Shooting steel targets dangerous?

[D-R]

Don't discount plugs of steel coming back at you. Was testing some 3/16" AR500 steel plate @ 25 yards with .308 M80 ball and had a shear plug failure. The plug of steel came back and thwacked into my leg, hurt like the bejeebers. I would listen to the fellows that have experience with steel targets, AR500 no less than 1/2" and at least 80-100 yards, angled downwards slightly. I got off with just a bruise, but would not have been pleasant if it had hit my face.

D-R

[markm]

What is a "shear plug failure"?

When we've shot .308 at gongs, AR450 has been more than adequate. No pocking at all with Mil Ball ammo. It's 5.56.... especially M193 that is hardest on gongs.

You CAN get away with a gong as thin as 1/4"... even with 5.56. There was a company in AZ that used to sell them that way. They would hold up for thousands of rounds, but you'd definitely get more life out of a 3/8" 500 plate for sure.

Shooting steel.. or just shooting a gun at all has inherent risk. A freak incident is always possible.

[Hmac]

When we've shot .308 at gongs, AR450 has been more than adequate. No pocking at all with Mil Ball ammo. It's 5.56.... especially M193 that is hardest on gongs.

My experience too. .308's tend to be much less destructive to steel. M193 is indeed a problem, but each shot of that ammo will usually create a very cool shower of sparks

[markm]

My experience too. .308's tend to be much less destructive to steel. M193 is indeed a problem, but each shot of that ammo will usually create a very cool shower of sparks

Try some M855!!

[Hmac]

Try some M855!!

'scuse me, I meant to refer to green tip, not M193.

Cool image, BTW.

[markm]

M193 will spark too.... inside of 75 yards, I get some sparks. But M855 is a light show.

[Zhurdan]

Heads up... just got an email from Actiontargets.

Coupon code for the standard (not heavy duty AR550) for $99.00
EVILROY99

The AR550's are on sale too, but are only$16 off the regular pricing.

[markm]

Heads up... just got an email from Actiontargets.

Coupon code for the standard (not heavy duty AR550) for $99.00
EVILROY99

The AR550's are on sale too, but are only$16 off the regular pricing.

Dang! I want one of those Evil Roys in Rifle.

[D-R]

Shear plug failure is when the shear strength of a material is exceeded (by an impact in this case), and a plug of material is punched from the metal. This is often caused when the metal is hard enough to resist plastic deformation (less ductile armor steel). Think paper hole punch.

D-R

[markm]

Just what it sounds like! We had that happen on one of our Armorgard 3/8" gongs. But we were really shooting it too close and using M193.