Steel plate for Range

[Fess0718]

I’m RSO at a range and they want to add steel plate so folks don’t have to go down range in the winter. The range is 50 feet. Anyone have any experience with steel plate and muzzleloading. Not sure if I should go 3/8” or 1/2” thick. I was also thinking about suspending targets with chain. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[EC121]

.375" will dimple at 50yds. At 50ft.(which is too close for comfort) I would go .5" mild steel or .375" AR500 and hang it close to the ground at downward angle using chain. That will direct the splatter into the dirt.

 

[Brokennock]

I’m RSO at a range and they want to add steel plate so folks don’t have to go down range in the winter. The range is 50 feet. Anyone have any experience with steel plate and muzzleloading. Not sure if I should go 3/8” or 1/2” thick. I was also thinking about suspending targets with chain. Any advice would be appreciated.

Is this range muzzleloaders only, and does that get adhered to?
Err on the side of caution and go thicker. A dent in a steel plate or steel backstop is worse than a small hole. Once the plate becomes dented or deformed we can no longer predict where projectiles will go once they hit it.

 

[Crow-Feather]

1/2 inch for sure. Also use a pretty heavy chain as they do get hit every once in a while. When you are done take a good size sledge hammer and whack it a few times before the snow arrives. Expect every thing down range to get a few hits once in a while.

 

[Griz44Mag]

I’m RSO at a range and they want to add steel plate so folks don’t have to go down range in the winter. The range is 50 feet. Anyone have any experience with steel plate and muzzleloading. Not sure if I should go 3/8” or 1/2” thick. I was also thinking about suspending targets with chain. Any advice would be appreciated.

If your range is open to the public, the insurance company will demand that all steel targets be manufactured by a qualified company and be made of AR500 plate.
I faced the same issues with a range in Austin area. (I am also an RSO)
Chain hung with a 5 degree tilt of the top closest to the shooter - so deflection is toward the ground.
SS7 is a vet owned company that makes these targets - I buy all my steel from here.
He has a great video of how and why to hang steel.
There is an EXCELLENT set of guidelines here.
And a video on hanging steel.
https://shootingtargets7.com/pages/target-selection

 

[Timber Wolf]

I have steel at home at 50’ but have only shot it with .22 and “Cowboy” level lead bullet loads. At the range I have put my 3/8” AR 500 at 25 meters (82 feet) and have no issues shooting it with any muzzle loading (pure lead) load. Although I have not done it, I would not worry about shooting steel at 50’ with lead anything. Trouble is, will people only shoot lead?

 

[Sidney Smith]

I have a cheap clanger I made from one of those 1/4 inch steel plates I got at Walmart. I made a rebar frame and hung it from chains. At 50 yards round balls disintegrate when they hit it, with no damage to the steel. I don't know if I'd want to try it at 50 feet though.

 

[BigAl52]

Shooting 7 targets will get you fixed right up. They are veteran owned and a great place to buy everything you need. I have there stuff and hammer there steel with 54 cal all the time. Great company.

 

[oldwood]

15 yrs.ago ,. I started using 500 Brinell Reactive Tank armor plating. I bought my targets from a commercial supplier. I made them portable by using two triangles of rebar , at 16" per side , with a washer welded to the top of the two triangles. the circles of the target got a piece of 3/4" horizontal pipe welded to the top rear of each in a position out of danger of being hit. When assembled with a loose piece of rebar through the pipe , and a couple cotter pins ,the targets hang on a downward angle so any splatter goes harmlessly , earthward. I've shot these targets w/ full loads in .54 cal , w/ splatter marks but no deformation of metal..............oldwood.

 

[FiremanBrad]

AR500, 3/8” is plenty good for ML. You can shoot it with modern rounds with a lot more energy!!! We have a lot of steel at our range!

 

[Brokennock]

Do pay attention to your angles and keep as much distance as possible .
We now have a club member with a permanent scar and fragment material that will remain in his forehead.
It was an unmentionable pistol round that struck a steel bowling pin shoot table. Freak highly unprovoked incident, but it happens.
There is no way to guarantee people will always follow your rules. And as folks start to experiment with non lead projectiles, projectiles are getting harder, this increasing ricochet probability. A little harm reduction on the front side can go a long way on the back side of something goes sideways.

 

[Crockford]

I have a steel course set up at my house that follows a ditch that has 15ft high walls. Me and my buddies shoot IDPA pistol competition so all the targets are very close some shots are taken at 12ft. Shooting mostly 9mm and 45s. These targets were all cut from AR500 steel and have been shot thousands of times. All are 3/8 thick and the lead jacket bullets have not left evan a dent in one. I have a stainless steel gong target that I shoot my 50cal PRB at, it is 1/2 inch thick and it looks as new as day one. 25yrds is the closest I shoot it. You have to remember that pieces of lead will bounce back. I have never had my muzzleloader balls bounce back at the 25yrd range but the pistol rounds Shooting up close 12ft. pieces bounce back all the time. So definitely have anyone around not just the shooter wear safety glasses. Also the metal ringing is very loud so ear protection is recommended. If I was running a club, I would only shoot at AR500 steel. If it is random steel you don't know what you are shooting at. Also definitely hang the targets where they have movement when shot. This will help keep any fragments from coming back to where they were shot from. We also tilt our targets forward a little so the fragments will be deflected into the ground. Shooting steel is fun but there are some dangers.

 

[Rodd Boyer]

I shot at a match once that used a 25k lb chain asthe target... it was hung from an overhead tree branch down to 3' off the ground and they spray painted the bottom 8" white. Range was around 20 yards. There were no doubts on hits.. That chain really swayed!

 

[Tenring]

I use 3/8”for all my pistol work but you may want to go 1/2” if it’s a public range you never know what some one will shoot at it, just to be safe.

 

[Brokennock]

Me and my buddies shoot IDPA pistol competition so all the targets are very close some shots are taken at 12ft.

12 feet, or 12 yards?
Rule book states a minimum of 10 yards for a reason.

 

[jcs266]

At least 1/2" AR500 and preferably 5/8". My .54 Hawken makes very faint dimples in the AR500 at 25 yds with PRB's and 75gr Pyrodex.

And remember that slight downward tilt of the plate to direct the splash into the dirt.

 

[pmccoywss]

You wrote 50 feet. did you mean 50 yards?

50 feet is too close for steel targets to be shot at safely. You WILL get splash back with possible property damage and injuries. If this range is also open to unmentionables, you WILL have tremendous target damage even with AR500 at 1/2" thickness.

An alternative to chain for hanging targets is rubber strapping, especially used conveyor belt.

 

[Griz44Mag]

You wrote 50 feet. did you mean 50 yards?

50 feet is too close for steel targets to be shot at safely. You WILL get splash back with possible property damage and injuries. If this range is also open to unmentionables, you WILL have tremendous target damage even with AR500 at 1/2" thickness.

An alternative to chain for hanging targets is rubber strapping, especially used conveyor belt.

Total BS -
I have shot steel in the Steel Challenge series for years at distance of 10 yards.
Steel Challenge is a nationally organized competition and heavily immunized by legal staff.
We shoot these with jacketed ammunition with 22, 32, 40 S&W, 45 ACP, 9mm, 38 super, carbine pistol rounds, etc......
A properly hung 3/8" AR 500 target CANNOT be damaged with a lead projectiles from a muzzleloader.
READ WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY:

There is an EXCELLENT set of guidelines here.
And a video on hanging steel.
Target Selection Guide

shootingtargets7.com

 

[Poguetx]

Cowboy action shoots use steel at 50ft or less. You will get back splatter, so ALWAYS use shooting glasses. Make sure the plates are angled down about 20 degrees to reflect most of it into the dirt. I was at one shoot where a piece of back splatter came back an punctured a spray paint can. Made a real mess and the guys standing near it were not happy.

For muzzleloaders, I use barbell weights. It's easy to attach a chain using slotted angle iron, and you can adjust the angle. I've shot 45-70 at them, and just get a dimple. Pure lead from a muzzle loader should only make a splat, even with 58 Minies.

 

[Griz44Mag]

For those that hang their steel on chain - (This comes from personal experience)
The chain you select to hang your target with - needs to be hardened steel chain. Soft steel chain can be cut with some rifle bullets.
The bolts you use should be grade 8 carriage bolts - On more than one occasion I have punched a 3/8" carriage bolt out the backside of the target when hitting it dead center with a rifle round.
Washers and nuts will be on the backside so they can all be standard grade stuff.
Leave your chain connections to the bolt where it can swivel freely - I use a Nylock nut to achieve this.
Note the top out lean when hanging, this deflects impact debris downward.