steel target question

landlord · February 20, 2012, 06:26 PM

do any of you have those spinning steel targets? if so do you worry about ricochets? Iam wanting to get some but want ones I can use in a narrow area with a good back stop, for 8mm and smaller.

Kevin Rohrer · February 20, 2012, 07:44 PM

If you shoot at the bottom spinner, the round will go into the dirt.

Are you shooting a rifle at extended ranges or a pistol at short range?

landlord · February 21, 2012, 11:26 AM

rifles at about 75-100. what about shotgun slugs? I just remembered those.
what would be a safe distance?

Pahoo · February 21, 2012, 12:16 PM

Quote:

If you shoot at the bottom spinner, the round will go into the dirt.

Never any guarantees, is there? With spinners or and metal target, there is always the possibilities of ricochets. These can be minimized if you pay attention to the surroundings and distance. One thing you can do, is to place any metal target, no less than two feet, in front of a berm. Also keep in mind that some of those rounds may come back at you. ....

Be Safe !!!

Yung.gunr · February 21, 2012, 06:37 PM

I would venture to say that if it well made and set up correctly they are pretty safe. You want to be sure they are completely vertical.

But yes, there is always that risk associated with the steel.

Hansam · February 24, 2012, 05:40 PM

My kids and I shoot at steel targets all the time.

I have lightweight spinners set up at 25 and 50 yards for the little ones and their .22 rifles. I then have heavier weight (1/2" thick AR500 gongs) at 100 and 200 yds for those of us shooting centerfire rifles. I also set up those same types of gongs at 25yds for handgun practice. I don't use the rifle gongs for handguns.

Never had a ricochet with rifles or .22lr yet. Maybe in the future but not so far. The key believe it or not is high velocity. At high velocity the bullet strikes the target and simply shatters. I HAVE had handgun rounds come back though... I learned the hard way although it wasn't too painful, just scary. I figured I'd save money and hang the rifle gongs (which get dented and cratered from rifle fire) and hang them at 25yds to shoot handguns at. One fateful day I shot at a gong (and by the looks of the gong) the fmj .45 bullet struck a crater that had been made by a rifle bullet and pulled a U turn. It buzzed past my head and I almost soiled myself.

With clean faces on the gongs the handgun ammo tends to ricochet into the ground or strike, expand and fall. The slower the round the more chances there will be of a ricochet.

plumbercrack · February 25, 2012, 03:18 AM

If you get the cheap spinners from Walmart you better bring something to weigh the darn thing down. My .22 knocks that thing down every time. I had some 3/4" wood slats about 1" wide and 2' long that I drilled holes in to hold the spinner and they seem to work too.

February 20, 2012, 06:26 PM	#1
landlord Member Join Date: February 4, 2012 Posts: 71	steel target question do any of you have those spinning steel targets? if so do you worry about ricochets? Iam wanting to get some but want ones I can use in a narrow area with a good back stop, for 8mm and smaller.

February 20, 2012, 07:44 PM	#2
Kevin Rohrer Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 2010 Location: Medina, Ohio Posts: 1,049	If you shoot at the bottom spinner, the round will go into the dirt. Are you shooting a rifle at extended ranges or a pistol at short range? __________________ Member: Orange Gunsite Family, NRA--Life, ARTCA, and American Legion. Caveat Emptor: Cavery Grips/AmericanGripz/Prestige Grips/Stealth Grips from Clayton, NC. He is a scammer

February 24, 2012, 05:40 PM	#6
Hansam Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2012 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 763	My kids and I shoot at steel targets all the time. I have lightweight spinners set up at 25 and 50 yards for the little ones and their .22 rifles. I then have heavier weight (1/2" thick AR500 gongs) at 100 and 200 yds for those of us shooting centerfire rifles. I also set up those same types of gongs at 25yds for handgun practice. I don't use the rifle gongs for handguns. Never had a ricochet with rifles or .22lr yet. Maybe in the future but not so far. The key believe it or not is high velocity. At high velocity the bullet strikes the target and simply shatters. I HAVE had handgun rounds come back though... I learned the hard way although it wasn't too painful, just scary. I figured I'd save money and hang the rifle gongs (which get dented and cratered from rifle fire) and hang them at 25yds to shoot handguns at. One fateful day I shot at a gong (and by the looks of the gong) the fmj .45 bullet struck a crater that had been made by a rifle bullet and pulled a U turn. It buzzed past my head and I almost soiled myself. With clean faces on the gongs the handgun ammo tends to ricochet into the ground or strike, expand and fall. The slower the round the more chances there will be of a ricochet. __________________ This is who we are, what we do. Last edited by Hansam; February 24, 2012 at 05:42 PM. Reason: Spelling corrections.

February 21, 2012, 11:26 AM	#3
landlord Member Join Date: February 4, 2012 Posts: 71	rifles at about 75-100. what about shotgun slugs? I just remembered those. what would be a safe distance?

February 21, 2012, 06:37 PM	#5
Yung.gunr Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2010 Location: Phoenix area Posts: 1,442	I would venture to say that if it well made and set up correctly they are pretty safe. You want to be sure they are completely vertical. But yes, there is always that risk associated with the steel.

February 25, 2012, 03:18 AM	#7
plumbercrack Member Join Date: October 21, 2011 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 98	If you get the cheap spinners from Walmart you better bring something to weigh the darn thing down. My .22 knocks that thing down every time. I had some 3/4" wood slats about 1" wide and 2' long that I drilled holes in to hold the spinner and they seem to work too.