Im looking around trying to find out what thickness of steel to use for pistol/shotgun targets. I would like the steel targets to with stand 9mm,40,45,38/357/20ga and 12ga. all of which would be engaged no less than 7 ft. away. I have access to a water jet cutter so all cuts will be perfect if cutting has anything to do with you opinion. Please let me know what ya'll think. Also if you have any links to this subject or deminsions of standard targets it would be appreciated.

Check out MGM Targets.

There stuff is first class.


www.mgmtargets.com

all depends on the type of steel. just be damned careful at less than 7' cause bullets frequently bounce back off steel targets. mild steel is by far the cheapest, ar 400 or 500 is most frequently used when high resistance is desired, but comes at almost triple the pricetag

My target backing is a scrap piece of 3/8" treadplate set at 45* and 25 yds out ! works up to 44 mag.
Steel targets at 7' is VERY dangerous !!

Unless you mount the target at an extreme angle to deflect the bullet down or up, as mentioned above, you will be in an extremely dangerous position, I've had .45 bullets bounce back over 25 yards off plates, pieces of .22 bullets that far as well. DON'T DO IT is my best advice. Want to shoot something that close, try bowling pins or wood cut outs or paper.

quote:

Originally posted by mete:
My target backing is a scrap piece of 3/8" treadplate set at 45* and 25 yds out ! works up to 44 mag.
Steel targets at 7' is VERY dangerous !!

+1
I use 3/8" also. Mine are swingers and I've never had one bounce back. The lead splatters out to the sides. I also find plenty of pancaked bullets laying on the ground below the plates.

But please don't stand that close. Hey, ya never know.

quote:

Originally posted by Brennanc9093:
Im looking around trying to find out what thickness of steel to use for pistol/shotgun targets. I would like the steel targets to with stand 9mm,40,45,38/357/20ga and 12ga. all of which would be engaged no less than 7 ft. away. I have access to a water jet cutter so all cuts will be perfect if cutting has anything to do with you opinion. Please let me know what ya'll think. Also if you have any links to this subject or deminsions of standard targets it would be appreciated.

Yep, 3/8 T1 or boiler plate works great, but unless you are using cintered bullets (prefragmented) you are at extreme risk shooting inside 20 feet. At 7 feet, a bullet could easily come back w/ enough force to cause severe injury regardless of how you angle the plate. I've shot mor ethan my share of steel plates & anything cloer than 20ft is getting pretty dicey.

The IPDA, Cowboy and IPSC guys have figured this out. Talk to the guys at Action Target or MGM. They will tell you is that the key to this is targets that remain perfectly flat, do not have any brackets in the splash area and most importantly do not dimple. I bought a set from MGM not long ago that were 550 Brinell and are not marked by 45 ACP, 357 mag, a hot 38 super or 223 (just what I have shot so far). I'm ok shooting them within 10 yards. For rifle gongs I use regualr soft steel but won't shot them inside of 100 yards becasue they will quickly start generating splash