Plinking plate for .243 - Bunnings sheet metal?

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Plinking plate for .243 - Bunnings sheet metal?

Post by Ariat » 05 Aug 2013, 9:46 am

In the past I've had a 22 so plinking's been no worries. Any old metal plate will do the trick as the 22 doesn't have much oomph to hurt it.

Getting a .243 shortly though and would like something to do the same thing. I've seen pics on forums though where people shot their .22 plinking plates with a ,243, .270, .308 etc. and where blowing holes through them.

I don't really know much about the metals they use in these things... If they're hard or soft or so on...

I see Bunnings do sheets of 3-4mm steel which are about 8" square. Would be perfect, but will this hold up to a my .243? Hoping building steel is strong than .22 plinking targets I guess?
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Re: Plinking plate for .243 - Bunnings sheet metal?

Post by Chickenhawk » 05 Aug 2013, 10:16 am

No mate, .243 will go straight through that.

Still, they will only be small holes. I guess one of of those plates from the hardware store is only a couple of bucks though?

For the sake of a few dollars, I reckon one plate would last you 50 rounds or more. Might be a good option regardless.
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Re: Plinking plate for .243 - Bunnings sheet metal?

Post by ebr love » 05 Aug 2013, 10:22 am

To get something that would hold up indefinitely against centre fire you'd want something that was about 1" thick.

I've had my eye out for something like this for a while but haven't had anything come up. Pretty expensive to have someone cut 1 or 2 sheets for you unfortunately.
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Re: Plinking plate for .243 - Bunnings sheet metal?

Post by inspector » 05 Aug 2013, 11:15 am

Chickenhawk wrote:Still, they will only be small holes. I guess one of of those plates from the hardware store is only a couple of bucks though?

For the sake of a few dollars, I reckon one plate would last you 50 rounds or more. Might be a good option regardless.


If it's the plates I'm thinking of for securing slabs or timber, they're $4-6 for the larger size ones. Not much if it lasts 1-2 trips to the range really.
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Re: Plinking plate for .243 - Bunnings sheet metal?

Post by Lorgar » 05 Aug 2013, 1:51 pm

Ariat wrote:I see Bunnings do sheets of 3-4mm steel which are about 8" square. Would be perfect, but will this hold up to a my .243? Hoping building steel is strong than .22 plinking targets I guess?


I've done the same thing, .243 will go straight through it.

It will make neat holes though - should just punch straight through without buckling the metal so the plate will last quite a while before it becomes unusable.

I did the same with my .308 and the plate became useless very quickly. After a dozen shots it was so buckled and twisted it was nearly cut in half.

No such problems with the .243 though.
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Re: Plinking plate for .243 - Bunnings sheet metal?

Post by mahna » 06 Aug 2013, 9:20 am

Isn't stainless steel actually softer than regular steel?

Regular steel might not only be cheaper, but be stronger too? Something to revisit...
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Re: Plinking plate for .243 - Bunnings sheet metal?

Post by agentzero » 06 Aug 2013, 3:24 pm

mahna wrote:Isn't stainless steel actually softer than regular steel?


I believe that's right, but I vaguely recall something about it being more brittle too, because it's 'harder' as oppose to being 'stronger' in all aspects.

Not sure what effect that will ultimately have on a plinking plate over time, but perhaps stainless will soak up damage a little longer before splitting?

(or I could just be totally wrong as I'm going off some half-assed memory :D)
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Re: Plinking plate for .243 - Bunnings sheet metal?

Post by Noisydad » 08 Nov 2013, 9:56 pm

I have a lump of 8mm mild steel plate on the wall in my shed with holes through it that make it look akin to a paper target shot with wad cutters . The culprits...30-06 with mild loads behind 150gn soft points and a 243wssm. The plate was at 100m!
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Re: Plinking plate for .243 - Bunnings sheet metal?

Post by disko » 09 Nov 2013, 9:20 am

These are what you want.

http://stsonline.com.au/

Go to products then steel targets.

"12mm Bisalloy 500 grade hardened steel"

Whatever that is :lol: but it stands up to it.
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Re: Plinking plate for .243 - Bunnings sheet metal?

Post by Warrigul » 09 Nov 2013, 12:48 pm

agentzero wrote:
mahna wrote:Isn't stainless steel actually softer than regular steel?


I believe that's right, but I vaguely recall something about it being more brittle too, because it's 'harder' as oppose to being 'stronger' in all aspects.

Not sure what effect that will ultimately have on a plinking plate over time, but perhaps stainless will soak up damage a little longer before splitting?

(or I could just be totally wrong as I'm going off some half-assed memory :D)


The tensile strength and hardness of Stainless 304 and 316 is greater than mild steel, however a half inch target made out of either is going to suffer if you are using more than a .223.

Falling plates at 100 made out of mild steel suffer holes, dents and large molten craters when shot at by .303, .308, 7.92 etc. Bisalloy is the answer but 1" thick mild steel is just as good.
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Re: Plinking plate for .243 - Bunnings sheet metal?

Post by tucked » 09 Nov 2013, 8:33 pm

Warrigul wrote:Bisalloy is the answer but 1" thick mild steel is just as good.


Gotta go steal a piece of railway track or something for that though :lol:
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Re: Plinking plate for .243 - Bunnings sheet metal?

Post by reddog » 10 Nov 2013, 7:06 am

tucked wrote:
Warrigul wrote:Bisalloy is the answer but 1" thick mild steel is just as good.


Gotta go steal a piece of railway track or something for that though :lol:


Find an engineering place that does a lot of heavy engineering they will quite often have offcuts of
heavy steel , try to get the inside cutout of profile cut pipe flanges they are allready round. They
will start at about 12mm right through to 50mm thick , usually find they dont mind a bit of cash
or beer especially around friday afternoon :D
The other option is scrap steel yards they will quite often sell you steel for not much more than
scrap price
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Re: Plinking plate for .243 - Bunnings sheet metal?

Post by AlanK » 10 Nov 2013, 8:33 am

reddog wrote:The other option is scrap steel yards they will quite often sell you steel for not much more than scrap price


I picked up a decent bit off the ground when they were demolishing a building near my work. No idea what it was for but does the job.

Free price :D
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Re: Plinking plate for .243 - Bunnings sheet metal?

Post by Spruce Goose » 10 Nov 2013, 3:29 pm

Hey mate checkout ar500 steel plate, it's basically armour plate, pretty cheap in the Us, cost me a few $ to ship to aus... Copper jacketed 308 barely scuff the surface,.
bullets just pass straight through just about any other steel, believe me I've tried a few
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Re: Plinking plate for .243 - Bunnings sheet metal?

Post by Fry » 10 Nov 2013, 4:23 pm

Spruce Goose wrote:believe me I've tried a few


Tell me about it.

Spent a fortune at Bunnings only to blow it apart :lol:
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