How to make a backstop for unloading?

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iafirebuff

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Does anyone have any ideas on how to make a "backstop" or a safe place to unload handguns? I am thinking of something like a bucket with sand, etc that I could use to unload in my house. Any thoughts? THANKS!
 
oil drum lined with kevlar. sand on bottom, rubber media in the middle. lol thats the best i can come up with


by the way, be sure you arent 'dumping' near any other buildings.. discharging a firearm that way tends to freak other people out. unless you have sound proofed your basement/techie room
 
A 5-gallon bucket of sand with a snap-on lid will stop any handgun bullet known to man if fired directly down into it.

Perhaps a better idea is just Keep your Bugger-Hook off the Trigger when you drop the mag and rack the slide!
 
I use a five gallon paint container or a similar sized bulk laundry soap container (from Sams Club or Costco), filled with playground sand (Home depot, Lowes, etc) to about 4 inches from the top covered with a piece of garden cloth (the kind used to prevent weeds and protect seeds). Weights about 200 pounds. I tested (at 3-4 feet distance) at the range with guns ranging from a .22LR Buckmaster, through an extensive selection of carry calibers and finished with my .270Winchester T/C Encore (it crack the side of the container from the shock wave but the bullet stopped 4-6 inches into the sand; there was considerable sand blowback, and some leackage through the crack--but it was just sand).

I keep one in the closet where I store my carry gun while sleeping and one near the garage door where I usually exit or enter the house. I carry while in and around the home because it is also my place of business.
 
THANKS for the input!

I always pratice safe gun handling, but I just want to take it a step farther and have a safe area to unload the weapon. I have been going out side to a large hill/burm behind my house just in case. I would hate to shoot a hole in my floor, but like I said I try 110% not to have a ND. I just want to be extra cautous.
 
I have made several for almost nothing

Their are many materials and ways to do this. I am kinda cheap, so this is what I do. Get a sturdy container that is about 3' x 3' Open up your recycling box and pull out enough newspaper to fill the container. Tightly bind sections of paper together and adhear them to the inside of the container. Once you have it full, compress it some more and seal it, tightly. Then cover the back and top with old kevlar BR vest panels and glue them in place. Now you have an inexpensive backstop that will stop any handgun projectile imaginable for just a few bucks.

Of course, as others have suggested, sand can certainly work as can other materials. Just look around and use your imagination.

Oh, and KUDOS to you for being a responsible gun owner. I am glad to hear others take safety as seriously as do I.

Shooter429
 
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A buddy of mine has a 22 bullet trap with phone books inside. They stop all of the +p 45 rounds he shoots into it. He goes through lots of phone books. Stack a few 3 high in a box and it will do the trick. Its cleaner than sand to have around.
 
Not real sure I understand. By "unload" a handgun, do you mean unload, or to fire and empty the cartridges?

If it's the latter, use the earth. You are sure to hit it, shoot straight down and it will stop anything fired into it, safely. Works every time. :D

A five gal. bucket of packed dirt will work as an earth substitute, even for a .44 mag., but the muzzle blast inside the house may be a bit over other house members comfort level!
 
I have also seen people use chopping blocks

for this purpose. A wet log that is 2.5' thick will do the trick (as long as it is not rotten). Oh and the whiskey barrels full of packed dirt also work or...lots of things around that will stop handgun ammo. The hot tub works great.

On Mythbusters, they found that IPod's don't stop 7.62X39 but 14 pizzas in insulating bags back to back stop 12 Ga buck. Who thinks of this stuff? ;)

Shooter429
 
Not real sure I understand. By "unload" a handgun, do you mean unload, or to fire and empty the cartridges?

+1 I unload my handguns anywhere in my home, for whatever reason. This is not, or should not, require backstops. I think we have a semantic problem here.

Cordially, Jack
 
By unloading I mean just that, to unload an unfired round from the chamber. I want a safe place to do this - like they have at most police departments, jails, etc. THANKS for all the great ideas! I will try a few out :)
 
For reference, two feet of ~60 degree cream cheese will not stop .22WMR FMJ or .30-06 SP, but the '06 will spread cheese over about a quarter acre.

One foot of much colder cream cheese will stop .45ACP JHPs, but it's not reliable.

Sand is much more effective.
 
I think the most important thing is to concentrate and not allow yourself to be distracted by anything while you are loading or unloading. A backstop is a poor substitute for safe firearms handling.

However, I like the idea of a telephone book on the floor next to (or inside) the gun safe. You'd have to test to see how bullet proof telephone books are (which could be fun).
 
We have unloading bays outside all Guardrooms, think brick built box 2m wide (2 guys per time) approx 1m deep and 1m front-rear filled with sand

sometimes 2 tubes set into it.

affectionately known as the 1m range,
possible overkill for your residence, but you get the idea.

However, I dont know about your side of the pond but here,

UNLOAD means to remove the magazine/belt
operate the working parts to the rear.
check inside chamber, face of bolt and mag well to ensure no live round is present
working parts forward, fire off action if required.

if it makes a loud bang, you are in BIG trouble (I would lose my rank and face a big fine)
 
I've always just used the 2 1/2 acre pond behind my house... when the neighbors ask *** I'm doing, I just tell them I'm fishing and to come over later for some smoked large mouth bass! It was better when the alligator was still in the pond... then they never asked why I was fishing with a Mosin Nagant instead of my usual 9mm...

How do those small bullet traps work that I keep seeing advertised on my ammo sites? I've seen several that were rated for large caliber guns like my 7.62 and '06 for under $200, anyone ever try them?
 
You don't want to be that close to a bullet trap when it catches a bullet.

They almost all tend to splash lead back out of them hard enough to hurt you if you were within "unloading" range of two - three feet.

All said and done, a bucket of sand with a snap-on plastic lid is as cheap & effective as anything you can buy.

The lid keeps sand from blowing back in your face if you do have an ND while unloading.
 
I understand you don't want to be close to a bullet trap, but I mean as far as the effectiveness of the cheap ones? Any clue?
 
Well I managed to shoot the back out of one of the little .22 ones.

With a Beeman air rifle!

Course, it took about five years, but metal fatigue finally got to it after several thousand .177 pellets in the same place.

I have no experiance with the less expensive center-fire traps.
 
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