Hammer bullets on AR500

[Varmint Hunter]

I shoot at a certain range once a year that has some 1.5-2" thick soft iron plates at 200 yards. Some of the craters are about .5" deep or better. Kind of scary to think where all that lead goes on impact.

I shot some Barnes muzzleloader bullets at 300yds. The target was a very think steel disc. I took one shot and didn't hear or see a hit so I took a second shot but the results were the same. I figured that I'd take one last shot before going down range. No reaction to the third shot either so I went to look at the plate. While I was standing there I noticed three completely flattened copper discs sitting on the ground beneath the plate.

Sure as shooin', there were the three Barnes bullets that I just fired. All three actually landed on the plate in a surprisingly small group and fell to the dirt. I've still got those flattened bullets around here somewhere.

 

[coueskiller43]

The only thing I have seen hurt the 1/2" AR500 plate is a 30-378 Weatherby shooting 180ttsx Barnes. It punches neat little holes straight trough. Even out at 300 yards.

 

[Tiny Tim]

Sure as shooin', there were the three Barnes bullets that I just fired. All three actually landed on the plate in a surprisingly small group and fell to the dirt. I've still got those flattened bullets around here somewhere.

I'd like to see those. Lol

 

[Panhandlin Pat]

My experience hammers do way less damage than something like a partition. Even my 178 grain absolutes at 3330 fps just splat.

 

[ARlife4me]

I have some 1/2" AR500 plate that has more damage from 300wm w/ Berger 210's than 338lm w/ 250smk's @ 200 yards. There's been complaints about m855 ammo on AR500 plates also, but I've had thousands of rounds on the same target without issues.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I'd like to see those. Lol

Here you go:

 

[Mike D Texas]

Are you sure they are not talking about M855 or steel core bullets? Maybe someone has a misunderstanding of what monolithic means, most are copper. I dont see how a copper hunting bullet would hurt 3/8" AR500 steel...

140gn Absolute Hammer on my 3/8 steel gong, 3200MV, 400yds only left splat marks. Not even a dent.
View attachment 547107

I can assure you a bullet doesn't have to be a steel core to penetrate 3/8" AR500. Velocity is what defeats AR500.

This is a 3/8" AR500 plate at 200 yards shot with a 115 Berger VLD from a 257 Wby at 3600fps MV.

 

[Koda_]

This is a 3/8" AR500 plate at 200 yards shot with a 115 Berger VLD from a 257 Wby at 3600fps MV.

That 257wby even makes steel bleed...

 

[Capt RB]

I've had similar results with my 257 bee with the 115-117s at similar speeds. The other is the 225eld out of my 300wby. That is running just over 3100fps(30" tube)
Using the 150 Lehighs @ 2980 left a copper colored smear mark. They would end up in 3 paper thin petals about 2.5"x 1/2 in size. Very neat to see but they don't have any sectional density to promote penetration.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Some of you guys need to move up to AR550 plates.

This is what they claim:
"AR550 is significantly stronger than AR500 steel. It will absorb impacts better and have a longer usage rate. Customers should still avoid using AP (armor piercing) rounds and green tip ammunition on these targets."

 

[ARlife4me]

Some of you guys need to move up to AR550 plates.

This is what they claim:
"AR550 is significantly stronger than AR500 steel. It will absorb impacts better and have a longer usage rate. Customers should still avoid using AP (armor piercing) rounds and green tip ammunition on these targets."

Are you comparing 3/8 to 1/2" plates on m855lap ammo? If so, I can say my 1/2" AR500 plate has taken thousands of m855lap rounds without incident or any harmful damage. Just tiny dings/dents is all.

 

[Tiny Tim]

Here you go:

View attachment 547387

That's awesome! Thanks

 

[belldar]

Hammers where the least damanging bullet I have ever shot on both my ar 400 and 500 targets and game. This was out of a 338RUM and 284 Win. That said I don't and won't use them again. Now my 6CM has shot through1/4 inch ar400 within 200 yards shooting 95gr TMKs. Can't shoot steel core bullets or they go right through but I have not tested this. Just had an incident .

 

[waspocrew]

I believe the biggest determinant of damage to your steel would be impact velocity. Most of the steel I've purchased recently has said to keep impact velocity below 3000 FPS. So for some of my cartridges such as 22 CM - I'm looking at 300 yards or so before it's safe to use on steel.

For ranges, it's their steel and their rules.