8" AR500 Gong 1/2"

I received my 8" x 1/2" steel target quickly in the mail with no issues. I hike into the forest to shoot so it is extra weight in my pack but its to be expected with a steel target. Make sure to get some paracord or chain to hang it. Plant hangers work good if there aren't any trees available to hang from.The target worked great for .40 and .45 pistol rounds at about 20 yards. No dents. I later used my AR with a 16 inch barrel using 5.56 green tip penetrator rounds at about 75 yards. It was too close. I clearly heard each hit but they left small dents, about 1/8 inch deep, in the target and chipped off part of the edge. So I learned the hard way. Next time I'll back it up to 150 yards and not use green tip. I'll just flip the target around and use the other side.I'm also going to buy the 12" x 3/8 to use for pistol at 20 yards and see how that goes. Over all, its a good product if used how it is intended.

I chose this rating because of the quality of this product. I have had metal targets at the price of this one in the past and those neither were as thick as this one as well as the finish this one has. You notice right away as soon as you hold it in your hands the smooth edges and the back and face as well. The two ears where you hang this target from has very strong mounting points, This is important as a stray bullet striking one of these points on a cheaper target breaks off rendering the target useless. All and all I would not think twice on getting another one in a larger or even a smaller size. If you have had the cheaper made targets in the past with this one you will also here the strike much clearer at further distances when you bullet strikes it. This was also important to me. I would definitely recommend this target to all of my friends. They would definitely not be disappointed how well this target holds up to the type of ammo we use as well as the rate of fire it can take. Impressive for sure. Half inch thick that is a lot of metal for the bucks you are paying for this target.

Great product, heavy steel, and did the trick. However, the product does not come with instructions on appropriate shooting distances. After going target shooting with a friend in the woods and off the grid, we discovered that the plate held up very well to 7.62x39 and all our pistol rounds. However, lead core .223 and 5.56 took shallow divots out of the steel at ranges around 80-100 yards (paced out in the forest), something we didn't realize until we'd put a couple magazines downrange. I'll simply flip the plate over the next time i'm out, but one side is certainly pock marked now.

Takes the abuse. They are cheap too. Takes 9mm JHP, 9MM FMJ, .45ACP, .45HP, .22LR, 12GA, .223FMJ, and 5.56NATO just fine. Chipping does occur at the edges (using .223 or 5.56 within 100 yards), as expected.Recommend starting off at the 8" targets (less likely to hit edges). You can use 3/8" rebar from HDepot or Lowes and bend them by hand into shepherd's hooks. The holes themselves are 1/2", but you won't be able to fit 1/2" rebar into them (I've tried). Directly fit the plates through one of the holes or use a "S" hook. Directly attaching means the plate faces front and the rebar is directly behind, or using "S" hook, you can offset them to the side. When you plant the shepherds hooks, angle them so when they hit, they return to the forward position. YTube "cheap steel target stand!" by FP to see what I mean. Very cheap solution as opposed to buying "hanging solutions". I also recommend buying direct, as you will save much more than through here (you might even get a gift or two).Use neon orange or neon green if you prefer. Bang up one side, and just flip to the other side!

Friends and I have been going to BLM land do our little Rambo Days. Paper targets, bottles, roof tiles, just don't cut it anymore. This target is 1/2" thick, you aren't getting through it unless you probably are shooting some weapons you stole from the military.Word of caution: I tried to be clever and was thinking about mounting three of these of various sizes on a long chain, one on top of another with a few inches of space inbetween. After some mental reflection about the physics involved, I realized that would be a really stupid thing to do. If you purchase the mounting kit that is available, you'll notice in the diagram that a long carriage bolt is used. This is so the thread end of the bolt holds the chain, so the front of the target tilts slightly forward, so the projectile goes into the ground after it hits the target. Needless to say, I'll be cutting my 4' chain into 12" strips like the kit has and will be hanging them side by side instead of vertically over each other.

300BLK vs. half inch AR500 steel: I put together one of ShootingTargets7 .5" 8" diameter AR500 steel targets and hanging kit today with a Blue Hawk folding metal sawhorse from Lowes. Total cost about 80 bucks. Hangs at a perfect angle and all my shots were deflected down into the dirt but with enough spatter to the sides to ding the support legs on the sawhorse. Below the target and forward of it couldn't find any large fragments of jacket and only tiny bits of the lead core. The target sustained no damage at all in the way of dents, cracks, or chips. I was ~60 yards away, a bit closer than I would have liked but the way the target is hung on bolts made it very unlikely that any fragments would return. I expected some damage to the plate at that distance but apparently the angle means less energy is transferred to the plate on impact. Flourescent orange marker paint works great to touch it up. AR500 is tough stuff, a target that won't get used up at least in the calibers I'm using. Outstanding!