FAIL: The idea, creation, and failure of a target for .223 rifle

[rob_s]

Angled towards the ground is definitely ideal for keeping splatter into the ground, but I've never had any issue with my gongs that hang vertically. And I'm talking thousands and thousands of rounds on chewed up gongs.

I've never been hit by my own rounds either. However I have seen LOTS of spectators or shooters on other stages hit. To the point that IMHO it's a forgone conclusion that people are going to be hit whenever we bring out steel that sits vertically.

[decodeddiesel]

For those not aware, I have some extensive experience with ricochets coming back off of steel and hitting me.

Last November I had a round hit a cratered, mild carbon steel target holder (the actual target was a cardboard IPSC target, not steel gongs) and hit me in the leg. I was firing at a distance of about 7 yards when the incident happened.

The round passed between my tibia and fibula and lodged it's self about 3.5 inches into my left leg. I was off my feet for weeks, and the projectile is still in there.

X-rays reveal that the round, which was a 55gr .223 Wolf Military Classic, basically retained it's full weight and only slightly deformed when it hit, and bounced back off of the target...



Lessons learned:

1. "One in a million" chances can and do happen. I wasn't shooting at the steel specifically, but it was downrange and therefor should have been considered more carefully. The piece that the round hit was a diagonal support beam about 2 feet behind the target. It was angled at about 45 degrees toward the ground. In theory the bullet should have hit and gotten sent toward the ground. It didn't...

2. Wolf = steel. Plain and simple. Copper washed steel is still steel. You can clearly see that projectile slightly deformed, but that was it. I still firmly believe if I had been firing PMC Bronze or XM193 that day this probably wouldn't have happened.

3. Even target holders should be constructed of AR500 or some other high strength steel. The fact that the support beam was cratered was one of the main culprits here. Had I been using wood this wouldn't have happened.

4. Getting shot hurts like a bitch, stupid hurts. I won't make this mistake again.

I think the fact that the projectile and the target holder were probably similar in strength which created an elastic collision where neither deformed greatly and therefor the kinetic energy of the projectile was maintained. Kinetic energy = mv^2...basically the projectile rebounded with enough energy to impact, penetrate, and damage my leg which proved to be an entirely inelastic collision...ie bullets don't bounce off of people.

[markm]

I've never been hit by my own rounds either. However I have seen LOTS of spectators or shooters on other stages hit. To the point that IMHO it's a forgone conclusion that people are going to be hit whenever we bring out steel that sits vertically.

For sure! Sometimes when we end a drill out at the range in training and it's quiet, you can hear the splatter raining down on the metal of the roof shade that covers the benches.

Angled is ideal, but anyone on a range where steel is being shot should beware... regardless of the target configuration.

[markm]

For those not aware, I have some extensive experience with ricochets coming back off of steel and hitting me.

Shooting mild steel with a rifle will definitely increase the odds of fragging. The one time I have been stung was when we foolishly shot a 1/4" mild steel target at an unsafe distance.

I don't do that anymore unless the steel is well beyond a hundred.

[CarlosDJackal]

We were shooting these at 100-yards just yesterday: Steel Targets

I don't use Wolf against steel because they tend to do more damage. I believe Wolf bullets have steel cores.

[lanceriley]

i've been there. I still have the mild steel plates that were almost perforated.

Shooting steel @ 25yards is still considered very dangerous. We've had spectators get injured from a ricochet of 30yards. he had 2 stitches to his hairline. and a good berating from his wife ... something about shooting is a waste of time and money

anyway. steel should be shot at least 50yards. which I still am not comfortable. Maybe 100?

[SkiDevil]

I've never been hit by my own rounds either. However I have seen LOTS of spectators or shooters on other stages hit. To the point that IMHO it's a forgone conclusion that people are going to be hit whenever we bring out steel that sits vertically.

I have to agree with Rob,
I am by no means a competitive shooter, but I have shot/ attended a number of competitions and observed the same. When you shoot at steel targets, "Splash Back" is inevitable. I don't know how many times I have been hit in the leg or boot by bullet fragments. -A good reason to wear long pants and heavy-duty footwear.

One of the local ranges in my area puts on some IDPA style matches, but after noting that the steel plates were a little too close for comfort, maybe 8-10 yards, and mentioning this to the RO (he wasn't concerned). I stopped participating. I thought it was unsafe to shoot plates so close with standard ammo.

Some of the examples mentioned are also good reminders that safety is paramount when using firearms. But, even when we do exercise range safety there are still some risks involved in participating in firearm related activities and/ or training.

Lets all stay safe at the range.
SkiDevil

P.S. DecodedDiesel, sorry to hear of your accident. My uncle is walking around with three bullets in his body from prior military service (retired Army). They couldn't be removed because of the locations, but he hasn't had any complications from them being left in his body.

For anyone who really wants to delve into Steel Targets/ Placement/ and Design. A book written by Louis Awerbuck discusses the subject pretty thoroughly.

TACTICAL REALITY: An Uncommon Look at Common-Sense Firearms Training and Tactics. Paladin Press. ISBN: 978-1-58160-051-3

[markm]

a little too close for comfort, maybe 8-10 yards, and mentioning this to the RO (he wasn't concerned). I stopped participating. I thought it was unsafe to shoot plates so close with standard ammo.

I've shot a ton of rounds at these ranges by myself or with only a few people and have had no issue. I'll shoot steel as close as 5 yards if the gong is smooth and I'm very perpendicular to the target.

But for sure when you have a lot of folks at an event of some kind, you're increasing your odds of people getting hit with bullet flakes just by the wider area of people behind the firing line.

[larry0071]

I'm going to use it only for the pistol and .22 stuff. The 9MM FMJ flattened out into dime sized lead things and fell to the ground. There was nothing overly dangerous with the 9mm FMJ from what we saw. So it seems that the slower speed and maybe the composition of the pistol rounds will be forgiving enough for my home brewed target system. Eye protection when shooting steel targets takes an even higher level of importance than normal. I normally feel it is for when a gun breaks or a bullet explodes the gun.... for shooting steel it covers that situation but also is really your best defense against any junk coming back at you.

I still need to weld angle iron to the uprights, notice in the pictures above that the upright (14 gauge) would not stop the 9mm. So I have some 1/8" angle I'll weld on there so that the outer corner is facing the shooter. That way the bullet should shatter off of it, being that it will be the 45° angle or it will hit the very popint of the corner.

Here is the 9mm bullet after impacting:


I'll make use of it. I still plan to drill the 4 pipe sections and tap in a pressed in grease fitting so that I can pump in some wheel bearing grease to prevent rust. Then I'll blast and paint the entire thing white and paint the target plates red. That should make it a done deal.

[Joe Mamma]

rob s is right about the angle concept.

I've shot thousands of AK and AR rounds at swinging steel targets with no problems (yet). My plates are hardened steel, and angle down so the bullets bounce off the targets into the ground just in front of the target.

The pivot point on the steel plate is behind the target, not above it. The picture rob s posted shows the pivot point behind AND above the target. The following is what I have:

http://www.themetalman.com/targ_swinger.html

You can't see the back of the target. If I get some time, I will post better pictures of mine. I'll try to get a picture of the brackets too.

With the design that I use, if you hit above the pivot point, you have a much higher chance of bounce back problems. With robs's, those problems are minimized.

Joe Mamma