Safe shooting distance for roundballs and steel targets?

[Runewolf1973]

Hanging, swinging or falling steel targets are the only ones that should even be considered for use with firearms, of any kind.

That's exactly why decided to just buy myself a properly designed steel target and stand. According to one manufacturer, the distance ratings (100 yard minimum for high-power rifles) are not posted for safety primarily, they are there to maintain the longevity of the target when hit with hard rounds. Too close and the target won't last very long.

 

[GreyWhiskers]

We shoot at lots of steel targets of differing kinds. They are set up anywhere from 20 to 175 yards.

I have only seen one instance of r/ball lead splatter coming back and hitting somebody. The target was easily 50 yards away and was shot at by somebody in another group that was following us in the trailwalk. Boom. Ding. Ouch. The man standing next to me was hit hard enough in the face to draw blood. It was an eye-opener for us.

I recommend hanging targets at closer ranges and solid targets at medium to far distances. And always wear glasses. GW

 

[coloradoclyde]

One of the things that is not often considered regarding ricochets, is missing the target and hitting the frame, ground or other non-target surface. These can be, and are often causes of ricochets....

 

[Runewolf1973]

One of the things that is not often considered regarding ricochets, is missing the target and hitting the frame, ground or other non-target surface. These can be, and are often causes of ricochets....

Good point and I suppose that could happen with any target you set up. A bullet passing through a paper target and hitting a rock or tree could ricochet as well.

 

[fleener]

I have been hit with pieces off lead on several occasions. One was shotgun slug that bounced back from 50 yards.

I do not let steel targets any closer than 35 yards at my range.

I just ordered one of each of the animals that are used for the small bore sil. match at NMLRA. I would like to shoot that next June and would like to do a little practice first.

Fleener

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Our black powdah woodswalk and range is set up with non-AR500 steel hangers or otherwise swinging targets, probably rough cut boiler plate. Closest targets are 15-20 yards & positioned or hung so that the vertical face tips forward towards the shooter a bit.

In 30+ years there I’ve yet to even hear a whisper of any alleged bounce back from a lead RB ...

 

[Sparkitoff]

I have several 3/8" thick plates. I do not know the composition of the metal. Some are hanging plates and the others have a base that create about a 60 degree angle towards the shooter, in other words it angles downward from the top to the ground with the top towards the shooter. Shooting lead .452's under 900 FPS doesn't produce any "richochet" or "bounce back" from 15 yards out further. However, past 50 yards the lead doesn't splatter and tends to wing flat pieces into the ground on angled targets and down or off to the side on the hanging targets. With a PRB from a rifle I see domed or curved disks of lead, not splatter. Some are deformed more than others and the actual shape varies but flat to curved disks are what I see most. The grounded angle targets always put the projectile in the dirt under the target. The hanging targets send the projectile pieces down or to the side depending on the angle that is created when the projectile pushed the hanging plate. I don't have any falling targets but have shot them. I suppose the projectile pieces would go up and over the plate as it creates that angle when moving from impact. With rifles, the further away hanging targets (especially 100 yards - our furthest one) will send bigger pieces of projectile further up-range than when shot at closer range. We used to have the hanging targets anchored on 4-corners and they did send more lead back up-range but it varied widely. Taking off the bottom two anchors reduced this greatly. I would feel safe with an angled target at 15 yards but with the hanging target 25 yards would be more comfortable. If you made the projectiles and observed them on the steel you could kind of predict what will happen but if you are shooting various projectiles of different origin you can't really tell how "hard" or "soft" they are and that will make a big difference.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I have been hit with pieces off lead on several occasions. One was shotgun slug that bounced back from 50 yards.

Fleener

Yep!....I had a slug bounce from 10 feet, missed my head bound off the wall behind me and landed at my feet. :shocked2: That'll make you change your shorts. :haha:

Had a 45 (acp) bounce off a plate rack and hit me in the shoulder and fall into my shirt pocket....I was well behind the firing line as an observer.

Had a 45 round ball bounce off a 2x6 cutoff I was using for a cheap knock down target, hit me square in the chest (center mass)....That one was scary. :shocked2:

The ball was completely intact.

Sometimes I think we forget these things are deadly weapons.

 

[Rifleman1776]

We shoot at lots of steel targets of differing kinds. They are set up anywhere from 20 to 175 yards.

At a club I formerly belonged to a 'dueling tree' competition was very popular. I shot this event many times with both modern pistol using hard cast bullets and c&b revolver with soft cast balls. The range was very short, under 10 yards. The targets easily swung away when hit. Eye protection was mandantory but I do not recall anyone ever experiencing being hit with back splatter. BTW, very fun and challenging match.

 

[theDuck]

Years ago we used to have steel silhouette shoots using patched round ball at our Club. The 25 yard target were a squirrels lined up on an old barn beam. We used to shoot from in front of the shooting shack. The young lad shot one squirrel with a .50 and we all congratulated him. Then we heard a clang rattle plop as the ball hit the steel roof of the shooting shack, rattled down it and hit the ground. It had came back in a big high arc and hit behind us. Round ball can come back towards you.

 

[Runewolf1973]

Years ago we used to have steel silhouette shoots using patched round ball at our Club. The 25 yard target were a squirrels lined up on an old barn beam. We used to shoot from in front of the shooting shack. The young lad shot one squirrel with a .50 and we all congratulated him. Then we heard a clang rattle plop as the ball hit the steel roof of the shooting shack, rattled down it and hit the ground. It had came back in a big high arc and hit behind us. Round ball can come back towards you.

Out of curiosity, how were those squirrel targets set up? Were they mounted solidly to that beam or something?

 

[vinconco]

Steel with dents or craters will ALWAYS spit back bullets and should NEVER be used as targets.

Velocities should never be below 750 fps or bullets will bounce.

Always use good quality AR500 steel

plates should have a downward angle like these targets from HANG FAST TARGETS

 

[smo]

Good looking target, I bet I could hit the post!

I don’t no if the fence post would cause a ricochet or not, but that would be just my luck. :haha:

 

[Rifleman1776]

Round ball can come back towards you.

Operative word is "can". I never say never. :nono:
As I have said before, the way a steel target is mounted has almost everything to do with how and where any detritus flys after it is hit with any projectile.

 

[vinconco]

Good looking target, I bet I could hit the post!

I don’t no if the fence post would cause a ricochet or not, but that would be just my luck. :haha:

You are correct to point out that the post could pose a splatter back hazard in theory. However my experience with shooting these target setups for the past 5 years and selling thousands of kits that use T posts indicates otherwise....so far

 

[smo]

I really didn’t think the post were made of that hard of steel , they bend too easily which makes me think they are made of softer metal.

I’m cheap so I use what’s available mostly old farm implements , if the get destroyed it’s just a short trip back to the bone yard.

What surprised me was the old broken disc blades I use for gongs.

Sometimes my .54 shooting shooting 70 grns of fffg at 25 yards will penetrate the disc.. :idunno:

 

[coloradoclyde]

Good looking target, I bet I could hit the post!

I don’t no if the fence post would cause a ricochet or not, but that would be just my luck. :haha:

You are correct to point out that the post could pose a splatter back hazard in theory. However my experience with shooting these target setups for the past 5 years and selling thousands of kits that use T posts indicates otherwise....so far

I've made those before....using both T-posts and U-posts....Both eventually break off from misses just below the plate....T-posts are thicker but the metal is soft and work hardens becoming brittle from the vibration of repeated hits.
U-posts are harder but thinner and cost more...They succumb to the same fate in the end....

I've had splatter off those too....

I do like using T-posts because they are super cheap for me....I also like how you made your hanger.....quick to adjust the height. :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[theDuck]

Out of curiosity, how were those squirrel targets set up? Were they mounted solidly to that beam or something?

They had a flat base and were set on the beam so they were free to fly if hit.

 

[Rifleman1776]

They had a flat base and were set on the beam so they were free to fly if hit.

Most the targets I made had flat bases. When I started it took some testing to find the right size base to allow them to stand but not have too much inertia to create blow back, indentations and cracked welds. In my situation, I tried to save cost by making the bases from mild steel welded to T1A steel targets. Not being a welder I soon learned from my welder that joining two different steels was not an easy matter. He finally worked it out and I stayed with that mix. As said, too large a flat base creates problems.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

For what it's worth,

IPSC shoots modern lead alloy bullets at a minimum distance of 7 meters on steel for handguns. That's for the shooter, not for spectators. That's like 22 feet; usually the steel is made to take jacketed, high powered rifle rounds. That's a bit close for jacketed ammo (imho), and bounce back is sometimes a problem even with the lead alloy.

Cowboy Action Shooting [CAS] which is probably closer to stuff that we like to do with steel, uses both cartridges (some BP and some smokeless at lower velocities), PLUS cap-n-ball revolvers, and their minimum distances are 7 yards for handguns and 13 yards for rifles.

Now I much prefer at least 50 feet, and am much more comfortable with 25 Yards as a minimum distance for steel. I use AR500, as sometimes I shoot something modern, and I figured when I found the stuff on sale, the AR500 being designed for modern bullets, it would take a good long while for lead and lead alloy (I know folks don't inspect each shooter's round ball for softness) to wear the plates out.

OH and as the man wrote..., HANG the things so they can move, not mounted or suspended against a hard surface. Does wonders to reduce "return fire", and I think they "ring" better when hanging from chains so are more fun that way.

The worse bounce back I ever saw was at a match where the target was placed on top of an old, folding, wooden table. Made to last, so the side edge of the table was covered with a thin strap of aluminum. This feller opened fire, and his first round (a modern one) hit the edge of that table and bounced back and popped him neatly in the center of his forehead. The safety officer simply took the pistol out of the man's hands as he went rigid and fell backwards like a barn door being dropped. He wasn't dead, but had a big ol' welt on his forehead, and got a nice ride to the local "County General Hospital".

The range posted a new sign after that, the range being used only for matches on weekends, and the number changing each week :

"[ ] Weeks since the last Goliath Award. It takes Work to stay safe."

The Goliath award doesn't have to be a ricochet, but any preventable accident where the person needed more medical attention than a bandaid or ice pack.

LD