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Affordable, Portable Steel for practice?


GIO

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Does anyone have a recommendation for decent steel practice targets? Just looking for a basic 8-10 inch plate that can mount up easy and help me with my training. I am not crazy about punching paper so I would love to find a steel alternative. Thoughts? Company reco? 

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Not sure if you've tried it, but I'm pretty fond of the small paper plates that are 6" or so. I just use white pasters and it works really well and it's easier to move around and set up. If that doesn't work for you, there are a lot of shops that'll cut you a small circle that you can drill out and mount to a 2x4 for a good price.


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I like the MGM auto poppers.  The sportsman series are cheap and really easy to set up. Just toss them on the ground and they knock down to indicate hits.  

If you just want a round steel circle there are tons of places that make those for cheap.  Only downside is getting a stand and setting them up each time.

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http://www.shootsteel.com

Recommend  the AR500 1/4" plates (they are half the weight as the 3/8" plates) - as long as you're shooting 9mm-.45 (excl .38-super).

I've been using a set of their plates since early this year - no pot marks / divits on any of the plates. We've been using 9mm, with some .40

For the 6" to 12" round plates, add a shepherds hook or two from Home Depot for easy setup / takedown

Edited by joseywales
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I use shootsteel.com targets and they have held up just fine.  I have hit them with .357, .45, 9mm, .22, and even some bird shot.  They don't really show any damage at this point.  Maybe some extremely shallow "impressions" that I think were from shooting with some extremely hot .357 from fairly close.

I would suggest making sure that you get the shepherds hooks that have the cylindrical shaft.  Unless you hit the pole dead on, it will likely glance off to one side or the other and cause zero damage.  

Definitely wear eye protection!!!  You will eventually shoot from too close and will catch some fragmentation coming back.  Everyone seems to learn this lesson the hard way and it's probably no big deal as long as everyone in the area is wearing eye protection. 

The bigger plates are more fun, but are much more heavy.  I try to shorten the distances on my mock-up Steel Challenge stages to account for the smaller targets that I have ( never go closer than 7 yards though)

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Just go to home depot get a $7.00 sheppards hook then go to you local steel mill and get cheap mild steel in what ever size you want 8"or10". Make sure the add a 3/4" hole to hang it on the HomeDepot hook and shoot hell outta it. Total less than $20.00 and your done.  Everyone will say you need AR 400 or 500 in 3/8 that's not even close to the truth. I have 1/4 AR 500 steel and mild steel 8" & 10" plates and shoot 1400fps 124gr with and open gun and have been doing it for years and you can't tell the difference in the plates. I will say for larger targets you will want AR steel cause the larger steel will cup out & bow then become dangerous. If you get plates that start to cup over the years just get a new plate from your local mill. AR is stronger but it cost sometimes 8 times or more per plate. If you are asking for the least expensive way to shoot steel, this will be it. Good luck. 

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  • 5 months later...

Got six 6" 3/8 "AR500" plates off Amazon for under $60. Looks like there's some 8" for $12 and some change.

 

I went 3/8 and AR so I could set them up for rifle, just pistol I'd go different.

 

These small plates are near the limit for hanging on a cheap shepherd's hook IMO, the swinging will pull them out of the ground.

 

Word of warning, I believe the ones I got are cheap likely because the plate is QC reject, some of them take .223 @ stupid close with no scars, one got a couple pocks from cast 9mm first trip out. None have exhibited any major cratering in hundreds if not thousands of hits, but the results are still inconsistent, and not all in areas that could be heat affected zone.

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