Guage and thickness of steel for ELR

[4066.5]

I'm starting to push out into work territory and considering putting together some rimfire elr events here . As the target size goes up, so does the price for AR400 or 3/16 mild steel.

Does anybody have experience with sheet metal or cheap/ thin steel for 500-1000. Sizes will be 2'x2' and 4' x 4'

Ideally I'm looking for the minimum thickness to effectively stop the SV ammo allowing me to shoot it multiple times and hear the "ding" better. Almost surely I'll need a hit indicator for past the 6-700 range.

 

[4066.5]

Here's the velocity and energy if anybody finds that helpful

 

[shaun1826]

We use some 1/8 inch diamond plate aluminum at 130 yards and out. Doesn’t even dent it and very light.

 

[Near miss]

I shot 4 or 5mm mild steel at 100m and it was bent all over. It was quite fun shooting it into shapes.

22LR is a very powerful cartridge. As you can see above, it only loses 3ftlb of power between 900 and 1000.

 

[Gleedus]

I use 1/4" mild steel from 20 yd to 150-170 yd then use 1/8" mild from there out except if running a indicator then you will want 3/16 to 1/4 plate. At our 22lr matches we typically run indicators past 200-230 yds
On sound a 3/16-1/4" plate is easier to hear then a 1/8" generally as the 1/8" has a duller sound. I tried 10 ga at 350 and 400 i could only hear it in no wind conditions it also tended to move tomuch in the wind for a even semi experienced spotter.

 

[JKW70]

My experience has be in line with what CRPS said. Find you a local metal shop or metal recycling center and buy drop or scrap for pennies on the dollar.

 

[atvman400]

My experience has be in line with what CRPS said. Find you a local metal shop or metal recycling center and buy drop or scrap for pennies on the dollar.

What he said. I work at a company that does a lot of laser work so we always have round cutouts that are scrap. Paying scrap price is magnitudes cheaper than buying new steel and paying someone to cut it.

 

[RL6766]

I've been using 5/16" aluminum plates for my targets 250y and beyond. 10"x10" plates are very loud, easily heard at 400y.

I've got a full size IPSC in the same material, and it can be heard at 550y, though that was just my son and I practicing by ourselves in a quiet environment.