Will a 7 mm mag bullet go through...?

Question

a piece of steel 1/2 inches thick. what grain would i need to use. Im going on a shooting trip and i just happen to have a piece of steel.

i would be at 100 yards. So im not worried abouut fragments comeing back at me.

Answer 1

Most likely. A test was done in the early part of the last century for the military. A 30-06 and 22 swift were used to shoot a steel plate. The reason for the test was to prove that speed would make up for power in penetration. Being that the swift is a lot faster than the 06'. The swift drilled through the 1/2" plate the 06' let a mark. I personally have put a 50gr round from a 223 through a 1/4" piece at 25 yards. The Marines did a test with the 7mm STW looking for a anti-material sniper weapon. They used it to shoot through an armored door from a Hummer at 100yds and it continued on to completely penetrate a 2" thick piece off bullet proof glass 100 yards past that with a 160gr bullet.

Answer 2

The .7mm Mag is a hunting round. It is NOT designed to shoot through steel. You're looking at injuring yourself or someone else with a possible ricochete or bullet fragments. To penetrate steel you need an old armor-piercing round with a steel jacket, but that would put premature wear on your gun barrel. You'd have to load it yourself because it is not made for the modern .7mm Mag.

H

Answer 3

Absolutely if you use a FMJ bullet - I'm fairly certain a soft point would fragment before it penetrated the steel even at 100 yards, but there is no guarantee. It depends how hard the steel is - if its soft steel, it will probably eat its way through.

And what's with these "experts" claiming shooting steel plates is unsafe? Apparently, they've never seen any plate shoots or matches.

Its done every day at clubs all over the country - our club has plates for pistol (plate shoot matches are done at 7 yards, and yes you need lead cast at that range - FMJ is allowed over 50 feet) and plates for high power rifle at 100, 200, and 300 yards with no restriction except no AP.

Answer 4

Its going to go through and i bet you could go as low as 120 grain and still make it through I've been at 45 yards with a 308 (150 grain military surplus 2,750 fps about 2600 foot pounds) and punched through 1/2 inch steel and about 1 inch of cast aluminum
just shoot at the plate between 80-90 degrees

have fun

P.S. Listen to DTT89ACE I have had worse ricochets off of frozen ground than a steel plate

Answer 5

***Note shooting steel plates is an unsafe practice, BUT.***

Yes, but the bullet will be destroyed and the only the chunk of steel knocked out about 3/8 diameter will be the only thing flying past the plate.
The energy of the bullet is transferred to the steel chunk nock out as the true bullet is destroyed in the process.

I would say any of bullets as in grain weight will, but the bigger the bullet the better.
A 223 ballistic tip will blow a hole in 3/8 plate with a 55 grain bullet.
A 300 Winchester magnum will blow a hole through 5/8 plate with a 180 grain bullet.
this was tested at 50 yards.

In the true story, The Man-Eaters of Tsavo Lt. Colonel J.H.Patterson,
Used his 303 British with standard FMJ to punch holes through the web of train track to attach a chain at both ends of the short sections of track, to make the door for trap he referred to as his “contraption” to try and capture the Man-Eating Lions that put a halt to the construction of the Tsavo bridge.

Now seeing that the 303 British is not as strong a 7mm Magnum I would have to say, no problem other then it is dangerous to the shooter and bystanders.

Note steel plate was set up against a large tree to keep it from moving, for both 223 and 300 win magnum.

But this unsafe practice would not be advised.

D58

Answer 6

No, but you can mark it pretty well with a 195 gr Barnes. You'd probably get a better dent if you could find an old 7x57 Mauser with steel-clad military ball in the 175 (give or take a couple) gr bullet, keeping in mind that velocity has almost nothing to do with penetration, contrary to popular opinion.

Answer 7

The 7mm mag round is not use for steel but softer targetsi.e. bone meat deer. You might need a different kind of bullet like full metal jacket round . Becareful what you shot at and where you shot . USE ONLY SAFE ROUNDS DO OVER LOAD YOUR AMMO .

But I had some surplus 8mm turk ammo (hot ammo lots of gun Powder)(steel jacket lead rould ) go thorw a old hard drive and 12" of pine wood block.

Answer 8

sure, decreased cringe and managed cringe rounds are slightly a lot less effective. if you're wondering about getting decreased cringe 7mm rem mag, quit. purchase a 270 winchester instead.

Answer 9

Leave your steel at home the 7mm wasn't made for that purpose.

Answer 10

Keep your distance and wear glasses if it doesn't it will make a good dent