Steel plate fun

[DAVIDF]

Bought a new steel plate and my wife and I used it at the range this past weekend. At the outdoor range where we are members, there is a 50 yard range where we can use pistols and pistol caliber rifles and the best part is we can use our own steel plates as long as they are at or past the 50 yard line near the berm. We were shooting our two Henry's, a H001L (that has become my wife's) and our Big Boy Classic in .44. I was trying a handload using Starline brass, WLP primers, 7.2gr of Red Dot, and a 200 gr RNFP hard cast bullet from Penn Bullets with a brinell of about 20 and sized at .432. This load should be doing about 1250fps out of the rifle and about 1000fps out of my shorter barreled Super Blackhawks according to some load data I have. That might be a bit optimistic from the rifle. Last time I tried them they were my most accurate load that day, but none of my groups were too good. I am blaming that on heavy cross winds.

I got a good group, at least for me and my eyesight this time. Five shots measured 1 1/4" as far as I can accurately measure on the steel. This is the group in the 3" black circle. Looks like the sights are set for about 80 yards based on my estimate of velocity for this load and will be about 2 5/8" low at 100. My photo's are sideways, couldn't figure out how to correct?

A very nice gentlemen came over and admired our Henry's. He mentioned he has a H001. He brought it over and asked us if we would like to try it as he had a peep sight on the rear quite different than I have seen before. It fits in the rear dove tail, looks like the original but just has a double peep (two circles) rather than the semi-buckhorn. My wife and I both had problems focusing clearly with it. The lighter shaded impacts are from .22 rounds from his H001.

The three darker shaded ones below the bolt are from my Big Boy with the rear sight raised one notch. I wanted to see what difference it made to elevation after a slight amount of filing. It would be sighted at about 130 yards or so on that notch. The other two darker impacts are to be blamed on the guy behind the sights using an inconsistent sight picture. I really need to concentrate on that. I have been getting lax lately with that and proper trigger squeeze.

Overall, I am very happy with this load. No leading that I can tell at all out of the Big Boy or my Rugers.

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[PT7]

Very nice range report! And it's cool that your outdoor range allows you to bring in your own steel targets. I really like shooting black steel....both for the ease of clean up with some black paint, as well as the resounding "clangs" telling me I'm spot on!

Great subject line: "Steel plate fun."

[DAVIDF]

Thanks PT7. The range has been doing some construction lately and created four new bays where we can put up our own targets and use pistol or pistol caliber carbines. I just ordered a third steel plate so my wife and I can shoot at three different targets. Looking forward to heading back there.

[RanchRoper]

Good looking targets. Bet they sound good too!

[BigAl52]

Ringing steel with leverguns is about as good as it gets. Al

[JEBar]

nice indeed .... just curious, what is your source for ordering the steel plates ?

[DAVIDF]

https://www.ar500targetsolutions.com/
They have decent prices and free shipping. They sell direct or on amazon. "reorder5" for 5% discount from their site. I have one of their bases on order as I tried one of their 2x4 target stand spike base that is hammered in the ground. It wouldn't work at my range with the 12x20 silhouette target. The target was too heavy and eventually fell. At least it fell as I shot it rather than walking back to the bench after setting it up I also have an 8" round gong and a t-post mount kit to mount one of them to a steel fence post. The 2x4 target stand spike base will probably work quite well with the smaller gong.

[DAVIDF]

Good looking targets. Bet they sound good too!

My wife and I were using electronic hearing protection for the first time. We bought two Peltor Rangeguards. We really like them and I could really hear the hits even with the .22's. I usually use double ear protection and I can barely hear it with the .44. The .22's don't budge the silhouette or my 12" gong, so with double hearing protection I couldn't even tell when or if it hit unless I could see it clearly. I can hear the .22's hit with the Rangeguards. Much better feedback.

[North Country Gal]

Great report, Dave, and great shooting, too.

Thee 44 mag, after all these years, is still my favorite straight wall cartridge. No matter how many times I've tried to swear off shooting the 44 mag, I always come right back to it. My 44 mag handgun of choice, these days, though, is an Encore with a 12" 44 mag barrel. It will easily add 200 or 300 fps over a revolver, but still comfy to shoot with heavy loads.

Our range does not allow us to use anything but paper targets, though you can check out some club-owned steel targets, once you've been cleared about proper use. Almost never go to the trouble of dragging them out when we go to the range, though. Just put up paper targets and call it good.

[JEBar]

https://www.ar500targetsolutions.com/
They have decent prices and free shipping. They sell direct or on amazon. "reorder5" for 5% discount from their site. I have one of their bases on order as I tried one of their 2x4 target stand spike base that is hammered in the ground. It wouldn't work at my range with the 12x20 silhouette target. The target was too heavy and eventually fell. At least it fell as I shot it rather than walking back to the bench after setting it up I also have an 8" round gong and a t-post mount kit to mount one of them to a steel fence post. The 2x4 target stand spike base will probably work quite well with the smaller gong.

link appreciated .... I've passed it on to one of our sons who is setting up his own range

[tx gunrunner]

Here is my range I had on my farm in Tn . Remember to angle steel plates down and either R or L so bullet don't come back a hit you .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QokV7HzJhG4

[DAVIDF]

Here is my range I had on my farm in Tn . Remember to angle steel plates down and either R or L so bullet don't come back a hit you .

The brackets for my gongs are built that way so when you hang them they tilt down at a pretty good angle. Plus, it is a little easier on the gongs. That was a nice range you had.

[DAVIDF]

Great report, Dave, and great shooting, too.

Thee 44 mag, after all these years, is still my favorite straight wall cartridge. No matter how many times I've tried to swear off shooting the 44 mag, I always come right back to it. My 44 mag handgun of choice, these days, though, is an Encore with a 12" 44 mag barrel. It will easily add 200 or 300 fps over a revolver, but still comfy to shoot with heavy loads.

Our range does not allow us to use anything but paper targets, though you can check out some club-owned steel targets, once you've been cleared about proper use. Almost never go to the trouble of dragging them out when we go to the range, though. Just put up paper targets and call it good.

Thank you, that means a lot coming from you. And, I think I can speak for the forum and say that we love seeing your paper targets!

I love 44's. So versatile. I have struggled some times getting good accuracy. I would love to have a scoped Encore or Contender in 44. Used to have a 44 Contender and I can't remember why I sold it. Shouldn't have

I have a hard time seeing paper targets at 50 or 100 yards. I can see the steel plates easily when I paint them white with a black circle in the middle. Really helps me get a good sight picture. Plus it is a lot easier to see hits on the steel for me.

[North Country Gal]

You're very welcome.

I have to paint or metal targets that we use for our airgun range, quite a bit, if I want to use them with iron sights. Scopes, not so much.

[DAVIDF]

You're very welcome.

I have to paint or metal targets that we use for our airgun range, quite a bit, if I want to use them with iron sights. Scopes, not so much.

Yes, I go thru a lot of spray paint cans

[BrokenolMarine]

Good deal! I have always enjoyed shooting steel, and finally broke down and bought some various targets for the range. Pepper Poppers, a Full Sized B27 in Steel and then had THESE made custom. I enjoyed the falling plate matches, but didn't want some complicated reset deal, so these plates fit on REBAR driven into the ground.



They wobble and ring when hit, but don't fall. The rebar fits into a pocket on each side of the plate, very tight. Each plate can be placed at whatever spacing you like.



As you can see, the plates aren't going to POP off by accident. I take them off the rebar and store them in the range house, but leave the rebar in place, it's driven about two feet down. It's not going anywhere either.

I always got good use out of the plates, as practice for falling plate matches and as teaching aides for classes. Paint the plates different colors and then CALL out the color they are supposed to shoot, OR better yet; call out the color and they shoot all the plates BUT that color; as quickly as they can. Lot's of fun, but still has them making sound decisions. (Solid decisions and based on what they hear... a twofer.)

Amazing how many miss plates because as they swing across the rack they forget that they actually have to stop, (Ah.. hesitate?), when they pull the trigger.. or they sweep the shot off the plate as they pass. It took me a couple practice sessions to get that little fractional hesitation down pat. It's been a while since I have shot the steel plates.. that bucket with six plates in it is HEAVY.

I never regretted the funds expended on steel. Take care and it lasts forever.

[BrokenolMarine]

Gunrunner,

I like the looks of that range, I was about to add a 100 yard rifle deck perpendicular to the 50 yard pistol range when I was injured last September. A combination of factors has led me to put off that plan... including the fact that realistically I probably wouldn't use the new range enough to justify the cost nor the effort. I mostly shoot handguns, and the two handgun caliber Henrys.