am looking to make or to buy a bullet trap for my 20 gauge howdah for outdoor use at the range. they have sand at 2 set distances but nothing for close up so i think the best solution would be to get a trap to hold the targets and drop some sandbags on the bottom of it. not sure which design to go with either.
portable bullet trap?
- Thread starter BlackNet
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GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL
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I usually use an animal that I'm going to eat or an outlaw that didn't want to come peaceful as a trap for the ball....
At its most basic level...even an outlaw works. So it would be unlikely he would qualify. However, he is rather rotund so he may be at least tender...
But I'm convinced, he would be an excellent bullet trap. Or if not, it would give him something to aspire to...
But I'm convinced, he would be an excellent bullet trap. Or if not, it would give him something to aspire to...
Ratdog68
Member
arcticap
Member
Why not speak with the range management and ask what they require for shooting shot at close range?
If you use wood to absorb the shot, then you'll be stuck with lead impregnated wood that would then need to be disposed of.
The range might only require that you use a cardboard target backer placed high enough for the shot load to pass through it to reach further downrange. Usually it's only bullets that the range wants to avoid having ricochet off the ground by shooting at a target that's placed too low to the ground.
Most ranges don't mind shotgun patterning and don't expect that the shot be contained.
Plus not all of the shot will necessarily penetrate and stick into the wood target backer if the velocity of the pellets isn't high enough or if it's only light birdshot.
One of my ranges uses some very thick durable foam target backing on metal frames designed to hold the large foam panels. This about 4-6 inch thick type of closed cell foam would probably absorb the shot and contain it. Even plywood or particle board covered with a similar foam panel might work pretty good and it can't be very expensive or the club wouldn't use it. They probably get it at the big box building supply store. But still, where best to dispose of the captured lead shot when the entire range is probably already a contaminated property?
Any shooting club with a trap, skeet or sporting clays range isn't usually very concerned about spent shot loads because it's generally considered to be inert unless maybe there's tons of it.
Concern over spent lead bullets on club range property have generated nuisance lawsuits by neighboring residents which often fail once experts testify how harmless the lead usually is and the suits are dismissed only to cost the club enormous legal fees.
That's why it might be a good idea to find out what the range policy is about patterning lead shot and whether it requires spent shot to be contained or not.
If the club doesn't have a short distance pistol range, then spent lead pistol bullets may not be making it all of the way out to the sandy backstop/berm either.
This is all just food for thought since you know your range situation better than anyone else here does.
If you use wood to absorb the shot, then you'll be stuck with lead impregnated wood that would then need to be disposed of.
The range might only require that you use a cardboard target backer placed high enough for the shot load to pass through it to reach further downrange. Usually it's only bullets that the range wants to avoid having ricochet off the ground by shooting at a target that's placed too low to the ground.
Most ranges don't mind shotgun patterning and don't expect that the shot be contained.
Plus not all of the shot will necessarily penetrate and stick into the wood target backer if the velocity of the pellets isn't high enough or if it's only light birdshot.
One of my ranges uses some very thick durable foam target backing on metal frames designed to hold the large foam panels. This about 4-6 inch thick type of closed cell foam would probably absorb the shot and contain it. Even plywood or particle board covered with a similar foam panel might work pretty good and it can't be very expensive or the club wouldn't use it. They probably get it at the big box building supply store. But still, where best to dispose of the captured lead shot when the entire range is probably already a contaminated property?
Any shooting club with a trap, skeet or sporting clays range isn't usually very concerned about spent shot loads because it's generally considered to be inert unless maybe there's tons of it.
Concern over spent lead bullets on club range property have generated nuisance lawsuits by neighboring residents which often fail once experts testify how harmless the lead usually is and the suits are dismissed only to cost the club enormous legal fees.
That's why it might be a good idea to find out what the range policy is about patterning lead shot and whether it requires spent shot to be contained or not.
If the club doesn't have a short distance pistol range, then spent lead pistol bullets may not be making it all of the way out to the sandy backstop/berm either.
This is all just food for thought since you know your range situation better than anyone else here does.
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arcticap
Member
The closed cell foam panels that we use are so durable that a small shot size may not even penetrate it.
Particle board and some wood could actually be softer and easier for the shot to penetrate but they would need to be tested.
We used this closed cell foam because it doesn't break apart and it makes it easy for folks to hang up their targets using thin nails that are supplied without needing to bring along a staple gun. It lasts about 100 times longer than cardboard and is weather proof. But it's hard to predict if BP shot loads would actually bounce off it or not.
Particle board and some wood could actually be softer and easier for the shot to penetrate but they would need to be tested.
We used this closed cell foam because it doesn't break apart and it makes it easy for folks to hang up their targets using thin nails that are supplied without needing to bring along a staple gun. It lasts about 100 times longer than cardboard and is weather proof. But it's hard to predict if BP shot loads would actually bounce off it or not.
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last time I shot the howdah most of the #7 pellets would stay in the plywood backing on the target. figured some type of 45 degree steel and sand below would trap all of the pellets for easy reclaiming. Even if I went with 1/2" to 1" plywood that would make it easy to reclaim as well.
Sagetown
Member
I agree with BlackNet here. If your goal is to retrieve the lead or pellets, that will do it safely and conveniently.
scythefwd
Member
My old man had a bullet trap that was made of steel and would supposedly accept a .45 at 0 distance. The back was two plates at 45 degrees with about a 2 inch hole between them. The top continued down and into a trap that was facing the front and behind the lower steel plate. I shot 9mm and .38 sp into it all the time and never even saw the steel dent. I would suspect that it would do for a BP load, but I have no idea who made it or where to get one now. I haven't been able to fine one in about 45 minutes of searching on the net.
Here is some even more disturbing news about this. I spoke with some people over the weekend club meeting and found out they use to have steel targets and they were taken down as the president did not like steel. I spoke with the president and ask him about it and this is what he told me.
Said that steel targets were causing the round balls to splatter and not go into the burn but fragment all over the place. Also was worried about fragments hitting adjacent shooters. He also said shotguns need to use moving targets like clays and for that I could goto another area he has setup but no one uses it as most of the club members are not into shotguns.
If I made a steel trap for a shotgun for close range I am suspecting I will/could get some flack for it from several members. May just end up doing a steel trap type and put 1/2" - 1" plywood over it then change the plywood as needed.
Said that steel targets were causing the round balls to splatter and not go into the burn but fragment all over the place. Also was worried about fragments hitting adjacent shooters. He also said shotguns need to use moving targets like clays and for that I could goto another area he has setup but no one uses it as most of the club members are not into shotguns.
If I made a steel trap for a shotgun for close range I am suspecting I will/could get some flack for it from several members. May just end up doing a steel trap type and put 1/2" - 1" plywood over it then change the plywood as needed.
arcticap
Member
There was someone on the MLF that built a ball trap out of a wooden box that was filled with rubber mulch from the garden dept.. It was only 2-3 feet long, had 2 wheels and allowed the balls to pass in and then contained them by stopping them dead about 1/2 way in for easy recovery of the pure lead afterward.
And there are thin pellet traps that air gun shooters buy and also make themselves made with a layer of some kind of putty that the pellets sink into and are then held in place. After the putty gets overwhelmed with pellets, then the putty in the trap is removed and refreshed with a new thin layer of it. The backing is steel but it doesn't need to be for shot.
I'm not sure what kind of putty it is. I'll bet that one of the air gun sites that sell these traps list what kind of putty is used to replace it. But putty might also serve to contain the small shot that would otherwise escape after striking plywood, or lessen the neccesity to frequently buy new wood, dispose of wood impregnated with shot or the need to remove the shot from the wood once it penetrates it.
I'm not sure how most air gun shooters remove the lead pellets from the putty. Many probably don't and just throw it away, but removing a lot of lead shot from plywood sounds like a chore.
Too bad that you can't set up a paper target stand for patterning at the clay pigeon field when it's not in use by others.
How does the club expect members who are shotgun hunters (especially turkey, waterfowl etc...) to pattern their loads?
And there are thin pellet traps that air gun shooters buy and also make themselves made with a layer of some kind of putty that the pellets sink into and are then held in place. After the putty gets overwhelmed with pellets, then the putty in the trap is removed and refreshed with a new thin layer of it. The backing is steel but it doesn't need to be for shot.
I'm not sure what kind of putty it is. I'll bet that one of the air gun sites that sell these traps list what kind of putty is used to replace it. But putty might also serve to contain the small shot that would otherwise escape after striking plywood, or lessen the neccesity to frequently buy new wood, dispose of wood impregnated with shot or the need to remove the shot from the wood once it penetrates it.
I'm not sure how most air gun shooters remove the lead pellets from the putty. Many probably don't and just throw it away, but removing a lot of lead shot from plywood sounds like a chore.
Too bad that you can't set up a paper target stand for patterning at the clay pigeon field when it's not in use by others.
How does the club expect members who are shotgun hunters (especially turkey, waterfowl etc...) to pattern their loads?
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Well to remove the pellets from the wood burning might be the best method.
I was told to basically not worry about it because it would be so infrequent. However there is also talk of having more shotgun usage at the range.
The subject of steel seems to be a very sore spot for some reason. Was told that the round balls will fragment and go everywhere but the berm, which is the same issue as any shotgun usage to (not going into the berm) I suggested we make a short range bed of sand for things like this.
Am curious now, if I just built a box with an open face and partially filled it with sandbags and put a target stand in front of that then how thick sand would be needed. I am guessing (WAG here) around 6" should do just fine. Suppose some testing is in order on bags of sand and penetration.
I was told to basically not worry about it because it would be so infrequent. However there is also talk of having more shotgun usage at the range.
The subject of steel seems to be a very sore spot for some reason. Was told that the round balls will fragment and go everywhere but the berm, which is the same issue as any shotgun usage to (not going into the berm) I suggested we make a short range bed of sand for things like this.
Am curious now, if I just built a box with an open face and partially filled it with sandbags and put a target stand in front of that then how thick sand would be needed. I am guessing (WAG here) around 6" should do just fine. Suppose some testing is in order on bags of sand and penetration.
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arcticap
Member
My outdoor club doesn't allow members to shoot steel unless it's at a club function when they shoot plate matches. It's mostly about ricochets and safety consideration.
Yet they allow the shooting of bowling pins which can cause bullets to ricochet like crazy, especially a bowling pin swinging on 2 pieces of rope.
They wouldn't allow shotgun patterning until members complained, so only stationary shotgun targets and no airborne clay birds or shooting glass objects.
Muzzle loading clubs are usually geared more for shooting steel, airborne clays and woods walks.
Yet they allow the shooting of bowling pins which can cause bullets to ricochet like crazy, especially a bowling pin swinging on 2 pieces of rope.
They wouldn't allow shotgun patterning until members complained, so only stationary shotgun targets and no airborne clay birds or shooting glass objects.
Muzzle loading clubs are usually geared more for shooting steel, airborne clays and woods walks.
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arcticap
Member
That should stop plenty of heavy round balls too.
I once made a large target holder that could accomodate 2 sheets of plywood. It was designed like a large sandwich sign, 2 rectangular frames hinged together that stood as an upside down "V".
The faces of each side are angled upward, but it was only meant to be a large [but heavy] target stand.
At least yours will serve as an effective backstop.
I once made a large target holder that could accomodate 2 sheets of plywood. It was designed like a large sandwich sign, 2 rectangular frames hinged together that stood as an upside down "V".
The faces of each side are angled upward, but it was only meant to be a large [but heavy] target stand.
At least yours will serve as an effective backstop.
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I visited the police range in Luxembourg and they had a bullet trap similar to the one posted by Blacknet. It was not portable though. Theirs was logs of wood stacked so you could see the rings. The logs were cut to uniform length and were packed tightly with another role behind them for safety. Apparently all they do is replace the logs when they're shot to pieces. What happened to the old shot-up logs was not observed.
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