Most high power rifes (30-06, .270, ect)

 

The diameter is 0.375 inches

 

A whole lot depends on what kind of steel it is and how it was tempered etc. That will also effect the diameter of a hole left as the bullet passes through.

 

What type of projectile being used also plays a significant factor.FMJ,HP,SST etc etc.

 

1/4 inch steel{if it's mild steel} is very easy to punch holes in and the hole diameter is not usually indicative of caliber.
Could be near anything?

 

Five-Seven round !

 

Greetings,

The lowly 30-30 round with jacketed soft point could easily penetrate 1/4" boiler plate at 300 yards. Further, it would be larger than the .308 bullet used.

moondog911

 

I once shot thru 3/8 inch hardened steel at 100 yards with 220 swift 55 gain bullet.

 

I know my 7.62x54r Bulgarian yellow tip punches nice holes thru steel.

 

Thanks everyone. I think what I was looking for has been addressed. See, besides myself I only allowed one other person to use the steel targets. I told him I used 22 and 9mm with no problems. I did not want any caliber used that would rip through the metal. Maybe someone trespassed onto the farmland and decided to destroy my target set up. Or, maybe it was him and a buddy. You just can't leave anything behind for fear of it being destroyed or stolen. I learned a lesson, give no one permission to use your stuff.

 

Ask him about it before you hang him.
If he was a friend he would have told you his mistake unless he didn't realize what he had done.
Give him the chance to make it right.
When the chips are down, That's when you really find out who your friends are.
It's possible it wasn't him.
Good Luck
Be safe

 

Yep, pretty much any rifle will shoot through mild steel plate. I also have a hard and fast rule about not shooting any jacketed pistol bullets at steel, or jacketed rifle bullets at ranges under 100 yards.

 

You don't mention the probable distance from which the plates were shot, so that may limit how many rounds can be eliminated. Since the holes in the plate were .375" in diameter, it is unlikely that the rounds were of larger bore diameter than that. It is also probable that the bore diameter might be fairly close to the diameter of the holes. The first thing I think of is something of 9.3mm (.366") diameter, but these are pretty rare. Next down would be .358, which could mean .35 Whelen, .358 Winchester, .35 Remington or, possibly, a .357 magnum fired from a carbine. I guess it's possible that a projectile from an 8x57mm would make a hole that large, but I would think it unlikely. JMO

 

My AK in 7.62x39 will punch holes through 1/4 inch steel all day long.

 

I wish I had seen "Ole Sarge's Post' before I shot the shit out of a single spinner target that was rated to handle 44 magnum shooting. My Mini-30 loaded with FMJ 7.62x39mm put several holes clean thru the big spinner...and then hit and cut the spinning axle at over 50 yards measured distance. ! (my poor vision allowed this to happen undetected.)

 

I wish I had seen "Ole Sarge's Post' before I shot the shit out of a single spinner target that was rated to handle 44 magnum shooting. My Mini-30 loaded with FMJ 7.62x39mm put several holes clean thru the big spinner...and then hit and cut the spinning axle at over 50 yards measured distance. ! (my poor vision allowed this to happen undetected.)

I guess they should call it the "7.62X39 MAGNUM" so people would know it has power