Shooting .22lr at steel

[NoMoreOp4]

I see a lot of people shooting steel with various calibers (in videos like on youtube) and a lot of people are shooting at questionably close distances. I'm just getting into steel targets but have been a shooter for many years. I wouldn't feel comfortable standing as close as I have seen some (<15 yards) unless I was shooting frangible ammo. A lot of people are shooting fmjs.

In the case of .22lr, lets say, using CCI ammo, how close would you be comfortable with shooting at steel?

[Lycanthrope]

10 yards....because I stand beside shooters throwing .38 Super at steel at that range all day long with no ill effects if the target is clean and setup right.


Lycananglesmatterthrope

[shortthrow50]

I shoot .22 in my basement sometimes. All you need is a little angle of deflection. The bullet completely flattens out or disentegrates. Use common sense. Steel spinning targets are safe as well becuase at the moment of impact, the steel spins giving way to deflection. If shooting at steel no matter what video you see, always put it at an angle and you want have to worry about it coming back at you. We have all seen the youtube video where a guy is shooting a .50 bmg round that is AP (tungsten core) at a very thick peice of hardened steel at long distance and the round failed to penetrate and came back to hit him in his ear muffs. ALWAYS PUT STEEL AT AN ANGLE FOR DEFLECTION!!! This isnt rocket science. I do however line up steel when i know i have a mild peice of steel and i have a round that will penetrate it based on circumstance.

[rwb1500]

I wouldn't want to be much closer than 10 yards, even with a 22. I was shooting steel with a buddy last week and we were shooting at about 20 yards. I got nailed with a little lead splatter even that far out. Wasn't enough to hurt, just enough to remind me that eye protection is especially important when shooting steel.

You want to shoot steel plates straight on, so the bullet impacts at a 90 degree angle. This way the splatter moves down and to the sides of the target. You also have to be careful with targets. Make sure you're not shooting plates that are cratered from impacts with large caliber rounds. That can make for some very unpleasant times.

Wear eye protection.

And no shotgun slugs.

And have fun. I love shooting steel, it really breaks the monotony of punching paper.

[imashooter2]

USPSA rules demand a minimum of 23 feet. Most courses I see have 30 feet or better.

Frankly, target shooting closer than 10 yards doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

[bac0nfat]

I've been hit with a .22LR ricochet from inside 15 feet on more than one occasion. I've been hit in the face and on the hand. It stings a little bit but wont do any damage if you have proper eye protection. Thats from a direct hit to steel, and shooting HV ammo out of an 18" barrel.

[aubie515]

For me, it depends on type of ammo for distance....I'd feel alright with shooting an all lead bullet at a distance of 10 yards....now if it has any sort of copper jacket...I'd want to shoot at least 15 yards or more.

I typically do not use my steel targets for pistol...seeing how I am more of a rifle shooter to begin with.

[PennsyPlinker]

If shooting at steel no matter what video you see, always put it at an angle and you want have to worry about it coming back at you.

This is not completely true. I shoot .22s in my barnyard into a bullet trap made of 1/4" steel. It is angled, contained, sitting on concrete, etc. The front is always covered by a 1/2" piece of plywood for a backer. As shortthrow50 mentions, the steel will deform or disintegrate the bullet, but fragments still come back at us on occasion. They are not moving fast enough to hurt anyone, unless hit in the eye, which is way we always wear eye protection. Ear protection is optional though, since we mostly shoot with a can.

As for distance, we stay at least 8-10 yards away. I have introduced a number of new shooters to the joys of .22 LR at this little range. We keep them just as far back, and start them shooting from a bench rest. I am working on a few ideas to either fill or line the trap with something that will absorb more of the energy of the bullet so even the incidence of fragments is diminished (on a couple of levels ).

[shortthrow50]

This is not completely true. I shoot .22s in my barnyard into a bullet trap made of 1/4" steel. It is angled, contained, sitting on concrete, etc. The front is always covered by a 1/2" piece of plywood for a backer. As shortthrow50 mentions, the steel will deform or disintegrate the bullet, but fragments still come back at us on occasion. They are not moving fast enough to hurt anyone, unless hit in the eye, which is way we always wear eye protection. Ear protection is optional though, since we mostly shoot with a can.

As for distance, we stay at least 8-10 yards away. I have introduced a number of new shooters to the joys of .22 LR at this little range. We keep them just as far back, and start them shooting from a bench rest. I am working on a few ideas to either fill or line the trap with something that will absorb more of the energy of the bullet so even the incidence of fragments is diminished (on a couple of levels ).

thats a pretty nice setup

[PennsyPlinker]

thats a pretty nice setup

Thank you. We like it. It has seen some pretty heavy use, and even with full auto on one day where a bunch of folks here gathered there. Click on the picture below for video. This is my son-in-law shooting an M-16 with a .22 LR upper which belongs to another member here.