I'm looking to buy some gongs for a range I'm wanting to build. I will be shooting my rifle's from 22lr up to 243 and pistol's 9mm, 38, & 357. Can I buy the 1/2" plates and be O.K. for everything. What is the closest distance I can safely shoot from and should I be concerned with ricochet.

1/2" you would be fine with all. But the 22lr will ricochet a lot within 50 yards or closer. 3/8 will work for everything but the 243. I have my range set up with a 3/8 at 8 and 15 then 1/2 at 80. Pistols is best st 3/8 and rifles are best at 1/2. Best option is to research ar500 steel they have charts on safe ranges and calibers.

O.K. Thanks for the info.

Been researching this lately & this is what I've read on almost all steel target websites. With AR500 3/8", from 15+ yds w/pistols (except rifle caliber pistols, .500, etc.), 100yds+ non-magnums & 200yds+ for magnums you will be fine. If you'll be shooting .50 or weird pistol calibers you'll want 1/2". They recommend no FMJ, no armor piercing, no shotgun steel shot. Buy AR500 that's been cut w/a water jet because the heat from plasma & other devices weaken the steel. If it gets dented, throw it away. Use both sides as to not cave one side in so quickly. Eye protection always recommended.

So far in the year I've been shooting the 3/8 I've had an issue with ricochet only shooting 22lr. They will definitely get dented shooting fmj at them but I can't afford to only shoot soft points or hollow points.

This is my set up, closest is 3/8 at about 8 then 3/8 at about 15 then 1/2 around 80 yards. No problems with normal pistol calibers on all three at these distances. Only shoot my rifles at the 1/2 and no problems.

3/8" AR plate will handle .243, .308, 30-06, any big rifle caliber except a .338 Lapua. The small fast rounds (3,000 FPS+) are what eats them up.

I don't see the big need for AR. I just use mild steel and if gets too shot up to shoot any more, I just replace it. Its just scrap pieces. Hasn't happened yet tho.

been thinkin about building some myself... do yall's hang evenly perpendicular? Would a slight angle forward help direct ricochet down?

Wear glasses 100% of the time, never without. Bullets will come back. AR 500 is the only way to go. Yes, angle your targets! There is a easy design that fits on a tee post. If you weld? Also build a berm--or have a butt load of land. A bullet glancing off could cost you your farm.

We shoot a lot of steel. For pistols, we've gone to AR500 1/4" and love it. Holds up very well and the ding sound is better than the 3/8". We shoot 22lr up to .45 ACP.
This is where I'm getting the steel... http://shootsteel.com shootsteel

This.

We use 3/8 AR500 for everything from 22 LR to 500 S&W, and 50 BMG and everything in between. Only two things tear it up. 223 up close, especially FMJ and 50 BMG. The 223 ( at less than 100) potmarks the surface and the 50 BMG dents the hell out of it.

yup. like the ar500. it works welll

I have used regular steel at long distances too pat, but it's a lot safer to shoot the ar plate closer. We shoot pistols at them at 5-10 yds and with them angled down 20 degrees we get no fragments coming back our way...

What makes AR a lot safer to shoot up close?

I have a source for free 12ga, 1/4" and 3/8" mild steel so I've been using it for higher energy rounds. I had the feeling that blowing holes through the plates was absorbing the bulk of the bullet energy - as opposed to deflecting it. I tend to use wood for lower energy rounds including .22lr, .38 special and 9mm.

I am not challenging your statement, I am wanting to learn where my instincts are wrong.

Marc

Five guys with pistols shooting replaceable steel does not work. You'll be replacing a lot of steel or wood targets. One guy shooting every blue moon; never matters.

The AR plate stays completely flat, so as long as the plate is angled downward slightly, 99% of the bullet spatter goes into the ground. With mild steel the bullets hit the craters and can come back at you. I've shot AR plate at 7 yards before with a pistol and never got anything coming back my way.

Also noticed the comment about them having to be waterjet to not anneal the edges. I'll look for the link, but a plasma cut plate is only compromised something like .1" in from the cut, not really enough to make a difference.

Correction, .006" to .01" inside the cut is what gets compromised by a plasma per jim colt of hypertherm.