Steel targets should (must?) be both angled forward to direct the splatter to the ground, and should definitely have some give to dramatically reduce bullet damage to the target. That bullet damage has to be watched. The craters created by shooting rifle bullets at soft steel make the target dangerous. When they are struck by another bullet, which happens frequently, the spatter or chunks can come straight back with surprising weight and velocity. I suspect this is where most of the horror stories come from.
For usual handguns, .45 etc., 3/8" soft steel is perfectly adequate.
For any high power rifle you've got to have heat treated AR 500, or armor plate.
As others have said, if you shoot steel at close range with handguns, you are going to gets splattered occasionally. That's all it is: splatter. Eye protection without fail.
I wouldn't suggest any close range rifle shooting at steel unless you do it at work.
For usual handguns, .45 etc., 3/8" soft steel is perfectly adequate.
For any high power rifle you've got to have heat treated AR 500, or armor plate.
As others have said, if you shoot steel at close range with handguns, you are going to gets splattered occasionally. That's all it is: splatter. Eye protection without fail.
I wouldn't suggest any close range rifle shooting at steel unless you do it at work.