AR400 long range targets

[Kansaswoodguy]

Guys

Done a little testing today with 3/8" AR400 steel at 600 yards with a 338 Lapua there was no pitting at all it did bend a little when one shot hit right next to the mounting hole breaking the S hook there was only about 1/2" of space between the edge of the plate and hole. Figured we would just make the mounting holes for the large targets with 2" of space. Planing on buying a sheet or half sheet for 1000 yard shooting but wanted to make sure this stuff would work it's a lot cheaper in my area than the AR500. I can get a 4'x8'x3/8" AR400 full sheet for $350 and a half sheet 4'x4'x3/8" of AR500 for $600 that's around 4 times the price. Anyone else used the AR400 for larger long range targets with any words of wisdom they can share?

 

[DSMITH1651]

I have a 16" target at 250 yds out of AR400 some lite pitting no dents but we are shooting 7mags
Duane

 

[EXPRESS]

If you are going to be shooting at 600 yard and up, AR400 should be fine.

I have used steel that is around the same BN hardness and found that from about 600 onwards, it won't do any more damage than what you have described. Here AR500 steel doesn't exist so I have had to do some testing and use Hardox, which is used for the same purposes. It comes in 450 500 and 600 hardness, and obviously the 600 stands up to even close range shots, but the 450 (which I understand is about the same as AR400) in a 5 - 6mm sheet will let bullets right through at 300 yards, while at 600 it dents it slightly and over time has bent the whole sheet into a concave shape, but continues to work.

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

Thanks for the input guys