Steel Plates...

Plates for shooting should always be made from armor plate unless you want to replace them often. The plate in the picture is too pitted to be safe.
 
steel for rifle targets should be made from ar500 steel. That info comes from the NRA Range Source Book. I have a target made from that type of steel and the mfg. recommends not shooting from less than 100 yds. I agree, that plate is no longer safe to shoot at. The bullets will no longer ricochet down into the ground all the time.
 
As mentioned before DO NOT SHOOT THAT PLATE ANYMORE...

I got hit from a ricochet a few years ago in my face and under my armpit and it was a pretty bad hit. I've been hit a million times but nothing like this time. The reason was because the plate rack I was shooting someone shot with an AR and pitted the steel causing the bounce back and the hit.
 
Pete: Just read your post. How bad is a bad hit? I've only experience lead/jacket splash. Can you actually get enough mass coming back to do other than eye damage?
 
Hey John,

Here are the pics of when I got hit.

This one was under my armpit and was bleeding pretty good:

cut002a.jpg


I thought there was some metal under my skin so I got an X-Ray but luckily there wasn't.

I also got blasted in the face pretty good:

cut001a.jpg


Pete
 
Wow! That one under the armpit looks like a direct gunshot. Would not have believed it without the photo. Did both face and armpit hits happen off the same pockmarked target, same day? Think I'd be a little flinchy shooting at any steel target after that. Thanks for the picture.
 
Always remember, there is never such a thing as 'bulletproof'.

This 1" armor plate was hit by various .500 S&W Magnum loads. Besides the craters on the front, there is a noticeable bulge on the back.

500MagnumHits.jpg


BTW, don't try this kind of stuff at home kids....
 
SA John said:
Wow! That one under the armpit looks like a direct gunshot. Would not have believed it without the photo. Did both face and armpit hits happen off the same pockmarked target, same day? Think I'd be a little flinchy shooting at any steel target after that. Thanks for the picture.
Click to expand...

It was actually from the same bullet believe it or not. I was shooting at a plate rack when I got hit. It felt like someone came up behind me and punched me in the face and under the arm at the same time. I looked behind me thinking that was what happened when I saw noone was there I knew what happened. I unloaded my gun and reholstered it to check if I was bleeding. Needless to say I was so I went home and my wife wasn't too happy. Needless to say though before I left to go home I shot the other plate rack because I didn't want to ever have any issues shooting steel.

Might not have been the smartest thing to do but with as much shooting as I do I can't get nervous shooting steel at any point as it would impact my shooting.

Pete
 
Ahhhh c'mon Pete... tell the guys about that kinky date you and the wife had just before the baby came along! [laugh]
 
What was the distance you got the riccoche at? I have had some splatter with lead on steel at 10 yds. but at a hundred I would be surprised if it happened. Not talking about the .50 BMG in youtube vid either.
 
Geeeze.. here I am wanting to shoot steel plate ( never done it ) and someone goes and posts about a riccochet like that ....

Time to get a vest.. LOL

thank god for safety glasses ... that cheek shits TOOOO CLOSE
 
Fixxah said:
What was the distance you got the riccoche at? I have had some splatter with lead on steel at 10 yds. but at a hundred I would be surprised if it happened. Not talking about the .50 BMG in youtube vid either.
Click to expand...

I was shooting at about 25 to 30 feet so it wasn't because I was too close. I wouldn't be afraid of shooting steel as this is VERY rare. I shoot a LOT so my risk is a lot higher than most. It was just a freak accident and I've shot tens of thousands of rounds at steel since without any issues.
 
PistolPete said:
I was shooting at about 25 to 30 feet so it wasn't because I was too close. I wouldn't be afraid of shooting steel as this is VERY rare. I shoot a LOT so my risk is a lot higher than most. It was just a freak accident and I've shot tens of thousands of rounds at steel since without any issues.
Click to expand...

What bullet at what velocity were you shooting?

Respectfully,

jkelly
 
I was shooting a .40 S&W 185 grain JHP going about 975 fps. It's a standard Major 180 power factor USPSA load.
 
It isn't the pistol ammo you need to worry about. its the douchebags that shoot close plates with rifles because they think its cool when the round goes through.

Lead is better than hardball in pistols as long as it going fast enough to splatter and not bounce back, Personally I like JHP the best
 
Shooting lead out of a rifle will still damage some steel plates. I shot a .30/06cast bullet load at a steel silhouette target about 3/8" thick at about 30 yds. the load was a 170 gr flat point cast from wheelweights and the velocity was about 1600 fps. The bullet punched a hole half way through the target and left a bulge on the other side.
 
gerrycaruso said:
Shooting lead out of a rifle will still damage some steel plates. I shot a .30/06cast bullet load at a steel silhouette target about 3/8" thick at about 30 yds. the load was a 170 gr flat point cast from wheelweights and the velocity was about 1600 fps. The bullet punched a hole half way through the target and left a bulge on the other side.
Click to expand...

This is why I lock up the steel targets at my range
 
Supermoto said:
This is why I lock up the steel targets at my range
Click to expand...

Even if you have them locked up, people still somehow get their hands on it and use them. We have a set of targets for Biathlon locked up in a trailer at HSC and someone took it out shot through the target and cover plate!
 
WILDCATT said:
AT 30 FT YOUR IDIOTS.straight up is going to bounce.[laugh2][laugh]
Click to expand...

Idiots? Have you ever shot any steel plate? If so, what has been your experience? Ever personally seen any splashback? Ever seen any injuries, or even "knicks"? Are you just opposed to the "form" or do you have a personal thing to address? [wink]
 
steel targets

Steel targets are my favorite. I have 1 for high velocity rifle and several for blackpowder caliber rifle, handgun and subguns . I've never been hit but I've seen several others hit by ricochets from targets they shouldn't have been shooting at. The steel has to be hard enough to resist bending,pock-marks, and holes. Any of these defects will cause bullets to ricochet at unpredictable angles. The manufacturers have minimun distances that they recommend but you can get all the information you need from the NRA Range Source Book.
 
gerrycaruso said:
Steel targets are my favorite. I have 1 for high velocity rifle and several for blackpowder caliber rifle, handgun and subguns . I've never been hit but I've seen several others hit by ricochets from targets they shouldn't have been shooting at. The steel has to be hard enough to resist bending,pock-marks, and holes. Any of these defects will cause bullets to ricochet at unpredictable angles. The manufacturers have minimun distances that they recommend but you can get all the information you need from the NRA Range Source Book.
Click to expand...

I can't speak for rifle or blackpowder. Have only been involved with pistol and revolver. At a distance of 30-32 ft., have never seen any splashback, injuries, or even minor cuts. How are bases/holders designed? Are they designed to deflect down and out? This comes into play when the plate is missed and framework is hit. If someone hits a plate, it goes down, or should. How do you get a ricochet or splashback from that? Only asking questions because you seem to have had a different experience. [wink]
 
Some targets are fixed and some are allowed to move when hit. I like targets that move either by falling or by swinging back on chains to allow the bullets to go down. The worst injury I saw was from a rifle bullet core going through the steel plate and stripping off the jacket. The jacket came back and hit another shooter in the chest. It left a bruise like a close range hit from a paint ball and split the skin. His wife made him go to the hospital and he said the magic words "gunshot wound". The range was closed and has never been allowed to re open.
 
gerrycaruso said:
Some targets are fixed and some are allowed to move when hit. I like targets that move either by falling or by swinging back on chains to allow the bullets to go down. The worst injury I saw was from a rifle bullet core going through the steel plate and stripping off the jacket. The jacket came back and hit another shooter in the chest. It left a bruise like a close range hit from a paint ball and split the skin. His wife made him go to the hospital and he said the magic words "gunshot wound". The range was closed and has never been allowed to re open.
Click to expand...

Definitely not good! Again, my only experience has been with pistol or revolver....either .45 LC or .45 ACP. That's me personally. Have been on the range with folks using, along with those, .38, .40 S&W, 9 MM, etc. Have never seen any splashbacks or injuries. Not saying it cannot, or has not happened, only relating my own exposure. [grin]
 

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