With more and more companies and individuals manufacturing steel targets, it has become increasingly difficult to find accurate information, especially in regards to shooting on steel targets. With technical data provided by the American Iron and Steel Institute in Washington D.C., Action Target has produced a report designed to cut through the recent hype and establish a basis of fact for accurate evaluation and comparison of steel targets.

1. THE TRUTH ABOUT STEEL AND
STEEL TARGETS
By:
Ac'on
Target

2. With
more
and
more
companies
and
individuals
manufacturing
steel
targets,
it
has
become
increasingly
difficult
to
find
accurate
informa'on,
especially
in
regards
to
shoo'ng
on
steel
targets.
With
technical
data
provided
by
the
American
Iron
and
Steel
Ins'tute
in
Washington
D.C.,
Ac'on
Target
has
produced
a
report
designed
to
cut
through
the
recent
hype
and
establish
a
basis
of
fact
for
accurate
evalua'on
and
comparison
of
steel
targets.

3. STEEL TARGETS
For
steel
targets
to
be
func'onal
and
safe
to
shoot
on,
they
should
be
made
of
high
quality
through
hardened
steel
that
has
a
Brinell
hardness
number
(BHN)
of
at
least
500.
The
steel
must
also
provide
sufficient
strength,
toughness,
and
impact
resistance.
The
Brinell
hardness
test
is
accepted
as
a
worldwide
standard
for
measuring
the
hardness
of
steel.

4. THERE ARE TWO FACTORS THAT
AFFECT THE HARDNESS OF STEEL:
•
The
first
is
the
amount
of
carbon
and
other
alloying
elements
in
its
chemical
composi'on,
•
The
second
is
the
manner
in
which
the
hea'ng
and
cooling
of
the
steel
is
manipulated.

5. THERE ARE TWO FACTORS THAT
AFFECT THE HARDNESS OF STEEL:
These
factors
are
determined
at
the
most
fundamental
level,
and
affect
the
finished
steel
as
a
whole.

6. STEEL HARDNESS IS A CRITICAL ISSUE.
The
hardness
of
the
steel
is
cri'cal
because
only
a
smooth
surface
will
generate
predictable
splaOer
paOerns.
Steel
that
is
not
sufficiently
hard
can
develop
pits,
craters,
dimples,
and
other
hazardous
deforma'ons.

7. STEEL HARDNESS IS A CRITICAL ISSUE.
When
a
bullet
hits
one
of
these
deforma'ons,
it
is
impossible
to
predict
where
the
splaOer
will
go,
thereby
crea'ng
an
unacceptable
training
environment.
Despite
many
inaccurate
claims,
AR500
steel
is
NOT
surface
hardened.
It
is
through
hardened.

8. Just because a Brinell
hardness number (BHN) of 500
is good, that doesnʼt mean a
BHN rating of 700 is better.

9. HARDER STEEL ISNT NECISARRILY
BETTER
Going
overboard
on
the
BHN
can
cost
significantly
more
for
li=le
or
no
benefit.
For
example,
ballis'c
tests
have
shown
that
the
performance
difference
between
steel
with
a
500
BHN
and
steel
with
a
535
BHN
is
so
small
that
the
difference
can't
be
no'ced
with
a
bullet
but
only
with
a
gauge.
Addi'onally,
it
is
indeed
possible
to
use
steel
that
is
too
hard
and
too
briOle
for
ballis'c
training
purposes.

10. AR500 STEEL
Understanding
these
basic
facts
about
steel,
Ac'on
Target
uses
only
high
quality,
through
hardened
steel
with
a
Brinell
hardness
ra'ng
of
at
least
500,
and
they
use
it
in
every
one
of
their
ballis'c
steel
products.
Ac'on
Target
can
also
provide
through
hardened
steel
targets
and
other
steel
products
with
cer'fied
Brinell
hardness
ra'ngs
of
550
and
even
600.

11. Read
more
and
comment
by
visi'ng
www.Ac'onTarget.com
and
click
on
“Ac'on
Target
Journal”
- OR -
Get
there
directly
at
store.ac'ontarget.com/blog/the-­‐truth-­‐
about-­‐steel-­‐and-­‐steel-­‐targets