The Safety of shooting steel targets

[merlinfire]

If I'm shooting steel targets, what are the general rules of thumb concerning ammo types, and distance for the plates?

 

[Sauer Grapes]

If I'm shooting steel targets, what are the general rules of thumb concerning ammo types, and distance for the plates?

We shoot steel target events @the club. Lead of FMJ is permitted. All of targets are either hanging or set on a spring base or swivel.
I wouldn't stand any closer than 30'. Lead bullets will fragment on impact.

be safe, have fun

 

[redbullitt]

Shoot steel every time I go , but it is with a rifle at over 50 yards. Havent really been picky with bullet type, but lots of SMK.

The targets hang free from a stand to help minimize danger. The SMK seems to fragment very well here.

 

[kobyp]

Went to my first ever steel challenge at my local range this past weekend. All of their targets were mounted at an angle so they will deflect downward.

And BTW, that was some good clean fun.

 

[Owen Sparks]

Lead bullets fragment and the particles spray 90 degrees. If you shoot a smooth steel target enough it will eventually develop a rut in the ground under it from these high velocity particles. The danger comes when the targets get cratered from rifle bullets and are no longer smooth. This poses a real hazzard and throws particles back on the shooter. I have a set of 8" hard steel plates that I routinely shoot as close as 8 or 10 yards without a problem because I only use lead and don't abuse them.

BTW, see my post "You'll shoot your eye out." about what happened when I tried shooting these steel plates with a repeating BB pistol.

 

[wally]

10 yards minimum for pistols, 50 yards for rifles (preferably more for anything above .223 or 7.62x39).

THE PLATES MUST BE RATED AR500 OR HIGHER! If the plates creator, it'll focus the splatter back at you and the situation can get dangerous quickly!

You need 100% enforcement of ANSI rated eye pro for all shooters and bystanders as you will get hit by splatter eventually. Only in the eyes can it do any real damage (AS LONG AS THE PLATES ARE NOT CREATORED!)

Over the past 30 years I've shot 100,000+ plus rounds at steel plates and have only drawn blood a few of times, usually bare skin on the hands. Nothing worse than the scrapes you'd pick up doing yard work or auto repairs.

 

[Hk Dan]

Oh, I've been hit by ricochets off steel on a regular basis (USPSA). I'd tell ya that bullet type does not matter, but expect to catch more bullets from the slower rounds (.45 ACP is BAD), but 9mm and .40 seem to self destruct more reliably. Expect splatter on about a 20 degree plane from the steel no matter how it's angled.

Distance--USPSA says 8 yards is good for handguns and 100 yards for rifles. That's what I use, generally keeping it at 10 yards for handguns.

 

[infuriatednoodle]

Just be extremely careful. Once when I was at the range with my friend, there was a steel plate set up maybe 75 yards away and some dude was shooting his 9mm like a maniac and then pling! My friend gets hit right in the heart with the ricochet. The target wasn't hanging, which obviously could've made it worse. Thankfully it just bounced off of his Carhartt vest.

 

[2 Wild Dueces]

I have been collecting safety info on shooting steel too. Here's part of what I gleaned from the web. (But I do NOT have much practical experience.....yet).

I bought AR500 steel circles with a single bolt hole. These should last a long time if you take care of 'em. One thing of note is to NOT have any steel bases welded on to any targets....as that can cause ricochets and spatter back at you. As said above FLAT and HARD and HANGING steel are the real deal. DON'T shoot cratered steel or just any old soft steel repeatably.

I've read that 20 degrees from the flat plate surface is the "spatter zone" so angled plates (away from the shooter) and low plates can avoid some fragments from getting back to you.

I am planning to hang all our targets and will hang the farther ones on shepherds hook through the single hole. The close ones (30 yards and closer) will have a 1/2" carriage bolt and two nuts on the back in order to hang the targets at an angle (with the bottom away from the shooters). I made some simple steel brackets that have a 5/8" slot in which the bolt rides. The nut (located about 1" from the target) keeps the targets facing toward us without swinging wildly about as compared to hanging from a chain (something that bothers me). I am going to hang our targets on wood frames using these brackets at 30 yards and closer to further minimize fragment problems.

We are mainly shooting cowboy guns and 22's at the plates from 15 yards (Min on our range) to 80 yards or so. I wont shoot any high power rifle at under 100 yards and none over 3000 FPS at steel. Slugs, steel core, air rifle are all a NO-NO. Shooting glasses are a must.

Hickok 45 (you tube) has some fairly good videos on shooting steel and a few pointers - with a wide range of guns. Although I'm not too sure about some of his closer plates for my family and friends. I got more to learn here....so we are going to error on this side of safety (I hope).

I am writing this "essay" as much for my own purposes, as yours. Hope it helps you.

 

[chris in va]

Been hit a couple times by flying FMJ fragments at our IDPA range, but nothing yet when using lead.

 

[Zak Smith]

To echo other responses, NEVER SHOOT CRATERED STEEL.

Handgun targets do not have to be AR500, but they'll last longer.

The pistol/shotgun targets we use for 3Gun and USPSA are not AR500, probably AR400. They last quite some time until someone smokes a rifle round through by accident or hits them with a slug by accident.

 

[Powderman]

Hanging plates of AR500 or better are the way to go.

I would personally hang the plates with two chains, and leave them so that the plate swings freely. A bottom chain can be used--but make darned sure that there is some slack in it.

I use an Action Target AR500 plate target. It is mounted to a steel target stand, but is designed so that the strike plate has a bit of wobble in it. The plate is also angled downward about 30 degrees. Bullets hit and then disintegrate, and the particles are deflected downward. I have shot that plate with 9mm, 38 Special, .40 and .45 ACP; cast and jacketed loads. The closest was 7 yards; no problems at all. Of course, I have eye protection and wear a nice set of heavy clothing when I do it.

The plate is also inspected frequently to ensure that there is no cratering.

 

[Zak Smith]

Use conveyor belt strap FTW.

 

[J-Bar]

Cowboy action shooters use steel plates at rediculously close ranges. Smooth plates with proper deflection angles create no problems. CAS uses only lead bullets, no jacketed stuff or gas checks. Splash sometimes still happens, but it is usually a fragment double- caroming off a rock on the ground or target stand.

One of the best designs I have ever seen is the "Evil Roy" target. I bought some for practice and they work great. I do not have an interest in the company, link posted for info only:

http://www.actiontargetbeta.com/store/evilroyline/at-evil-roy-practice-target.html

It may be hard to see from the link, but the face of the plate is angled down. The tripod support gives minimal opportunity for a double bank splash back towards the line.

 

[1911 guy]

Either hang the plates or angle them downward.

Shoot from no less than 10 yards.

Eject anyone not wearing safety glasses.

Toss out anyone not wearing safety glasses.

Say mean things about and remove anyone not wearing safety glasses.


I enjoy shooting steel, and have been whacked several times by jacket fragments and once by a complete bullet rebounding. I also know one man in particular who lost an eye in his youth because of this. He wasn't wearing glasses.

WEAR GLASSES!

 

[Jim Watson]

Cowboy action shooters use steel plates at rediculously close ranges.

I have been hit by spatter off steel a number of times, usually when the target had been cratered or dented. Sometimes hard enough to draw blood.
But the worst lick I ever took was on a CAS range where a big chunk of low velocity lead came off a plate on the neighboring stage and hit me just above the knee. It left a bruise and knot that took a while to heal. The plate was not in bad shape but in spite of a hanger with some give and a down angle, it still threw lead.


The old IPSC minimum on steel was 11 metres, 12 yards; I did not know they had moved up to 8.
We set IDPA steel at a minimum 10 yards.

 

[45Fan]

Last year, I was shooting with a friend at his house, and he had set steel targets up. His set up was not hanging, but they were angled to deflect into the ground. The plates have seen better days, and did have very minor craters in them, but we didnt think that it was enough to cause issue. Well, 22 LR at 50 yards, and it still came back and hit me, not hard enough to do more than leave a red mark, but definitely taught us a lesson that day.

Steel targets need to be hard enough to withstand the impact of the bullets intended, and must be replaced if anything happens to crater the surface of them.
Distance is also a false sense of security too, if the target isnt in good shape, using them at longer range isnt going to save from being hit. I think there was a video on you tube to that effect, someone shooting a 50 BMG at a steel target thought it would be ok if the range was extended, and still got knocked off his feet when the bullet came back several hundred yards and hit him.

 

[M2 Carbine]

I've been shooting steel in the back yard range for way over twenty years.




This is just normal steel plate, not especially hard.
I only shoot it with 22LR or pistol ammo with a velocity between 700-1,000 FPS. A slower bullet will not completely fragment to small pieces and powder. Pieces as large as half the bullet will fly back if the bullet velocity is much under 600 FPS.
A faster bullet will crater the steel.

During timed point shooting drills, which I do a lot, I shoot the plate from a distance of 5-7 yards, using only a 38 Special or 22.

Mostly I shoot the steel from ten yards or further with the 9mm and 45ACP.



Even as far as 52 yards (a personal favorite small handgun distance).......


.......normal velocity 22LR, .380, 38, 9mm and 45ACP bullets will totally fragment but may leave a small piece of the back of the bullet (I call "Dimes") laying on the ground just in front of the steel target.



Would I guarantee that you will never get a scratch from a bullet fragment flying back from steel (or any other backstop)? NO
But stay within certain limits when shooting steel and you will probably be OK.

 

[rc109a]

I was shooting steel plates a few years ago at a qualification. I had one round bounce off and struck me hard enough to put me on the ground. Did not think much and continued shooting. When done I realized just how hard it hit. It chipped the edge of my shooting glasses and lodge a very large piece right above my left eye (did not know it at the time, I just thought it was swollen). Did not realize just how bad it was until I experienced a severe headache later that night. Went to the doctor and then went for xrays. A few hours later in for surgery. The hospital had to call the Sheriff's Office and report this as a gun shot injury. This was with a .40SW and hollow points. If I was not wearing safety glasses I would have lost the eye. I did suffer nerve damage and it still feels like they did not get it all out.

After examining the plates it was discovered that someone had been shooting 223 at them and they had cratered. I was approx 10 yards away. Always inspect the plates prior to shooting and wear eye protection!!!

 

[Red Cent]

22lr at relatively close range is the worst offender.

"Ridicously" close range. C'mon JBar, its a gunfight. Can you name the closest target match that is sold out in two weeks after applications are mailed out?
The Evil Roy Target, in my experience was the deadest target around. I do not index on the ding but I want the spotters to hear that ding. We had a shootoff at Mulecamp a few years back and some calls were in error. Very nice and sturdy targets. The adjustable angleis good.

Eleven years of cowboy shooting resulted in one ricochet that hurt.

Hang or bolt a target at the vertical. Cut the top and bottom folds off a box and tape it to a target as looking in a tunnel. Shoot a lead bullet cowboy velocity at ten yards. 180 degree damage.

Angle of deflection will cure all but the worst target. As stated above, secondary deflection is a major culprit.

Now the shotgun knockdown is a whole different story.

 

[gamestalker]

I'm glad someone posted this topic. My neighbor had a brother, notice I said had, who was shooting a steel target using jacketed bullets. Unfortunately one of them managed to come straight back, striking him in the head and killig him instantly! Not too long ago my adult Son was shooting a steel target at about 100 yds. with his .357 mag. with jacketed HP's and one came back and impacted at his feet, Close call! That was when our neighbor told us the story about his brother.
On the other hand, I like to shoot 1/2" steel at 200 yds. with my 7 mags., but the bullets always go all the way through. Still probably not a real safe practice I'm guessing.

 

[merlinfire]

Wow, thanks guys. I didn't know what kind of info was out there. I've been to indoor ranges before and kept thinking about how can something like this be safe? But it sounds like there's plenty of reliable information out here. This hardness indicator of AR500 is something I haven't seen before, is this something using in general with steel or just terminology for targets?

 

[Owen Sparks]

Here is super slow motion proof of what some of us have known for years.
The first portion shows rifle bullets making craters and blowing material back towards the shooter. About half way through the video they shoot steel with lead pistol bullets and you can see the material spray almost 90 degrees to the side and all that is left is a disc of metal that falls harmlessly away.

http://www.wimp.com/slowimpacts/

 

[merlinfire]

Owen Sparks,

That's really cool.

 

[KodiakBeer]

I weld hooks on the back (rather than top) of steel plates and then use bungee cords to suspend them. The hook placement means the plates hang at a slight downward angle, and the bungee cords give them plenty of "spring" to reduce ricochets.

Doing it this way means that large slugs don't come back at all because the energy is absorbed in moving the plate. .22's will still ricochet at times, but even they will deflected downwards toward the ground. My plates are quite small, and I don't know how effective this would be with say, a man sized silhouette.

At any rate, I wouldn't mount steel plates on a rigid frame. Let most of the energy be absorbed in moving the plate in some fashion.