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Posted: 4/26/2016 1:35:28 PM EDT
I have some scrap steel from an inground car lift. I'm cutting it up to make some steel targets. Its 1.5in thick. I only plan on shooting 223's from about 300-400 yards. How much punishment do you think these will take before they are toast. I'd imagine being so thick they might dimple but should last a while. Or long enough for being free.
Link Posted: 4/26/2016 2:17:59 PM EDT
[#1]
Not much. Its probably a relatively soft steel so at 100yds it will leave deep craters from 223 and become unsafe to shoot pretty quick. 300-400yds it wont crater as bad, but it will still get chewed up.
Link Posted: 4/26/2016 2:55:37 PM EDT
[#2]
They will last a long time.  This is 1/2" thick steel we've shot at around 400 yards with a .308 in this case but we have used a .223 on other pieces w/o too much dimpling.  At 300-400 yards no spall is going to make it back to you.

Link Posted: 4/26/2016 9:20:06 PM EDT
[#3]
Probably won't last too long, depends on how much it gets shot.  You'll know after the first or second shot.
Link Posted: 4/27/2016 8:40:11 AM EDT
[#4]
May not hold up too well to 5.56 but it would probably work fine for pistol rounds
Link Posted: 4/27/2016 6:37:21 PM EDT
[#5]
Here is what I threw together during my lunch break

Link Posted: 4/28/2016 3:56:09 PM EDT
[#6]
You wrote that it's "1.5 inches thick".

That is MUCH thicker than normal target steel.  Even hardened rifle target steel is usually 0.5" or less.

For pistols, mild steel of that thickness won't be phased by impacts.  Even rifle rounds won't punch through steel that thick, although they will crater mild steel pretty good, and with repeated cratering in the same spot, penetration will eventually occur.

But a better question is:  how BIG will your target be?   If you make targets that are 12" square, that plate will weigh 60 lbs by itself.
Link Posted: 4/29/2016 3:19:35 PM EDT
[#7]
The first pic is a target roughly 12x12 and it is heavy as hell. The other is 12 x 6. And the second pic is the smaller more likely to be used 6x6. I know 1.5 inch steel is mega overkill but this is a zero dollar project.
Link Posted: 5/2/2016 10:43:18 AM EDT
[#8]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
The first pic is a target roughly 12x12 and it is heavy as hell. The other is 12 x 6. And the second pic is the smaller more likely to be used 6x6. I know 1.5 inch steel is mega overkill but this is a zero dollar project.
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I the only "issue" I see is it probably won't ring to let you know you hit it.  It will be like shooting a big rock.
Link Posted: 5/2/2016 9:45:11 PM EDT
[#9]
What the hell you plan on hanging those bad boys from, a Redwood?  They'll topple the most stout target stands. Haha!!! I'd just go on eBay and buy some ar500.  The time you've spent on this adventure may be worth more than the cost of a couple 10" and 12" plates.
Link Posted: 5/2/2016 10:25:27 PM EDT
[#10]
The big one? Not a clue. The small ones I made an a frame stand that holds them swinging on a chain
Link Posted: 5/3/2016 11:43:59 AM EDT
[#11]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
What the hell you plan on hanging those bad boys from, a Redwood?  They'll topple the most stout target stands. Haha!!! I'd just go on eBay and buy some ar500.  The time you've spent on this adventure may be worth more than the cost of a couple 10" and 12" plates.
View Quote


I'm sure there's a used swing set frame in someone's backyard they don't need.
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