Target

[bigun]

Need help. (Not a head doctor this time or maybe I do.) Now remember I'm old so.... I was taught as a young fellar that you didn't shoot at hard surfaces. ie rocks, steel, and water as all could send part of the shot back at you. I always shot paper. tin cans, etc. How do I get over my fear of shooting steel. Dueling trees look like a lot of fun. But I still worry about bullets going the wrong way on a one way range. I would only be using hand guns for this. Advise please.

[GlockSpock]

I personally have shrapnel in my arm from what I believe originated from shooting a steel target (I am the original poster in that thread). My opinion is that one can do an unsafe thing 10,000 or even 100,000 times, all it takes is a single instance for it to harm you. It is up to the individual to determine whether the risk factor is worth it. That ordeal with the shrapnel taught me the importance of always wearing quality shooting glasses and now make sure to take my WileyX glasses with me on every range trip.

A lot of people shoot steel and generally speaking, most of them are ok. I suppose the key word is "most".

Anecdotally, a coworker has story about someone he used to know that apparently died from a freak ricochet.

My ending opinion on the matter is that anytime you are sending hunks of metal hundreds or even thousands of feet per second downrange, the likelihood of catastrophe is there. However, that does not prevent me from enjoying myself at the range, but I do have personal issue with shooting steel targets.

Not what you wanted, I know.

[bigun]

Thanks for the input CZ. I have been thinking this over for a long time, and even though it looks like fun I just can't get over it. I am lucky in that I have a good place in my back yard to shoot. So maybe I'll just keep punching paper. 

[Omega]

It's all about the speed of the bullet, and the angle of the target.  The minimum safe distance for rifle is 100 yards, but like in this video, you are shooting a faster and heavier than normal bullet, you may want to back that up some more.

I always hang my targets so upon impact the bullet will be deflected down into the ground.  I have shot at those IPSC silhouette targets and have been hit by splatter, but none that deep, and I was much too close anyway.  For handgun (the real handguns not the ones the NFA calls handguns) I keep it no closer than 35 Yards, and have yet to feel/hear anything come back.

[Pain103]

 I know our trees and other steel move once its impacted so should change the angle of the projectile. I’ve never been hit from shooting steel but took a few shotgun pellets off a tree when younger. 

[RED333]

The angle of the dangle will keep you safe.

Make sure the angle of the plate is in such a way that the boolit will bounce down to the ground. Make sure it is AR 500 or better plate, soft steel will crater and cause stuff to fly back at you. 

I shoot at old propane tanks and some times the boolit comes off back at me, slow enough I can see the path. I shoot these at better than 30 feet away and am the only one on the line at the time and I shoot lite loads. The hot loads zip right through.

[bigun]

Thanks for the input guys. I'll stick to paper for now.