Be careful with that steel!

[charlie b]

Before thinking angling down solves it, each little crater on the plate is a source of 'shoot back'.

I don't shoot steel or other stuff anymore. Paper is good enough for me. I have still had an issue or two with some target holders.

[nawagner]

I was at the range one day and about 3 stations over there were a couple guys shooting steel targets at about 25' with pistols. They were raining lead everywhere on me, my wife and son, at least when they actually hit the target. I told them what was happening and they just shrugged it off and said it wasn't possible. Needless to say we moved to the next range over.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I got hit by a copper jacket fragment that came over the berm from another shootin bay. Got me on the side of my face just back of my eye. Drew blood. Glasses, glasses glasses........

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Before thinking angling down solves it, each little crater on the plate is a source of 'shoot back'.

I don't shoot steel or other stuff anymore. Paper is good enough for me. I have still had an issue or two with some target holders.

Thats the nice thing about cast boolits. At moderate velocities they will not crater quality steel. I have three brand new A500 targets that will only see cast boolits at less than 2000 fps. The mounts are made for steel post and hang them angling down. I doubt I will ever have trouble with back splatter.

[Outer Rondacker]

I have a steel range. Raining lead is common. Splat back very common. Angled down and a slight bit to one side always helps reduce it. My guests have had some bounce back at them nothing bad has happened. Eyes and ears is the rules. I think the reason I have not had anything come back at me yet is I shoot the smaller targets.6" and 4" at 20-35yrds. Or I try to anyway. They shoot the larger ones closer. As for rifle I still shoot the smaller 4" plates at 100-150yrds. I have been looking into frangable ammo for up close training on steel. After seeing the price I think I will just make some cardboard target stands and use real ammo in the pit.

As for AR500 steel. That is all I have and let me tell you it dents with heavy rounds. My 10mm has left small craters. Same with the 50ae and even my 22tcm at 20yds. Most of my steel has been gifts from shooting friends they have ordered off shoot steel and other places like shooter 7 or something like that. They have all been told we used armor piercing rounds. I know for a fact they where not. I have a 4" plate at 100yrds hanging on a strap. Its round and I pull up and drop a simple 55g soft point rem bullet on it from my RAR and it leaves a small crater.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Copper jacketed boolits will dent the steel, particularly out of a rifle. I can't pound steel posts into the frozen ground or I would have tried some cast handgun loads on my steel. I was at a Glock match years ago and we were shooting steel at seven yards. As long as the steel is in good shape and everyone is wearing glasses no problem.

[Grapeshot]

I was in an indoor range in my hometown. My cop buddy and I were shooting at paper targets with a sloped steel backstop. I was shooting a S&W M28 in .357 mag he was shooting a S&W M39 using some Czech 9mm surplus. We kept hearing noises behind us we thought were rats scurrying around. I had finished shooting and moved off to my friend's left to spot for him. Suddenly I was hit in the leg, upper right thigh. After checking to see if I was bleeding, I found a steel mushroom at my feet. It was the core of the 9mm's he had been shooting. You need to check your ammo before shooting steel.

[458mag]

I remember taking a shot at a ceramic/cast iron bathtub 100 yards or so distant once. The 240gr cast whooshed past my ear a split second later. It had entered the tub skimming the right wall, curved around the inside front end of the tub around to the left side and back out at me. It went BANG-WHOOSH. It was a most serious wake-up call. Could have been dead without suspecting anything was about to happen but God heaped on the mercy in that moment.

Aint nothing like a boolit or bullet humming just past your ear to really make you think about what you are doing. Been there, done that, and once was plenty. Heard of reactive targets before but didn't know they shot back!!!

[charlie3tuna]

Gents,
....
On another topic, I'm not sure I understand "Charlie3tuna's" admonition in post #16 about danger of plinking in creek beds. Are you referring, Charlie, to the danger of ricochets off the surface of the water, or is there some other inherent danger in creek beds of which I'm unaware?

Happy trails,

-- Cary Gunn --

It was late summer and the creek was dry. The rock bed was exposed. But I haven't shot in any creek again, PERIOD !!!....charlie

[Outer Rondacker]

Working on getting my hunting club a steel pistol range. Its proving hard to explain the difference in steel and why they can not just call Bubba down the welder shop to get them steel plates. Guys make sure your shooting good AR500 and 550 plate. Dont mount it firm unless it is angled down and away from shooter. Lastly using wood is ok for mounting just be careful of the jacketed spalding when touching the wood. Be safe and enjoy shooting.

[clintsfolly]

Shoot the plate rail at my club a lot! We demand that all have eyes and eye protection! The steel roof of the cover firing line sounds like rain at times and makes a good point that the **** is coming back. Want to see a bunch of the stuff lay a big trap out infront of the rail and catch the spatter.

[Tom W.]

I was invited again to the RCSO range the next time it's open to the public, the 2nd Saturday of the month, and to please bring my SRH. We're going to try to hit steel silhouettes @100 yards. Before I got sick I could do it with my .480 hitting clay pigeons off hand with a 2x scope, but that was then. I was a bit younger then,too. I may bring my #1 and see if I'm still accurate with it. I never shot steel with it....

[imashooter2]

Took a 230 grain .45 to the groin once at a speed steel match. Flattened out to the size of a quarter. The term "hot lead" is a factual description. The disc stuck to my jeans after impact and scalded my tender portions. Insult to injury.

After that, I held my hand up in front of my throat whenever I ROed.

[Walter Laich]

well known at cowboy matches. sort of part of the 'excitement' of this type of shooting

[Walks]

I still have a .22LR bullet in my left calf. Cowboy Action .22 Sidematch, I picked the wrong day to wear moccasins. Doc would have had to cut deeper to reach it. So it was just left in. 2 Whole stitches.

[Biggfoot44]

Been hit twice, but neither was steel targets.

Once was jacket fragment to the side of the nose . Another shooter, unknown loads, indoor range , backstop 25yds downrange.

Other was .22lr fired at remains of old car back in the woods . Stung my thigh , but didn't tear.my blue jeans .

Always wear eye protection, but don't otherwise obsess over it.