How thick of steel do I need to use to make a hanging steel target? I will be shooting 300 & 338 RUM and 338 Edge @ 300 yards and out. Also what size does everyone typically use?
I tend to use targets slightly smaller than the size of the "kill zone" of the animals I hunt. Mostly squares and circles in the 12" & 10" range. Perhaps more important than size is the type of steel used. Mild steel will get beat up real quick. Those calibers will punch a hole i 3/8" steel even at 800 yds. Your best bet would be to order targets made from AR500 steel - the same steel used for armor plating by the military. There are sponsors on this site that sell them. Every now and then, a group buy is available on Snipershide, where they are a real bargain. Money well spent.
I've been told that the hardness or grade of steel is more important than the thickness. I've seen a 338 Edge shooting 300 SMK go clean through 1/2" steel plate at 400 yds, but I believe it to be fairly mild steel.?
That would be A36 steel. We run some Mil-A-46100 and some similar armor at work every now and then. I shot a plate at 100, 200, and 300 yds with 165 grain Barnes Bullet out of a 30.06 and there wasn't even a mark in the material. Draw back is that it sucks to machine.
I've got a 12"x12" piece of ar 500 3/8" thick and at 250 yds with my 300 rum shooting 210 smk's at 3175 fps it doesnt leave a mark. All it does is knock the paint off. Go with the ar 500 and you won't be disappointed Nathan
link? I have a man hole cover to shoot also but have never had the chance yet. After I bought it my dad said isnt that cast iron? I never even thought about it so have been a little afraid to shoot it into a million pieces.lol
The "gongs" at my local range are all mild steel I think. They are like an inch thick, but have divots from bullets all over, and a few holes all the way through. Even when painted they are hard to tell where you hit, but you can hear it.
Go to your nearest bulldozer/Caterpillar repair shop and they can burn you a piece any size you want! Get AR400!!
Here is a pic of my mild steel 1/2" thick target. The fresh 3 shot group is from my .338 Lapua with the 300 gr Bergers at 1000 yards. The holes through the plate are from a 7mm/300 win with 180 Bergers at 840 yards.. Just to give an idea why you want AR500. I plan to buy new targets very soon. Jeff
AR400=360 brinell AR500=460 brinell A 338 Win Mag won't even make a dent in the AR400 from 200 yards using bonded bullets! Just makes a splatter and the AR400 is just a tat cheaper!
I don't know what mine is, a friend built it for me. But it must be mild steel too, because it looks like swiss cheese!! Even my little 25-06 with 100 grn Barnes TSX goes 1/4" deep at 200 yds. Looking to replace mine soon also.
