How much wear is too much on steel targets?

[Fuel Fire Desire]

I’ve only recently started to shoot steel targets. Mostly with pistol and 7.62x39. The last time I had my plate out I hit it with 55gr 5.56 out of a 16” gun at 100 yards and started to notice some divots forming. At what point would these divots be considered “bad”? I understand that eventually it will increase the chances of getting splatter back to the shooter. But is what I’ve done to this plate already enough to retire this strike face?


The shallower divots are from FMJ wolf 7.62x39 at 100 yards, and the deeper divots from FMJ 55gr Lake City at the same distance. The 5.56 damage is what has me concerned. The plate is AR500 from shootsteel.com. It’s hung vertically.

[wrinkledshirt]

I have a steel target that gets shot much closer than 100 yards, it's dinged up a lot worse than yours. It depends on your comfort level. Spall coming off that target is not a perfect spiraling bullet going 3000 fps. Is the area where you're shooting remote and secure enough so you know nothing valuable will be within 50 yards of that target? Are you 100% certain anyone in the area will have eye pro? These are the things you need to figure out.

[I1I1I11II]

I went to the Lapeer pit. This was a while ago... I setup my steel, got my stuff ready, and began shooting.

A young guy and his girlfriend setup next to me. I look over, say hello, and turn around to my truck to get my ammo box. I turn around the guy is egging the girl on, good job! She's holding an ar15 letting them fly. I smile a little bit...

I look downrange, shes shooting my ipsc steel silhouette and the rounds are in-tact smashing into the earth in front of the steel. I yell, "Hey! Is that yours!?!?"

They both look at me and she keeps pulling the trigger... 3 more rounds...

I finally get their understanding that they need to stop. I ask him, why are you shooting my target and why does it appear those are green tips? He replies, they are green tips, relax, we're just having fun!

True story. I had it setup for my pistol at 10 yards. The cratering was pretty bad.

[Fuel Fire Desire]

I have a steel target that gets shot much closer than 100 yards, it's dinged up a lot worse than yours. It depends on your comfort level. Spall coming off that target is not a perfect spiraling bullet going 3000 fps. Is the area where you're shooting remote and secure enough so you know nothing valuable will be within 50 yards of that target? Are you 100% certain anyone in the area will have eye pro? These are the things you need to figure out.

I only use steel on state land up north. My favored shooting areas are more than a mile from any other structure, so I’m not too worried about that. I’m more worried about splatter coming back towards me. I’ve never caught splatter from a steel target before, but have been cut by shaved jackets from revolvers before. More an annoyance than anything else to have to stop those nicks from bleeding. I suppose bits of jacket spalled directly back to the shooter won’t have much more energy than what I’ve experienced with shavings. Even with pistol I keep it out to 20-25 yards.

I was more surprised at the damage caused at 100 yards with 55gr 5.56 when I’ve whacked it with 7.62x39 as close as 50 yards with little effect at all. I’m just too ignorant on the subject to know when damage is considered “too much”.

[postban]

I would say that target is done. Cratering is too deep.
I have AR500 from several sources and hit it with fmj 5.56 308 and x39 from 50 to 200 and none of it has craters like that.
I've hit it from 25yds with 545 7n6 steel core just do see if it would damage it, nope.
I do use chain to suspend it though, lets it move when hit. It also hangs with a slight forward angle.



I do have some experience with other types of steel, trying to destroy it.
https://www.migunowners.org/forum/sh...ound-penetrate
Not sure if the pics will show up^

[Stevie-Ray]

I shoot a steel challenge every week, and we use only .22LR. The steel is rated for only .22RF, and it will take up to .22mag and NO CENTERFIRE. Staying true to this, we have no divots at all on our targets-just have to respray them. I'm even rather reluctant to use my .22 mag, though I'm told I can. I'll try it eventually, but if I see a divot, stop. Cratering like that can cause ricochets.

[joepistol]

"I was more surprised at the damage caused at 100 yards with 55gr 5.56 when I’ve whacked it with 7.62x39 as close as 50 yards with little effect at all."

Shouldn't be surprised , as consider the difference in velocity between a .223/5.56 & a 7.62 X 39
the smaller bullet is traveling @ > 3000 fps, ve the 7.62 X39 about 2300.. there's almost 1000fps difference between the 2 (55gr vs 123 gr bullets)

Back in the early 80's my friend Jim, & I started building what we called shooting trees..consisting of an auto steel rim (as base) a steel vertical post,
pipe w/angle iron welded to the front of it, ( to deflect rounds that may hit the post), then, add 2 spring -loaded arms (horizontally) with steel plates on the end, as targets.

Jim was a scrapper..always picking up steel from jobs where he worked, scraps from dumpsters, etc..& he enjoyed welding & fabricating.
I was more the inspiration / idea guy, offering options for our trees. We built a few of them..we'd experiment with types of steel, &
how they'd withstand being struck by various caliber rounds. Had lots of fun.
Some hardened steel would fragment when hit by hi velocity rds..(like 223) softer steel would dimple or crater.
Never kept records, we we just having fun shooting stuff. Made a variety of "options"..hanging plates that would swing when hit,
spinners that had paddle like surfaces which would rotate when struck (50 rnd mags for a 10-22 were nice for these)

Looked into (& made) a few smaller, more portable, ones that we were going to market..until talking with a friend's father who was an inventor.
He described the liability we'd face selling these, & need for liability insurance..to protect our 'company"..
made us realize it wasn't an economically feasible to make these.. we did sell a few to friends, & we both kept one..
but soon thereafter, Jim moved to Colo. & I moved back to Mi.... that was the end of it..
but we had a lot of fun, experimenting.

[Fuel Fire Desire]

But how fast is a 55gr 5.56 from a 16” barrel moving at 100 yards? 2800 fps? From my understanding AR500 should be good up to 2850 fps. I get that 100 yards is supposed to be the absolute minimum, but I’m still surprised how much cratering occurred. It’s beyond the dimpling seen with x39 and 5.56 pistol hits at closer range, it’s actual fracturing of the surface.


Is there any newer target steels or brands that are more tolerant of 5.56? AR550? Or a better way to hang it? This AR500 target was from shootsteel.com about 3 years ago. I believe it is 5/8ths, but definitely thicker than 1/2.

The opposite side is still virgin, so I can always flip it and whack the other side with things other than 5.56, but I’d still like some kind of steel target for my new primary go-to blaster (AUG).

[Ol` Joe]

Steel should be hung not fixed, and allowed to move upon bullet impact, they should should also have a slight angle to them to control deflection and further reduce impact forces. Velocity should be no more then ~3000 FPS from what I’ve been told at impact. No steel core or penitrator bullets.
AR500 as I understand it should be able to handle not only 556, but 308 also. Ranges should be 100 yds at a minimum. All of this is what I have been told and found to work in the limited experiences I have had shooting plates

[Fuel Fire Desire]

Steel should be hung not fixed, and allowed to move upon bullet impact, they should should also have a slight angle to them to control deflection and further reduce impact forces. Velocity should be no more then ~3000 FPS from what I’ve been told at impact. No steel core or penitrator bullets.
AR500 as I understand it should be able to handle not only 556, but 308 also. Ranges should be 100 yds at a minimum. All of this is what I have been told and found to work in the limited experiences I have had shooting plates

Yeah....this kit from shoot steel doesn’t hang it at an angle. The carriage bolt hangar has a spring in it to allow it to swing a bit. I do prefer to shoot at it down hill so it’s not a perpendicular hit. I wonder if this particular one has a heat treat issue. I did buy it on clearance.