Target Steel

[CliffM]

Do you really need steel as hard as AR500 for targets?
Here are some pics of a piece of 1/4" AR400 that Bigngreen and I abused today.

These were made with 140 nosler cc bullets from 6.5 Sherman at 300yds.

Bigngreen at 812yds with 270wsm and 165 Matrix.

The pic doesn't show how deep the craters are from the 270 very well. The 6.5 hits were quite a bit shallower. Alot of difference between the two bullets.
I didn't get a pic of the other side with a hit from the 270 at 1108 yds. It still makes a pretty good dent.gun)
Cliff

 

[Rimfire]

Are you sure that's 400, mine held up better than that. Then again I guess mine could have been AR500.

 

[CliffM]

As far as I know it is, we use it for lining truck boxes. I had expected some damage up close, but not holes punched through. I saw some 3/8 in the pile that I want to try and see how much difference thicker steel makes.

 

[liltank]

We have a piece of 5/8" AR400 we hit with a 300SMK at 90yds. It put a we little dent in it.

 

[winmag]

Promise not to laugh, but I wanted a LR steel Target so I could see splash marks, & here a thwack when I connected. As it turns out, I got a bunch of 3/4" steel (just the regular stuff) for free.
I shot it at 300 with everything from 223 ball ammo to 270WSM, 338 win & 300 Wby. Yep it SUCKED! Pock marks 3/16 deep!
But at 500+ on out, it looks like a BB gun hit it, & splashes beautifully when painted white. Same cartriges with everything from ball, to cup & core to Accubonds, & its barely dinged!
Is say thickness makes a HUGE difference.
If you have access to Higher grade steel in thicker pieces GET IT! I still shoot mine often. Only down side is it chips paint on the off side a little. But hey, its cheapo soft steel that was free! I love it for 500+yds.

Did I mention 2 pieces is squatting my Jeep suspension? Who needs sand bags Ha!

Id be happy to email pics of both to someone if they wanna post em.
I'm kicking & screaming into the 21st century, & just plain gave up trying. It worked a couple times from Photobucket the old way, & when I was trying it from a computer, & my wife helped. Now I can't do anything, cause I'm using my phone. But I can type this & send email, & make a call. I'm technologically retarded. Sorry.

Nice shootin by the way boys.

 

[ATH]

I have a couple discs that were advertised as AR400. Granted they are smaller/lighter and swing more to dissipate energy, but if I keep the range to at least 200yds I can smack them with 200gr SMKs at 2950fps MV from a 300wm and the dents are pretty small and they would last a long while. 100yds is too close and the dents get abusive, but a Garand at 100yds is fine on them.

1/4" is pretty thin though. Mine are either 3/8 or 1/2".

 

[Korhil78]

I have 3 ar500 discs that are 3/8" thick and I have shot them with a 25-06 and a 260 at 300 and beyond. It doesnt do a thing to it, not even a small dent. Once I get my 338 LM built, I will see what that does to it but I doubt it will do anything. I like the AR500 steel because it will last you forever. Just repaint and shoot.

 

[MSLRHunter]

I have some 3/8 AR500 that I shot at 200yds with my 300winmag and 210 bergers and not even a dent. Just curious, was the OP's steel hanging where it could swing or was it fixed? That usually makes a big difference.

 

[CliffM]

At 300yd the target was hanging.
At longer ranges it was propped up on the ground.
I would like to make some full size steel animal targets, but I want them light enough to handle. May have to use a number of smaller pieces connected together at the site.
Cliff

 

[winmag]

At 300yd the target was hanging.
At longer ranges it was propped up on the ground.
I would like to make some full size steel animal targets, but I want them light enough to handle. May have to use a number of smaller pieces connected together at the site.
Cliff

Cool idea, but some friendly advise....
Make sure the pieces fit comfortably on a pack frame. Holy cow did I ever find out the HARD WAY!! That was such a brutal pack accross that canyon, that I almost just left the dang things there.
Talk about an akward @$$%#%%$ to tie on, & pack that far. Bad idea on my part. I SHOULD have left em' there.
I'm not shy about packin weight on akward ground over long distance. Heck I even halved an Elk for 2 1/2 miles, but those 3/4" steel plates were Horrible! (ya, I'm full of great ideas...haha)

 

[CliffM]

20-20 hindsite.
We found a mining district that has alot of roads leading to mines and prospects that we can use to drive to set up the targets. It looks like a mile + is possible.
I like the cardboard antelope bng has, but I don't know what I've wounded or killed till I drive down to see. Steel would give an immediate feedback every time I pulled the trigger.
Cliff

 

[SidecarFlip]

Interesting. I work part time for a steel supplier/distributor/service center so steel plate of any dimension and thickness (up to 0.500) is merely a trip to the roll-off.....

Couple of things. Not sure what AT500 designates. There are a multitude of grades of hot rolled plate but industry standards base HRP (hot rolled pickled) and CR (Cold Rolled) in levels of drawing quality (**X) and base Brinnell and Olsen hardness,

If it was me, I'd be using material with a 10X or better drawing quality, 55 Brinnell or lower. The drawing quality is a measure of how far the material will elongate (or dent if you will without piercing), with 10X being the minimum. Most drwaing quality material in high strength comes as AKDQ (Aluminum Killed Drawing Quality) which really isn't important to your use, but the draw quality (......X number is.

95% of sheet (plate steel) is designated high strength today. Only structural shapes are designated differently.

See, I just made everything muddier.....

 

[RMulhern]

YOUR AR400 ain't like MY AR400!!

Me thinks you've taken a 'bend-over'!!

 

[jones]

i dont want to hijack the thread. but i have a question for those of you who hang their steel. i made a stand and got some old fire hose cut a hole in it and put a bolt though it and the steel. well i went out shooting the other day and hit close to the bolt and the steel flew off. so my question is how are you guys hanging/attaching your steel plates?