steel plate target

.50 (MOA)

would a flat steel plate say 10mm thick tied to a couple of posts (to keep it suspended and facing in the same direction) be a safe target for shooting with a .22lr. given that there is a suitable backstop.

ive mainly been shooting into either a wooden block or a 20l drum full of sand with target stapled on and having read a thread elsewhere a while back have been contemplating this. but have been worried about ricochets.

i also seen these targets http://www.do-alltraps.com/targeting.html

and it would seem that these have more edges to cause a ricochet than a 2 foot square steel plate. where i saw this mentioned before the guy painted it with white paint and could then see each of his bullet strikes, as well as having a satisfying ring when it was hit. he could also set it swinging and have a semi moving target.

so assuming it is either horizontal from my shooting position or marginally below, with a highly adequate backstop, would this be safe. i haven't tried this at all because i'm so worried about ricochets since its been drummed into me since forever that its the 2nd most important thing (backstop being the first) but if it were safe it seems like a highly satisfying cheap reusable target.

what do you think?

shannonpowerlab

I do not know if this will be of any help but,

I saw a set-up in Courtlough SG. What they had was also a set of 10mm plates cut in animal shapes and welded onto a pivot that hinged at the base so when you hit it, it flips down.

Though I noticed that some of the targets did get broken off from the weld...Maybe better to hang it from above so that there will be less kinetic energy absorbed by the plate and hige its self but more from the actual swinging motion.

However to reduce the risk of ricochetting, they had a little box that looked like a small rabbit house made of concrete brick and concrete roof (or was it corrugated steel?)... and the targets were about 300mm inside the little house.

Sparks

I wouldn't shoot at that with a .22lr or anything else other than an airgun.
Too much chance of this kind of thing, and if it does happen, the fact that it's a .22lr and not a .50bmg won't matter too much...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuZNMPP4rnU

rrpc

Not saying I'm the expert here, but having just spent most of the day installing bullet traps in Rathdrum with the rest of the lads, I can at least give you some pointers.

10mm steel is more than adequate to stop .22 rounds provided you don't keep hitting the same place. We successfully penetrated 10mm mild steel with .22 rounds a number of times due to hitting the same spot up to two or three thousand times. :eek:

6mm steel is perfectly adequate, but it's best when using a steel backstop to angle it so that the bullets reflect down to the ground rather than straight back at you. Generally anything over 20 or 30 yards you're not likely to get splashback unless the steel is excessively pitted.

Hanging the plate is not a good idea as you will get the rounds reflected in unexpected directions especially if the plate is moving.

So yes, you can use a steel plate, but it's best to angle it at least 30 degrees from the vertical to direct the rounds downwards.

G17

.50 (MOA) wrote: »

would a flat steel plate say 10mm thick tied to a couple of posts

If you're setting up an outdoor range proper (unless it's a no danger area one), you can't shoot at any exposed steel, even screw and nail heads are frowned upon. All steel must be fronted by timber (can't remember off top of my head the thickness but standard marine ply was mentioned as ok), or shrouded by timber, i.e. put in a timber open fronted box with the steel plate set back into it. This box set up might be best for you.

I'd contact the Range Inspector in the DOJ for advice on targets/bullet catchers, if you're going to do it you might as well do it right. If you're engaging in target shooting it must be on a certified range.

If you're just adjusting a rifle, or setting up a scope and you're setting up a, say, 4 inch kill zone, then a plate would be a suitable zero tool I guess.

Again the Range Inspector might be able to email you the regulations and in those are some great diagrams and tables to assist you in your task.

rrpc

G17 wrote: »

If you're setting up an outdoor range proper (unless it's a no danger area one), you can't shoot at any exposed steel, even screw and nail heads are frowned upon. All steel must be fronted by timber (can't remember off top of my head the thickness but standard marine ply was mentioned as ok), or shrouded by timber, i.e. put in a timber open fronted box with the steel plate set back into it. This box set up might be best for you.

Sorry to contradict you G17, but bullet catchers may be manufactured from steel. What you can't have is steel outside your bullet catcher zone that may reflect bullets in an unexpected direction or where it's too close to the firing point and may reflect back at the firing line. Baffles etc. must be clad in timber, but cladding your bullet catcher in timber is a bad idea because you won't be able to inspect the steel for damage. By definition, a bullet catcher is designed to trap or deflect the bullet and so is not a danger to the people shooting or the general public.

G17

rrpc wrote: »

Sorry to contradict you G17,

You monster!

You didn't really though.


We've been advised; as long as there's no exposed steel you can build catchers etc. out of whatever you like as long as they're up to the job.

We've been advised that any and all exposed steel, should be fronted by timber (or shrouded in the case of plates), constructed in such a way that it is easily removed for regular, documented, inspections.

We've been asked to plug/cover nail and screw heads in target stands!!!

Extreme some would say, but fine by us. I'm all for pedantics when it comes to safety!

edit : this pertains to an outdoor range.

rrpc

G17 wrote: »

You monster!

You didn't really though.


We've been advised; as long as there's no exposed steel you can build catchers etc. out of whatever you like as long as they're up to the job.

You've been advised wrong and I'm pretty sure where that advice came from. Your bullet catcher (if it's steel) is severely compromised if it is clad with timber. There are two reasons for this. The first is that it's much harder to see if the steel is being damaged (timber won't stop rounds penetrating - we were through 2" timber within forty shots!) and secondly the lead will build up in a ball within the timber and start deflecting frangments back at you.

We've been advised that any and all exposed steel, should be fronted by timber (or shrouded in the case of plates), constructed in such a way that it is easily removed for regular, documented, inspections.

For steel outside the bullet catcher area, that's fine as that steel is not designed to take direct and sustained impact. For a start it'd be a lighter gauge than the steel in the bullet catcher area and so won't be capable of taking any sustained impacts. The same goes for any steel pillars, screws etc. as deflections from them aren't engineered specifically.

What I'm talking about is bullet catchers which are designed specifically to deflect and trap aimed shots within the target area. If they are covered in timber, their usefulness is heavily compromised.

If you look at the draft ranges SI, you'll see the specifications of a steel bullet trap and there's no timber covering.

G17

rrpc wrote: »

You've been advised wrong and I'm pretty sure where that advice came from.

Ok, maybe the advice was generalised for the range which doesn't have a bullet catcher in its construction, back stop is sand, small gauge gravel.


For the OP, a steel plate in a timber shroud is the way to go for ease of construction. If you're setting up a bullet catcher it's be hard to argue that you weren't target shooting, which must be done on a certified range.

G17

The draft specs are here.


http://targetshootingireland.org/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_download/gid,35/Itemid,88/

ronboy

"we're not doen that again....nope no more iron":D:D