shooting steel only

[canted]

Hey all, new guy here, I was wondering I have a sps tactical .308, burris tac. rings, egw 20 moa, nikon buckmasters 6x18 and a harris bipod, is it stupid of me just to shoot mostly steel to 100 through 450 yards and occasionally paper? I feel that making 1 moa or 1/2 moa is no interest in me right now, but i may change that in the far future. Do any of you guys do the same or am I just wasting my money on a decent rig?? Thanks all for putting your time on here, I've learned a lot within a year.

 

[sobrbiker883]

Re: shooting steel only

Steel and paint can learn you as much as paper and bench, if not more.

 

[viper42]

Re: shooting steel only

AR-500 and a can of white paint.

 

[canted]

Re: shooting steel only

Yeah i would love to have my own strings of steel and paint them especially AR 500 grade, but I'm stuck at the local range. It's good to know im not heading the wrong direction, thanks sobrbiker883...

 

[vman]

Re: shooting steel only

Canted, smashing paper at long range learns you alot too... fair enough its not hard to hit the target, but to print a good group on a far away target gives a good feeling.

But yes, smashing steel is rewarding also

 

[exhogflyer]

Re: shooting steel only

I vote for the steel....nothing puts a smile on your face like hearing that "tink" echo back from long range.Plus when it's waaaay out there you don't have to wonder if you've hit it or need a $1500 spotting scope.

 

[999yards]

Re: shooting steel only

Depends on what you want to learn first. Banging steel should teach you how to use your rifle/scope especialy at UKD. Shooting paper should teach you how to use your reloading bench. I like both, hate to say I'm better at the bench for now.

 

[Moose]

Re: shooting steel only

Nothing sounds better then banging steel,I only use paper to sight in the rifle.Blowing up full water jugs is also alot of fun.

 

[Big Dog Steel]

Re: shooting steel only

While there are times shooting paper are useful, I spend 95% of my shooting time ringing steel.

Also, if you need a few AR500 plates, I know a guy...

 

[JCH]

Re: shooting steel only

since 450 is your max, get a piece of 4.5" steel. If you can constantly hit that, your doing good.

 

[GRIM]

Re: shooting steel only

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JCH</div><div class="ubbcode-body">since 450 is your max, get a piece of 4.5" steel. If you can constantly hit that, your doing good. </div></div>

Now you're talking. +1

 

[Prairie Dog Dundee]

Re: shooting steel only

Carefull it is addictive

[imgimg]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[Kells81]

Re: shooting steel only

It does seem like more fun to shoot steel or even small objects over shooting paper anymore. I had been only using paper at the beginning and end of range trips to Verify and reverify zero before and after shooting. Clay targets offer a nice reward and so do Golf Balls. You get hooked then next thing you know your lookin for a better and better rifle and optics. Next thing you know the rig or two you have in the back seat actually cost more than the wagon you drove them to the range in. wallet is empty and wife keeps wondering where the hell you disapear to on sats or after work most days a week....

 

[tt350z]

Re: shooting steel only

I like shooting steel much better.

Easy to tell if you made a hit by the ting.

You can also watch the splash and have a pretty good idea of where the hit was located.

 

[canted]

Re: shooting steel only

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: osuarchitect</div><div class="ubbcode-body">While there are times shooting paper are useful, I spend 95% of my shooting time ringing steel.

Also, if you need a few AR500 plates, I know a guy...

</div></div>

Yeah i heard LV steel is pretty nice and good price too, if you know of better shout it out...thanks

 

[MTETM]

Re: shooting steel only

Canted...you might want to read OSU's tag line...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: canted</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: osuarchitect</div><div class="ubbcode-body">While there are times shooting paper are useful, I spend 95% of my shooting time ringing steel.

Also, if you need a few AR500 plates, I know a guy...

</div></div>

Yeah i heard LV steel is pretty nice and good price too, if you know of better shout it out...thanks </div></div>

 

[canted]

Re: shooting steel only

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JCH</div><div class="ubbcode-body">since 450 is your max, get a piece of 4.5" steel. If you can constantly hit that, your doing good. </div></div>

The steel at the range is a human torso silhouette and about 25" tall, 4.5" seems pretty challenging but hearing that feedback would be well worth it. haha. Would you say shooting that size would equate to shooting around 900 yards or more putting it at the 400 yard??

 

[Adician]

Re: shooting steel only

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: canted</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JCH</div><div class="ubbcode-body">since 450 is your max, get a piece of 4.5" steel. If you can constantly hit that, your doing good. </div></div>

The steel at the range is a human torso silhouette and about 25" tall, 4.5" seems pretty challenging but hearing that feedback would be well worth it. haha. Would you say shooting that size would equate to shooting around 900 yards or more putting it at the 400 yard?? </div></div>

That would equate it to about 1 moa at that distance.

 

[Remsen]

Re: shooting steel only

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: osuarchitect</div><div class="ubbcode-body">While there are times shooting paper are useful, I spend 95% of my shooting time ringing steel.

Also, if you need a few AR500 plates, I know a guy...

</div></div>

Amen to that, I have a set of his AR500 plates and they are top notch. I actually like to shoot steel with my hunting rifles and shoot paper with my target rifles. A smaller steel target is a damn good substitute for the vital region of a deer. I went deer hunting last week and when I was scouting the day before the hunt I set up some steel out at distances I expected to shoot at (300-500+ yards) to double check my rifle and scope setup. Here's an image of the target at distance (in the brush above that sloping fire road, invisible without magnification but I like the picture).

 

[JCH]

Re: shooting steel only

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: canted</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JCH</div><div class="ubbcode-body">since 450 is your max, get a piece of 4.5" steel. If you can constantly hit that, your doing good. </div></div>

The steel at the range is a human torso silhouette and about 25" tall, 4.5" seems pretty challenging but hearing that feedback would be well worth it. haha. Would you say shooting that size would equate to shooting around 900 yards or more putting it at the 400 yard??</div></div>

The reason I say it is this: Shooting big targets at 450 is easy. Lot's of people can do it. I've seen it done with open sites on an M4. But you're not really getting any better if all you want to do is hit the torso.

Try hitting only the head on the torso. Then once you can do that consistently, switch to a smaller target. Then when you get to a range where you can stretch your legs and you look at a 1 MOA target at 1000 yards, you are used to seeing that size target.

 

[canted]

Re: shooting steel only

Wow, this all comes back to having an accurate rifle cause I can't see a poorly set rig hitting a target (4.5") at around a 1000 yards or so. Thanks for everyones input cause man it feels great going to the range and ringing those steels left to right and not feel humbled when I go home hitting up SH and seeing peoples range reports...I'll take your challenge JCH
about getting shots to the head only! Haha

 

[canted]

Re: shooting steel only

Wow, this all comes back to having an accurate rifle cause I can't see a poorly set rig hitting a target (4.5") at around a 1000 yards or so. Thanks for everyones input cause man it feels great going to the range and ringing those steels left to right and not feel humbled when I go home hitting up SH and seeing peoples range reports...I'll take your challenge JCH
about getting shots to the head only! Haha

 

[sobrbiker883]

Re: shooting steel only

 

[JCH]

Re: shooting steel only

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: canted</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Wow, this all comes back to having an accurate rifle cause I can't see a poorly set rig hitting a target (4.5") at around a 1000 yards or so. Thanks for everyones input cause man it feels great going to the range and ringing those steels left to right and not feel humbled when I go home hitting up SH and seeing peoples range reports...I'll take your challenge JCH
about getting shots to the head only! Haha </div></div>

Canted, hitting a 4" target at 400 is theoretically like hitting a 10" target at 1000, more drop, more wind hold, etc...

 

[bamawrx]

Re: shooting steel only

I'm always looking for a cheap way to do things, and with respect to finding good steal targets I offer the following: Your local heavy equipment dealers will sell used cutting edges by the pound. These come in many shapes and sizes, but are some of the hardest steal you will be able to find. I have tested the cutting edges off of a large loader bucket with AP rounds at close ranges (with significant safety precautions) and only the paint was removed from the surface. Very very tough stuff and super cheap.

I now have a variety of targets some swingers some falling and they are absolutely great fun and challenging. I don't think it is possible to wear one out with standard center fire rifles at safe distances. No need to dump hundreds on ar500 targets.

Good luck and regards

 

[Remsen]

Re: shooting steel only

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sobrbiker883</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

</div></div>

Damn, you have amazing eyes, that is indeed where the steel was set up. Was that a guess or can your really see it?

 

[jlaw973]

Re: shooting steel only

Don't have a rig of my own yet, but a co-worker has a range with multiple steel targets from 100 to 800 yards. Some are mild steel, some AR500, different types and shapes. The first time shooting his .338 Lapua at 800 and putting the first 2 rounds center chest, the wait to see the hits and then the sound of the steel, well needless to say it was cool as hell!!! Got me hooked. Now all I need to do is buy my own rig and learn to do it more.

 

[GRIM]

Re: shooting steel only

;-)

 

[ida83704]

Re: shooting steel only

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Prairie Dog Dundee</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Carefull it is addictive

[imgimg]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us </div></div>

How close do you shoot at your set up?
What Muzzle Velocity and bullet combo do you have?
How heavy is the target?

The reason is I was thinking of using a similar set up for my .300WM with 208 AMAX's at 1400+ yards
but I thought I'd tip it all over.
(208's @2900 seem to hit really hard for some reason)

 

[Big Dog Steel]

Re: shooting steel only

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Remsen</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: osuarchitect</div><div class="ubbcode-body">While there are times shooting paper are useful, I spend 95% of my shooting time ringing steel.

Also, if you need a few AR500 plates, I know a guy...

</div></div>

Amen to that, I have a set of his AR500 plates and they are top notch. I actually like to shoot steel with my hunting rifles and shoot paper with my target rifles. A smaller steel target is a damn good substitute for the vital region of a deer. I went deer hunting last week and when I was scouting the day before the hunt I set up some steel out at distances I expected to shoot at (300-500+ yards) to double check my rifle and scope setup. Here's an image of the target at distance (in the brush above that sloping fire road, invisible without magnification but I like the picture).

</div></div>

That is a beautiful pic...I need to start hunting in your AO.

 

[Prairie Dog Dundee]

Re: shooting steel only

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ida83704</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Prairie Dog Dundee</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Carefull it is addictive

[imgimg]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us </div></div>

How close do you shoot at your set up?
What Muzzle Velocity and bullet combo do you have?
How heavy is the target?

The reason is I was thinking of using a similar set up for my .300WM with 208 AMAX's at 1400+ yards
but I thought I'd tip it all over.
(208's @2900 seem to hit really hard for some reason)

</div></div>
That target weights about 38 lbs. It is 3/8" AT500 steel and is a 3/4 size IPSC target. I don't think you will knock it over. The swinging steel absorbs some of the impact. You should get the 1/2" targets to take the punishment of heavy bullets. I have knocked over some of the targets that fit on a ridged post type stand. That target was shot at 600 yards with American Eagle 168 OTM M1a loads.

The target below is the post type. I also own the spring loaded type that go down and spring back up. I perfer that swinging type shown above because you can stack them with out having odd angled pieces of steel sticking up. The set up on the wooden stands is fast and the swinging targets seem to ring loader when hit.

This rifle is a Colt lower with a M16A4 upper and a ACOG TA50-4 3X compact using 77 grain loads at 600 yards.
[imgimg]