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Old February 20, 2011, 10:29 PM   #1
steve-o 1911
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strength of steel poppers for rifle?

how strong does steel poppers have to be to shoot rifle at it ex. I'm shooting 223
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Old February 20, 2011, 10:41 PM   #2
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AR-500
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Old February 20, 2011, 11:03 PM   #3
steve-o 1911
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thanks
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Old February 21, 2011, 01:25 AM   #4
Bernieb90
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3/8" thick AR500 works fine. M855 will leave little pockmarks in it. If you want to shoot it with any big magnums then I would go up to 1/2", but the target gets heavy.
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Old February 21, 2011, 03:38 PM   #5
steve-o 1911
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Thanks guys. If I want to make poppers for just pistols what kind of metal can I use that isn't as expensive as AR500
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Old February 22, 2011, 12:46 AM   #6
espnazi
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You could use mild steel for pistol, but i would still use AR500.
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Old February 22, 2011, 01:57 AM   #7
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Mild steel may work, but it will pock mark, and deform over time leading to potentially dangerous ricochets. A properly made popper will last a lifetime for an average individual.

If you are on a budget check out E-Bay. There are a number of folks selling round gongs for very reasonable prices. You can get a 10" diameter 3/8" thick AR500 plate for a bit over $50 with shipping.

Last edited by Bernieb90; February 22, 2011 at 02:04 AM.
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Old February 22, 2011, 01:58 AM   #8
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Thicker mild steel would work for pistols, but i would just go with a thinner AR500 steel.
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Old February 22, 2011, 04:12 AM   #9
chris in va
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Believe it or not, I get a lot of enjoyment using a 1' section of steel I-beam scavenged from the local steel supplier. Rifle goes right through it, but holds up very well to standard pistol rounds. I hit it with some hi-viz paint to see it better at 50 yards.
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Old February 22, 2011, 10:53 AM   #10
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1/2" mild steel at 25 yards for handgun is OK . Mine is set at 45* so the bullets hit and richochet down , though they usually shatter first. It's good for 44 mag.
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Old February 22, 2011, 01:49 PM   #11
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The problem with mild steel of any thickness is that it will get dented and when you just have to see what a high velocity bullet does, it will get cratered. Any irregularity will throw pieces of bullet back at the shooter. The IPSC minimum distance to a steel target is 11 meters and even that is not enough if the plate is rough.
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