exactlymypoint

I am thinking of buying some steel targets to practice on. I know they are substantially more expensive initially, but in the long run, they I think they can be cheaper. No targets to buy and no tape to buy to cover up the holes.

Some questions:

Does anyone use them?
Advantages vs. disadvantages
Who makes the best ones?

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Pete Zaria

I have some simple steel swinging targets for small caliber (.22LR will swing them, I've shot them with mild .38 loads before too). I love them - take it out in the woods, plant it somewhere a few dozen yards away, and have fun... No resetting, putting up new ones, taping, re-taping....
I'd love to pick up or build some that will handle .45 ACP.

Let us know which kind you decide to pick up. I don't think you'll regret it.

Peace,
Pete Zaria.

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HotGuns

I do.
One makes noise...one dont. One moves, one dont. One spits back at you, one dont.
I do.

If you shoot stee plates make dang sure you use eye protection. Eventually you will get hit with some lead splatter. Most of the time its not a big deal. Every now and then one can whack you hard enough to hurt and welt up or draw blood.

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AzQkr

I use steel all the time. Having had them 15+ years, they are still good to go. I had a buddy out from Tenn for 4 days for some play time on the guns. We shot roughly 2K of 9 and 45 pistol between us on the plates in the last two days.

Mine are the size of the -1 IDPA scoring area, stand at chest height on angle iron and stands, are angled slightly down and when turned slightly left or right, puts the rds into the dirt and away from the shooter.

I regularly shoot mine from 4-5 feet out to 30 feet and though you'll occasionally catch a piece of lead/copper and it hurts, the steel gets the shooter away from looking for "groups", and instead they understand a hit on the plate is a COM hit on a torso, and thats all I want to do with speed.

I highly recommend steel when set up properly. Many feel unsafe around steel at less than 30 feet due to reports or experiences with shrapnel drawing blood.

Is it a dangerous activity?

Not anymore so than the gun I'm using to shoot them with IMO. The biggest advantage in steel is perhaps that people stop worrying about making tiny little groups, and get instant feedback either stationary or while moving.

Hear it ring, Com shot. Increase the speed of your splits while maintaining 100% hits, you'll be better for it in the long run IMO.

Brownie

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brianbat420

I love shooting steel because I dont get bored with it. When I shoot paper it is bang bang bang not very fun. When I shoot steel it is responsive, I know I hit what I ment to hit instantly, and it is a really cool sound *Ping*

Cakewalk

If you have a .22 get into silhouette shooting. Buy a brick of Federal 550s, set up your plates and shoot all day to your heart's content. It's the most fun you can have for under $15

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Captain Crunch

You might find some of your answers in this thread:

Steel target

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swinkster

I agree. Steel seems more satisfying.

Double Naught Spy

I almost exclusively use steel for training. I find that I can eliminate bounceback and splatter impacts on me by simply canting the target off to the side slightly. The target then presents a slightly smaller silhouette and the splatter goes off to my side, not at me.

I don't know that they are the best, but MGM Targets are rifle steel (AR500 rated) and well made (the stands). Most of mine are MGM. Other companies make fine ones too, but MGM has made me a repeat customer numerous times over. Mike Gibson Manufacturing - Steel Targets for military, law enforcement and competition

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kaz

I make my own so I can't comment on price. But, I use them a lot for rifles in the 100 yard and over area, and pistols more than half the time. It's definately more fun than paper. The only time I don't care for steel is when it's beat up already and I'm trying to pay close attention to grouping. Repainting works okay then but it's still a bit of a PIA.