Well I just ruined $350 of steel targets...

[engineer40]

Well I just ruined $350 of steel targets. Dang, this is disheartening... I'm pretty upset at myself.

I'm smart enough to realize you don't shoot steel core ammo at steel targets. But apparently I'm not smart enough to know certain FMJ bullets with lead cores are made cased with "bi-metal". Which is NOT copper and really tears up steel targets.

Now all of my targets are all pitted and chipped to hell. Sucks. I didn't even realize something like "bi-metal" bullets existed.

 

[Dosh]

40, sorry for the loss, try a hand grinder and cover with spray paint. Most steel targets take pitting, but at least the paint allows the hit to show.

 

[Traxxx]

As long as they "DING" what is the problem?

 

[mtwarych]

If the targets were sold under the AR500 type steel, The targets should have not had any damage to them.

My son and I fire 5.56 penetrator rounds at our AR500 targets at 100 yards and don't get any marking on the targets. Check it out.

You may be able to have the divots filled by welding and grinding, I am not sure if that would work or if it is safe to do so.

 

[meatyrem]

Mywarych is correct. The steel you have for targets is softer and will"melt" with any type of bullet. You need AR500. My range has these and they will not dent or divet or have anything more than a mark from the paint chipping. Which is good because it helps to identify your hits. Shoot shoot shoot and all you have to do is repaint them and they are new again. I have seen AR300 dented by 460S&W but not penetrated. What you want is AR500 which unless you are using 50bmg should remain unharmed.

 

[Schnyd112]

This is my "ar500" target. I have shot it with everything from .22 lr up through 25-06 or .270 win. That includes .220 swift at 4k fps and .44 mag shooting hard cast lead. The one big crater is from an ar (.556) shooting steel cores at about 85 yards. Wasn't my ar and I didn't know we were shooting mil surp ammo. I could hear the ricochet come back at us and we decided not to shoot it with the ar anymore. The hole is 3/4 of the way through the steel, and the backside is bulged pretty bad.

Aside from the one divot, the bigger marks are left by the swift at high speed. I don't know for sure it is ar500 but that's what it was marked and sold as. I am a little cautious to shoot this particular target with the rifles now.

 

[mtwarych]

Well, my son and I shot AP ammo out of an M1 at about 500 yrds and still did no damage to the face of the target.

I think the OP bought targets that where supposed to be AR500 but aren't.

If they were sold as AR500 the OP should get his money back, or a new set of proven AR500 steel.

 

[engineer40]

I'm fairly certain it's real AR500 steel. I bought mine from a local place that is well known as having great targets. And in fact, I have a couple more friends that have been shooting at their steel targets from the same manufacturer for over a year and no problems.

And one of the reasons I'm upset is because not only did I tear up my new steel, I also badly chipped my friends big expensive silhouette steel target (also sold as AR500 steel from a different manufacturer).

Again, this was not even steel core ammo. It was lead core. But come to find out, it has a "bimetal" jacket. I had no idea.

These are a couple pics of 2 of the many chips. (I was over 100 yards away when shooting).

Where the steel was shot but not pitted was from a couple other rifles I was shooting yesterday.

 

[Cuz]

Depending on what process was used to cut the ar-500, it can change the temper around the cut edges.

 

[engineer40]

I've been emailing back and forth with the guy who made the steel targets.

He told me that with their testing, they have not noticed a big difference between bimetal jacketed bullets and regular copper jacketed bullets. Although steel core bullets will definitely destroy a steel target, even if it's AR500.

Although he did say any bullet traveling over 3000fps can chip AR500 steel. So he suggests stay 200 yards away with 55gr .223 ammo. I was at 100 yards. So maybe this was a combo of things; my bullets traveling close to the FPS limit of steel targets and the fact they were bimetal jacketed.

I have shot a lot of steel at 100 yards with different 55gr 223 ammo; and there was never an issue before. So I don't believe the FPS alone caused the damage.

 

[engineer40]

Depending on what process was used to cut the ar-500, it can change the temper around the cut edges.

Good point! I hadn't thought of that.

Reading through their website, they use Laser cutting. Not plasma or torch. Sounds to be efficient and a good way to do it.

 

[adam32]

I wouldn't be too concerned about a chip on the edge...next time hit the center and you won't have any issues

 

[engineer40]

I wouldn't be too concerned about a chip on the edge...next time hit the center and you won't have any issues

Ha... Reminds me of something I would say...

1 - I wasn't the only one shooting.
2 - We did a lot of off hand shooting at 100 yards yesterday also.

 

[bdpayne2000]

If all the pits and deformities are on the edges I agree with the comments around the cutting process changing/softening the properties of the steel. Both pics show the same thing and then hits away from theses with not even a dimple.