Metal material to shoot at long distance?

bbowles

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Supporter
Oct 13, 2013
413
35
Mount Vernon, Missouri
I am shooting paper at moderate distance (300-700 yds) and want to start shooting some metal. What will work well for my "metal" target?

My dad farms and has lots of scrap metal laying around like steel disc blades, scrap steel, etc. Just want to use what will be safe. Thinking of hanging these 18" disc blades from a low tree branch to use. Not sure what to use without having to buy some special steel. Thanks.
 
I am shooting paper at moderate distance (300-700 yds) and want to start shooting some metal. What will work well for my "metal" target?

My dad farms and has lots of scrap metal laying around like steel disc blades, scrap steel, etc. Just want to use what will be safe. Thinking of hanging these 18" disc blades from a low tree branch to use. Not sure what to use without having to buy some special steel. Thanks.

AR500 steel definitely works best. Having said that, I originally built my range out of scraps from our farm. The disc blades actually worked really good until my brother bought a 338. I have replaced all of them now with AR 500, but I was also using an 18" blade, and that worked good to 1000. The sound from a hit is better with the AR500, but the discs work good on a budget. If he has any road grader blades or cat tracks, those things are indestructible no matter the distance or caliber, but they just make a "thud" sound.
 
I hang my steel targets with 2" nylon tow straps that I've cut down. They don't break like chains do when you (and you eventually will) shoot one. Other people have used fire hose, conveyor belt, and baler belts (not sure if that's right; I read it somewhere and I'm not a farmer).