204 Ruger and steel targets?

[Neil S.]

So a couple weeks ago I sent my Leupold vx-3 6.5-20 40mm AO scope to the factory to have an M1 elevation turret installed. I am expecting it back any day, and I cant wait to get to the range and start tweeking my drop chart ! I want to start practicing the longer shots, and a quick search on ebay shows that I can pick up AR500 steel targets for relitively cheap. Now I know that speed really kills steel and the 204 is no exeption, so what do you think is the MINIMUM range steel can be shot with 32 and 40gr bullets? As always, input appreciated.

-Neil

[Rick in Oregon]

Been there. Depends on the thickness of the AR plate. If you want to shoot steel at 100 yards, your targets are going to be in the 1/2" range, and be HEAVY. Thinner steel of course for shooting at longer distances.

I've still got a set of 1/2 scale Combat Silhouettes made from only 1/4" T-1 plate that I've used with my handguns, primarily .45's since the early 80's, and they're still going strong, but looking purty weeblie after thousands of hits.

Not a good photo of the Combat Silhouettes, but you get the idea.



A 204 at 100 yards would sail right through them though, so choose wisely.

[Neil S.]

Rick- Thanks for the info. I want to shoot steel at longer ranges (problably 300-500+) with the 204, so I'm thinking a hanging piece of 3/8' AR500 would stand up to it just fine. A side note about rifle rounds on steel at 100 yards, last summer my little brother decided he wanted to knock down one of my homemade steel pepper poper falling targets at 100 yards with his 270 when I wasn't around . Well it didn't fall over, but now it has a nice neat hole through it! No matter though, now when I'm doing drills with my .45 I know that every "miss" on that target must have just gone through the hole .

[Sidewinderwa]

I was using a 44 Mag steel target to hold up some cardboard for a target. Long story short, the 204 zipped right through it at about 100 yards.

[JDB]

I just happen to work for a steel target manufacturer in Idaho.

MGM targets, I do the material manegment. We sell a full line of steel. Plinking, competition, tactical. Also a nifty little trinket for scopes called a Switchview. Its a lever machined to fit a scopes power ring so you can adjust power without taking your eye off the target. If you want to look around go to mgmtargets.com Lots of neat things.

RIO, I am pretty sure you have heard of the MGM Ironman shooting competition. Considered the toughest 3 gun match in the world. 120 shots per stage on average for 10 stages. Thats if you dont miss.

[Rick in Oregon]

JDB: Yes, I'm quite familiar with MGM. Many years ago, prior to them starting up, I managed the Shooting Products Division of Mid-Oregon Iron, and we produced 1/2 scale steel Combat Silhouette Targets for straight-wall pistol calibers. This was in the heyday of combat pistol shooting in the early 80's. MGM came about soon thereafter and really got things going in the steel target world. Very good stuff.

I've still got a couple sets of the 1/2 scale silhouettes, and practice with my .45's on them every chance I get. It sure beats punching holes in paper with a pistol.

[RAMOS]

FWIW. I've got a 3/8" plate hanging from chains at 300 yards. With 32 grain V-Max's, the divot penetrates the plate 30-50%. This plate is basic mild steel painted white with a red bullseye. I just re-paint it as needed, moving the bullseye to a different spot.

[RoadKill]

I’ve shot scrap steel to 5/8” thick stainless and up to 1” mild steel. Anything high velocity will nearly or completely penetrate all of it. The “Birnell” rating needs to be up there if you want the steel to survive. I found this at metaltargets.com though I still haven’t done business with them, yet. They have a nice selection or will custom cut anything you can draw.

Their "High Velocity" Models are rated for .223, .308, .30-30, .30-06 .45-70 & equivalents. They also note: "At point of impact, terminal velocity can not exceed 3200 ft/sec." Minimum range is 100 yards. The plate's Brinell rating is 500+ for these.

[Wrangler John]

That's why they invented powdered metal core bullets - for military steel target applications. No ricochet, no penetration, just a splat and puff. Any of the lead free bullets from Barnes, Hornady or Nosler will lessen damage to steel targets.

[stef]

Among other targets, I shoot scrap mild steel discs about 4" diameter and 2-2.5" thick. I don't care about damaging them and I like to see what happens when different bullets hit at different velocities. Long 6.5 mm bullets seem to make as deep a crater as 150 to 165 .30's when shot at the same velocities. The .22-.250 using a 40 gr bullet @ 4000 fps makes a nice crater. For a high visibility crater the 185 (180?) .338 Barnes triple shock at 300 yds makes a crater about 1/8 deep and 1" diameter and is copper plated. The steel tipped M885 (M855?) 62 gr. bullet @ 3450 from a .22-250 was about the same as a 68 gr hpbt @ 3250. I would guess the 40 gr .204 bullet would "outcrater" the 40 gr. 224 bullet at ranges over 200 yds. The disks are a challenge to hit @ 400 yds and are painted with matte black paint every session and they quickly get so shot up on both sides that it is hard to see where one crater ends and the next begins. Eventually they are dropped off into the scrap ferrous metal recycle bin. Next time out at the range I will shoot some with 6MM 62 gr Barnes Varmint Grenades.