Steel Target Questions

Rammer

New member
After viewing knock'emdowns video shooting the coyote steel target he made, great vid by the way! I have been wanting to make a few steel targets for me an my buds to shoot. I was wondering how thick of steel is required to stop something up to a 300 Win mag from 200 yards as closest shots. It will get the majority of its shots from 223s, and 308s, but I want it to be able to handle some 7mm Rem Mags, and 300 Mags as well.

If anyone has any pics of targets they've shot or made, feel free to post them up! I have plasma cutters, and wire feeds, and a shop full of steel, I just don't feel like shooting good steel and punching holes thru it if I don't have to trying to figure this out! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I have made a few steel targets out of mild steel plate 3/8" thick. They stand up to the .308 and .270 quite well with only a few dents but faster bullets like a 22-250 or similar just rip right through them. I'm not sure what to tell you about the 7mm or 300 on mild steel but I know that if you find yourself some AR500 steel you will have no problems at all.
 
Yep, AR 500 is the bomb, but expensive. Whatever you use, allow the plates to swing freely as the movement will help to 'absorb' the impact and minimize damage...

There is a catch 22 with real heavy plates and light, faaast bullets. The bullets don't have enough mass to swing the heavy plate and just burn right on through. Some bullets penetrate better than others too...

I made the coyote in the video out of 1" plate and it probably weighs 60 lbs. alone! That stuff can take a shot though. I used that since my last coyote target from 3/8" steel looked like a slice of Finlandia Swiss after a good day of shooting. My 7WSM was drilling holes through it @ 600yds!!!

If you've got AR500 and a plasma cutter, then get after it! If I had my choice, that's what I'd have used for the coyote body too...
 
I've never seen or heard of this AR500 before.....I need to see if the local metal shops can get that stuff in, what thickness of AR500 does a guy need?
 
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I've never seen or heard of this AR500 before.....I need to see if the local metal shops can get that stuff in, what thickness of AR500 does a guy need?


3/8" for most apps. and I believe 1/2" can handle .50 BMG.
Just be prepared for sticker shock when you price the stuff.
I priced some 3/8" AR plate about a month ago and it was about 500.00 for either a half sheet(4x4) or full sheet(4x8), I can't remember.

Richard
 
After trying mild steel of different thicknesses for swinging targets and seeing it fail, I purchased some 3/8" AR 500. Yeah, it is a little spendy, but I ordered extra and made several targets for friends because you get a better deal the more you buy. I probably still have some AR around if you are interested in purchasing. PM me for details.

Here is a pic of my swinging AR 500 target after being shot 3 times at 90 yards with a 270 Win and 130 grain bullets. Even when running my fingernail across the surface of the plate I could not feel any damage to the surface.


steeltarget001.jpg
 
Lookin' good Lonny!
3/8" AR500 can take a hit for sure...
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7WSM +162AMAX @ 400yds spins this 12" square plate all the way 'round on the crossbar! Takes a lickin' & keeps on tickin' /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
Fred, yeah that AR 500 is amazing stuff especially after I tried mild steel, T1, and AR 400 which all lost to the bullet. It was pics of your targets that got me to finally spend the $$ for some AR 500. Has your AR 500 targets ever sustained any damage from larger calibers, close range shots, or certain bullets like FMJ's or all copper bullets.

I've read that shooting AR 500 plate at closer than 100 yards with 30 cal magnums or larger is not advisable. I've never had the balls to try it and find out.
 
I had my stand on uneven ground once and the plate slid over on the crossbar to where it hung up on the frame & couldn't spin freely anymore.
Well, I burned a 100gr TSX right through that sucker with my 25Wizzer! It just caught the edge of the plate and took a .257" crescent right out of that AR500!

Since then, I use zip ties on the crossbar to keep the plates in position. Still, I'd consider re-rigging them to hang off chain like you did...

Generally, I shoot plates with my .243 & bigger at minimum 300yds. 200yds is usually for plinking practice with the 6x45 and .223 ARs. But they can still ring it @ 600! At 100yds, I'll stow the steel & use paper...
 
Thanks for the warning Fred. Enjoyed your video also.

I'd like to have a full-sized coyote target made out of the AR 500, but that would pretty spendy. I made 12x12"(big game) and 6x6"(coyote sized)swingers for plinking at. For pure fun and hunting accuracy practice, when varmint shooting can't be had, shooting steel sure beats punching paper. My 12-year-old son and I did quite a bit of steel ringing last summer and it really helped him sharpen his shooting for hunting season.
 
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