For those of you that have made steel targets for pistol shooting ,is there a certain angle that the steel has to be at so,I don't have to have one come back at me?
Any pics of your targets. Thank you

Most steel targets are mounted at a very slight downward angle though bullet selection is more important than target angle. Hollowpoint bullets should be avoided and plated bullets are better than FMJ. What you are trying to avoid is larger fragments that can come back and bite you. I shoot a lot of steel and have never had a problem.

I also shoot a lot of steel, and I "manage" the steel gongs at our range. These gongs are 15" in diameter and 1 1/2" thick of mild steel. They are primarily for rifle shooters as we have them hanging at 100, 200, 300, and 430 yards. I hang them with conveyor belt straps that hook on the back of the gongs. There are two hooks that are about 2" down from the top of the gongs. That gives about a 2" downward slope to the gong. I feel that a downward angle of the steel is more important than bullet selection. All bullets unless they are steel core or armor piercing will fragment when they hit the steel. The fragments splatter out to all sides of the steel, but the downward angle directs much of the splatter fragments down to the ground.

I also prefer pistol steel to angle to the ground. I have not seen a noticeable difference between pistol bullets -- lead, FMJ, jacketed HP, or plated lead. They all splatter to all sides, and often the base of the bullet flattens out like a nickel and will be on the ground below the steel plate.

Frag is caused by the angle of the target, but also by the condition of the steel. Anything with pitting should be scrapped immediately.

This^^^^^ AR500 works well and so does frangible ammo if you are closer than 25 yards.



mike r

Dang those are some heavy plates; about 75-80 lb each if your dimensions are correct. Are you sure those are mild steel, for rifle shooters? Even at 200-300 yards, a lot of rifle rounds will put a pretty deep crater in mild steel, which sends fragments back towards the shooter. The angle of the plate doesn't matter or help much when the steel is cratered badly.

Here's some slo-mo video on bullets striking steel.

I have some steel targets that hang on an angle simply by the way they are designed. Very reactive and ring like a bell. Check it out.
Good design by Hang Fast Targets