Homemade Plates. What do you think?

[TheCrowing]

I had a buddy of mine who works in a sheet metal fab shop make me some plates.
The squares are 2 - 1/4" Plates welded together and the large round ones are 2 - 3/16" plates welded together. All targets are set on 1/8" sheet metal bases.
Now these aren't your standard AR500, A36 or whatever, i think they are just rolled steel. Probably wont last too long but they are made of scraps. Just wondering what people thought. Would you shoot them or run for the hills if someone was going to?

My intention was for pistols only, up to .45

 

[Rotaryrocket]

I'd shoot one shot per plate and toss them. Once the become pitted you run the risk of shrapnel coming back at'cha

 

[NewGunGuy]

Those look perfect for small calibers, but I bet a mosin would destroy those in 20 rounds(if you are able to hit them at 100 yards anyway) I wonder if you could use those at Cape Ann, maybe if you showed Norm some kind of rig to angle the spall downwards.


Charles.

 

[TheCrowing]

I wouldn't even bother showing these to Norm. I don't even want to hear it.

 

[[cerberus]]

1/4 might be a bit light, you may see some good dings on the plates after a while. Sounds like the price was free, so I would shoot them if I made them. I wouldn't sell them because I know people would be un happy. I make plates out of 3/8ths plate and it works great on pistol cartridges.

 

[xtry51]

A36 is standard mild steel, which is most likely exactly what metal that is, as it is one of the most common plate mild steels. It is not "fancy", nor does it have any special impact qualities. 1/4" will dimple under medium handgun fire. heavy handgun and rifle rounds will go clean through. It will stop .22LR, that's it.

If you're going to use scrap mild to make targets use 1/2". Even then it's a waste when AR500 is not very expensive and lasts forever.

 

[TheCrowing]

It's all he had in his shop. We welded the plates together. 2 - 1/4" plates welded together = 1/2". I guess I'm just going to have to experiment. If 9mm, .40 and .45 dent it, I'll just use them for .22 plinking.

 

[SIGPRO 226]

I shoot @ my 1/4 thick 8inch circle ar500 plates on a shepards hook from shoot steel.com for the past year mostly 9mm 1,000s of rounds they still look new just hit them up with some paint once in a while there worth the 25 bucks a plate

 

[TheCrowing]

These cost me a liter of the Kraken. Not a bad deal even if they only last one outing I guess.

 

[SIGPRO 226]

Thats true i did the same before with the some 3/8 plates they were ok with 9mm but the 40 and 45 pitted them so i bought the ar steel never looked back i just ordered some 1/2 inch AR plates for the AR and m44. butt free is free i feel yah

 

[[cerberus]]

These cost me a liter of the Kraken. Not a bad deal even if they only last one outing I guess.

You should do ok, Like I said, I would shoot them if I had them here. If you doubled up on some they will be really rugged and last a while. Even if they get a few holes or dents they will still be a lot of fun.

- - - Updated - - -

Thats true i did the same before with the some 3/8 plates they were ok with 9mm but the 40 and 45 pitted them so i bought the ar steel never looked back i just ordered some 1/2 inch AR plates for the AR and m44. butt free is free i feel yah

How far were you shooting them at? I have never had any of the plates I make to sell pit. I had small dents with 44 mag with some hot reloads, but that was it. I know so far no one that I have sold a pistol swinger has come back saying they were getting shot up.

 

[GunGrey]

A36 is standard mild steel, which is most likely exactly what metal that is, as it is one of the most common plate mild steels. It is not "fancy", nor does it have any special impact qualities. 1/4" will dimple under medium handgun fire. heavy handgun and rifle rounds will go clean through. It will stop .22LR, that's it.

If you're going to use scrap mild to make targets use 1/2". Even then it's a waste when AR500 is not very expensive and lasts forever.

this

we made some from some scrap my buddy had at his business, holds up to .40 and .45acp fine

I shot it with a shotgun slug and it concaved the whole ****er. didnt hold up to a .30-30 wen through like swiss cheese

 

[TheCrowing]

Ill post some pics after I get a chance to try them out.

 

[WallHack]

This is NES, most of us will shoot anything. Or nothing in particular, if we're bored.

 

[Scarecrow]

This is NES, most of us will shoot anything. Or nothing in particular, if we're bored.

+1

 

[TOM1960]

Those look perfect for small calibers, but I bet a mosin would destroy those in 20 rounds(if you are able to hit them at 100 yards anyway) I wonder if you could use those at Cape Ann, maybe if you showed Norm some kind of rig to angle the spall downwards.


Charles.

A Mosin, or any other .30 caliber rifle, would definitely destroy them in short order. Good for small caliber rounds. You are correct.

 

[atilla]

This is NES, most of us will shoot anything. Or nothing in particular, if we're bored.

yeah...

 

[gus310]

I've got some 1/4" steel plates I shoot at 50 yards, .223 punches through no problem so I'm slowly destroying one of them. At 50 yards, 9mm and 45 scratch the paint.

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[Gammon]

The "feet" welded on the bottom of the plates is a bad idea. When a round strikes a plate (and doesn't penetrate) it disintegrates. The particles follow the surface of the plate and generally disperse harmlessly. When you add a flat plate or "foot" to support the plate the particles can be redirected back at the shooter. This was a problem in the early days of IPSC when plates with "feet" were routinely used. lead fragmetns and pieces of jacket often struck shooters and spectators. This type of plate is rarely used today.

I had some 3/8 in mild steel round plates made many years ago with feet and experienced this "splash back". The feet weren't welded on very well and soon fell off. I then drilled holes in each plate and hung them from frames I built, (similar to an IPSC target frame) one frame per plate. There is no splash back and the individual frames allow you to easily set up any array you want. I find this invaluable i setting up plates for Steel Challenge practice as you can quickly switch from one stage to another.

PS These 3/8 in mild steel plates have endured for over 30 years. The max abuse they have endured is IPSC major (175 pf) loads and this was with lead bullets. Mild steel plates will work pretty well as long as you don't abuse them with high velocity jacketed rounds. My plates have taken 30 or 40 thousand rounds so far with no signs of failure.

 

[TheCrowing]

The "feet" welded on the bottom of the plates is a bad idea. When a round strikes a plate (and doesn't penetrate) it disintegrates. The particles follow the surface of the plate and generally disperse harmlessly. When you add a flat plate or "foot" to support the plate the particles can be redirected back at the shooter. This was a problem in the early days of IPSC when plates with "feet" were routinely used. lead fragmetns and pieces of jacket often struck shooters and spectators. This type of plate is rarely used today.

I had some 3/8 in mild steel round plates made many years ago with feet and experienced this "splash back". The feet weren't welded on very well and soon fell off. I then drilled holes in each plate and hung them from frames I built, (similar to an IPSC target frame) one frame per plate. There is no splash back and the individual frames allow you to easily set up any array you want. I find this invaluable i setting up plates for Steel Challenge practice as you can quickly switch from one stage to another.

PS These 3/8 in mild steel plates have endured for over 30 years. The max abuse they have endured is IPSC major (175 pf) loads and this was with lead bullets. Mild steel plates will work pretty well as long as you don't abuse them with high velocity jacketed rounds. My plates have taken 30 or 40 thousand rounds so far with no signs of failure.

I purposely had the "feet" made narrow so that the plates get knocked over easily. Thanks for the heads up though. Definitely something i will watch out for....with safety glasses. That is when i finally get a chance to try them out/destroy them.

 

[Gammon]

I purposely had the "feet" made narrow so that the plates get knocked over easily. Thanks for the heads up though. Definitely something i will watch out for....with safety glasses. That is when i finally get a chance to try them out/destroy them.

I have found it easier to hang the plates from a hook. This way there is nothing to direct the bullet fragments back at you. You have the added bonus of not having to reset the plates a la the Steel Challenge.

 

[gus310]

Made a couple of these 1.5" cubes out of steel for .22 plinking at 50 yards. Should last a lot longer than a golf ball. I wonder how many rounds I'll waste trying to hit it with my 1911?

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[TheCrowing]

Finally got a chance to try out the plates from the original post. The squares held up fine to 9mm .38spl and .45acp. The round ones did get a little dented. Ill use them for .22 plinking. Couldn't be happier with the free plates.