Home built bullet trap/catcher

Pahoo · September 15, 2017, 02:41 PM

Hard pressed to find the best place to list tis thread, so thought "Smithing" is as good as any. ????

I routinely do trigger work on a few firearms and often have to go to the range to test the functionality more so than test the accuracy. One of these firearms, is the Ruger 10/22 family as well as the MK,s. The last time I went to the range, it was closed. I decided I needed a better plan. So I made my own test trap. Started out with stacked news-paper and then decided to go to YouTube just by chance they had a video and sure enough, I found some good ideas. Won't go into detail here but basically used Rubber-Mulch and it works pretty good. There is practically no noise as I insert the muzzle slightly into the trap. Have not gone higher than a .22WMR. According to the video, that fella also shoots a 9MM into his. .....

Oh course there are a number of safety guidelines, to follow ......

Be Safe !!!

TXAZ · September 15, 2017, 03:22 PM

I've found a parked Volvo with an intact engine to be a pretty good backstop for anything short of a .50 AP round.

But on a serious note, there is a local range here that uses several yards of rubber chunks as a backstop and it works well for anything up to a .338 round.

Bill DeShivs · September 15, 2017, 04:06 PM

A very simple bullet trap can be made with large diameter pipe with a thick piece of steel welded on the end. Fill with 10" of sand.

Jim Watson · September 15, 2017, 04:22 PM

My neighbor the gunsmith put his lathe on a concrete base, block "legs," slab top. He just continued the base to the concrete block wall, dumped in some sand, and covered it with a board, just a small gap to shoot into.

There was a commercial bullet trap that was just a heavy cardboard box for the user to fill with gravel. When the gravel started leaking out the shot up front face, it was time for a new front face. When the gravel was blasted into grit, time for fresh gravel.

Scorch · September 15, 2017, 05:40 PM

Quote:

I've found a parked Volvo with an intact engine to be a pretty good backstop for anything short of a .50 AP round.

Airport long-term parking anyone?

Quote:

There was a commercial bullet trap that was just a heavy cardboard box

I remember something like that. We used to have a Ponderosa pine crotch log about 30" tall and 24" in diameter that served as our bullet trap in the first shop I worked in. Stopped everything up to and including 458 Win Mag.

On a more serious note, there are commercial "snail" or baffle style bullet traps available. Just google "bullet trap".

RolandD · September 15, 2017, 08:57 PM

If you are just testing trigger function, wouldn't a primed cartridge sans bullet and powder work just a well? Easier on the ears, I would think.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

**Aguila Blanca** · September 15, 2017, 10:41 PM

If you're just testing trigger pull and function, dry firing is all that's needed.

Pahoo · September 16, 2017, 03:53 PM

Quote:

If you're just testing trigger pull and function, dry firing is all that's needed.

That is true but in some cases, not enough as in Semi-auto action which cycle themselves. .....

Aguila,
As a curtesy, let me give you another example; I have a beautiful Rolling-Block rifle. The first time I took it to the range. I had a miss-fire. I check the case and it had a good strike, I changed ammo and still had miss-fire. Went home and went back to the range with some CCI-Mini Mags. This time I got a couple of rounds to go off. Not good enough and it went back on the bench. Finally fixed the problem and test fired into a stack of news-papers. I would not wish this one you as you go through your learning-curve. ......

Be Safe !!!

tobnpr · September 18, 2017, 05:34 PM

In my shop, I use a 6' length of 6", schedule 40 steel tube with a 1/2" steel cap welded onto one end.
Filled to about 6" from the open end with compacted rubber mulch and capped with a couple of snugly fit 1/4" rubber sheets to hold the mulch in place. Not lightweight at around 125 lbs or so but I wanted beef.

I've run .300 WM into it, no problem. Rubber mulch is widely used as bullet stops at ranges and solid rubber blocks in clearing devices; ballistic rubber sheets as target backstops.

Pahoo · September 18, 2017, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Not lightweight at around 125 lbs or so but I wanted beef. I've run .300 WM into it, no problem.

That is impressive and I'm making mine out of an empty cat-litter bucket. Mine will never see a .300-WM. ....

Be Safe !!!

F. Guffey · September 21, 2017, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Home built bullet trap/catcher

Home made: Bullet trap or something to catch bullets. Most of my fabrication friends are gone, I am thinking no one could afford the one I was thinking of.

F. Guffey

Don Fischer · September 21, 2017, 05:22 PM

Ya need a clearing barrel. 55 gal drum with about a 12" hole in the top filled with sane about 3/4 full. Test in your basement!

GarandTd · September 23, 2017, 01:46 PM

I've seen home made ones utilizing a 55 gallon drum and rubber mulch. The user shoots into the end of the barrel with the removable lid and retaining ring.

September 15, 2017, 02:41 PM	#1
Pahoo Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2006 Location: IOWA Posts: 8,783	Home built bullet trap/catcher Hard pressed to find the best place to list tis thread, so thought "Smithing" is as good as any. ???? I routinely do trigger work on a few firearms and often have to go to the range to test the functionality more so than test the accuracy. One of these firearms, is the Ruger 10/22 family as well as the MK,s. The last time I went to the range, it was closed. I decided I needed a better plan. So I made my own test trap. Started out with stacked news-paper and then decided to go to YouTube just by chance they had a video and sure enough, I found some good ideas. Won't go into detail here but basically used Rubber-Mulch and it works pretty good. There is practically no noise as I insert the muzzle slightly into the trap. Have not gone higher than a .22WMR. According to the video, that fella also shoots a 9MM into his. ..... Oh course there are a number of safety guidelines, to follow ...... Be Safe !!! __________________ 'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.

September 15, 2017, 03:22 PM	#2
TXAZ Senior Member Join Date: September 5, 2010 Location: McMurdo Sound Texas Posts: 4,322	I've found a parked Volvo with an intact engine to be a pretty good backstop for anything short of a .50 AP round. But on a serious note, there is a local range here that uses several yards of rubber chunks as a backstop and it works well for anything up to a .338 round. __________________ Cave illos in guns et backhoes

September 15, 2017, 04:06 PM	#3
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,981	A very simple bullet trap can be made with large diameter pipe with a thick piece of steel welded on the end. Fill with 10" of sand. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

September 18, 2017, 05:34 PM	#9
tobnpr Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2010 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 4,556	In my shop, I use a 6' length of 6", schedule 40 steel tube with a 1/2" steel cap welded onto one end. Filled to about 6" from the open end with compacted rubber mulch and capped with a couple of snugly fit 1/4" rubber sheets to hold the mulch in place. Not lightweight at around 125 lbs or so but I wanted beef. I've run .300 WM into it, no problem. Rubber mulch is widely used as bullet stops at ranges and solid rubber blocks in clearing devices; ballistic rubber sheets as target backstops. __________________ Remington 700/Savage Rebarreling /Action Blueprinting 07 FFL /Mosin-Nagant Custom Shop/Bent Bolts Genuine Cerakote Applicator www.biggorillagunworks.com

September 23, 2017, 01:46 PM	#13
GarandTd Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2016 Location: Rural PA Posts: 1,639	I've seen home made ones utilizing a 55 gallon drum and rubber mulch. The user shoots into the end of the barrel with the removable lid and retaining ring. __________________ 22lr, 20 gauge, 8mm Mauser, 35 Remington, 30-06, 5.56x45/223, 9mm, 380acp

September 15, 2017, 04:22 PM	#4
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,539	My neighbor the gunsmith put his lathe on a concrete base, block "legs," slab top. He just continued the base to the concrete block wall, dumped in some sand, and covered it with a board, just a small gap to shoot into. There was a commercial bullet trap that was just a heavy cardboard box for the user to fill with gravel. When the gravel started leaking out the shot up front face, it was time for a new front face. When the gravel was blasted into grit, time for fresh gravel.

September 15, 2017, 08:57 PM	#6
RolandD Member Join Date: February 6, 2016 Posts: 59	If you are just testing trigger function, wouldn't a primed cartridge sans bullet and powder work just a well? Easier on the ears, I would think. Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

September 15, 2017, 10:41 PM	#7
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,460	If you're just testing trigger pull and function, dry firing is all that's needed.

September 21, 2017, 05:22 PM	#12
Don Fischer Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2017 Posts: 1,868	Ya need a clearing barrel. 55 gal drum with about a 12" hole in the top filled with sane about 3/4 full. Test in your basement!