Is it safe to drill into the metal spacer between drywall and joist?
Update: From the photo provided, it doesn't appear to be a safety plate. I'm leaving this answer in case someone else comes here searching on metal behind their drywall.



If that's a steel safety plate you're hitting, then the answer is "no" you don't want to drill through it. It's installed to prevent accidentally nailing through the drywall, into the joists, and into some electrical or plumbing that's very close on the other side. Go 6" along the joist and try again, and if you hit wood instead of metal, thank the last person that was kind enough to install this plate.