Bullet trap for homebuilt basement firing range?

Move up to 3/8" and buy T-1 not mild steel. T-1 is also called A514 and is used for dumptruck beds and bulldozer rams. It welds easily and is extremely tough. You could also go for a piece of AR plate. AR plate means Abrasion resistant and is pretty much identical to World War 2 armour plate.

Sounds fine

Good.

we have on at work that we shoot .223 and m203 test fire rounds into. this is a helix shaped outside with a cone bottom. when you shoot into the trap the projectile goes around the helix until slowing down enough to fall into the cone and land in the drum of water below. the drum has a small pump in it to pump water into multiple nozzles welded into the top of the helix. at one time we shot thru a box that had sound absorbing material glued to the inside to cut down on the noise and also a fan to ventilate the gases from the box. the distance from the firing position to the trap was less that 25 feet.

Yeah, those "snail" traps are too #$%$# expensive for me.

I looked at those first, but the prices drove me to plan building my own.

Mike Patterson Please remove the spamtrap to email me. "I always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific..."

Mike, it should work well, but Id increase the thickness to 3/8 and put side plates on it, with a front and side lips on top edge at a backwards 15' angle. Even with a good steep angle you may get some lead splatter back wards along the line of flight on the rare occasion. I have a tiny chunk in my leg from just such a back splatter at 25 feet.

1/4" plate will eventually get pretty well beat up, even with 22lr and the magnums will dimple it pretty quickly. Go to something thicker and never have to worry about it again.

Makes me wonder what happened to all those Rams Horn bullet traps the highschools used to have in the basement rifle ranges. Seems like every highschool had a half dozen or so...

Gunner

"There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism - by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide." - Ayn Rand, from "Foreign Policy Drains U.S. of Main Weapons"

There have been some difficult lead clean-ups in school basement rifle ranges.

A friend of mine suggested getting a heavy-walled pipe elbow, well-casing sized or larger.

Jim

Yup..most of them didnt have very good ventilation. Been there, shot there.

Gunner

"There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism - by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide." - Ayn Rand, from "Foreign Policy Drains U.S. of Main Weapons"

Heavy as hell and a bitch to balance

Gunner

"There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism - by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide." - Ayn Rand, from "Foreign Policy Drains U.S. of Main Weapons"

Hi, I can't say if the metal is thick enough, but here's something I can say. In High school I was on varsity rifle team. Our 50 foot range used angled steel plate and it worked great. We did have a half inch thick plywork board in front of the plate. The wood prevented lead that somehow bounced back from traveling back to us. When the wood got sizeable holes I did get hit with pieces of lead. So put in the wood!

Also "WEAR EYE PROTECTION".

Shabtai Evan

Mike Patters> I'd like to make a simple bullet trap in my basement suitable for up > to .22 magnum.

Good idea, thanks. I always eye & ear protection.

Mike

Mike Patterson Please remove the spamtrap to email me. "I always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific..."

OK, 3/8" it is, with 1/8" sideplates.

I'd planned to mount the main plate in a groove routed in the 4x4s, and rout the groove a bit oversize so the plate would move back a bit on impact so as to lessen the shock to the plate and stand. Hopefully it'll also descrease splashing a bit as well since the bullet will have a small amount of deceleration time as it's changing directions.

Thanks Mike Mike Patterson Please remove the spamtrap to email me. "I always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific..."

I made one the same as this - 6mm plate butt welded together. Works fine for 22LR, but don't try it with 0.223 (ahem)Thicker would be better Geoff

Mike..something else you may consider. Mudflaps from semi trucks.

They are tough as hell and if you hang a pair of them from the top of the shell, they may well stop the bullets from a .22. Ive seen them used to stop .38 Special bullets in home made ranges. They have to hang and flap freely though. Ive also seen some thick canvas type conveyor belts being used for this as well. The bullet hits, the energy is used to swing the flap and the bullet simply falls straight down, oddly enough. YMMV of course

Gunner

"There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism - by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide." - Ayn Rand, from "Foreign Policy Drains U.S. of Main Weapons"

I used to fire on an indoor 22 range much the same as you describe. ISTR that the 45deg plate was backed with sand to deaden the noise. Also, we shot through small openings in a wooden wall. This served three purposes. It deadened the noise to the shooters. It stopped splinters flying back at us and NO ONE was allowed through the door in the wall while there were loaded guns on the range.

John

Just use the butt end of a section of log. A couple feet long. We shot, for years, into the firewood at the end of our basement. Paul

I tried a similar thing once and shot at tyres. Nearly killed myself. The dam things just came back at me. If you want to go the floppy rubber route, get hold of some old conveyor belting. It comes in various grades and is free. Ask at any factory/quarry/mine that uses it for some old stuff.

John

I'd hate to breathe the smoke coming out of your chimney with all that lead in it. ERS

--I just had this vision of Leslie Nielsen from the TV show "Police Squad" when he's practicing with his .45 in his apartment, heh.

Having just gotten the DVD box-set of Sledge Hammer Season 1, are you sure it's not Sledge you're thinking of? He does EXACTLY this in the first (pilot) episode- 'Under The Gun'.

Trust me, I know what I'm doing, Ivor.