Homemade bullet trap

[Bush Pilot]

Has anyone ever made a bullet trap for home use? I'm not looking for target practice, just something I can shoot a few rounds in to to test a load without having to drive to the range. Recovering the bullets is not a consideration, just something to stop the bullet. I was thinking of trying a 5 gallon bucket 2/3 full of fine grain sand. BTW, the only thing I'd be shooting would be handguns.

 

[rcmodel]

That will work.

Keep a roll of duct tape handy to patch the holes.
And a broom.

rc

 

[LeftyTSGC]

Some around here have gotten hold of a 55Gal drum and opened the end as needed, filled with sand. You can also cut it in half

Here are a couple of pics:

Can be loaded with cement base, pea gravel and sand.

 

[Bush Pilot]

That will work.

Keep a roll of duct tape handy to patch the holes.
And a broom.

rc

Patch the holes? The sand wouldn't be sufficient to stop handgun bullets? Can you suggest anything you could shoot thru so the sand wouldn't fly out?

 

[Rule3]

The sand is best but makes a mess. If outside then no problem. I am in the suburbs but still in the City Limits so shooting is not allowed.

I took a large cardboard book and lined it with phone books, sheets of plywood phone books etc. Close the garage door and "test"

 

[RainDodger]

Yeah. My bullet trap was a log that I had not split for firewood yet. For pistol, not rifle.

 

[Potatohead]

I had a thread about this awhile back. I need one too, to test function and such. Some people mentioned sand, phone books, a big trash can full of water and a few other neat things I cant remember. My wife drew the line at firing my pistol in the garage. Cant figure out what's wrong with that lady.

 

[savanahsdad]

I have used a box of rags and folded old sheets , this stops a 45acp but a 22lr went strait through an hit my steel back stop, for bullet testing a lot of guys use 18" of wet news print , how much you need will depend on what you shoot , HP or FMJ or cast, 45acp or 44mag , keep in mind a small 9mm FMJ will go through a lot , and I'd do some testing at the range before you try it at home , and don't miss , I did that once , Had to buy the wife a new washer

 

[ReloaderFred]

The best trap media is #10 asphalt sand, which is really small grain gravel. It's used on some berms, and it takes less of it to stop the bullet. The problem with a 5 gallon bucket is the bullets don't always go straight, and they "may" go out the side of the bucket if not perfectly centered. It's best to have bucket walls that are tough enough to contain a stray round, if necessary.

If you do much testing, be sure to check that you don't punch a hole in the trap media from shooting the same spot over and over. You don't want to put a bullet through the back of the trap.

To prevent splash back, if you can get hold of a truck inner tube and cut it open to give you enough rubber material to cover the opening of the trap, that will prevent most splash back. It also repairs itself to a certain degree, but will have to be replaced over time. You can shift it around if the rubber material is large enough, so you're not always shooting through the same spot in the rubber. A bungee cord around the mouth of the trap will hold it in place. A piece of plywood cut to fit the inside of the trap, and resting directly on the sand, will also help with splash back, but will have to be replaced fairly regularly.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Rule3]

Just to add, when I use my test "box" I also have a piece of 3/4 plywood behind it and it's against a concrete block exterior wall. It's very very loud in a closed garage! No one around me can hear and they have their AC on.

 

[Fleetman]

I used to test fire into my sump pump pit....got some photo-worthy expanded projectiles from it too.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

I know a pawn shop owner that used to have a 5 gallon bucket filled with river sand. Even used it for small caliber rifles.

 

[Willie Sutton]

The end of a 6x6 a foot long or so (depending on caliber) makes a good hasty-trap for a few shots.

Swimming pools rock: Just don't shoot too flat or you'll annoy the neighbors with richochets... straight down works well.


Willie

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[41 Mag]

This should give you plenty of things to think about....
Bullet Trap Ideas

That aside, I use a 5-6 gallon bucket filled with slightly tamped very fine sand to recover mine. Many use the crushed rubber mulch as well. I know you mentioned your not overly interested in the recovery, but after a few dozen shots you will need to sift and repack in order to not create a void that a shot will fully penetrate the bucket.

As a side note to that and a FYI, I have found that even shooting a standard 255gr or heavier 45 Colt load into the top end of the bucket laying sideways and being full of the tamped sand, will sometimes still fully penetrate the length of the bucket at 25yds, using RFN or SWC type bullets, and go skipping out across the pasture.

Just be careful and do some testing first before you punch a unwanted hole int he back of your garage or shop.

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

I have used a bucket of sand and laid a small phonebook in the top. works fine.

But when I hear Bullet trap I think of designed traps for home range setup like a snail trap.

 

[marv]

I use a five foot square piece of half inch thick steel plate, angled slightly back toward me. Works good for .22 rifle or any handgun.

 

[230RN]

You could consider the snail trap. Here's an example of one made of flat plate before welding.

http://istockup.com/video/admin/catalog/snail-bullet-trap-plans-7912.jpg

The advantage is the angle of impact is such that the full energy is well-distributed as the bullet spins around the spiral and it finally drops to the bottom, so not-so-heavy construction is necessary.

Another design using large-diameter pipe.

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/v...47401-test-fire-cabinet-housing-snailtrap.jpg


Terry, 230RN

 

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http://www.letargets.com/estylez_item.aspx?item=SCT-PISTOL