Shooting Steel Minimum safe Distance ?

[mes228]

Steel

I'm no expert on shooting steel. I do though have an acquaintance that narrowly escaped death shooting steel. Shooting a 1911 at several yards the bullet, large splatter or large bullet frag of some type struck him in the eye. He lost that eye, and the surgeons told him that just a smidgen more penetration and he would have been killed. If I recall his story properly, it was a spinner being shot by a friend. He believes it was hit a second time "edgewise" while spinning, the ricochet came straight back. Personally, after knowing him and his situation, I would not shoot any steel close at all. Being hit by any splatter is too much for me.

 

[Chuck R.]

I own primarily Arntzen targets made from AR500 for my range and we usually shoot them at 7-8 yards. I’ve had zero issues with either .22s (AR uppers/conversion kits) and handguns at that distance, but as others have said my steel is in mint condition. I think the biggest issue with safety as others have stated is your target hardness, condition, and angle. I had one of my targets dimpled by an AR15 at 50 yards, and that target has been moved back to my 300-500 yard berm due to splatter/bounce back concerns.







Anytime we want to shoot closer, IE contact drills, we use cardboard IDPA silhouettes.

Chuck

 

[27hand]

steel impacts

This is a piece of 3/8" thick mild steel. The 500 S&W and Corbon ammo left this. I had to have our fab shop make replacements.



This piece of 1/2" thick mild steel was hit with multiple thousands of handgun rounds over a few years. The plate started to bend concave before I gave it away. It was shot at about 15 to 20 yds.



I made 4 of these spring plates with 8" rounds.


I angled them downward like this. You can see the spatter down the 2" steel pipe.


A piece of 3/8" stainless (304 IIRC) did not hold up well to a single .44 mag round. .40 S&W to right.


I did an experiment with a few pistol caliber rounds ( 9mm, .40 S&W and .44mag) and quite a few more rifle rounds on 1/2" thick mild steel. 30-30, 30.06, 7.62X51, 7.62X39, .223, .300WM
Mild should only be used at a minimum distance of 100 yds (rifle) and discarded. As I posted earlier, armor plate and AR500 are the best.


I shot from about 10 to 12 yds but did so from behind this. I did not get any frags back and shot no steel core ammo

 

[27hand]

Ar500

The last post showed some of the effects of shooting mild steel.

I have a few MGM Colt speed plates which reset automatically when hit.



I have to change the base supports.

I think I posted that Matt Cosman on this site ( mcosman )custom cuts AR500.
I got 5 of these 8" rounds for about $25 ea a few years back ( price may have gone up).



Always remember to wear a billed cap (bill forward) with suitable eye protection. Risk when shooting steel is always a factor and not everyone has the same threshold of what is acceptable risk to them. I have seen guys get several stitches in their faces from rocks in berms or spatter from hitting metal target stands.