DIY Steel Targets

[Overwatcher]

Amazing how tuff that stuff really is.
I basically use one side of my plates for rifles,and the other side for close range pistol and shotgun.
AR400 isn't the be all for rifle plates,but the price quota is substantial for 500.
I'm happy with the 400,but if your strictly going rifle,shooting with magnums,etc...AR500 is the route to go.

[stanc]

Did that a while back, but it might have been when you were gone?

None of the Grendel loads penetrated 1/2" plate, but none of the non AP .308 rounds did either.

My 7mm WSM blew through it.

110 grain Barnes banded solids, at around 2600 FPS.

Nosler 100 BT's.

.308 with AP projectile.

Various different Grendel, including 123 Lapua, 120 Ballistic Tip, 100 Ballistic tip. Top left 4 shots are 2 Beowulf hollowpoints and 2 .308 Milsurp shots from an M1A.

Thanks, Bill. ISTR seeing one of those pics, but the others are new to me.

[bwaites]

I also shot some AP 6.5 rounds, but they were too heavy to get good velocity and wouldn't penetrate. I've now cut some down to 110 grains and will load and shoot them at steel the next time I have a chance.

I should also note that the steel penetrator was all that penetrated with the .308 AP, the bullet itself disintegrated, and the steel penetrator went through, leaving a subcaliber sized hole. I did have a second plate behind the first, and you could see the very distinctive sideways silhouette of the penetrator itself as it tried to embed in the second plate.

[RangerRick]

Yeah, I bought 2 of the 5 inch plates from Wideners and shipping was only $6, so I was pleasantly surprised.

[stanc]

I also shot some AP 6.5 rounds, but they were too heavy to get good velocity and wouldn't penetrate. I've now cut some down to 110 grains and will load and shoot them at steel the next time I have a chance.

Post photos, please?

I should also note that the steel penetrator was all that penetrated with the .308 AP, the bullet itself disintegrated, and the steel penetrator went through, leaving a subcaliber sized hole. I did have a second plate behind the first, and you could see the very distinctive sideways silhouette of the penetrator itself as it tried to embed in the second plate.

I tried .308 AP against steel (of unknown hardness) once. It failed to penetrate. Instead, the steel core came back at high velocity, buzzing overhead like a big angry bee. :eek:

Also shot 1/2-inch mild steel with M80 Ball, at ~100 yards. It punched through very nicely.

[bwaites]

Post photos, please?

I tried .308 AP against steel (of unknown hardness) once. It failed to penetrate. Instead, the steel core came back at high velocity, buzzing overhead like a big angry bee. :eek:

Also shot 1/2-inch mild steel with M80 Ball, at ~100 yards. It punched through very nicely.

Hmmm.....don't know if I have those pictures. They looked almost exactly like all the other, non AP rounds. I do remember that they didn't penetrate as deep as the Nosler 100 BT's and the 110 grain Barnes solids, though.

I was very suprised that M80 ball didn't penetrate. There is one variable that I hadn't accounted for, and that was my plate carrier, which consisted of a 4x4 with grooves for the plate, with the plates perpindicular to the length of the 4x4. Even through we stacked rocks beside and behind it, I think it was moving like a sled to some extent, and that would absorb some of the impact.

I plan on repeating this testing, but using a fixed plate carrier, which I now have the ability to create.

I was concerned about steel core reflection, since the rule is that reflection occurs at the same angle as impact. I tilted the plates a tiny bit to avoid a 180 bounce back!

[stanc]

Hmmm.....don't know if I have those pictures. They looked almost exactly like all the other, non AP rounds.

No, no. I meant post pics of the test with the lightened 6.5 AP bullets, not the old ones that didn't penetrate. :o

I was very suprised that M80 ball didn't penetrate. There is one variable that I hadn't accounted for, and that was my plate carrier, which consisted of a 4x4 with grooves for the plate, with the plates perpindicular to the length of the 4x4. Even through we stacked rocks beside and behind it, I think it was moving like a sled to some extent, and that would absorb some of the impact.

Could be. Or maybe my mild steel was milder than yours...

I was concerned about steel core reflection, since the rule is that reflection occurs at the same angle as impact. I tilted the plates a tiny bit to avoid a 180 bounce back!

Yeah, I can testify it does happen. I was lucky I tilted the plate a few degrees back from vertical.

[bwaites]

No, no. I meant post pics of the test with the lightened 6.5 AP bullets, not the old ones that didn't penetrate. :o

Could be. Or maybe my mild steel was milder than yours...

Yeah, I can testify it does happen. I was lucky I tilted the plate a few degrees back from vertical.

I will get them up as soon as I shoot them!

After watching the .50 cal bounce back here, I was convinced!

http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%...ABGIJwiGBc

[txgunner00]

I slapped these together this morning. They are leftover embeds from our concrete operations & I try to use them like I find them as much as possible. The smaller ones will be for pistol & 22 and the larger ones will go further down range for rifle. They do eventually get torn up but I have very little invested in them and they are easy for me to replace.

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[usmc1371]

i have used a round disk blade before it was free and i spent about $20 for the chain and pipe to hold it up.