read my posts thoroughly enough to understand that I took precautions and do not intend on using steel core ammo exclusively. I simply wanted to determine how tough this material was and pass on my thoughts to those interested (like the few here who posted theirs).

Sorry for the rant. Probably has something to do with having OSHA on our site this week.