Steel Target Danger?

The self sealing targets I have had experience with in the past were temperature sensitive in that on very cold days they would crack and hot days they didn't react very well. One vendor sold them in different temp ranges to compensate for ambient temps. Also the lack of audible feedback throws steel shooters off their game.
 
In the prehistoric days, we were taught to never shoot at rocks, metal or water. These objects cause riccochets. Wonder why that has changed?
Bill
 
Bill;
I don't think it changed. 99% of the time you shouldn't shoot at hard targets. PROPERLY CONSTRUCTED steel targets are the exception. So always wear eye protection and in my case a cup would have helped a lot.
 
For anyone interested in shooting at properly constructed steel targets in a safe manner check out the websites of two of the larger manufacturers of steel targets in the U.S. They are www.portatarget.com and www.actiontarget.com. Both companies have very informative sections on steel target shooting design, construction and safety.

I've purchased a variety of steel targets from both.

We shoot thousands and thousands of rounds on steel every year. But these are commercially designed and produced targets with custom blended steel. Even still we average at least one person getting hit each year by jacketed bullet fragments. I'm not sure why but we haven't had any problem with hardcast lead bullets. The bulk of bullet splatter with good targets stays within the first 20 degrees of the target but some of it can easily come straight back at you. Steel with pock marks deeper than 1/4" exascerbate the splatter back problem.
 
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