Minimum thickness of AR500???

[Captain Moroni]

I am looking to get a BIG hunk of AR500 steel for my new .375 CT, like 5'x5' and would like to go with the thinnest possible thickness to save weight and $$$. At 1500 yards and farther would 1/4" stop a solid bullet or should I just go with 1/2" or even 3/4?

 

[Ultraman550]

Holy Shit. I have a 1/2 inch thick IPSC and it weighs 50lbs. A 5 foot by 5 foot is going to be insane even if its 1/4 inch. Are you carrying that bitch around or driving it to your location?

 

[Captain Moroni]

Mr Tacoma likes to carry my steel for me

 

[Ultraman550]

HAHA, you should buy Mr. Tacoma a beer.

 

[Xtremegunnr]

I would go 3/8"

I have a 3x4 target but you might have trouble with a 5x5. most plate comes in 4x8 sheets. I shot solid copper bullets out of my 338 at 3000fps and it did not even scratch. Im gonna try solid brass bulets next weekend.

 

[timelinex]

Depending on the distance, you can go real skinny. I know my LR shooting buddy prefers to NOT use AR steel even. He uses some fairly thin steel mix. It's got dents in it everywhere but not one hole, and its taken a beating. The reason he doesn't use AR is that he says it doesn't ring as nice at distance.

So I think as long as your talking about 1500+ yards, with large bores like 338, you can go pretty skinny.....

 

[JC Steel]

At distance, the 3/8" Premium AR500 would be the way to go for sure, 1/4" would probably stop it just fine, But I am thinking over time, it would start to bow it out and bend it just a little.

Just for your knowledge, a 5 foot square in 3/8" AR500 is going to be 382 pounds,
and a 5 foot square in 1/2" is going to be 507 pounds. That is almost not really moveable. At least its getting to the point in the 1/2" thickness.

I would go with the 3/8 AR500. And I would actually go with something just a little smaller. A 4 foot square in 3/8" is only 240 pounds. Would be much more manageable, and that is still a HUGE target, offering the equivalent of 16 12 inch squares put together. So it has a ton of surface area.

If your in IDAHO, hit me up for a price on a big plate like this, and I could probably bring it over, Of course, if I can bring my 338!!!!

 

[JC Steel]

And a 1/4" target is going to be 189 pounds for a 48x48". If your at 1500 and out, With 375 and under, I think you would be just fine. I DO NOT have any proof of this, just my guess from shooting lots of steel at distance.

 

[Captain Moroni]

Thanks for the info jcvibby, I'll contact you when I'm ready for it. I have a place that's just over 19,000 yards(Google earth) that is flat and strait, we could really stretch it out. I would probably go 1/4" and if it gets bent I could flip it over and shoot it flat again.

 

[sjb269]

What about using 4 independent 2ft x 2ft plates hanged in a grid pattern. Top two plates have holes in the top and bottom to allow the bottom plates to link to the top. The challenge is to mate the four plates close enough to limit the gap between them so hits don't sneak through.
Gonna need one hell of a solid system to hang them from! Maybe a section of fence post??? Or EMT conduit?

 

[JC Steel]

exactly what we do, but after thousands of rounds, and many being 338, it has not even started to bow!! so we just leave it.....

Thanks for the info jcvibby, I'll contact you when I'm ready for it. I have a place that's just over 19,000 yards(Google earth) that is flat and strait, we could really stretch it out. I would probably go 1/4" and if it gets bent I could flip it over and shoot it flat again.

 

[aahunt03]

3/8 sounds good