Shooting brake rotors?

[Joe G]

Helped a friend change the disc brakes on both of his vans. He didn't know if there were any places that pay or even recycle them, so he said he was going to take them to the range to use as targets.

Didn't sound like a good idea to me as they're not hardened steel, but he won't listen and says "they're free and hard enough to use as targets".

What can I say to talk him out of this... or is he right?

 

[SSGSAD]

Far enough away, MAYBE .....

 

[churchmouse]

Just do not go with him.
They are scrape but not worth the effort.
Most ranges will not allow targets like this. They are "Not" hard enough. They are cast.

 

[SSGSAD]

^^^^^ THAT is what I thought .....
they might SHATTER .....

 

[jd4320t]

A true friend would take good advice.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I dont think I'd shoot them except with a 22LR @100+ yds. He's asking for trouble.

 

[awames76]

ive got 6 or 8 but i dont shoot them, most are hollow and will break. take a camera so we can watch and make sure ur far away

 

[halfmileharry]

Have him fill 'em up with Tannerite before he shoots them at 10 yards.
In for a dime... In for a dollar I guess.

 

[Joe G]

Thanks. Research I found said they usually shatter into pieces.

Forwarded him the info... we'll see if he's as stubborn as I think he is.

 

[Nam1911]

I've shot quite a bit of steel....none hardened ar500. Steel doesn't need to be ar500 armor plate to be shot with pistols. It's all in the angle. Angle it right and the bullet splatter is deflected just the same.

4" steel pressure pipe will not dent from 9, 40, or 45. But a Mosin Nagant will peirce right through it. I have 3/4" standard a36 steel plates that eat pistol rounds just fine. Brake rotors seem like pretty hard steel. Ange it right and shoot it I say.

 

[DanVoils]

The OP didn't say if he was going to only use pistols but the safe presumption is he would use both. I saw in another thread on another board where someone shot rotors from a Ford 4x4 truck with 5.56 at 50 yards. They essentially shattered. They are cast not forged so they break apart readily. I would suggest throwing them into a dumpster as they are scrap. I wouldn't take the chance of part of the rotor flying back. The sprawl would be mostly contained to the target area due to weight and inertia.
Dan

 

[churchmouse]

I've shot quite a bit of steel....none hardened ar500. Steel doesn't need to be ar500 armor plate to be shot with pistols. It's all in the angle. Angle it right and the bullet splatter is deflected just the same.

4" steel pressure pipe will not dent from 9, 40, or 45. But a Mosin Nagant will peirce right through it. I have 3/4" standard a36 steel plates that eat pistol rounds just fine. Brake rotors seem like pretty hard steel. Ange it right and shoot it I say.

Rotors from a standard vehicle are probably cast pieces. They will shatter from a rifle round. High performance rotors are not made of cast but they do not come off of a van.
Pistol.........maybe, maybe not.

We have tortured standard steel plates just to see what they would take. But shooting a cast piece just seems wrong to me. Especially at a range. If they shatter pieces will be everywhere.

 

[Cpt Caveman]

Been there done that. They dont hold up to any shooting well at all. Definitely not safe at pistol ranges.

 

[ScouT6a]

"He didn't know if there were any places that pay or even recycle them, so he said he was going to take them to the range to use as targets."

Is your friend 14 years old or just a little slow??
Come on. Anyone with a little common sense knows that places buy scrap metal or people recycle small quantities. If you don't know that, a quick search on a smart phone, phone book or newspaper would tell you.
If he thinks that he is going to carry them to a public range and shoot them, the problem should correct itself. If he is going to carry them out behind his garage and shoot them, be sure you are in your car, heading down the road.

 

[ScouT6a]

I shoot a lot of non armor plate steel targets with handgun and rifle ammo. As stated, the target angle and shooter distance is the key. Big difference between shooting a smooth, flat plate, at an angle, and shooting an odd shaped, cast part with sharp edges, cavities, studs sticking out, varying thicknesses, that could fracture or send bullet fragments or jackets flying off in unpredictable directions.

 

[halfmileharry]

"He didn't know if there were any places that pay or even recycle them, so he said he was going to take them to the range to use as targets."

Is your friend 14 years old or just a little slow??
Come on. Anyone with a little common sense knows that places buy scrap metal or people recycle small quantities. If you don't know that, a quick search on a smart phone, phone book or newspaper would tell you.
If he thinks that he is going to carry them to a public range and shoot them, the problem should correct itself. If he is going to carry them out behind his garage and shoot them, be sure you are in your car, heading down the road.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrAwb9ptu9U

 

[DanVoils]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrAwb9ptu9U

[video=youtube;mrAwb9ptu9U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrAwb9ptu9U[/video]