Well,

I had been seeing the inexpensive reflex targets in catalogs for small caliber rifle (.22) and pistols and thought I could do better and make one for use with the AR platform.

In my ignorance of the round, I really thought that by using 5/8" plate I could make a decent steel target that would take a hit and spin, therefor absorbing the blow with no major damage.

So I went out Sunday morning and got 3 feet of 1" and 1.25" diam pipe to use as my "hinge" and I have plenty of scrap tubing and plate. I own a 250 amp welder, a large plasma, a band saw and a torch. Metel is something I can manipulate easily.

So I started cutting and welding and I was very happy with my results. I went out the back of the garage and paced out about 20 yards (First part of the FAIL) and decided to test the target for function. I had welded on only 2 of the 8" drops and one of the 5"x8" plates for the test.

I started with 9mm FMJ:
This worked well, the round strikes the target and spins the target as expected. No adverse reactions and no damage at all to the surface of the plate.


So next comes the M4 with some Wolf .223 55gr FMJ:
This worked well, the rounds striking the plate and spinning the target as expected. It was upon the last round fired that the true FAIL mentioned earlier came up to "bite" me. A fragment of the FMJ came straight back and stuck in my right bicept. I am a lefty rifle shooter, so my right bicept is facing the target. Also, walking up to the target after the last round, the plate is nearly perforated! No good.


This is a look at the back side of the plate, it appears close to punching completely through the plate! This is honestly not what I expected to see happen!


So, after cleaning the wound and discussing the resulting failure of the palte to absorb the .223 rounds, I finished the target and will use it for pistols and .22L (Ruger 10/22) shooting only.


Is there no way to make a target system similar to this that can withstand the strike of the .223, or is the round just flat out too fast to work with something such as this? If I used 1" plate, would it still punch massive creaters into the surface?

Anyone that may have tried this and found success, please share your experiance.

My wound is a very small punture with a short slice coming off, not a big deal... but the wound could have been my face or who knows what. I admit stupidity in pacing out 20 yards for this test. For the rifle I should have went out 50 yards minimum.

Live and learn.