Shooting Thru Steel? Is that possible..??

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Definitely possible. Depends on thickness of steel, load and distance. Lead will bounce back given the right circumstances. Maybe try throwing and sticking your knife between your feet?
 
Answer to thread title: yes, but dangerous, foolish and unnecessary. I used to manufacture steel targets, primarily for ml rifles and have tested this extensively. Wanna see the scar on my elbow from the "foolish" part? 😲
Steel targets are a "staple" around here in the midwest and more fun to shoot than paper.
Most woods walks uses them only theirs are much thicker than mine are.
Mine are thinner because I have to haul them to the shooting site and haul them home.
Thanks for watching.
 
The question was about velocity. A chronograph will answer that question.
 
Definitely possible. Depends on thickness of steel, load and distance. Lead will bounce back given the right circumstances. Maybe try throwing and sticking your knife between your feet?
You are correct about "the right circumstances".
That's why I shoot my thicker steel targets from at least 30 yards and at slight angles so the lead ricochets off to the left side.

I quit carrying knives to throw years ago. I lost too many of them..!!
Thanks for watching.
 
I shoot steel targets all the time, the club I shoot woodswalks at, uses them as well… the steel targets I have and shoot at are swinging steel gongs, after I’m done with a session, give it a few days and the grass will die in a streight line on each side of the gong. Whats wrong with shooting steel targets? I’m lost.. great video btw.. 👍🏻
 
I shoot steel on my backyard woods walk but I use AR500 steel targets. With AR500 even a 30-06 will only knock the paint off, no damage to the plate. With pure lead balls and low velocity, I would think the risk of bounce back or spall would be unlikely even with softer steel targets.
 
I had a 4'x8' piece of 1/8" sheet steel I cut out of an old chiller we were replacing. I used it as a target for my .50 CVA mountain rifle. With a round ball it would whack about a 1" dimple in it, WITH a Buffalo bullet I can't remember maybe around a 425 grain she'd whack a 1" hole clean thru
 
The problem isn't shooting steel... it's shooting DAMAGED steel. Divots, dents and craters will re-direct fragments back to the shooter. Muzzleloaders do not have enough velocity to damage soft steel 3/8" thick or thicker. The problem is when your soft steel gets hit with a high velocity round that puts a crater in it. When you continue to use that damaged steel you put yourself and others at risk. ALWAYS use AR500 for ANY shooting because eventually somebody will shoot your (soft) steel with a high velocity round and make it dangerous.

Another overlooked danger is shooting large, slow, hollow base projectiles such as shotgun slugs or mini balls at steel. The large projectiles do not have enough velocity to fully fragment and the hollow base can actually re-direct the nose of the projectile back to the shooter.


 
I love shooting my steel targets. But last fall the I let loose the grandkids with a 30.30 and they blasted holes in a number I have yet to fix.
This is why you ALWAYS use AR500 for shooting targets. Eventually they WILL get hit with a round that damages them and creates a hazard. So don't "fix" them, SCRAP THEM and use proper steel (AR500) for safety.
 
Shooting thru steel using Schuetzen Powder? Is that possible??
Enjoy:
After being hit on multiple occasions by frags bouncing back from damaged steel I can tell you that watching this video is HORRIFYING on so many levels.
It is unfortunate that so many shooters are not aware of the danger these targets can pose especially when shooting larger projectiles at slow speed. The ENTIRE PROJECTILE can come back at almost the same velocity when it hits one of these deep dents.
DON'T DO IT !!
(sorry about the soap box but shooting steel is my passion and I want it to be done safely)
 
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