Blog Archives

Shooting Steel Targets

5/20/2019

Steel Targets – Lots of Fun – if Safely Used

Since we try to focus on “tactical” shooting we try to spend a minimum amount of time standing behind a bench and shooting paper targets. Instead, we try to focus on moving and shooting activities that include reloading, malfunction clearing, switching between different firearms, using barricades and thinking - in addition to the actual shooting. One of the things that we do quite a bit of, to increase the tactical nature of our range time, is to shoot steel targets in addition to shooting paper targets.

Why? Well, in addition to the challenge and the fun of having more varied activities - there are lots of great reasons to shoot steel:

You hear a “ping” when you hit the target – so in real time you know if you are on target without having a spotter or slowing down to take a look
You see the target swing when you hit it – so in real time you know if you are on target
The immediate feedback on whether you hit the target or not allows you to notice and fix bad habits while you are shooting
Your focus is more tactically germane since you shoot at a specific sized target instead of a “bullseye” on a larger target
You don’t have to repeatedly stop shooting to replace paper targets – so you actually get more “shooting time” at the range instead of “setup time”
You can shoot steel in any real world weather conditions – to include rain and wind

So why don’t more people shoot steel? Our experience is that paper targets rule over steel targets at most ranges because of four factors:

Paper targets are individually cheaper – even if steel targets are probably less expensive in the long run because they will last for thousands of hits
Steel targets are heavy and take more time to setup correctly than paper targets
Steel targets are bulkier, heavier and consequently harder to store when not in use
Some shooting ranges do not allow steel targets because they have to be properly setup – and this takes a little training

So what do you need to know about steel target setup and safety

You should only use steel targets made from either AR500 and AR550 that is between ¼” and 3/8” thick to ensure that the bullets fragment and are dispersed when they hit the target
Setup your steel targets so that you are shooting them from straight on to avoid ricochets; never exceed a 20-degree angle of engagement.
Make sure that there is a berm or backstop behind your steel targets
Angle the target face slightly down if possible to minimize splash back
For pistols (with <1,500 fps lead ammo) keep at least 10 yards away from the target
For shotguns (with birdshot or buckshot) keep at least 10 yards away from the target
For rifles (with <3,000 fps lead ammo) keep at least 75 to 100 yards away from the target to ensure that you don’t damage the steel target; keep at least 25 yards away from the target for personal safety
Use white spray paint to paint over target hits after the steel target has been used for a while
Don’t shoot armor-piercing, steel core/steel jacket, solid copper bullets, or other hardened bullets at steel targets
Spot-check your steel targets when trying out new calibers or distances. If the bullet leaves a nick in the steel, increase your distance from the target
And of course, always wear eye protection and hearing protection

Here are some great websites with even more information in case you are interested in learning more about shooting steel targets:

  https://www.usacarry.com/shooting-steel-targets/
  https://www.range365.com/shooting-steel-targets-everything-you-need-to-know/
  https://www.alloutdoor.com/2014/03/29/understanding-safety-steel-targets/
https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/steel-targets/
https://shop.actiontarget.com/content/steel-target-safety-rules.asp
  https://www.shootsteel.com/pages/faq

………and here’s a good 23 minute video from the Military Arms Channel:

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American Heritage Museum Grand Opening

5/10/2019

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You Really Must Visit the New American Heritage Museum – Especially if You Like Armor

Last week we went to the Grand Opening of the new American Heritage Museum (AHM) in Stow, Massachusetts. The latest addition to the Collings Foundation, the American Heritage Museum is housed in a brand new 70,000+ square foot facility that features an immersive WWI Trench Experience and some of the rarest historical military artifacts and vehicles in the world - from WWI, WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, the Cold War and the Gulf War.

The artifacts on display include an American WWI tank, Kommandogera¨t 40 (WWII German rangefinder and mechanical analog computer for directing anti-aircraft guns) a Higgins Boat that survived D-day, an LVT-(A)4 that survived the Pacific battles, a Panther tank, a German Sd.Kfz.222 reconnaissance vehicle, an IS-2 tank, an Me 109 fighter, a Scud B missile and launcher, an original section of the Berlin wall and many other unique pieces. You can see the complete listing of all the artifacts here:

https://www.collingsfoundation.org/american-heritage-museum/american-heritage-museum-artifact-list/

The museum is wonderful and the artifacts are stunning; even more so since most of them have been fully restored and are actually operational. So, if you are in the area, or looking to see some world class military vehicles and other artifacts, you should really make a trip to the American Heritage Museum. You can find more information about its location and hours here:

https://www.collingsfoundation.org/american-heritage-museum/

Here are some photos that we took the first day that the American Heritage Museum was open (click on any photo to start the slideshow).