Cosmodragoon
New member
Because they go "ping".
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Backhoe or Bucket Teeth as a Reactive Target
- Thread starter Spur0701
- Start date
Because they go "ping".
Lots of wear surfaces on digging equipment is AR steel.
You just need flat steel, that stays flat shooting it.
Lots of people sell AR500 targets in lots of different shapes. No need to reinvent the wheel, so to speak.
Steel is fun. It’s a reactive target that doesn’t need to be taped up or replaced.
Hang or from a chain, pendulum, rack, Texas star.
I really enjoy it, that’s why I use it.
can’t get paper to do this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02FNsp4-6NQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIOcNNcLxnU
You just need flat steel, that stays flat shooting it.
Lots of people sell AR500 targets in lots of different shapes. No need to reinvent the wheel, so to speak.
Steel is fun. It’s a reactive target that doesn’t need to be taped up or replaced.
Hang or from a chain, pendulum, rack, Texas star.
I really enjoy it, that’s why I use it.
can’t get paper to do this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02FNsp4-6NQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIOcNNcLxnU
Last edited:
spacemanspiff
New member
Maybe a good idea, but I would do it only if the target can be set up so that the only ricochets will angle down into the ground.
I would think an old propane tank would do the job just as well though.
Rounds will penetrate the propane tank though.
I would think an old propane tank would do the job just as well though.
Rounds will penetrate the propane tank though.
The good news spaceman, is that physics helps most careful shooters out with safety with steel targets.
At the short range of 100 yards, the bullet likely has a very small downward trajectory angle. The reflection off the steel target should be ~~ double that angle down.
As many of the steel targets are hung by the backside, this alone also provides a slight tilt of a few degrees. So unless the bullet is angling up and the plate is perfectly vertical or even slightly tilted up, the bullet should, if fully reflected back towards the shooter, hit the ground first.
And if you watch vertically hung steel targets at say 300 yards, you'll see the bullets still hit the ground closer to the front of the target than to the shooter.
At the short range of 100 yards, the bullet likely has a very small downward trajectory angle. The reflection off the steel target should be ~~ double that angle down.
As many of the steel targets are hung by the backside, this alone also provides a slight tilt of a few degrees. So unless the bullet is angling up and the plate is perfectly vertical or even slightly tilted up, the bullet should, if fully reflected back towards the shooter, hit the ground first.
And if you watch vertically hung steel targets at say 300 yards, you'll see the bullets still hit the ground closer to the front of the target than to the shooter.
Cosmodragoon
New member
You want appropriate steel that's not too beat up and as others have said, you want it angled to project ricochets and shrapnel downward into the ground. Shoot from far enough back to minimize risk. Just remember that you are smashing things into each other at high speeds so there is always some risk. I've had tiny but surprising bits of stuff bounce off my safety glasses even with other precautions followed. So for Pete's sake, always wear safety glasses!
Ricochets, sparks and wildfires comes to mind.
If a bullet doesn't attract a magnet (jacketed lead for example), there should be no concern of sparks or wildfires.
If a quality target is properly mounted and the shooter is the correct distance away, there is should be no concern of ricochets. Common sense has to be used with steel targets.
Bill DeShivs
New member
Incorrect. If the target is hit hard enough, the steel itself will spark.
Try abrading a piece on a bench grinder.
Try abrading a piece on a bench grinder.
LineStretcher
New member
I believe this is correct except that you must actually remove a piece of the steel to create the spark. High carbon steel is less likely to have a piece removed but if you accomplish that it will be more likely to create a spark. The grinder test is a good example of that. Low carbon steel sparks very little and clogs up your grinding material fast while high carbon steel sparks a lot and wears down your grinding material fast.Incorrect. If the target is hit hard enough, the steel itself will spark.
Try abrading a piece on a bench grinder.
You guys might be interested in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfDoQwIAaXg
Watch the beginning for a minute with “soft” steel and note the “splash” of the impacts. Then move to 8:00 in or so and you can see the difference when using steel that stays flat as the bullet impacts when instead of a splash, you get a radial pattern.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfDoQwIAaXg
Watch the beginning for a minute with “soft” steel and note the “splash” of the impacts. Then move to 8:00 in or so and you can see the difference when using steel that stays flat as the bullet impacts when instead of a splash, you get a radial pattern.
RedHoundTargets
New member
First and foremost you want that flat surface others have mentioned. Next up is a downward angle (the bottom of the target farther from the shooter), and finally, the ability for the target to swing (though not as important). Rounded, or pitted surfaces lead to all kinds of wonky stuff going on at impact so its much more likely to lead to a ricochet coming back to the firing line.
The AR_ family of steel was originally made for mining and construction equipment so there's a chance those teeth actually are an AR type steel. But for the reasons mentioned above its not ideal to be shooting at them.
The AR_ family of steel was originally made for mining and construction equipment so there's a chance those teeth actually are an AR type steel. But for the reasons mentioned above its not ideal to be shooting at them.