Shop other targets
- All Shooting Targets
- Paper Targets
- Reactive & Splatter Targets
- Self-Healing Targets
- Exploding Targets
- Target Stands & Hangers
- Clay Throwers
- Target Accessories
Match the steel to the gun
| Steel | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Rimfire and airgun steel, often 1/4 in. | .22 LR, airguns and other low-velocity rounds |
| 3/8 in. AR500 | Handguns and many centerfire rifles at proper distance |
| 1/2 in. AR500 | Centerfire rifles and harder-hitting loads |
Every target lists its own caliber rating and minimum distance. Those two numbers decide what you can shoot at it, not the thickness alone.
Styles of steel
| Style | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gong | Hangs from chains or straps and rings on every hit. Round, square and silhouette shapes. |
| Spinner | Flips over the top bar when hit. Great for rimfire and pistol practice. |
| Auto-reset or knockdown | Falls when hit and pops back up, or resets with one shot on a reset paddle. |
| Dueling tree and plate rack | Several plates in a row, built for speed drills and shooting against a friend. |
Brands like Birchwood Casey, Champion, Caldwell, Do-All, EZ-Aim, BASH and Sig Sauer, with more added as stock comes in.
Steel Target FAQ
How far away should I stand from steel?
Follow the minimum distance printed on the target, and add more for rifles. Hang or set steel so it can move when hit, and keep it angled slightly down so fragments go into the ground.
What ammo should I avoid on steel?
Steel-core, armor-piercing and other hard-core rounds can crater or punch through steel and send fragments back. Lead-core and copper-plated ammo within the target's caliber rating is what most steel is built for.
What does AR500 mean?
It is abrasion-resistant steel hardened to a Brinell hardness of roughly 500. The hardness is what lets it take repeated hits without denting the way mild steel does.