AR500 Steel Targets and Russian Bi-Metal .223?

**StingyGunner** · July 10th, 2012, 06:14 PM

Ok, I'm not looking for monologues on how dangerous steel targets are, or how bad Russian .223 is for my AR-15. All I am wondering is if anyone has any SPECIFIC answers on whether Russian BI-METAL 55 grain FMJ is any worse for AR500 steel targets than normal FMJ at 100+ yards. The reason I'm asking is because BI-Metal .223 includes a thin steel jacket--soft steel, but it's still steel.

So....any voices of experience here? Again,this is 3/8 inch AR500 steel at 100+ yards. MFS 55 grain FMJ .223 out of a 16" 1x7 bbl.

**JesterPgh** · July 10th, 2012, 07:15 PM

Russian .223 bi-metal jackets didn't seem to have any effect @ 50 yards out of mine. I don't have pics, but they left the same "mark" as Federal 55 grain FMJ when I tried it.

**StingyGunner** · July 10th, 2012, 07:32 PM

Oh wow! Thanks. How do your targets handle everything at 50 yds with 5.56 and .223 overall? Does the flat plane keep its integrity or are there pits?

**JesterPgh** · July 11th, 2012, 12:22 AM

AR500 steel just bounces/disintegrates 55 grain .223, whether it's bi-metal or just copper jacketed. 62 grain steel penetrator will crater it, so I wouldn't recommend that. I should say, I don't recommend firing at steel that hard from that close, just to be safe.

**StingyGunner** · July 11th, 2012, 12:26 AM

Agreed. I'm not shooting rifles within 100 yds. But I have heard, as its velocity is above most common rifle rounds, that .223/5.56 is harder on the AR500 than other stuff, and that it'd damage it right away.

**JesterPgh** · July 11th, 2012, 12:34 AM

This isn't me; but here's a guy shooting AR500 @ 100 yards with M855.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD_Q0no1Vmc

**StingyGunner** · July 11th, 2012, 01:38 PM

Yeah that's a good vid... I guess I'm just gonna test 1 round of xm193 on it at 100 yds... I'm not shooting green tip at it ever.

**StingyGunner** · July 13th, 2012, 02:59 PM

The results are in. Today, at the Liberty Township Sportsman's club Range, I fired on my 10"x3/8" AR500 steel target from Arntzen Targets. I fired a lot of .40 from a G23 at ~10-13 yds. and the hits produced only "hit marks" or whatever you like to call them--no damage. Next, toward the end, I decided I'd answer my above questions, but I wanted to start out with the slower 7.62x39 Brown Bear FMJ. I fired a round at what I believe is 100 yards at that range (the second target stand, before the hill starts if anyone knows the exact range) out of a 16" Saiga. Here though, I did not expect to see any damage due to all the reviews I had heard about "keeping fps under 3000" etc. Here is what i found...

Shown there are two shots... Compared to the .40 hits, they represent "plane disruption" for me.. After all, I have been taught thus far to keep it flat. What do y'all think.

**JesterPgh** · July 13th, 2012, 06:15 PM

I don't see anything, but, the long and short is, 7.62x39 takes more energy to 100 yards than PMC Bronze 55 grain .223. I hear a lot of folks compare the 7.62x39 to .30-30, and they might be right, they might be wrong. Taking info from PMC Bronze 55 grain, which is probably loaded more consistently than Russian .223, and also taking info from the 7.62x39 FAQ on another site, the .223 isn't as powerful as the x39 at 100 yards.
"123gr FMJ (Monarch)........16": 2344fps
125gr SP (Remington)......16": 2224fps
154gr SP (Wolf)...............16": 2031fps
100yds.......2042fps........1139 fpe"* <--energy @ 100 yd.
Vs: PMC Bronze
Velocity at 100 yards: 2833 fps.
Muzzle energy: 1250 ft/lbs.
Energy at 100 yards: 980 ft/lbs.

*this info obtained @ the 7.62x39 FAQ of another site.