Weaponry and Tactics DIY Bullet Trap 1.0

mechstdr submitted a new resource:

DIY Bullet Trap - Homemade bullet trap for people with limited range space

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Hie thee to a smithy....

The projectiles may be deflected to a medium where the lead may be recovered and remelted and cast for further practice.

 

Someday Mount Krap will be a rich lead mine since it is the backing for my range. I really should put bullet catchers behind the targets.

 

We had one on the indoor small bore range that was a spiral. The only thing that came out in the hopper was fine lead dust. It had been around long before anybody ever heard of OSHA.

 

haven't built my own as yet, but i'll add a couple extras. I'll beef mine up and use 4x4 posts for the frame and 1/2" min. for the plate backing. the bottom framework will have either 1/2 or 3/4 inch plywood base, then fill with sand to catch fragments, add "wings" of plate on sides to catch ricochets. I don't remember the specs but would make it 48" x 48" or 60" x 60" most likely the former.

 

I would probably put a steel target inside an old tire, should work for catching shredded pistol bullets.

 

I need to make one because all around me are homes, i have 28 acres but the property line is 300 yards at most, even pistol rounds can possibly travel that far unfortunately!

 

it's the kind of thing that could be installed in a garage or barn with a suitable backstop....add some sound installation and the local yokels won't become jittery

 

This stuff works anazing for trapping air rifle rounds, never tried larger thsn .22. Worked good for a basement range.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003MZK122/?tag=survivalmonke-20

 

The nice thing about having a bullet trap on your own range is that you're the only one shooting at it. You control what's shot at it, and by whom. I have a 1/2" mild steel plate on my porch that I shot at with everything from .22 to 7.62x39 for so long it developed a slight curve. It had an angle iron stake welded on the back and enough mass that I could just drop it and it'd plant the stake in the ground. The plate probably would've lasted forever using those rounds and just needed a fresh spray of white paint occasionally.

The plate died the day #1 Son started shooting it with surplus 8mm Mauser ammo. This is steel jacketed lead core, but at 100 yards it would crater the plate surface on two of three rounds and pass through on the third. An old timer told me that with the slightly reduced velocity at 200 yards they'd all penetrate the plate, but the holes would be smaller. I never tried it. I also never shot that plate again. Had the plate been angled it would've been safer, but I could see steel splatter coming back toward us hitting puddles as close as 25 yards away. That's a little too close for me. The boy busted the welds right off my stake. Maybe that was a sign.

 

My solution is having a plate of lead that you shoot into.
Everything from pellets to regular fire arms blend right into the lead plate, no second handling.
If the plate is backed with steel more powerful bullets are stopped there but there is no ricochet and copper jackets usually stay on the surface.
An old cast iron frying pan would do well, one can heat it up and melt it down easily or use a ladle and pour more shots.