Safe steel distances
Steel is the most fun target there is and the least forgiving of shortcuts. None of this is complicated, but all of it matters.
| PISTOL | 10 yd minimum |
|---|---|
| RIMFIRE | 25 yd minimum |
| CENTERFIRE RIFLE | 100 yd minimum |
| AMMO RESTRICTION | No armor-piercing / steel-core |
Four rules
- Hang it so it swings freely. A rigid mount takes the full impact and throws fragments straight back at you. Movement is what converts energy into sound.
- Angle the face slightly downrange. Spall goes into the dirt instead of back toward the firing line.
- No steel-core or armor-piercing rounds. Any other caliber is fine at the correct distance. AP ammo craters the plate, and a cratered plate is an unpredictable one.
- Eye protection on everyone, every time. Not just the shooter. Spotters and anyone downrange-adjacent.
Retire any plate with a crater deeper than about 1/8", a cracked edge, or a through-hole. Deformed steel throws fragments in directions nobody can predict. Replacement gongs are sold on their own.
Common questions
Why does hardened steel spall less than mild steel?
Mild steel dents. Once there is a crater, incoming rounds hit an angled surface and can bounce back along unpredictable paths. Hardened AR500 stays flat, so bullets break up on impact and the fragments shed sideways and down.
Can I shoot it closer than the minimums with reduced loads?
Velocity is what matters more than distance, so in principle yes, but we publish distances rather than velocities because distance is the thing you can actually verify on a range. Stick to the minimums.
Is the powder coat part of the safety?
No, it is visibility and rust protection. It will get shot off in the impact zone and that is normal. Repaint with the magnetic stencil when you want the rings back.