anyone know about making a large steel rifle target?

[colddeadhands]

I have been wanting to make a steel target that i can shoot my guns at. the largest calibers will be 270wsm and 30-06 i figure I'll make it about 18 inches square, to try to make it as portable as possible. does anyone know what thickness of metal would be required to withstand multiple impacts from these rounds and smaller ones? thanks guys

[Jicko]

Just go buy one from these guys.

http://www.lvsteeltargets.com

[colddeadhands]

thanks,
those look cool but im on a budget and i deal with a lot of steel shops at my job so i think i can get the materials for cheap if i do it myself

[SI-guru]

I think they are called manhole covers

[Jicko]

Drop Kurt Stone an email at info@lvsteeltargets.com, ask him what kind of steel and the thickness etc... he is a good guy, and he probably will tell you and help you to make your own if you do have access to the raw materials.

PM me once you figured it all out, I'll buy a couples off you.

[Jicko]

FYI

Those LV steel targets are 3/8″ or 1/2″ thick Armorcoat 500 steel plates <- if that make any sense to you.

So, if you can, go with 1/2" thick ones.

If you want to shoot .50cal, then you would need 5/8".

[SemiAutoSam]

I found 12 and 15 inch round plate's at the scrap yard a few months ago for like 10.00 each.

I bought a few in 1/2", 5/8" and 3/4"

That is what I would suggest anyone wanting to make a nice target.

[viras]

These guys say that they use 1/2" Thick Full Size IPSC Steel for their Full Size model.

Hope that helps!

[wilit]

You want to make sure you get brinell steel. Anything else and those rifle rounds are going to whizz through like nothing.

[virulosity]

brinell steel? You mean hardened steel right?

[jmgray]

found this on google, pretty much answers all the questions I had:

http://www.6mmbr.com/reactivetargets.html

[Fjold]

Here's a 1" thick carbon steel swinger that was hit with some 6.5x284, some 308 and 223 at 700+ yards. At shorter ranges the bullets will do even more damage.

[AngelDecoys]

Since you're thinking about building them yourself. See if you can get 500 Brinell hardness steel before you build targets that won't last too long.

Here's a link on some designs, and more information.

http://www.6mmbr.com/reactivetargets.html

Someone beat me to the link. That's what happens when you stop to eat dinner.

[HUTCH 7.62]

1/8 inch steel plate works good with rebar and angle iron on the bottom about 6 inches from the bottom of the rebar. so you can stamp it into the ground. also get yourself some high visibility spray paint like chevy orange. or chrysler blue.

[Ricehater]

+1 on using rebar... i bend the rebar into a U shape and hammer it into the ground.. drill two holes in the steel plate use some type of wire to tie it to the rebar and i would use at least 3/8 -1/2 inch... i have a 300 win mag that goes through 1/2 inch like a hot knife through butter
I am afraid of getting hit by a ricochet when i use these targets, i hear bullets flying EVERYWHERE