Live-fire target

A method for fabricating a live fire target comprising the steps of:

• acquiring a flat pattern of a target constructed of a hard ferrous steel, the flat pattern of the target including a bullet strike zone and at least one mount;
• annealing the flat pattern of the target to a softened state;
• forming the at least one mount so that the at least one mount is angled away from the bullet strike zone of the target and is located in a position for mounting the target;
• reheat-treating the target to a hardened state.

A long life live-fire target comprising:

• a target having a front, back, top, and bottom, the front comprising a bullet strike zone, the target constructed of a ferrous steel plate material;
• at least one mount, the at least one mount and target formed as a single unitary structure, the at least one mount extending angularly away from the front into a mounting position that minimizes the chance of a bullet striking the at least one mount when the bullet is directed at the bullet strike zone;
• wherein when the mounting position is formed, the ferrous steel is either in an annealed state or is a soft ferrous steel with a Brinell hardness of less than 320, and
• wherein after the mounting position is formed, the target is heat treated to a hardened state.