Help in planing a home 22 caliber range

[darticus]

I think the most important part is the backstop. Any help would be great. Ron

[william]

Instant death, slow death, deaf family....

Backstop, lead mitigation, sound deadening - got a 3-sided coin to flip?

[bobtodrick]

If your indoors add emphysema, unless your putting in a very good ventilator.

[Bill177]

None of the above health issues.

[Misny]

I would first research the laws and ordinances in your area to make sure that it is legal. Secondly, proper ventilation is very important. You can use an air filtration system, as long as it is rated to capture lead dust. If you use crumb rubber for a backstop, you won't need but about 6" and besides being quiet, it doesn't generate lead dust when hit. Cover the crumb rubber with a sheet of rubber. Old conveyor belts work great and probably can be found for free. If you shoot into one area, you'll have to clean out the lead clump once in a while. You will need to clean your range frequently. D-Lead has some products that can help. You don't want to track lead dust into the rest of the house, either. There are special mats available to prevent this.

If you do it right, it should be safe and non-hazardous, but it will take some time, effort and cash.

Here is a place you can get a good air filter for your purpose: http://www.jdstools.com/index.asp?PageA ... stom&ID=26

Here is a place where you can get products to keep your range and person low lead: http://www.esca-tech.com/

Here is one lead for crumb rubber, but you may be able to find someone closer: http://www.stopmulching.com/everlast-kids-retail.html

[darticus]

Thanks for all the help!
I have a moving target set up and would like to back it up with a trap maybe I could use 2 or 3 outers traps behind it as its 3 feet long. With the concrete wall behind that. See pic of moving target. Feedback wanted! Thanks Ron

[Misny]

Since this is an Olympic style shooting site, I assumed that your proposed indoor range was for this type of shooting, i.e. paper targets. I would NOT put a "Caldwell Shootin Gallery" in the basement. The targets are steel. This would result in lead dust and lead particle splatter in all directions which would soon create a lead contamination problem. There is also a good chance that it would result in dangerous ricochets and or bounce back unless placed at a distance of 75 ft. or greater, according to the manufacturer. Take your fun target system to an outdoor range.

[Bob from Richmond]

If you're serious and want to be able to sell your home later, take a look at this web site. It has not only traps but lots of links to other info on other sites.
Of course if you can't get a waiver to shoot on your home range it’s all moot.

http://www.snailtraps.com/

[TerryKuz]

It probably would be a better idea to get an air rifle for indoor shooting. It really solves most of your problems.

[jhmartin]

Check out the fllowing post ... specifically the Ole Mill Range complex.
Roy McClain has a neat concept.
http://www.targettalk.org/viewtopic.php?t=21120

[JamesHx]

I would go for a granulated rubber backstop.
The bullet remains intact, negligible health hazard from that end of the range, lead should be easily recyclable - just build a sieve into the base of the trap and it might just self -separate

http://www.supertrap.com/ST_Products.htm

[Hemmers]

We have a lot of indoor ranges in the UK. They're really not a big deal from a H&S point. The only issue is the intended targetry.

Ventilation
Install extractor fans at the target end to maintain a negative pressure gradient (i.e. it's higher pressure at the firing point, so air flows down the range, taking airborne nasties with it).

The lead dust risk is not so much to do with the bullet head itself, but often the primer compounds, as well as particulate matter scraped off as it travels down the barrel, rather than whatever is released on impact and fragmentation. That's why you want stuff being sucked away from the firing point down towards the targets.
We just have regular fans with no filters, which probably pre-date lead filtration safety rules. You'd have to check up on local ordinances and laws.

Ensure there is a way for air to get in at the firing point, either a passive system (i.e. just a ventilation grill), or install a reversed extractor fan so it blows air in to promote the down-range flow.

Backstop
Not seen these rubber-crumb systems. Most places here either have:
- Sand pit (like many outdoor ranges)
- vertical steel backplate with a rubber (Linatex) curtain. The bullet goes through the Linatex which self seals, flattens itself on the steel plate and falls to the ground, the Linatex prevents ricochets.
- angled steel plate that deflects shots down into a sand bed on the ground
- Snail trap

However, all this is academic. Definitely wouldn't recommend steel plates indoors at short range except with an air-rifle, or possibly .22 shorts.

.22lr just has too high a ricochet risk.

[JamesHx]

Linatex should last forever if you only use 22LR.
Air pellets will bounce off and come straight back though.

We use hessian curtains here, we have a big area to cover and its far cheaper. Only lasts about a year, blowing around in the wind seems to degrade it.

[Senator Vitaman]

Building a .22 caliber range in your basement is a bad idea. First you have ricochiets. Even if you have a backstop, it could hit a wall if it rcochets from the "shootin gallery", and most basements walls are concrete, and that makes bullets ricochet like crazy. You also have to be worried about lead contamination. While a one story range where noone lives might have adequate ventilation, the lead dust could go to other stories of your house where it might not be properly ventilated, and you will live there. Also, the noise will probably be just insane.

[Guest]

PEAPLE ARE MAKING THIS COMPLICATED FOR I HAVE A BASEMENT RANGE FOR AIR AND .22 I USE A .22 BULLET TRAP $100.00 OR SO PUT A RUBBER SHEET IN FRONT TO PREVENT LEAD SPATTERING AND USE AQUILA NO POWDER.22 IN PISTOL SLIGHTLY NOISY WITH MY.22 HENRY LESS NOISE THAN MY STEYR AIR PISTOL. HOPE THIS HELPS YOU OUT.

LUCKY BROOMFIELD COLORADO

[Senator Vitaman]

That's the super colibri, right? Will that knock down the shootin' gallery targets? I've heard that unless you're using a handgun you need to check the barrel every shot just to make sure it didn't get stuck, it has that little energy.

[Guest]

I HAVE A HENRY BIG BOY .22 NEVER A PROBLEM I ALSO HAVE A KIMBER BOLT ACTION I ALSO SHOOT AQUILA.22 NO PROBLEM BUT ALWAYS CHECK TO MAKE SURE.I AM NOT SURE ABOUT THE KNOCKDOWN POWER TRY AND SEE.