Went around the gun show this weekend and there was a new stand there selling steel targets. One in particular stood out to me.
https://targetsolutionsusa.com/reactive-targets?product_id=72
Got the guy down to $200 with the stand.
This is a sweet design, usually after so many hits you can't tell where you hit, just that you hit. This thing made in 5 pieces only swings the portion you hit. Pretty cool evolution of the donut targets where they have a second center target.
There were also some pretty awesome designs there that aren't listed on the site yet. He had a massive and I do mean massive wheel with steel discs that flip over and do the unbalanced thing like some of the targets that hold clay pigeons. It was a good 6' wide. If I had land to put it on instead of having to carry it out on the grasslands I would have bought that one too.
Thats a cool target. My father in law works in a machine/welding shop. Gonna show him the pic and see if he can fab up something like this.
Looks like it's made from 3/8" steel. WE shoot a 1/2 plate at 50yds and its pretty beat up. Not sure I'd want to put anything much past a 22 on that target. But it is a neat design. Sure lets ya know where you hit it without having to look. FWIW, the only thing I've found at 25 yds in the way of steel is some 12"x 12" x1" plates we got from the Daimler Test Track. They used it for weighs in testing Ram Trucks and Mercedes trucks. They no longer test any trucks there so they were dumping them. Twenty plates is all my half ton truck would carry. It takes 2 of us to hang one using 3/8" proof coil chain and 3/8" lag bolts into a 6x 6 treated beam. You can get one to swing some with a big gun like a 44 mag but something like a 22 LR won't even move one. We have these steel plates at 25 yds, 100 yds, 300 yds, and 800 yds. We paint ours white. Seeing where the bullet hit leaves a black mark on the plate. Armor piercing 3006 at 100 yds will not do much other than ding this stuff and show you a huge ball of fire. Considering I don't know jack about steel, I'm guessing it's some pretty tough stuff. I know it's heavy. Best of luck with target. You're gonna have a ball shooting at it.
This is AR-500 steel, so 3/8" should be good for up to 30-06 as long as the velocity is below 2850 fps and the range is over 50 yards for rifle, 10 yards for pistol.
I am gonna guess that your 1/2" plate is a different kind of softer steel.
$275 ?!?!?! Geezus man, I just picked up old railroad track plates. Free, and once broken, you replace them. $275 will buy 2000 rounds of ammo.
I would agree with sqlbullet that you are probably using mild steel, not AR500.
I have several 3/8" AR500 targets that I shot with everything ( 22, 380, 9mm, 45acp, 38spl/357, 10mm, 223 & 308) and the only time they show any effect is when the rifle rnds chip the edge.
This will be used out on the pawnee grasslands in several locations reaching up to 1500 yards. ;D
So no worries on pretty much any of my rifles being above the 2850fps number.
Closest I plan to set it is about 300yds. Gives me some alternatives when the Prairie Dogs slow down.
As for price, I got him down to $200 at the gun show.