TargetTalk

I plan to set up a 22 bullet trap in my metal barn. My idea is to use the barn as an alternate place to practice during inclement weather. I will shoot diagonally across the space in the barn; shooting therefore into a corner. The land outside the particular corner of the barn is not inhabited for over a thirty acre area and has no roads. I want to build a backstop in the corner for the purpose of protecting my metal walls in case of a wild/accidental shot. I am thinking of using ¾ inch plywood cut into two four foot squares and attached to my walls and meeting at the corner with the trap placed just in front of the plywood corner. Would ¾ inch plywood be sufficient? Do I need to double the thickness? Is there another more efficient and inexpensive product you might suggest?

Come see us in the woods.
Jack

easy test....place 3/4" plywood outside in front of a safe backstop ,load and fire...a self-proving experiment !!
remove tongue from cheek....
on my range, I use 3/4" used conveyor belting set at 45 degrees to bullet's flight. I feel that if you want guaranteed safety,you will need something like 3/16" steel plate,or 4" of wood.This however cannot be the primary backstop...you need something to prevent any ricochets ,or bouncebacks. Wood is a good material , if you don't want to build a sand backstop. I am sure others much wiser than I , will chime in...It all depends on the materials you have available......

The range at the summer camp where I work has a 2x8 in front of a steel boiler plate. The wood does nothing to stop a .22. I'd say a similar piece of metal at an angle down into a sand pit is your best bet.

45 degrees to the bullets' flight is not a good angle for a deflection plate - they sometimes shoot back! an angle of about 40 degrees is a better solution with dry loose sand at the base seems to work well

Spencer

One trick I've heard of is to put wood (say 4 x 4) in front of a steel plate. The bullet may go through the wood in one direction, but after hitting the plate, it's so deformed that it can't ricochet.

For what you'd spend for a backstop good enough for a .22, you could buy a pellet rifle and pellet trap. Just as good for practice.

Gene

I appreciate receiving everyone's comments. I even had an excellent PM from Roy M. (thank you).

I tried to include as much info as possible. I have an Outers Champion Metal Bullet Trap that I plan to shoot into. My worry is that a shot might go off accidentally and I would prefer not to explain to my wife why I have a hole in the metal wall of my barn.

I currently practice air pistol in the barn with a Gehman pellet trap and have not had a problem. I also do not anticipate missing the target at 50 feet but I have seen 22 handguns "go off" at in-opportune times before.
I am just trying to figure out what might work for the surrounding area behind my "bullet trap" to protect my walls.

It seems like I could make a sand box on the floor and use metal plates.

It is just an idea/project that I have in mind to get inside during bad weather.

Come see us in the woods.
Jack

You could take a couple sheets of 4x8 OSB and frame it like a wall, then fill it with sand. That would be cheap and would stop a bullet without a ricoche.

Just my two cents worth. Many years ago, I used an old tire and hung a plate (6mm thick x 14" x 14") via a couple of hooks on its upper part within the inside of the tire so that it was free to swing and absorb the energy when hit by the .22 cal of my free pistol. I must have fired over a thousand shots and ALL of the used bullets were in the tire. After which, I sold the lead as scrap, the same thing I do with my used pellets. Our national coach who worked for the local "FBI" taught me this.

Regards,

Ron

Ken O wrote:You could take a couple sheets of 4x8 OSB and frame it like a wall, then fill it with sand. That would be cheap and would stop a bullet without a ricoche.

I like Ken's idea alot. 3/4" OSB and 2x4 studs filled with either sand or a sand and pea gravel mixture. If you placed each framed panel into the corner, so the errant projectile enters at an angle, you should have good success mitigating the energy and catching the projectile.

It would be easy to fab, easy to repair, easy to takedown when necessary, and could be made cheaply with readily available materials.


Deep tens,

toznerd

I also think Ken's idea is great and better than what I was thinking of.

Thanks for all the advice.

Jack

We shoot at WVU's range. Their backstop is a several foot thick bed of rubber chips- ground tires. It is designed to stop a lot more than .22lr bullets. The nice thing about this is when you clean it out you get very complete bullets not lead fragments. The front of the trap is conveyor belting. I have often thought such a trap could be made by framing up a wall using 2x? lumber. Not sure how deep is needed to stop a bullet. This trap is also very clean.

Hey Jack,

I replied to your PM.

As for the backstop. If 2x4s failed in testing, 2x6s should certainly do the trick, and only a bit more to upgrade in lumber and sand.

Take care,

cricman

I said sand because thats whats my ground is, and it would be free here. I would think any filler would work, like screenings, gravel, and probably even dirt, whatever you got thats free or cheap.

I said sand because thats whats my ground is, and it would be free here. I would think any filler would work, like screenings, gravel, and probably even dirt, whatever you got thats free or cheap.