Posted: 3/14/2011 6:05:33 PM EDT
| I got some steel disks out of some valve equipment for like a well company laying around. They are stainless and about 3/8. If hung from mining belt or chains would they do okay with auto handgun rounds like 40 and 45? Or would they be dangerous and I be wasting my time? |
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In before the "you need AR500 steel" guys...
The only way you will know if it works...is to go shoot it. The first time I shot my homemade steel targets I hid behind a tree...just didnt know what theyd do. Better safe than sorry when it comes to homemade. Chances are it will be just fine with pistol rounds. As far as hanging versus fixed...I prefer hanging. Better to shoot at a 'free' target so that the bullet can move it slightly and have the target itself take less damage. |
| Ok so I made a nice solid target with the 7 inch plate hanging from mining belt. Shot it at 10 yards while behind a barrel. With 180 grain .40 S&W FMJ FP loads it barely left an indent of the smaller nose section of the flat point. Two of the rounds actually were on the same spot and it seemed like only one hit, indent depth wise. The wood surrounding the target had bits of jacket and some lead fragments embedded into it some but not very deep. Seems OK to me with this as a minimum range. What do you guys think? Is it safe to keep shooting? Also, would it be OK with 9mm and 380 round nose rounds? |
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While I wouldnt have used a wood frame...sounds like it should be fine.
How much does the target move when you shoot it? Is it heavy enough to take multiple rapid fire hits or does it swing wildly? Only thing Id worry about is shooting the chain on accident and having that fluke situation where something came back. Be sure to always wear eye protection! |
| I used some big chunks of creosote treated beams i had laying around to make it solid. The disk is attached via a wide section of hard mining belt so its not coming off with a shot or two. It swings right back into place quickly in time for follow up shots. I made it short and stiff so it flies completely back then right back into position. I put a mag of 40 through then my buddy put 2 mags of 9mm into it and you can barely tell it was shot. Can hardly feel the indents of the 40, the 9mm didnt even make any. Makes a nice ring when shot. We found the jackets disintegrate into the sides of the wood and i found my flattened lead 40 slugs 3 feet in front of the target. |
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I have made many handgun targets out of mild steel 1/4" and 3/8". They will start to cup after heavy use. Stainless may work harden over time and crack.
The biggest thing to watch for is pitting. Damaged surfaces will start to sling lead back at you. YOu shouldn't use jacketed rounds. Wear safety glasses. |
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Quoted:
I have made many handgun targets out of mild steel 1/4" and 3/8". They will start to cup after heavy use. Stainless may work harden over time and crack. The biggest thing to watch for is pitting. Damaged surfaces will start to sling lead back at you. YOu shouldn't use jacketed rounds. Wear safety glasses. Haha I talked my father into making a steel target to shoot at. The last time I visited he had one about 12" round that we hung up and shot with his FNP-45 from about 10 yards. The very first shot, the jacket came back and hit him in the thigh. After that we went back to the 100yd line and shot it with rifles instead. |