Pattern board steel thickness advice?

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I would like to construct a steel pattern board to check my reloads with my various shotguns.
Steel with grease is better for my situation than paper.
I have seen a lot of recommendations to use 1/4" steel plate.
Would 3/16" be adequate if mounted on a back board?
I am looking at the most economical solution but I do not want something that will be dented and bent,
3/16" would be easy for me to handle but if I need to go thicker, please let me know.
 
I made one with 3/16 plate years ago. I had no problems with target loads, #7 1/2 and #8 At 40 yds. I never tried bigger shot .
Ymmv
 
I have patterned a lot of lead rounds but always on paper as I had a good cheap supply. But if I was building a metal board for the amount of money it would cost to go from 3/16 to 1/4" I would go 1/4" and back it on 5/8" green plywood. Then I believe you would be good to fire any shotgun load except slugs and heavy buck shot at it if the need arises. It is now the era of steel shot with higher velocities and that is part of my reasoning for going as thick as you can afford and handle.
My thoughts on the matter anyways.
 
Mr goat I agree, 1/4" would be preferable, especially as someone may want to pattern #6 or larger shot or shoot closer. I'm assuming that this would be a fixed installation, not portable, so the long term cost difference woulldn't be a deal breaker. I don't think I would shoot steel shot at a steel plate, it won't flatten and drop like lead shot I would be concerned about ricochets.
 
Steel shot comes right back at you when shooting steel plates. Ive used 3/16" and at 25 yards #5 and #6 start leaving dents. The hardness of the steel plate would dictate what thickness would be best. I used the cheapest sheet i could get. Eventually i went back to cardboard squares as i get them from work easily. I shoot alot of slugs and buck shot and pattern alot of various steel shot loads
 
A thin layer of grease allows you to see your pattern. Then you smear it around and shoot again. We use paint but it achieves the same result. Nothing wrong with paper, its just another way of doing it. BTW we use a 1/4 steel plate at our club.
 
Thanks for all the advice. I think I will go with 1/4" steel on a backing board as I will be patterning some loads at 20 yards with up to #5's.
I will only be using lead shot as all my shooting is upland birds and clays.
I wanted to go with steel as the area I will be setting up the pattern board is in my bush 1km back from the house.
Its easy to take grease and rollers back when needed on the ATV but rolls of paper or cardboard are a bit more trouble for me.
Paper used to have the advantage of being able to be saved and compared to other patterns. However, with phone cameras I can take pictures of the pattern on steel if needed.
I appreciate everyone giving me the benefit of their experience.
 
Go to a local shop that does vinyl work on signs, vehicles etc
They will have roll upon roll of a heavy waxed paper in their scrap piles that is a release paper for the vinyl
They are huge rolls and they normally toss them so they are free and easy for your ATV
I would not use any steel plate of any size. Wooden frame , paper over it and open center for me . No grease either. This paper shows the holes well
At 20 yards and a steel plate best cover your eyes very well :( Might take a while but shoot enough and you will see. Lead pellets will come back
To each their own but this old shotgunner ripped a lot of paper over the years and also picked a few pellets out of his face and neck :(
Cheers
 
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VancouverS4 said:
slightly off topic but butcher paper rolls are large and cheap, good source of pattern paper
Click to expand...

I've got a big ass roll of brown paper from a painting job, we were using it as a drop sheet. I'm not sure if it came from the paint store but that is likely. It's at least 3' long.

3macs1 said:
Go to a local shop that does vinyl work on signs, vehicles etc
They will have roll upon roll of a heavy waxed paper in their scrap piles that is a release paper for the vinyl
They are huge rolls and they normally toss them so they are free and easy for your ATV
I would not use any steel plate of any size. Wooden frame , paper over it and open center for me . No grease either. This paper shows the holes well
At 20 yards and a steel plate best cover your eyes very well :( Might take a while but shoot enough and you will see. Lead pellets will come back
To each their own but this old shotgunner ripped a lot of paper over the years and also picked a few pellets out of his face and neck :(
Cheers
Click to expand...

Good advice. I'll check that out when my roll runs out.
 
Suther said:
I've got a big ass roll of brown paper from a painting job, we were using it as a drop sheet. I'm not sure if it came from the paint store but that is likely. It's at least 3' long.



Good advice. I'll check that out when my roll runs out.
Click to expand...

I get them here all the time for patterning and my mrs uses a couple a year with the grade primary kids doing painting :(
I go in for one usually and leave with 4 or 5 and they seem to have dozens kicking around
Here they are all too happy to see it not going to the land fill
Cheers
 
No help with the steel plate issue.
I buy roll ends of newsprint from the local paper, dirt cheap pattern paper.
It is hard to statistically analyze patterns on a greased plate.
 
saskbooknut said:
No help with the steel plate issue.
I buy roll ends of newsprint from the local paper, dirt cheap pattern paper.
It is hard to statistically analyze patterns on a greased plate.
Click to expand...

I agree, steel plates and grease are for POI testing, paper, cardboard, etc. is for pattern testing.
 
ninepointer said:
For testing different loads or chokes, I prefer paper. That way I have a record and can repeat tests and compare results.

Where a steel pattern plate (greased or painted) shines is for testing gun fit. Mount the gun, shoot, see where the pattern is centered, wipe, repeat.

5:00 mark of this vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A87h4eETwZU
Click to expand...

That certainly looked like an effective way assertain POI, but I don't see any meaningful difference between that and paper. What am I missing?
 
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