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

[Bravo 4]

When the guy told you that 3000 fps is the magic number he is about right on the money. I have an AR 500 plate at my house and we shoot them on the range about every month. Caliber doesn't seem to make a lot of difference but bullet composition does. I have shot my plate with literally thousands of bullets from .223/5.56 to my .408 Cheytac as close as 100 yards. It is starting to get concaved from all the rounds in it and has several holes, but it keeps on absorbing round after round. The 45/50/55/77 grain .223 rounds just splatter but a M855 5.56 round will make a divot out to 300 yards. A 22-250 will poke a hole right through. A 150/175/190 grain 7.62 will just splatter until it hits the 3000 fps mark, then it just punches right through. Same thing with a 139/140/150/162 grain 7mm bullet. A 300 grain matchking plows through at about any speed I've hit it with (2860 muzzle out to 400 yards, max I've tried). But then again I've had that same bullet penetrate a 7/8 mild steel plate at 400 yards like it was hot butter. My .408 shooting 415 CE bullets @ 2900 fps splatter and make a little divot at 100 yards, but when they hit 3000 fps it punches a hole right through. I have no doubt that a 420 grain Rocky Mountain (lead core) bullet would be like the matchking and punch a hole through on out to some longer range. A .510 caliber API round will just knock the paint off when fired subsonic but will make a slight divot when hit at about 1700 fps.
It seems to me that caliber or size bullet do not matter as much as velocity and bullet composition. With rifle rounds, no matter the steel hardness, distance is your friend. And that is due to velocity.

Added: You haven't ruined anything, keep beating the crap out of it! You just need to realize that it has limitations and will not stop everything-every time.

 

[Schnyd112]

I have yet to shoot through mine, but it is usually at 350-400 yards when I hit it with the swift so, 2600-2400 fps? The only big damage was done with the m855. Now I know why they are green tipped. I don't own a .223 nor have I shot many ar's so I was ignorant to what we were shooting. I may have to bring the target in to 200 yards and try to punch through it now at 3000 fps.

 

[mtwarych]

I hang my targets with eye bolts from the back of the steel plates.

What this does is put about a 10 degree slope down from perpendicular.

The slight downward angle makes the bullets splatter down and not back towards the shooter, common safety.

I found out even with .30 AP, the impact left no mark on the plate. (500yds)

If your target is starting to cup, turn it around and pound that target back flat.

 

[WildRose]

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.

If it's doing that to your targets imagine what it's doing to your barrel.

 

[lonegunman762x51]

I have AR500 targets ranging from 200-750 yds on my property, nothing has marked any of them. By nothing, I mean everything from 338RUM down to 5.56mm and full auto belt fed type weapons firing AP and mild steel core eastern bloc ammo. The worst thing is an occasional tiny divot on the 200.

If you had a target made from something that someone claimed was AR500, it should have been pretty darn bullet resistant. If it fell apart, it is time for a refund. Just my opinion.

 

[engineer40]

I hang my targets with eye bolts from the back of the steel plates.
What this does is put about a 10 degree slope down from perpendicular.
The slight downward angle makes the bullets splatter down and not back towards the shooter, common safety.

I use the same method. My targets are all angled down so the splatters go towards the ground.

If it's doing that to your targets imagine what it's doing to your barrel.

No doubt man. It really does make me wonder.

I have AR500 targets ranging from 200-750 yds on my property, nothing has marked any of them. By nothing, I mean everything from 338RUM down to 5.56mm and full auto belt fed type weapons firing AP and mild steel core eastern bloc ammo. The worst thing is an occasional tiny divot on the 200.

If you had a target made from something that someone claimed was AR500, it should have been pretty darn bullet resistant. If it fell apart, it is time for a refund. Just my opinion.

I tend to agree with you. I appreciate you taking the time to type up a response explaining your experience. Thanks!

 

[engineer40]

The 45/50/55/77 grain .223 rounds just splatter.

So you're saying a 55gr 223 round just splatters at 100 yards on your steel? I'm asking because the ammo I was shooting "should" have been going a bit slower than 3000fps by the time it hit the target. That's why I thought I was safe shooting at that distance.

Thanks!

 

[Bravo 4]

So you're saying a 55gr 223 round just splatters at 100 yards on your steel? I'm asking because the ammo I was shooting "should" have been going a bit slower than 3000fps by the time it hit the target. That's why I thought I was safe shooting at that distance.

Thanks!

Yes, I have shot it as close as 25 meters. Make sure you angle it down if closer than 50
Yards/meters as described by others, you will learn quickly if not.
Putting an angle on it will also make it harder to penetrate.

 

[webs]

I have shot a lot of laser cut popper targets inside 30 yards with fmj 223 308 and 7.62x39.(10 degee angle min) We were testing a design with 46100 and 12560 armor. We had a few small chips on the edges but nothing noticable. After about 800 rounds the welds started to fail which is what I was after. Like what was said before the heat affected zones are where it can fail. Best bet with steel is 200yds for non magnum rounds.

 

[vinconco]

Mounting the steel to hang on an angle helps a lot in diverting energy and spall. Hanging on a back angle with free target movement helps even more. The Hang Fast Target system does both which helps extend the life of the steel plate and produce more target reaction and clang. Watch this video for a demonstration of the system. Hang Fast steel target systems
[ame]https://youtu.be/hFsJvJnwX6Y[/ame]

 

[RUFFIAN R - NY]

Heck it's only metal. It still DINGS when hit, RIGHT !!!!!! paint it orange. My brother put up one some 240 + yards out and treated it like paper then I came up to the camp with my Matel Toy using ap reloads made a few marks/dings/dents/scratches and spray painted for him he was happy till the next time his lazy *** went to the target. He was not a HAPPY CAMPER, to that I say TUFF.

 

[Beluebow]

Seven years later I'm sure he's over it!!

 

[bdpayne2000]

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

Cuz is correct. If the damage is only on the edges it is because of the process they used to cut the targets out and the heat changed the hardness properties of the AR500 plate.

 

[meatyrem]

Plus it's weaker right on the edge where there is no material keeping it's hardness and integrity as there's nothing holding that edge there.
It only took one round from my 22-250 at 100yds to notice it's not nice to them