For those of you that have experience with steel targets - is there a preferred thickness for all around shooting?
I see 3/8", 1/4", and 1/2" to be the most common sizes in AR500 material. Do these sizes hold up well?
Would a thicker material size of 1" to 2" be ideal for a “buy once, cry once” target that will last a lifetime? Or is that an overkill and not worth the higher cost and weight?
Thanks for the replies!
AR500 is the right stuff to get. How long it lasts depends on target design, what you want to shoot at it, and (for rifles) at what distance.
Consider target plates as consumable items. They can last a long time but they will eventually warp and develop cracks.
I wouldn’t recommend anything less than 3/8". Simple shapes last longer than complex ones.
get the 1/2’…
The problem is pitting and cratering (leads to ricochet), not penetration and you can get that damage with 1/2 inch too. 3/8 AR500 does ok with .223 from 30 yards or so, but we always use 1/2 inch. Buy the stuff that’s cut with a water jet. Plasma cutting, even underwater, causes detempering and you get penetration for about 1/2 inch in from the edges.
And do your best to stay away from hitting the edges. Yeah, easier said than done at times. But edge hits will further the chipping / dent / fracturing process much quicker.
Enjoy!
I’d hate to see the cost of a HALF FOOT thick piece of AR500.
Thanks for the replies!
If the manufacturer’s recommended shooting distances are followed, will the targets last for a long time?
Does most damage occur to the targets when people shoot powerful calibers at short distances?
What manufacturer did you have in mind?
Impact velocity is what (generally) can kill even well designed targets.
Above a certain point (~3000 ft/s), the target simply can’t dissipate the bullet’s energy fast enough to remain solid and the steel liquifies (very briefly) producing the pits described by Hmac.
By moving the target further away, the velocity of the bullet drops to a rate that doesn’t ruin the face of the steel. Each impact still stresses the target face, stretching it slightly. The result after thousands of rounds is warpage. The beaten face of the plate is trying to expand and is being held in check by the back face. As a result, the plate starts to become dome shaped.
Shootsteel.com has a great faq and info section. They also recommend setting the plate up so that the rounds are impacting at a slight angle, not dead on.
These gongs have had about 10,000 rounds of .223 between them, almost all from 50 yards and less. Not appreciably pitted, nor warped, although there are some gouges around the edges where the temper was harmed in the cutting process. They’ve also had a fair number of 7.62, which does less damage than the .223.
They are hung from standoff bolts so as to angle them down about 8-10 degrees. (except for the one on the far left)
Using frangible bullets or ball?
Saw some guys who needed a lot of bandaids after shooting 5.56 at steel plates from that close. I don’t think it was the plates themselves but jacket material reflecting off some part their stand that lit them up.
Frangible bullets would be recommended for close rifle shooting of steel. Its easier on the steel and (potentially) the shooter.
10,000+ rounds of either .223 55 grain ball, or occasionally M193 from inside 50 yards. Never had a jacket come back, gongs are in good shape. No interest in the expense of frangible ammo.
I bought 4 10"x 10" plates from this company. I drilled my own mounting holes and they have held up better than those I have that were sold as AR 500 target plates and are a lot cheaper.
They list all sizes: http://www.temcoindustrialpower.com/search.html?search_bar=1&t1=ar500&submit.x=17&submit.y=8&page=2
Could be a good find for simple hanging gongs - thanks!