I'm on my phone otherwise I'd post a pic (my Instagram is my username if you're into such things; the videos is on there)

I wasn't even thinking and shot about 50ish rounds of Wolf Gold at 25y or so at my new AR500 target out of my 11.5" SBR

The target is angled downward and swings pretty good, but where the hinge is doesn't give any - and where the hinge is there's about 7-10 "chips" taken out of the plate. I have no idea how to explain their depth. Even a photo doesn't really show it, but whereas shooting it with a pistol just marks the paint and it remains smooth this is more like a nick is taken out of the steel. it's a jagged mark and about 1/32" deep - very shallow but it isn't smooth.

Is it still safe to shoot at with a pistol without jackets flying back at us? I can get pics up tomorrow if that helps.

I guess an easier question is - at what point does damage to a steel target make it unsafe?

Edit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MEv-jXVUDk

minimum recommended distance is 100 yards for rifle.  25 yards is too close. You can get by with 50 yards but 25 is not a smart idea.

25 too  close....

can you turn the plates around?

I know 25y is too close. I made a decision to shoot it close knowing I'll have to buy another one if its ruined.

I just want to know if, based on the steel's current condition, it is safe to shoot with pistol at typical pistol distances or if I should relegate this plate to 100y+ rifle use only.  

In the pics you can see that it is not deep at all, but it did mark the steel in a way that the 300y stuff did not.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MEv-jXVUDk

Actually I thought I couldn't due to the design (it's a hostage rescue design) but it turns out I can.

Looks like I might have avoided an expensive lesson.

Also, I went to a buddy's house today and his plates are screwed up from close range shooting. He said he stands 5 FEET in front of his AR500 and shoots it with M855 out of his 16" BCM.

I won't be joining them at their range days lol

Whenever mine start looking like that a quick pass with a flap wheel in a 4 1/2" grinder will have it looking almost new. You don't want craters that are deep enough to cause a bullet to ricochet back instead of splattering.

My T1 plates look way worse but I only use them at 300+ yards. 

Still perfectly fine for pistol rounds.

Shooting steel with a rifle at 25 yards is dangerous and can get you or someone else hurt.

These statements are contradictory.

At any rate I'd just stop shooting the rifle rounds at it and use pistol rounds only, it'll probably be fine. But that's if they were my plates. Only you can decide how much risk you're willing to take.

That's a good observation. Thank you for pointing out my inconsistencies. In my head, both were true. However that's an impossibility in fact. I'll have to do some thinking and analyze why I said both of those things. Shoot me and pm and we can discuss.

I flipped the plate around. Brand new side. Rifles >100y from now on. Problem solved.

Just curious, cause I never shoot steel, but doesn't Hickok45 shoot his steel with rifles all the time?  Maybe they are further away than they look?

Ricochets can do serious harm inside 50y with centerfire rifles on typical plates.

I'd personally limit the minimum distance to 50y but in practice keep it at 75y+

I use one side for pistol calibers and one side for rifles, but I still keep rifles over 50 yards... usually closer to 100.

It's called lying. Shooting steel plates too close must be affecting your morality.

Too close, too risky. That's why I just some lazy hanger stands.