17 Hummer and steel targets

[Oldtimer]

We had some people over to Sunday dinner and decided to do a little fun shooting.  I got out my new Savage 17 and it was an instant hit.  I had a swinger target that consisted of three metal plates, about 1/8 inch thick, which I bought to shoot with .22's.  I told one girl to try to hit the plates and they did not move a whole lot, not as much as a fair hit with a .22 long rifle.  The range was about 35 yards.  When I looked at the plates later, they had craters about  .30 inch across, and probably 1/16 inch deep.  I was impressed by the effect on steel, if not the momentum. :shock:

[KN]

I put a few into my bullet trap and was surprised at how much damage they did. Just as you described, little craters.  KN

[JohnClif]

Once a steel target is cratered it is not safe to shoot at it with a regular .22 (or any cartridge) where the bullet might not be totally fragments.  It will be especially dangerous if shooting with jacketed bullets as the jacket fragments will come back at considerable speed.  If hit, the crater will ricochet the bullet (or fragments) back at the shooter rather than allowing them to splatter to the side.  I personally would not knowingly shoot at a disfigured steel target... too dangerous!

If you want to repeatedly shoot steel with a .17, get targets made for centerfire handgun use up to .357 Magnum caliber.  They are made from a harder steel and should not crater.

In short, cratered steel targets are a shooting accident waiting to happen!  Don't use them again...[/color] and remember that most backstops and steel target are rated by velocity because the manufacturer understands the hazards of cratering!  Don't shoot high velocity rimfire or centerfire cartridges at rimfire-rated steel targets!

[Nixter]

Looks like it's time to replace my spinner then. Shot it at 50 yards with 22 mag and bent it a bit. Looks kinda like a big spoon now. Haven't shot at it since. Won't either. Thanks for the heads up.


Nixter

[marlinman93]

There is a simple solution. Simply weld up the craters, and grind them off flush. No harm done.